Euro Day 16 & 17 - Part 2 - Venice
Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Our journey from Florence to Venice didn't start out that well. First we had a failed attempt at a hike that I'd researched the night before. It looked like it started outside of Bologna but we couldn't really find the start, or at least when we did, it just looked like streets rather than forest (despite the photos of the hike looking foresty). We didn't have extra time to stuff around so we abandoned that plan and went to a Bologna supermarket instead to buy supplies for lunch and our coming time in Venice. Note - We didn't buy bolognaise but we did buy this massive jellyfish shaped loaf of bread that I was really looking foward to eating. They weigh the bread here - I think the lady behind the bread counter wasn't expecting me to buy the whole thing. After shopping we had another 90 minutes of driving so we could only stop for a quick lunch at a roadside stop (A Servizia). It was the least pleasant place imaginable - and that was before we realised that we'd somehow failed to purchase the delicious looking bread we'd chosen in the supermarket! Disaster! 
Luckily we had breadsticks, so we wrapped them with our roll fillings and made the most of it. Then it was onwards to Venice where we arrived at our parking place with about 10 minutes to spare before the ferry. Perfect timing in the end! 
The ferry journey to Venice was about 25 minutes long, and then we had 10 minute walk to meet the person who was checking us into our Airbnb apartment. 
The view from the stairwell of our 4th story apartment. Sometimes there are om-pah-pah musicians on board as well (my worst nightmare) After unpacking and enjoying the A/C of the apartment for a little while (and stroking the fridge lovingly - don't judge us, we've had a hot few days and nights), we headed out for a walk around our local neighbourhood. We're staying just a few minutes from St Marks Square so we went out in that direction and just kept walking.  
  
marzipan things seem to be a big thing here It was all amazing. The canals, the sea, the buildings, the shops and the piazzas and statues. It was busy with people, but it's all so huge that it's easy to get off the main thoroughfares and wander down other alley ways and cross other bridges. It goes on forever. We walked for ages and only covered a small part of it.
Back in our apartment we cooked dinner then watched a movie, intending to go out a bit later but the next thing we knew the windows were being lit up by fireworks which turned out to be lighting, followed by torrential rain, so aside from a quick trip out to get drenched, we spent the rest of the evening inside and slept in comfortable beds while our washing hung from every possible area of the apartment. The next morning, Jon and I went for a run (as previously blogged), then Zali decided it would be cool to visit Murano, one of the outer islands - so we walked to the waterbus stop and took the 30 minute trip around our part of Venice, then over to Murano. 
Murano is the original glass production area - in fact all the glass makers were sent from the main part of Venice to Murano in 1291 to reduce the risk of fire to Venice from their furnaces. On Maruno they enjoyed a high status with certain priveliges such as being able to wear swords and being immune from prosecution from the state. However they also weren't allowed to leave the island (and take with them their glassmaking secrets). If they tried and were caught they would loose their hands, and sometimes their lives as well. So swings and roundabouts really! One of the interesting things we learnt about in the museum was that they kept their secrets sooo secret that they actually lost the secret, and had to go about trying to re-invent their secret techniques - ha! I bet the handless former glass workers had the last laugh there then! We had lunch on the island in a little park and then took the ferry back to a different part of Venice and walked the 2ish k home via a completely different route. It was great. 
This is outside the hospital - these are the ambulances and ambulance drivers. A different type of 'ramping' goes on here! After a bit of siesta and snack time we headed out again for a Gondola ride and dinner. Although the gondola was cool it probably would have been better to do it when we first arrived, as it felt like we'd sort of already had the wow factor from running and walking around all the canals. Still it was good fun. 
Dinner was really expensive for not very fancy food. Back to home cooking for a while I think!
Tomorrow we have to leave early for the Dolomites. Venice has been great - it exceeded my expectations and I'd happily spend a week here so there was time to visit the museums and palaces and learn a bit more about the history, and see the Biennale. Another time hopefully.
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