So after hopping on the #1 vaparetto that makes all the stops up and down the Grand Canal, I rode it to the train station to transfer to the water bus that would take me to Guidecca. My plan was to walk around and stop somewhere on the water for lunch then return home.
There is a good reason most locals walk rather than take the vaporettos... they are VERY slow and usually overcrowded with standing room only.
As the vaporetto began its laborious trip through the lagoon, I saw parts of the area that I had never seem before... and am perfectly okay with not ever seeing again. I guess I was surprised that not everything in the lagoon looks like a painting or postcard. The Mestre stop looks very industrial and I see no reason to explore the area. If I wanted to see industrial areas I would have stayed in Oakland CA.
It what seemed like three hours but, was probably only one and a half the vaporetto stopped at the first Guidecca stop. I looked at the surroundings and decided to hold out for a more picturesque setting. Stops 2 and 3 proved no different, so I decided Guidecca probably wasn't going to be my luncheon destination. I just couldn't understand where all the pretty restaurants in the guide had gone.
The vaporetto lurched it way to the next few stops before getting to it's final destination- Piazza San Marco. In order to escape the crowds I decided to go to a different landing and take the vaporetto around the other side of the island to the Fondemente Nove stop near my home. I seriously had no idea it would again take so long. And again, this side of Venice would never make it into travel photo books or you tube videos. I humored myself by looking at the water and trying to figure out how to use the HD video-cam part of my camera.
Apparently getting my sea legs or perhaps trying to break the seafaring record for continuous hours on water, I decided to forgo my stop and continue on to Murano. After all, it was only 2:30 and I had started at 11:30 a.m.
So onward to Murano I forged feeling a little like a modern day Gilligan.
Murano Island is famous for their glass factories where the artisans craft exquisite and expensive Murano glass from which everything from $25K chandeliers to jewelry are created. It is picturesque, but not quite as colorful as vibrant Burano... but, more importantly Murano has a few shade trees from which to escape the unabating sun and heat.
I wandered to a factory door and watched a glassblower perfect his craft by breathing life into what would soon be a beautiful Murano glass vase. I continued looking for a place to have an early dinner and ended up at the main canal. It is very charming.
I spied a canalside restaurant that had tables covered with white tablecloths. I took that as a promising sign and the menu confirmed this was not a lousy pizza joint that had pizza, burgers and other touristy foods. After perusing the menu I decided to order the fritto misto and a glass of prosecco.
Well I was delighted that the deep fried fish (calamari, shrimp, schie and sardines) were tasty and the coating was light and perfect. I finished off the meal with an expresso.
I did some window shopping and scouted some gift ideas to bring back with me. I also took over 100 pictures on this tiny island!
At 5:30 p.m, tired out from being on the open seas all day, I walked to the water bus stop to take the first vaporetto back to Venice... and to research how many open sea hours one one needs to complete to be certified as a sailor!
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