Lost at Sea: Venezia, ah Venezia

We'd been anchoring off the two small island of Burano and Murano in the Venezian lagoon. Burano is the traditional centre for lace production, from the time of the Venetian empire. Murano, of course, specialized in blown glass. We snagged ourselves a multi-museum pass thingie, which impels us to actually go to museums. The two museums on lace and glass though were fascinating. The lace was astonishing in its intricacy and three dimensionality.

Figure's embroidered into the lace

Intricate raised patterns

A lace shop in Burano

Main square in Burano

We also paddled into Murano and looked at the glass factories and museums. Murano glass is beautiful, but the mass consumption of it by hordes of tourists put us off a bit. We did managed to find a beautiful blue bowl and some Christmas gifts in a small shop on a side street.

Pavlov anchored in 2 m, off Murano in the canal leading to the garbage dump!

Spit cosying up to Murano dock

Gorgeous church in Murano

Of course, blown glass chandeliers

Pre Renaissance glass

A blown glass model of a Venetian garden

Modern glass sculpture. The inspiration seems clear!

More modern glass sculptures

More glass in Murano

Murano bridge

Main canal in Murano

Murano clock tower

We were getting a bit exhausted dealing with the continual wash from ferries and assorted vessels while at anchor. So we bit the bullet and paid to spend a few days in Marina Vento di Venezia which I recommend very highly. We were charged 60 Euro a day, which is not too bad compared with what we have paid elsewhere. The marina is very calm, no wash!, and it's only a 10 minute ferry ride to Saint Mark's Square.

Pavlov suffering the luxury of finger pontoon berthing at Marina Vento di Venezia

A few of the marina's more goatish residents

Unusual traditional Lateen rigged boat

The narrow fairway into the marina

We bought a multi-day pass on the ferries. It was expensive, but we could jump on and off the ferries all day. It sure beat walking through all the tangled maze of Venezian laneways and getting lost, continually trying to read an incomprehensible map.

Ferry ride to the Grand Canal

God, not another impossibly gorgeous building!

More gondolas

When these carabinieri appeared, all the immigrant bag sellers ran!

The environs of Santo Marco.

First ferry ride we took was along the length of the Grand Canal. This is the large main canal that esses its way through Venice

The grand canal

Spectacular palazzo's fronting onto the Grand Canal

The Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal

We enjoyed the markets and atmosphere behind Rialto. The fish markets and small shops had a great atmosphere. Then it was time for some culture. We'd bought a museum pass, so we jumped into some of the museums around Santo Marco.

Sundial overlooking Rialto courtyard

A random back garden

Just another gorgeous church

I just dig the attitude

Rodin's "The Thinker". Always reminds me of Dobie Gillis.

A famous Klimpt "Judith II"

A Miro that I liked.

We're finding that Venice is a drug best taken homoeopathically. Small doses, before tourismitits strikes is best. When fatigue and overload set in, we just hop on a ferry, take a mini sea-cure, then off into a new environment. Each ferry stop is like a whole different world, with a different purpose and vibe.