While planning my trip to Venice, I watched endless videos on Venice and in particular those on Burano. I loved the vibrant colors and the story that tells why they are painted in this manner. Folklore says that the fishermens' wives painted their houses in these brilliant colors so their men could easily identify their houses as soon as they entered the lagoon. Today, the colors of each house is still mandated and each house must be repainted the same color.
In order to get to Burano, I had to challenge myself to make the trip. Whenever I travel I always find using public transportation daunting at first. (At this point I am going to openly cop to the fact that I actually watched a 60 second you tube video about scanning the pass and boarding the boat.) So at Fondamente Nove I confidently scanned my pass and boarded the vaporetto for Burano.
Nothing prepared me for the quaintness of this idyllic island. Just being there among the colors and the quaint architecture made me HAPPY! I defy anyone to go to Burano and feel differently. I walked around and snapped photos to my heart's content. Beautiful shops full of expensive handmade Venetian lace - (and sometimes inexpensive items made in China), colorful houses, boats, canals.. a real photographer's dream.
Eventually, thirst and hunger got the best of me and I started to look for a place to eat. I settled on a lovely canalside restaurant called Riva Rosa.
The interior was as charming as the outside and the menu looked wonderful.
I quickly settled on the Go Risotto. Go is a tiny fish native to the Venetian Lagoon. This flavorful fish is very delicate and must be barely simmered lest the fish fall apart and impart a bitter taste to the broth. It literally was the most delicious risotto I had ever had. I had two glasses of a refreshing pinot blanc and a decadent chocolate tart to complete my meal. The service was very attentive and I felt very pampered.
After the satisfying lunch I took a few more photos and then headed to the nearby vaporetto station to go back to Venice. While I did watch some Rosetta Stone Italian DVDs and listen to Auto Italian CDs, I, by no means, know more than a few words to get me by. That's why I found it funny that someone so unnerved by the vaporetto system suddenly became the guide for both Italian and French tourists seeking counsel on the correct vaporetto to take. I assisted the travelers but laughed to myself that someone who watched a you tube video was suddenly a vaporetto route expert ... and in multi languages at that!
After debarking I headed home and met a distraught older German woman who was lost and looking for the Ferrovia train station (yes the one from yesterday's tale of horror). While I speak not a word of German and she spoke not a word of English the sounds of "choo choo, chug a chug a" seem to transcend all languages. I walked with the woman to the main drag and then about a half a mile more to make sure she was headed in the right direction.
Satisfied that I had done my good deed for the day I headed for the nearest outdoor cafe to try my first "spritz aperol" followed by a "spritz campari". Seriously, who would try one type of spritz and not the other?
While drinking my spritz a local mime dressed as Oliver Hardy tried desperately to "pick me up" and in my spritz induced state, I couldn't decide ... if it was a good thing or bad! I guess I could have held out for the Stan Laurel mime...
Heading home, I decided that indeed it was my most colorful and happiest day in Venice. I really almost felt like I belonged...
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