Saturday, May 21, 2011

A year ago today I walked across the Bridge of Sighs

A year ago today we took a private boat to St. Marks Square.  I loved St. Marks Square, it was a big part of the book I was reading so I was very excited to see it in person.  We saw the Basilica and the Doges’ Palace.  I thought the Doges’ palace was fascinating.  The palace is a gothic palace and was the home of the supreme authority of Venice which back in the day was like a the home of the Pope.  While touring the palace we got to see the prison and walk across the Bridge of Sighs.  Looking out from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view convicts saw before being imprisoned. The namesake was because the prisoners would sigh at their last view before being put in their cell.  There is a funny coincidence because in my hometown of Reno, NV they also call the Virginia Street Bridge the Bridge of Sighs because the legends and stories of newly-divorced women coming to Washoe County to divorce and on the way to the Courthouse they would sigh and toss their wedding rings into the Truckee River. 

We also saw a glassblower today in Venice and got a demonstration.  Venice and Murano are famous for their glass.  The glassblower was amazing!  He was very muscular and had back muscles that I had never seen on a person before because he uses those muscles blowing glass.  Glassblowing is an old tradition and is often passed down within the family. 
After touring the glass shop and seeing the Doges' Palace we did the best thing in Venice to do, we got lost! 
We are notorious for getting lost as a family, then we use our circling in technique to get back to where we are supposed to be.  This method works, but man you walk a long ways.  Venice is easy to get around you just have to know where to go and read the signs on the buildings.  We finally found a place to eat, walked around and shopped and then we went back to the hotel to rest.  Venice is a beautiful place, I hope I get to go there again someday.



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