Day 25: Island Hopping

Today, I went to visit some of the other islands in the lagoon. I started out with the island of Murano. Murano is famous the world over for its glass factories, and has been since they were moved there in the 1300s. These people invented mirrors, clear glass, many blowing techniques, and were so prized by the Venetians that they were allowed to marry into the nobility (no other commoners were), at the expense of not being allowed to leave. There is no nobility or emigration restriction today, but the factories are still there cranking out glassworks. Now, their main competition comes from the fact that they are no longer the only glass makers who can make their unique styles (this is why the doges wouldn't let them leave, because back then that would ensure their knowledge didn't leave with them). The Chinese can make the same stuff for cheaper (the Murano glass you find for really cheap in Venice will actually be Chinese), but there's plenty of the real stuff for sale and being made in front of you. Be warned though, until you are a real adult with a real house and real money, about all you can afford is a nice necklace for your girlfriend, as decorative bowls and vases are easily over $100 on the low end, and some of the really extravagant items are more expensive than a car. They are fun to look at though, and in a couple years when it's time to settle down, I can come back and buy a nice bowl or objet d'arte as a centerpiece.

Next, I went to Burano. This is a small island that has nothing much to do on it (unless you are fond of lace) but walk around. This is okay, because Burano is an excellent place to wander aimlessly. The locals have painted their houses and buildings in vibrant colors, which looks spectacular when paired with the whole canals for streets thing. You walk around for about half an hour snapping pictures every time you turn a corner, and then it's time to head back to Venice.

In order to do this, I needed three boat rides. Ordinarily, this would cost you €21 for three one way tickets, but this is stupid. Buy a 12-hour pass instead for €18, and spend the rest of your day cruising the canals on a water taxi. This is what I did, after a trek through Santa Croce and the Jewish Ghetto. I took even more pictures on the Grand Canal, and then stopped off to have dinner. Here, in the evening, with an unbeatable view across the canal of San Giorgio Maggiore, and a glass of wine in my hand, I truly appreciated why they call Venice the most beautiful city in the world. It might be ludicrously expensive, and it might be horrendously impractical and hard to get around, but when you do manage to get yourself into a pretty spot, it's worth it.

Tomorrow I'm going to Naples, doing laundry, and having a pizza. The pictures will follow.