Venice

Day Two! We left for the city in the lagoon. Venice is in the middle of a marshland and consists of several small "islands" connected together by an elaborate (and ancient) pier system. It served as a burial ground since prehistoric times. It was one of the view unwalled cities in Italy because they used the bayou for their protection. Piers were driven into the water until they got passed the soft mud and into solid ground. Then planks were laid across the beams diagonally so as to evenly distribute the weight. On top of the planks they laid marble (and other stone) foundations. Here we are on the ferry to the city. Venice as a country was one of the earliest forms of a modern democracy. They had a pyramid shaped political set-up with the doge on top, a council of ten, then the people at the bottom. Trade and freedom were the most important things to the Venicians. They were able to travel as far as Russia and China and became known for their safe travels. They built their own ship harbor, and using the assembly line, created up to three large boats a day. Ships carried two hundred men for safe travels.

We took a gondola ride through the city and they served us champagne!

Our driver!

Venice is famous for its glass and we went to a renown glass furnace to take a tour. We watched this man create a glass horse and a vase. It was incredible. (and very, very hot!)

Here he rolls it around, lengthening it out. And here he uses his clamp to make it thinner in places as well as to pull out strands.

Saint Mark's Square- beware of pigeons!The bell tower fell down about a hundred years ago, but they since rebuilt it. (obviously!) Behold the winged lion- Saint Mark and Venice's symbol and the first digital clock. It is in Arabic and Roman numerals and changes every five minutes.

Saint Mark's Cathedral where Saint Mark the Evangelist is buried.

If you look closely- above the modern sign- you will see the bridge of sighs. Here prisoners would walk across to go to their prison cells. As they crossed, they looked out the last two windows at their beautiful city, and sighed. SIGH.....