Day 10 Tuesday Murano

Today I went to Murano, an island just to the north of the main part of Venice. It is the centre of the Venetian glass making industry ( that part of the ‘industry’ that has not moved offshore to China). First I went to an old church called Santi Maria and Donato. It is quite old – dates back to the 7th century. It was initially dedicated to Mary, but then the relics of the body of St Donatus from Sicily were brought there and his name was added. ( I must read back – pre the vineyard church to read what other odd ways churches here have been named) Behind the altar are 4 huge bones from a dragon that this guy’s spit killed – or so the guide book says. I lashed out and spent 1 euro on a piece of paper that told me all about the Church, but it’s in Italian. The relevant part mentions 3 dorsal vertaebra and part of the vertebral column of a cetaceo – whatever that maybe – my dictionary is not up to large animals, mythical or otherwise. It had a lovely floor like St Mark’s – mosaics – sometimes birds and animals and sometimes abstract patterns. There are 11 th century mosaics on the walls. It was obviously used as a church. There was a pile of hymn books, a bible left on the altar and a large flat screen at the front ( sort of folded away but it looked like it hinged outwards) and 2 screens half way down each side aisle. I then went on a heater hunt. They were very discrete – hanging from the ceiling like modern chandeliers, but quite high up. They blended in with the colour of the wooden ceiling. At least I am guessing that the things I saw were heaters.

My next stop was the glass museum. They had a quite interesting display of how glass was made – both in the past and today. They had glasses, bowls, ornaments from different periods in different rooms. I donot think I followed the correct sequence , it was a bit of a jumble. The modern stuff was nice. There was really odd stuff from the 19th century. Then they had a fad of glass decorations for the centre of a dining room table. These decorations took the form of an outdoor garden, with little trees , urns, birds, animals, lawns, all sorts of bits and pieces. One of my books described them as ‘stupendously ugly 19th century decorative pieces’.

There are streets and streets of shops selling glass souvenirs that range in price from 1 euro – not made in Murano – to beautiful stuff that starts at 6 figures. The lady who came here last Saturday to change the sheets gave me the name of someone who is reputable. Who knows. As avid readers may remember from my last trip, buying things when I am away ( or at any time for that matter) for other people is extremely difficult. One of the reasons, I think, is that some part of me feels the need to make up to W, K and C for the years and years their father travelled and never brought them anything. I remember – he did once- he bought them a mug each and they used them and used them till the motif wore off, a different animal. Anyway, I went to this particular shop. Franca had told me it was mainly plates with some jewelry. There were no plates. I decided I was not leaving till I had bought something for 2 of the 3. I was pleased – it wasnot too difficult, but there was nothing suitable for the third!

Then I took a direct ferry back to the train station, where the slow ferry down the grand canal starts and got a good seat – well a seat with a good view but it was the coldest, most exposed seat on the ferry. I took some photos of the very grand, the grand, the not so grand now, and the falling down palaces. I also got a few more photos of different boats to add to my ‘water transport’ collection. I missed the photo of the interflora boat though.

I had been recommended a restaurant that was not open when I went previously, but I thought I’d try again. It was good – see food post next.

I came home to do some more embroidery, but I am disappointed. When I got my new glasses a few years ago, I was able to see more clearly than I can now, I think. Ah well, I have a nice window to sit near to watch the world go past.

Several times I have walked past the gates of the Arsenal, near here. Since the Middle Ages, battleships and merchant ships were built in the huge state dockyard that is called the Arsenale. It must have been an amazing place. In the late 1500’s when Venice and the Turks were fighting, 100 galleys every 2 months were produced. Apparently they had developed an assembly line sort of practice. There was over 60 acres and at its height there were 16000 workers – in pre-industrialised Europe. Huge.

Some random thoughts follow:

My fancy new travelling handbag maybe slashproof but it is not rainproof!

I can thoroughly recommend The Rough Guide series of maps. Folding and refolding repeatedly in the rain for 3 days would destroy most maps. Not this one!

Venice is a good place to learn that the journey is as important as the destination; and what your thought was the destination may turn out not to be anyhow.

It would be very hard to eat cheaply as a tourist in Italy if you did not eat wheat.

My hair gets dirty faster in Venice than in Canberra.
I am lucky – in 2 weeks I have experienced a range of weather from cold, misty and raining ( quite atmospheric) to yesterday’s bright sunshine, sit outside at a café with only a shirt on weather.

Venetian people ( dare I say housewives?) hang their washing on the line sorted. I have been looking and have never seen the sheets and towels muddled up. Like is next to like. They also rarely hang undies on the lines; on the few ocassions I have seen some they are always white. Mind you, I have seen several nice lingerie shops and I have never seen anything displayed that is not a light colour.

In the 10 days I have been wandering the streets I have only seen 2 obviously scarfed Muslim women. All the restaurants I have been to have had Italian front of house staff but several have had North African kitchen staff.

I reckon people on the ferries here are more considerate of elderly passengers than on the buses and trains in Canberra and Sydney.

I am really enjoying this apartment. It is bright, feels spacious and has a good outlook.