Down for a very nice breakfast at 8:30. After we had finished LeVerne and I went back across the canal and purchased our train tickets for our trip back to Rome tomorrow. With that done, we made our way back to the hotel where the girls had arranged a water taxi from the hotel to the island of Murano for 10 am.

      
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Boarding the water taxi, we traveled through Venice until we hit open water between islands.

      
      
      
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The island of Murano has been world-renowned for centuries for its blown glass creations, from jewelry to tableware to sculptures. We joined a 20 minute tour of a glass factory which included a demo of glass blowing of a rearing horse made freehand. Then, a tour of the two floors of showrooms. Tens of thousands of euros for some pieces, thousands for most. The price of an individual beverage glass was in the hundreds but you had to buy a set. Ended up in the poor man’s gift shop and made a couple of small purchases.

    
    
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From there it was back onto a water taxi dropping us off at the Piazza San Marco. Had two coke and shared a sandwich with Lee in a restaurant in the square so we could use their water closet. That cost us 30 euro. We then wandered over to the Bascillica of San Marco to see the Horses of Saint Mark. The Horses of Saint Mark, also known as the Triumphal Quadriga or Horses of the Hippodrome of Constantinople, is a set of bronze statues of four horses, originally part of a monument depicting a quadriga (a four-horse carriage used for chariot racing). The horses were placed on the facade loggia above the porch, of St Mark's Basilica, after the sack and looting of Constantinople in 1204. They remained there until looted by Napoleon in 1797 but were returned in 1815. The sculptures have since been removed from the facade and placed in the interior of St Mark's for conservation purposes. There are now replicas in their position on the loggia.

      
      
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From the square we again caught a water taxi with the intention of ending up at the island of Burano which is world famous for its lace. Made it as far as Murano again but gave up when the water taxi we were on ended up going back to the city rather than carrying on to Burano.

    
    
    
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We eventually got off at the Fondamenta Nova stop on the north side of Venice. Anka, from our hotel, had recommended we try the walk from that stop thru the Jewish ghetto then back to the hotel. So, off we went and 30 minutes later arrived back at the hotel at 4:00.

      
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Took an hour breather, then down to the Ellsworths for a glass of red wine and potato chip appetizers.

    
  
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At 7:00 we decided to jump onto a water taxi again and make our way to the Rialto Bridge for dinner. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice. It has been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in 1173. The present stone bridge, a single span, began construction in 1588 and was completed in 1591.

  
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Before dinner we decided to wander a bit. More people and more shops and more street vendors. The area was very busy but we found a nice restaurant adjacent to the bridge. At 9:00 we decided to again board the water taxi.

  
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LeVerne and Carole stayed on the boat and continued back to the hotel while Lee and I jumped off at the Casino di Venitza stop. To gain admittance a passport was required, a photo of you was taken and you had to purchase a 10 euro minimum gaming ticket. We played the slots for about a half hour or so and between us lost about 40 euro. We decided it would be more fun going back to the hotel so we boarded the water taxi to complete our ride home. Ten minutes later we were back at the hotel and into bed by 10:30.