Since last entry, I went to Bologna for a few days, then returned to Florence for the weekend before going home. Lack of reliable internet means a big backlog of photos to post and things to talk about, so I'll try to share them all over the next few days!
The fog that I mentioned last entry persisted, and if anything, it was even thicker on Monday. It's not the kind of thick-as-pea-soup fog that rolls along the landscape in discrete banks; it's more of a haze, I suppose. It doesn't significantly impede visibility when navigating on foot or along the canals of the island itself. But when you follow the canals to where they empty out into the sea, or when your vaporetto turns out of Canal Grande and you look out to the horizon—nothing. Just the emerald-green sea stretching out and into the mist.
Between Venice proper and Murano, there's a small island called San Michele. The whole island is enclosed in a brick wall, with towers and domes reaching up from between the cypresses. San Michele is a cemetery, and there must be hundreds of thousands of graves there. I got quite lost on it, actually, but it was completely beautiful, with flowers of every kind and color adorning the thousands upon thousands of headstones, and a mystical sort of silence broken only by bird calls.
No photos were allowed on the island itself, but I got a few from the boat.
The next stop was Murano, home of hundreds of glass workshops and a Glass Museum that includes Roman-era glass artifacts as well as artwork and functional pieces from the 16th through 20th centuries, and explanations of various glass-making techniques and materials. Naturally, no photos were allowed in the museum (and most of the shops had big signs saying “NO PHOTOS”).
The character of Murano is similar to Venice proper when it comes to the layout of the island and the style of buildings, though it appears less well-kept.
The central part, where the largest canals intersect by the main piazza and the bell tower, showcases this glass sculpture that is actually pretty ugly. I much prefer the chandeliers.
But there is plenty to appreciate about Murano, and it is definitely not limited to the glittery show room displays.
From there, I caught another vaporetto to Burano. It's a long ride, with nothing between the two islands but miles of fog-veiled ocean and rows of pylons to mark the way, and it is slightly disconcerting (but also really cool) to look back and see that the island you've just come from has completely vanished behind you.
Burano's claim to fame is lace, and the island's main tourist attraction (other than lace-shopping) is a Lace Museum. The museum is currently closed until spring, which would have been nice to know ahead of time, but I am not bitter, because Burano also surprised me in a good way.
Look at the buildings! I've never seen anything like this in Italy, but the buildings are all such bright, varied colors. The entire island is like this, with just about every color you can imagine.
Literally every street is like this.
While I am admittedly not very knowledgeable about or interested in fashion or textiles, and perhaps made some tongue-in-cheek remarks about lace in my trip journal, I will admit that Burano lace is pretty stuff.
It is cool, for lace.
Next on our agenda is Basilica San Marco and the view from the bell tower, so hold tight--when I am a little less jet-lagged, I will post that for you.
Ciaociao!
