Hi Everyone,
For my second day in Venice I visited St. Mark's Basilica, and climbed the bell tower.
Well, I didn't exactly climb it because they have an elevator to take you to the top! Hooray! The views of Venice are amazing, and you almost forget that there aren't any real streets.
Harold really liked the bells, they still ring on the hour.
St. Mark's Basilica has a strict no-photo policy, they have signs everywhere, but tourists ignore them.
I am not "that tourist", so I don't have any photos inside. It's a shame because the ceiling is covered in the most amazing gold and colored mosaic tiles, some of which are 1/3 the size of my pinkie nail. I had gotten a late start that morning, but it worked out to my advantage, as the mosaics are only lit up between 11:30 and 12:30, so I got to see them at the best time. There is a museum that houses four copper horses, said to have been spoils of war from Constantinople. Copies of the horses decorate the outside of the Basilica, and you can go out on the terrace to look at them, and take all the pictures you want.
I had lunch, and a Bellini at Harry's bar, where the Bellini was invented.
I went for the non alcoholic version because I had a boat tour of Murano and Burano in the afternoon. Murano is famous for Venetian glass, and I got to see a glass blowing demonstration, along with a glass shaping demonstration. I think it's astounding that someone can create a horse from glass just by using the equivalent of tweezers to pull on it.
Harold was in awe of this chandelier decorating the workroom.
Burano is famous for hand made lace, and I got to see a lace making demonstration. Unfortunately it is a dying art, as no one wants to learn how to make lace by hand because it is so time consuming.
Burano is also a colorful fishing village. Each house is a different color, and my colorful gelato fits right in.
In the evening I went to La Traviata at Musica al Palazzo. They perform a condensed version of an opera, with each act taking place in a different room of a Venetian mansion.
Act one takes place in the Hall.
A few glasses of prosecco were handed out during the drinking song of La Traviata, and I got one. Harold wanted to drink it, but I said no.
Act two takes place in a study/salon,
and Act three takes place in the bedroom.
I thought it was a fun idea, and something we should really consider doing in the US.
After the opera I went to walk along the Rialto Bridge, this time with less tourists. I love this photo I took of Venice at night from the bridge.
I'm sad to leave Venice, it has been an incredible city. I'm finally getting my sea legs from being on a boat or Vaporetto all the time, but now I constantly feel like I'm on a boat, and I might be walking a bit like a drunken sailor. I'll be relieved when that feeling goes away.
So, bedbug update: The hostel in Rome has a laundry service, and can also steam my suitcase and backpack, which they are happy to do because they don't want the little bastards either. All my stuff was immediately taken to the laundry, and should be waiting for me after I get back from a ghost walking tour tonight. I have an early morning tomorrow, because I have a papal audience scheduled, however I just found out that tomorrow is when President Trump is supposed to meet the Pope. I hope that it won't be cancelled, because Harold is really looking forward to taking a selfie with the Pope. So no blog post tonight, but the next one should hopefully be awesome *fingers crossed*
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