Day four of our adventures in Italy (Sat)

Today we were able to sleep in a bit. Not to long though becouse we needed to get some breakfast before we headed to Merano! Our Hotel stay included a free breakfast, in the small restaurant just a few stairs and steps from our room. ( Floors or levels in buildings in Italy are called Piano's.) We ate yogurt, boiled eggs,bread,pastry's,fresh fruit and drank fresh juice or Aqua Minerale Naturale (Mineral water with no carbination) this was one of the first and most important things we all learned how to say very well in Italian!

Everyone trying to figure out how to get to the best Water Bus station

After our tummies were full we began our journey to Merano a small island where the art of Glass Blowing has been practced for centuries.

As you will notice everyone is wearing heavy winter coats, I never thought that Italy would be so cold so to save space I brought a light jacket and some long sleeve shirts, so did Rachel. We were freezing in Venice!

Jackie was smart and brought along one of the many scarves she has purchased since moving to Italy! There are many hand made scarves in many different fabrics and colors. Everyone ended up with one except Nick, he prefered the russian style hat. We found the best Water Bus to take and walked through the city to catch the next one to Morano.

This is on one of the main walkways along the canal in Morano.

When we first arrived on Marono we went directly to a glass factory where we watched a apprentice Glass Blower demonstrate how he makes Silica sand into a piece of art. We were not allowed to take photographs while there.

Random pictures I took while waiting for Darren to finish at the ATM in Morano.

A boat, bicycle or your feet are the only mode of transportation in Morano. we wandered through some back walkways and found a cafe to eat lunch. I ate lasagna it was delicious. After stopping at a few more glass shops one in particular for one of Jackie's roommates. We headed back to the Water Bus. We were on a mission to get a Gondola ride with a Gondolier who would sing!

Pictures as we were leaving St. Marks square on the Grand Canal aboard a real venesian Gondola.

Jacklyn Nicole Pennington(AKA Italian Collage Student)

Nicholas Victor Johnson sporting his new found favorite hat.

Our ride on the Gondola lasted an hour and we traveled through many side canals as well as the Grand Canal. We passed under 18 bridges including the famous Realto Bridge. We also saw the house which Mozart stayed when he visted Venice. Our Gondolier did sing a few lines for Rachel. We heard other Gondoliers singing in the side canals as the sound echo's on the water. By the end of our ride we were super cold. We are so glad cold or not that we got to experience this part of Venice it truely is surreal.

Gondola's lined up in front of St. Marks Square. I emagine that in the Summer there is a line of people waiting for a Gondola to come back.

This is a short clip of what it was like to ride the Gondola. My fingers were getting to cold to hold the camera. I think Darren got some on the video camera. Maybe he will post some later. After the ride was over The Johnson's went back to the hotel to get warm. The Penningtons went throught the Cathedral at St. Marks square. Before dinner we met and went window shopping. We ate at a neat restaurant just off the Realto Bridge on the Grand Canal. I had pizza, not the best choice as the Italians it it with utensils, Darren had steak and liked it. Some had desert and said it was wonderful. We stopped in the Coin on our way home. (The Coin is the Italian department store kind of like Penny's) People in Italy take their Dogs (Canine's) everywhere even in the stores. They are almost always on a leash and seem to like to shop. Whew another filled day, time for some sleep!