c. VENICE Thursday Dec 18th thru Sat Dec 20th

Dec 18-20 Thursday-Sat

VENICE

Accom: Venice Antica Locanda Sturion//san polo-Calle Del Sturion

Travel By: Fly from Paris to Venice 1230pm flight

To: Venice

Directions: fly via EZJET

http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/EN/IDPagina/1

DO: glass factory in Murano//rialto bridge for shopping //wander the streets

• St Marks Basilica/ St Marks Sq
• Grand Canal
• Piazzo San Marco
• Venice Arsenal: weaponry
• Bridge of Sighs/ Doge’s palace
• Murano Island (several glass factories)

Thursday: Get onto bus to venice...about 20 minutes then on boat...it is true that there are no cars on the island of Venice! We take boat...or walk...everywhere. Got to the hotel, built in the 12th century...and climbed the many steps...with Robbie's 85 lb. body bag to our lovely room (that we all shared). The accommodations were beautiful 12th century design, clean, freshly painted. Left our hotel to have a bite and start meandering through the nearby shops. We stayed a block off the Rialto bridge. First meal included pasta, pizza, lasagna and nockie. with a bottle of chianti. The best meal in Europe to date...as imagined it would be....then shopped some more. tomorrow...Murano island to visit glass factories and sites around venice! ended the night with some lemon cello, dad and rob on the water front smoking cigars and drinking italian beira..a mans way to end a day here.

Friday: Waking up early to enjoyed breakfast at the hotel overlooking the canal. We had a tv screen playing the latest LIVE shot from the hotel onto the Canal, all commercial free. Went to st. marks square....and befriended a local tourist official who gave us free water taxi tickets to the Island of Murano and Murano glass factories....our own private LIMO taxi...made the trip in 15 minutes versus the 45 it would have taken by standard water taxi. BECKY WAS HAPPY!!!!! We all got to see the glass making operation....then Toured over a dozen rooms of finished and sophisticated chandeliers and glass art...all Murano...all beautiful. we have awesome secret video and pictures of the facility. The art work is truly amazing and i don't think any of us will look at a chandelier the same way ever again. There are many shops with Murano glass...all lining the canal. Some have certain glass art and figures they specialize in from the classic and beautiful traditional chandelier and art style to very clever artsy pieces...stuff my mom would hate...including large glass black widow spiders ..yes..made from glass...bought a few pieces, had lunch...a pizza and calzone. Love sharing these lunches and dinners with the family...yum! Back onto a standard water taxi to the square....enjoyed the sites of the doges palace exterior...mom had a coffee...we goofed off with pigeons...

and then in to see the palace, weapons and prison. The palace was amazing...with art on the walls and ceilings....the italians used a lot of plaster to make art and statues...the paintings were AMAZING! The weapons used in the early days were mostly swords, battle axes and long bows. The swords looked like they could weigh 12 pounds....very sharp edges...would hate to be on the sharp side of one of these!

Shopped, then back on the water taxi to Rialto. Dropped our bags and went out to dinner. Mom had veal, i had calamari, Rob and Rachel the chicken. I have not had any bad meals here....i would totally eat my weight in pizza....which would make me look like a pizza...and i'm not talking about a slice.

Back to the room...rob and i took off to get beir, lemon cello and smoke...one out of three isn't bad. Found lemon cello...in a glass boot....back to the hotel...hard to believe the hotel is 700 years old. Lots of walking...think we may have all lost weight from all of the walking so far!

Saturday: Today leaving venice to florence for a quick one day trip.