Gondola's and Ferrys - Venezia (Venice)

So after 3 hours zooming across the north of Italy on fast trains we made it to the tourist pulsing vibrant city of Venice.



We had a cool orientation tour around the city with our tour leader and found that getting lost in all the back alleys and winding canals is fairly normal and you never know what you will find when you pop out of an alleyway.
This boat looked like someone added on some tail lights off a Mk3 Zephyr






I think that it is a place that you just have to come and see for yourself to see how it all works. Basically it's a collection of islands in the middle of a harbour which have been built up with housing etc, but they have maintained all the waterway networks to link everything. Also footpaths and bridges to get about by foot, but no roads, through the centre is the grande canal with the large ferries and boats, then all the little side canals are used by motorboats, then all the tiny canals are used by the gondolas.



So enough of that, we caught the traghetto (ferry) out to the glass blowing island of Murano, so that was interesting to see, and look in one hundred shop windows at fancy bits of fragile glass that we definitely weren't going to pack home. Some very beautiful vases, some very gaudy chandeliers, and some very intricate small ornaments.



These ornaments were about 5cm tall and had the glass fish in the cats tummy


Then on our way to Burano to see where they make lace by hand. Julia had a great time, Fred struggled to see the attraction of the doilies and cloths....
The houses and canals were very cute though.



Then back to Murano for a tad more shopping and wondering about, then we caught the ferry back to the main Venice island. This time we decided to get lost and see what we could find, so that was fun.


Next day we did the obligatory boat ride in a gondola around the canals, which was very cool. Apparently some of the gondaliers sing to you, but ours said that he only sings in the shower.









So an amazing place to see how it all works.
Now we have flown to London for a few days, so will see if the queen is home for a cuppa tea and a cucumber sandwich






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Location:Italy