What to do if you have only 3 days in Venice, from the moment you arrive at the airport or the train station or Piazzale Roma. The tips I use to buy my vaporetto pass, book my visits to the Basilica San Marco (because no matter how many times I go to Venice, I always visit the Basilica). How to get a skip-the-line pass to the Museums and why you need the Museum pass.
Then there are some of my favorite bars (not the same as the US, a bar is just where we all grab a coffee – or something stronger if you need it) and a tramezzini (a cute triangle shaped sandwich minus the crusts), a cheese toast or a quick snack. There are also my favorite pasticceria. I make no apologies, Dal Mas is my absolute favorite. And wait until you see how fast they can make a fantastic cappuccino while they work around each other and the pastry chef delivering hot delicious goodies. It is a ballet in motion.
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My hope is that when you go to Venice, you spend your time like I do, just wandering around. The best times of day are the early morning and late at night when there are few tourist (sorry no offense). Also the lighting and colors change over the day so these are the best time for making pictures.
Please learn a bit of Italian. It will serve you well. The locals will appreciate your attempt even if you slaughter the language. After all they have tolerated me for 30+ years.
Every time we come to Venice, I think the internet access will be better and in general, it is better than it used to be however, for an Internet Company, we never have the bandwith we need. I am holed up on the landing between stairs which is the only place in the house we get reception. Touted as the only city with free WiFi, we can get it only on the Grand Canal, so riding the boats I can work as well as sitting at the boat stops.
Where is the Sun?
It has been raining for what seems like an eternity with 2 small children with us. One day when we were headed out of Venice to work with a supplier, a tree fell on the train track and we were trapped on the train with our hungry 6 year old. No trains moving, we had to take a bus back to Venice which took about 2 hours. The traffic was snarled with the lack of the trains to move people around.
Kids and Umbrellas and Canals?
It seems there are more tourist here than in the previous couple of years. We spend most rides on the vaporetto giving directions. Jeff has been complimented on his English! One tourist thought the platform where we wait for the vaporetta was a boat and wondered when we would be moving.
Our Ipads have been a huge hit here and even better than a dog or baby to break the ice. Italians love new electronics. One day on the train we met an Italian journalist who was intrigued by the Ipad. He already had an iphone, but was having problems with it. Jeff rebooted his iphone and now he is writing a story about the Apple support on the train.
Marcella plays while we work. No technology needed.
I shall give you the rules for Tourist as rain magnifies every movement in terms of time and effort. So if you come to Venice here are some rules. Too bad the Italians don’t read this as I have a few suggestions as well.
1. When you get on, don’t block the entrance,especially if you have luggage. Move inside. Move back. The locals have no way of getting their carts of groceries home other than the boat and dodging giant luggage makes it difficult.
2. Before you come, go to www.actv.it and look at the boat schedules. Get a bit of the lay of the land so you are not standing on the wrong platform. The Grand Canal is rather a two lane highway and if you figure out which way the boat is pointing, you will be fine. Now the Gira Citta is yet another story. One goes around clockwise and the other counter-clockwise but both eventually work their way around the island.
This Week’s Work
The beginning of the week we went to Effetre to select the canes for a project where we are matching fused pendants, beads for a total look.We bought our sample beadsto begin producing the matching pieces and to take to our fusion supplier to begin producing.
We worked with one of our furnaces to produce some new mosaic canes which will be exclusive to us. Everyone can buy the standard canes from Effetre,even in the US they are sold. But these canes and the colors are being produced only for us.
Ordering Beads on Murano
Additionally there currently is not available aventurina from the factory, but our furnace is now producing for us the canes we will use in the beads. The aventurina is in block form and takes a little work to make the stringers, but the result in the beads is quite stunning.
