The Grand Tour: In the 17th and 18th Centuries the young wealthy of England and later joined by those of the US, were sent for 2 to 4 years traveling around Europe to broaden their horizons and give them a bit of culture. It became known as the Grand Tour. Probably the beginning of the…
Tag: Murano
Making Round Murano Glass Beads
The round is our essential bead used in almost all designs. It is the easiest bead to make. You need only a mandrel, a torch and some glass. It all begins with the selection of the glass canes. We use Effetre, known generally in the industry as Moretti. It is a soft glass with a COE…
Traffic Jam Cruise Ships Venice
Since its birth, Venice and La Serenissima have survived the invasion of the Ottomans, the French, the Spanish, the Popes, the Austrians (and I have probably left out a few), but the invasion of the giant ships may be the last straw. The weekend of 21 September saw an invasion of the giants in numbers never…
All About Gondolas
The origins of this boat date back to 1094, written in the records of the Doge Vitale Falier. Paintings and drawings from the late 1400s and early 1500s document their prevalence in society, though not as elaborate as the 1800s. Today there are approximately 500 gondola in Venice, all controlled by the society. This is a…
Incident on the Grand Canal
It has been a difficult summer in Venice, Read about the major Incident on the Grand Canal.
More Traffic on the Grand Canal
The discussions on how to best control the traffic in this narrowest stretch of the winding canal continue, in official meetings, between residents, and is rehashed daily in the newpapers. Vested interest abound on all sides, with no one wanting to give an centimeter (literally). And I can’t picture the Grand Canal without all these wonderful…
Pickpockets & Gypsies – Oh My!
UPDATE on the problem with Gypsies!This summer has seen more “gypsies” in Venice than normal and they have gotten progressively more aggressive. Their newest business ventures are selling vaporetto tickets, baggage handling and tourist information.But there’s a bit of a hitch in these new ventures.(1) They are selling used vaporetto (imob) tickets they have recovered from the…
Cruise Ships in Venice
Update: Cruise Ship Comes Dangerously Near Venice Read about the fight to ban these “Mega” Cruise Ships from Venice and the “No Grande Navi” Protests.
Murano Glass Factory
The glass factories of Murano have long been a tourist favorite to visit and watch a small horse being made. The maestro (though usually not a maestro, rather a production glass blower who has been hired to demonstrate to the tourist). The major work goes on in the furnaces off the main streets in Murano.…
Vaporetto Rebellion
Every summer in Venice, the vaporetti become over-crowded with tourist, the boat stops jammed with people from every country, all speaking different languages and very few who know where they want to go or how to get there. Mix this with the locals who absolutely know where they want to go and unlike anywhere else…