Murano Glass

Our first full day in Venice was great!  I worked extra hard to make sure everyone knew when and where we were meeting throughout the day and no one got lost.  I started the day early by getting our 72 hour boat-bus passes and studying the signage at the pier very carefully...I'm SO impressed with the way the system is arranged.  Its easy to read and figure out how to get around.  I took some pictures to show the group what to look for, then went back to the hotel to meet everyone for breakfast.  We all stopped at the market for picnic lunch and then headed for the pier.

After breakfast went to Murano Island, where much of the famous glass crafting is done.  The group split up to wander the island.  Several of us immediately located a workshop that was inviting people in to view the masters at work.  We watched a team of artisans create a glass stallion in just 10-15 mins flat.  It was amazing!  The kids found several souvenir glass pieces that they wanted to bring home (we had set budgets for the day before even setting foot on the island).  

We unfortunately wandered for another 30 mins trying to locate the one public toilet on the island.  After that we wandered some more looking for a place to "pic-nic" with our lunches, but everyone stairway was clearly labeled that is was NOT a pic-nic zone.  We finally settled on the waterfront.  We located one more artist working and watched him do a mixed color piece.  He started with a blob of clear glass, then dipped it in a dish of colored pieces and re-heated it, then shaped it.  Pretty cool! 

Light house on Murano Island

First, you take a large blob of molten glass...

Then, you pull at it with tongs until you tease out a neck and four legs...

Then you add a flowing mane with a kind of crimping tool...

You eventually add hooves and the second half of the legs and voila...a beautiful stallion.

Walking around, up and down.

One of many "no pic-nic" zones.

This little face next to a window caught my attention.  There are many others just like it around town.  I don't know who it is...but he performs a very clever function (see below)

Hinge him down and  your shutters open out...

Hinge him up and they stay in place.