Finally.....San Marco

 

After the coffee, we resumed our search for San Marco, following the signs on every corner, some official and some written on the walls in a variety of handwriting …….and when we found it, it was a crazy busy place filled with tourists from all around the world, the famous pigeons, the expensive cafes where you pay 12 euros for a cup of coffee if there is entertainment provided while you sit… ah well, we are only here once ……. and of course all the high end stores …. Arnold loved a silk shirt in a window … very stylish … until he found out that it was 750 euros ….. suddenly it lost its appeal …… the maze of shops included lots of Venetian mask shops….. in every style and colour possible …. many stores also hired full Mardi Gras costumes ….. beautiful brocades and  elaborate embroidery…. now we have an excuse to come back to see the full spectacle.

We had been warned about the queues at St Mark’s Basilica, the Doges Palace and the Campanile, so we decided that we would visit them tomorrow, on Monday….. we assumed that it would be quieter on a weekday.

As we walked by the Campanile, we couldn’t believe our luck – the queue was very short, so we quickly joined it …… and headed to the top (by lift) for wonderful views over the Basilica, Palace and islands of the lagoon… fortunately??? – we were up there just as the 11.00am bells started to sound….and sound….and sound…. just above our heads, very loudly …. at least we weren’t for the midday peels!!!

After lunch we decided to take the water bus over to Murano Island, home of the famed glass blowers. There are two routes for the water taxi, the milk run which stops at all the stations and islands in the bay, and then the express – we took the slow water bus over and the express back.

Most of the factories were closed because this is the height of the summer holiday season, but we did manage to find one showroom with a display of their craft – and I swear that the blower was Vin Diesel (or his twin brother!!)