Glass Merchants of Venice #4

After saying my last goodbyes to a mate I was visiting in Parma, I caught my train and headed straight to my next destination: Venice. To get to Venice from Parma I had to take two different trains. The first train was one heading from Venice to Bologna. I honestly wish I had more time to spend a few days in the city. Its reputation for being a beautiful, cultural city with great food was hard to resist. Although, I didn’t want to allocate my already short days in different cities for another destination.

Travelling in (dis)comfort

The train to Bologna has to be the worst travel experience I’ve endured (excluding air travel). I generally don’t have bad travel experiences. Either I’m lucky or It isn’t easy to get me off my travel high.

Regardless, the day I was travelling on was a scorcher. Barely any clouds in the sky decided to to show up and the sun was freely beating down on the earth and especially on my carriage, it seemed. The train itself looked like something out of a derelict train graveyard with a bit of extra polish and paint.

My carriage

The inside was small and cramped. Luckily, it had not been too full just before noon. That didn’t help prevent the utter discomfort of the inside. The carriage felt like a furnace. It was utterly cooking. I was wearing a sleeveless and shorts and I still felt every pore of my body screaming for any cool air. After a five minutes into the hour long trip, I had enough. I tried opening every window in the carriage. Unfortunately, the way the windows were designed, you were only allowed to open about two inches from the top.

What made it worse was that we were flanked by two high rising mounds of earth. The train tracks were made on land that had been dug out. This didn’t allow the free flow of any wind. The whole trick felt like a slight living hell. It was bad to the point that I was counting the minutes till I would get off. I was amazed that these types of trains were allowed to function. Although, my mate said that Italy had quite a few very cheap trains to travel from city to city. It made sense why this train was so cheap, zero air-conditioning must be a great fuel saver.

I did not really have a say in the matter, I wanted to get to Venice as soon as possible, so my Interrail app recommended this train. At the very least I didn’t have to pay for a reservation seat.

I’m glad, I can spend the extra money buying iced water and pouring it on every exposed inch of my skin. The locals around me seemed to feel the heat, although not as badly as myself it seemed. A shame, I could’ve made an onboard iced water business.

After what felt like an eternity, I made it to the train station in Bologna. There really wasn’t much time to dawdle. My next train was in fifteen minutes. I decided to be prudent and buy some cold water from the vending machine. I recall being so glad that the EU shares a common currency. I can’t imagine how much of a pain it would be travelling from country to country anad having to exchange the curreny along the way. I savoured the moment as I recalled that, including my first leg of the trip in Switzerland, I had quite a few European countries to go to that didn’t share the euro.

Regardless, I quickly made to my platform. Learning from my past mistakes, I double checked that I was on the right platform and stood next to the busy crowds waiting for our train.

Unlike the previous train, this one was much more modern. It had air-conditioning and comfortable seats. I almost felt like crying tears of happiness and relief. The trip lasted about an hour and a half. We paused at a few spots and a few German backpackers sat down a row behind me. I found it interesting how the biggest nationality of backpackers I met so far were German.

After about an hour and a half of reading the Long Road to Ruin by Nikki Savvy and enjoying the scenic countryside, we approached Venice.

Venice

I had only seen Venice on google maps and on tripadvisor. I had known that you had to take a bridge to reach the city, but nothing prepared me for how beautiful the scene was. The bridge itself wasn’t exactly a work of art, but when you couple it with the glimmering blue waters flanking it as it provided a lifeline to a beautiful Island of Venice.

(Source: http://www.foreignpixel.com/category/italy/venice/)

My hostel was located just outside the city, I expected to be dropped off right before entering the island. I was excited to find out that this train drops you off at the very end, just at the entrance of the island. It is the most conventional train stop you could ever ask for.

Day one

I decided to stay on the train rather than getting off a stop earlier and getting to my hostel. I'll simply carry my trusty backpack around with me for the day, I thought to myself. I left the train and entered a very crowded station. I made my way through and saw backpacker sitting around waiting for their train, people lining up for ice-cream and others shopping in expensive brand shops. Not the most Venetian feeling start, although it was the train station, they’re usually as commercial as you can get.

I stepped straight outside and was immediately greeted by the beautiful sun and the grand entrance to Venice. I was quickly overwhelmed with what I was seeing. It was as if you were waiting all your life for something and finally received it. The first thing I spotted was the Iglesia de San Simeon Piccolo standing proudly against the background of a beautiful blue sky.

I decided to start exploring. I was staying in Venice for two days, so I chose the first day as the one to randomly walk around and get lost in. Admire and be awed by the different places I passed by. The architecture, the history and culture; I anticipated it all with eagerness.

As you can imagine, Venice is a maze of streets and alleyways. Its easy to get lost and even easier to find many different areas to explore. I decided to take a left and cross through, ignoring the bridge to the right. As the merchants in the past, there were many stalls and little stores selling everything from baked goods toVenetian glass.

The first thing I did before  beginning my exploration was to head into a bakery. The streets, along with the bakery were bustling with activity. The lady serving baked goods had the look of somebody not too pleased with their job. She was friendly enough to help me pick a local pastry. A type of chocolate doughy pastry covered in white sugar powder. I couldn’t recall the exact name of it but it was not worth mentioning. While the taste was relatively different from what I’m used to, it tasted very commercial. I guess that's punishment from buying something from the busiest streets in Venice.

I left the place and continued straight to my original path. On the way, there were many glass figurines. Some of them surprisingly large, some of them very tiny and fragile. If you’re visiting Venice, it's worth checking out these stores. You’ll be amazed what you’ll find.

Glassmaking history

For those who aren’t aware of the history, Venetian glass making goes way back. The art began around the thirteenth century. The glass is world renowned for its colorfulness and their intricate design. Along with trading other products, Venetian glass was sold to make the merchants of Venice and the producers of the glass art very wealthy.

The techniques of making this glass had been a closely kept secret which the merchant guilds fiercely defended from outsiders.

The original creation of these style of glasswork came from Constantinople. During the sacking of Constantinople while the crusades in the thirteenth century were in full force, groups of glassmakers fled westwards. Many ended up in Venice where they continued their art. In the the mid fifteenth century more glassmakers fled Constantinople as the Ottomans took over the city.

(Source: vhttps://stechphoto.photoshelter.com/image/I0000xTrnMqmFFxU)

This added to the growing number of glassmakers in Venice. Around the sixteenth century the Venetians started to produce more colorful and intricate glasswork which eventually led to what we have today. The secrets of glassmaking spread regardless of the effort by the merchants and producers of Venice to keep it a secret within the city. The glassmaking industry was centered around Murano, So often when you shop for Venetian glass it would be advertised as Murano. This was due to the fact that it was seen as something of higher quality. Such as sticking ‘Cuban’ on a cigar or ‘French’ on a wine would raise the appeal to buyers.

Glass Work has been pretty big since then. Another interesting thing I learnt was how during the construction of the Palace of Versailles, they wanted to save costs on glass. If you had ever seen the room dedicated to glass in the Versailles, you can imagine the pricey issue. Back in the hand, mirrors and such were absolutely expensive. The dominant producers of high quality glass had been from Venice. Louis wanted to have glass produced rather than buying it from Venice.

He sanctioned the hiring of two glassmakers from Venice to come to the palace and create the needed glass mirrors. Upon hearing about this, the guilds in Venice sent assassins to murder these two glassmakers before they escaped and revealed the secrets. The assassins subsequently failed and the secret was revealed to Louis who contracted them to create the glass rooms. It was a dynamic story, I truly enjoyed listening to that one from one of the passing group guides.

Glass touring

Regardless, these shops proudly advertised their glass as being Murano. Many of them were intricate and absolutely beautiful. Some of them were also incredibly priced. Which isn’t much of surprise seeing as we were buying popular tourist items. Although one worthy mention for exorbitant prices is a ball shape glass figure. Within it there’s a goldfish, a bit of glass grass and bits of dark blue 'water'. This large marble sized piece is on average twenty euros!

Then there was a very elegantly designed swan made completely by glass. Within the body of the swan it was multi-colored. It was absolutely beautiful and was only a third of the price. Of course, it goes down to the amount of work and expertise needed. However, in some cases it goes down to popularity and whatever you decide the price of the product to be.

I spent an hour looking at different Murano shops. There some amazing works of art. I was surprised that they would actually sell these to some tourists. The size guaranteed that it wouldn’t survive the plane trip back home without sufficient protection and transportation.

Exploring

I spent the rest of the day simply walking around through the narrow alleys. Spotting different canals here and there. It was a very culturally enriching experience. I passed by many more stores that sold all sorts of trinkets and items. Some which I have never seen before in my travels,

After walking for about a couple of hours, I decided to rest my exhausted body at a trattoria. I decided to try local cuisines. There were quite a few international restaurants, although I easily spotted the perfect eatery.

Ristorante La Caravella

This place was a very high cuisine-esque place. It wasn’t cheap at all, although I make exception to pay extra for good local foods. It helped that my previous experience in Parma had me saving quite a bit in my budget. La Caravella was very lively around lunch time.

The area is right next to the sea while allowed for an interesting dining experience. It is actually built on a small pier stretching out into the sea. The view was spectacular, especially when there was nothing but blue skies in the horizon.

The venue at the time was mostly filled with families and older tourists. The waiters were dressed formally and acted very professionally. The place itself was beautifully and intricately designed. Not the usual place I would go to (or afford). I looked through the menu. These were definitely names I was not used to seeing. Although, I was very excited. They provided a full Italian menu. After a few minutes I decided to have the Piglet carré with broccoli covered in lemon, honey and beer sauce.

The meal took roughly thirty minutes to prepare. Either due to the time needed to make the meal or due to how full the venue was. After what felt like a lifetime with my stomach reminding me persistently that the meal was taking its time, my platter came in.

The dish was amazing. The meat was succulent and the broccoli was probably prepared by the hands of a divine being, The closest thing to beer sauce which I’ve had in any of my meals had been beer battered fish and fries. This was in a different dimension of flavour. It was an absolutely great experience.

After enjoying the meal, I sat about for a few minutes. The unimaginable taste still stuck in my mind. I decided not to waste too much time and continued adventuring. While I continued exploring the streets of Venice and a thought came to my mind.

Back on the streets

I can’t recall which mate of mine said this, but he told me that Venice was basically a glass city. That is to say, it isn’t really, like a snowglobe city. Its simply a giant tourist city that without that industry wouldn’t really exist. As in people who lived in Venice mostly lived to support the tourists. Whether its the ferry companies, supermarkets, kiosks, restaurants, bakers etc.

I can see what he meant by that. I didn’t agree completely, although it held some merit. However, it still didn’t remove the history and culture imbued in this place. I felt it as I walked the cobblestone floors. The city which inspired Shakespeare to write Othello and The Merchants of Venice or Thomas Mann's Death in Venice. The home of the explorer Marco Polo and many more great figures in history.

You could imagine how polished and grandesque the area must’ve been several hundreds of years ago as merchants and noblemen, workers and citizens alike marched through the streets to the markets or work.

At this point the sun started setting. So I decided to make my way back to the hostel before the reception closed. To get out of the island you’d have to get to a large bustling bus station where to an untrained eye looked like complete pandemonium. You would have to access the ticket booth hidden away in a little corner to buy your tickets. You would probably have to wait in queue which might make you lose the bus and have to wait about thirty minutes for your next one.

After it took me awhile to figure out what to do, I bought my ticket and headed to my bus lane where my bus showed up ten minutes later. It was crazy crowded. I found a spot to squeeze in and place my increasingly heavy pack between my legs. Immediately after the bus starts a random man starts shouting in the bus in Italian. He then repeats what he said in english,”Watch out for thieves and pickpockets” he warned. It seems scum had a reputation here. Nevertheless, I was way ahead of him with my backpack.

The trip was very scenic, we crossed through the river to get to my hostel. The surface of the Adriatic sea gleamed beautifully in the sunny weather. The trip took about twenty five minutes. Luckily the bus was gushing cold wind from its air-conditioning at full throttle.

Camping Rialto

We finally reached our destination, the bus stop was right next to the hoste. Which was a relief as my back was aching from carrying my trusted back everywhere. The sun was still up as dusk was brewing. I made my way to the reception, checked in with the friendly employees there and made my way to where I was staying.

This place was huge. It was divided into areas with cabins, spots for people camping with cars or campervans and the main tent area. This wasn’t a situation like in Switzerland where I had an actual tent I had to share with others (Check my post: Between two lakes #2 for more details). From the outside it literally looked like tiny house covered in tent drapes. High enough to stand up in. I was supposed to share my tent with somebody else, but I got upgraded.

(Source: https://www.tripadvisor.com.pe/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g644288-d238942-i42680037-Camping_Rialto-Campalto_Mestre_Veneto.html)

I was excited to check out the inside, so I reached down with my provided key and removed the padlock.I zipped up the tent and entered. It was a decent size for the price I paid. Enough room for a single bed and an area to comfortably place all my stuff without feeling too crowded. The inside showed the wooden frame of this so called tent. There were ‘windows’ on three of the four sides of the tent. Each one was covered with a mosquito screen,I was also glad that the tent roof was high enough so I wouldn’t need to crouch inside.

I went straight for a shower after unpacking. The heat and the train experience was not the best experience for smelling well. The showers were clean, thankfully. You can’t always trust budget hostels with sanitation.

Meeting different parts of the world

I went to the outdoor restaurant area located within the camping grounds. It was bustling with backpackers from all over the world. I sat down by one of the free tables and whipped out the map I snatched while I was passing through the train station. I began planning my trips, all the little areas to see here and there.

I didn’t expect to see many massive monuments or anything mind-numbingly spectacular. From the get go I imagined that Venice will be a great place to walk and look around. Just enjoy the sites and canals it has to offer. I also had to pick up some souvenirs to keep in the future house.

I found out that there was a nearby Lidl and I was running short of supplies. Its a perfect place to restock. I headed over there, grabbed some dinner in the form of a chicken salad (I wanted to feel healthy on this trip once in awhile) and some muesli bars and other snacks to keep me going tomorrow morning.

There really wasn’t much to do in this part of Venice. However, I got lucky. They were setting up a trivia night at the Camping Rialto. One of the employees went on a stage that had been hidden behind some covers. Backpackers and holidayers alike crowded around the stage and set up some seats.

The trivia game was based around three different categories. History (my forte), celebrities (the opposite of my forte) and geography. It was an overall fun experience. I had a few successful cracks with some questions. The crowd was pretty evenly divided, without anybody dominating. It was all good fun and went on for about an hour.

If you ever decide on going to a budget hostel, I definitely recommend the Camping Rialto. Its location might be outside the city, although the bus is literally the opposite of the entrance to the place. You also have a nearby Lidl if you’re going on a budget plan. It's also a pretty large place, lots of trees and space which would be a great place to have a breather from the tightly packed streets of Venice. It also has a great sitting area to sit next to fellow backpackers, Many would be keen for a chit chat and getting to know new people,

Day two

The next day was not as sunny but was still pleasantly warm. I took the bus in and continued where I left off. With my map and list on hand. I knew exactly what I was looking for.

Basilica di San Marco

The first place I beelined it to. I have heard many recommendations of this Basilica from the Rialto denizens. From the outside it looked majestic. It was truly a sight to behold. The architecture is a testament to the wealth and fortunes acquired by the Venetians. It was an absolute marvel to witness this structure. The outside area was swamped by fellow tourists. I quickly noticed the large amount of tourist guide groups. I can see why. This is probably one of the star attractions of the island.

As majestic as the outside was, the inside was heart-stoppingly beautiful. I had to wait in line to get inside. However, it wasn’t too bad as I had left relatively early to Venice. So the bulk of the tourist groups hadn’t made it yet.

The inside of the place was intrinsically designed. Every detail carved, polished and set up. It was almost unrealistic how the Venetians toyed with stone to create such a luxurious product. This place is a marvel of human creation. The dome was one of the main events of the place. Artists had a perfect go at designing different figures onto it. The most astonishing part was the material used for the dome and surrounding area. The inside was gold fitted. To continue supporting the testament of wealth in this region in the past.

While you’re checking out the Basilica, make sure to give due attention to all the surrounding structures. The square itself is beautiful and great to take snaps to send back home. I ended up relaxing there for about twenty minutes while I debated where to go next. This area tends to get full fast, so make sure to come earlier if you want to beat the crowds.

I decided to go to the southernmost part of Venice again. Although I hadn’t really seen much yesterday. On the way there you’ll spot more beautiful canals and houses. I may have not mentioned this before, but if you want to take a tour by Gondola, go for it. I’ve seen many people having a blast being sailed around. They have the smaller version for couples, The type you see in every second cheesy romantic film in Italy, or the much larger family friendly ones. You could also join a tour boat with an onboard dining experience.

I spent my fair share of time taking photos of these boats against such scenic backgrounds.I continued my way down until I reached the very tip of the island. Within swimming distance you can see the Giudecca island in all its majesty. The ferry lines were working on overload to send all the queued up travelers to the other side. The weather started to clear up and the view was beautiful from where I was standing. I decided to make my way to the Giardini della Biennale.

Giardini della Biennale.

One of the farthest point from the train station, getting to this spot is a bit of a trip. I would recommend you start from the southern part of the island. The view of the surrounding islands is spectacular. You’re also able to witness all the passing boats and tourists. It's also a very refreshing walk on the white pavement. The South eastern part of the island is less crowded and it's a much wider walkway.

I took my time walking up this way. At this point I was back to my Day One mentality of enjoying the sights casually. I decided to stop by a gelato shop as the weather was scorching at a time. A suitable pitstop. After grabbing my cone I continued on the march. Don’t hesitate to have copious amounts of gelato when in Italy. I find it more enjoyable than regular ice-cream.

After a bit of a trek, I finally made it to the gardens. The area was beautiful and a great place to relax. It was very scenic. There were also a few statues here and there to admire. One of my favourites was the Fantasma giardini Biennale. I spent the next thirty minutes casually exploring around. This area is also a decent place to lie down in the grass and relax, away from the large touristic crowds roaming the streets of Venetia.

(Source:http://www.veneziatoday.it/blog/vivivenezia/fantasma-ombra-rossa-venezia.html)

After I was satisfied with what I saw, I decided to head back to the main areas to grab some Murano glass to take home. It was a bit of a walk, transportation was near non-existent unless you wanted to take a ferry from one side of the city to the other. After about forty minutes, and a few wrong turns, I finally made it to the area close to the train station.

Souvenirs

There were plenty of Murano shops to purchase some glass products. I ended up checking about four to five of them to get what I wanted. I ended up with a multi-colored glass hilted fork, a few small glass figurines and a medium sized colorful swan figurine to take back to the family.

Satisfied with my purchase, I decided to go to one of the cafes to enjoy a drink and watch the world pass by. It's a pleasant experience to do. I would recommend for those that are always rushing to and fro during the holidays. Sometimes you simply have to kickback and relax. Sitting down with a coffee or sweet drink while watching hordes of people walking by is a therapeutic experience. You get to witness people from all walks of life and parts of the world. Some visiting Italy for the first time, some addicted to Venice’s charm.

I spent about an hour here. Reading my book which I stored in a tiny backpack. Saves hauling the larger travel backpack around all day.

Wrapping up the day

As a second reward for walking all day, I decided to reward myself with some sweet desserts from the nearby bakery. I also recommend trying as many different types of desserts and dishes of a visiting country. You never know when you find a new ingredient that you’ll be using in your own kitchen.

After the snacks and all the walking, sunset was approaching. I decided to call it a day as I had an early start tomorrow. I first wanted to grab some goods from the supermarkets on the island before I headed off. I was also curious to see what the supermarkets packed here. For example, in France the supermarkets had a wide selection of cheese at great prices for you to enjoy, even if you’re visiting for a short time.

The supermarket, which chain I can’t recall the name of, were decently sized with small and packed aisles. I found quite a few packaged baked goods I had never seen in my life. They offered lots of types of meats you can simply eat on the go such as Spec, Pancetta, Lardo and many more I can’t recall the names of.

I won't even begin with the disproportionately large wine selection for such a small store. I grabbed some goodies for the trip tomorrow and headed off. I caught the bus at the same place as yesterday and made my way back to the tent. From there I decided to head for a beer to relax in the main area.

Tonight there was some music playing, although it was a mostly quiet night. Several backpackers to and fro. I decided to save the snacks for tomorrow and have the lasagna special from the restaurant with my beer. It was very enjoyable and I do recommend it. Unlike most places, the ingredients here are good. It really brings out a proper good flavour out of the lasagna.

I called it a night after the meal and drink. It was past dusk and I was feeling knackered. I showered, packed my stuff and passed out.

The next morning I woke up to a sunny day. I was aware that the beauty of the morning sun would soon turn to the scorcher of the midday sun. I grabbed my stuff, checked out and grabbed the first bus to my train in the city of Venice. Luckily this train was also a modern train and not a derelict cauldron on the rail.

The platform was pretty busy as tourists and locals alike went to and fro. Bustling through life. I got into my train, made myself comfortable and got ready for my next stop. Its important to note that I had missed many different churches, museums and streets. I recommend you spend more than a couple of days here. As far as I'm concerned  I was scouting and exploring many of the cities. In the future Ill visit the ones I truly enjoyed and spend more a longer holiday in. I was brimming with excitement for this one. Next destination: Florence.

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