Day 7
Jesolo, Italy
This will be our second day at the hotel. Wonderful to not have to pack up again right away. Today wake-up was 7:15, Breakfast will be at 7:45 and no room checks...:) Be on the bus and ready to go by 8:15.
Breakfast was at the hotel. It was the basics, cereal, milk, juice, bread, but not much else, although the coffee wasn't bad. Nothing special, lots of carbs... :) Still pushing the water.
This morning you will have a private boat ride from Punta Sabbioni to Piazza San Marco.
We took the bus to the Adriatic Sea, sort of an inlet, and then took a boat across to Venice. It was quite a walk from the bus to the boat. The boat ride over to Venice was not very long, maybe 10 minutes.
Unbelievable, that there is a city that is actually built on water. Canals run through the city. After we arrived we made our way through the city to the Gondola rides. This was an outstanding experience, to wind our way through city. Our gondola boat captain was “Luca”, he has been a gondola captain for 25 years, he sure didn't look his years, even sang a bit.... :) Our ride maybe lasted an hour or so and then we arrived back at the dock. Bernhard said he thought that if you were here on holiday, a gondola ride might cost 80Euro.
As we worked our way through the canals we could see they were lined with apartments, hotels, etc. People everywhere had suitcases.
Enjoy one of life's greatest pleasures and prepare to ride in a Venetian gondola. While passing along the “Canale Grande” and narrow channels you will see the famous Guggenheim Museum, the “Fenice Theater,” and Mozart's Venice Residence.
Following the gondola ride we met our guide that would take us on a tour of the city. We saw so many things; Marco Polo's home, San Marco's Square (magnificent).
During a guided orientation you will explore the bustling alleys, quaint bridges and narrow canals of Venice. See the Basilica San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs (This is a bridge that goes between basically the jail and the courthouse, has windows and might be the last time prisoners would see the outside world and they would sigh as they walked across.
1:00 PM
For lunch, proceed to the restaurant Da Bruno – Antica Cucina Veneziana.
Lunch was wonderful. We had a great Lasagna, tomatoes and motzerella cheese balls, ice cream. Absolutely wonderful. And the best part of this restauraunt was they played the our National Anthem when we walked in, and we ended up singing the last half of it. Fun!!
Take part in an informative presentation about the art of Murano Glass blowing. You will learn about each step – from composition to the polishing of the glass. You'll be fascinated by the live demonstration of the production process.
We had an opportunity to see a master make a horse our of red-hot glass using tools of the trade. It was amazing. He even made a pitcher from red-hot glass. While he worked, his uncle told us about the process of finding the best glass and how there are different grades of it. Of course then after this they took us to the shopping area and we had a chance to purchase items, special prices for us, or so they said. Still, fun anyway. They had sooooooo much stuff, but couldn't take any pictures, so no video or pictures of the shopping area. :(
After our Murano experience we walked back to San Marco Square and from there we were going to have some time on our own. We were given 7Euro once again and could use it how we wanted for dinner. Everyone will have about 3 hours on their own before we meet back at this spot.
Servicemarks: The factory will offer each delegate a little present as memory of this educational meeting. The DM or one of the leaders will get a box to distribute them later.
5:00 PM
Are you ready for a challenge? Like a real Venetian, you'll be independent and plan the dinner you want. In groups visit local supermarkets, buy a pizza from a pizzeria, or select from a wide range of Venetian panini with every imaginable filling.
During this 3 hours Tracy and I wondered around looking for an Armani Store and did end up finding one but we didn't know that Armani and Armani Exchange, one is US and one is Europe. Still fun anyway. On our way we discovered a Hard Rock Restaurant so decided we would eat there when it was time to grab a bit. Continued to walk around, huge place, lots of shopping, still quite hot. Our Ambassadors were off in their groups doing their thing; shopping, site seeing, eating.....We, or should I say I, was a bit worried about getting lost and not being able to get back on track so didn't wander to far off the beaten path. The city is quite complex. Actually that is probably a nice way to describe it.
Once everyone returned we headed back to the mainland. It was probably 7:00 by now. We still needed to take the Ferry back to the mainland and then the coach back to the hotel. We arrived back at the hotel at about 8:00, we will meet on the beach at 8:30 for a short meeting on our home-stays coming up. Then in the water....... :) It was starting to get dark by then.. Time was of the essence.
We had a short meeting about our home-stays where Bernhard shared some informoration. 1 delegate per family. No one without kids. Will go to school with them, 2 different schools, one focused on music and one focused on sports. Great – wonderful opportunity.
Leaders will go to a place called “Pyramid Hotel”, this will be our first time where we did not have a home-stay, a bit disappointing I might add. The hotel is supposed to be quite nice and this is where our delegates will spend their fourth night after the homestay. Then we are off to our next destination.
Everyone has to pack a day pack tomorrow as tomorrow night we will be sleeping in a tent, as it turns out a barn with tents I the barn..... quite cold and rainy as well. But they will not have access to their suitcases in the tents so need essentials with them in their backpacks.
Servicemarks: This is a unique opportunity for the student ambassadors to get in direct contact with Italian inhabitants – enjoy this People to People experience!
Bed checks tonight at 11:00
You will have a private boat transfer from the center of Venice to Punta Sabbioni, where you will be picked up by your motor coach.
Good-night
Venice
Venice (“Venezia”), a city of pedestrians and water traffic, is so richly adorned that many visits are required to fully explore it. Most popular are the Basilica of San Marco, mausoleum of Venice's patron saint, the Doges' Palace, and the “Accademia”, which any student of Venetian art should not miss. Of the other city museums, the “Ca'Rezzonico” (18th – Century art), the Correr Museum, and the Penny Guggenheim Collections (20th Century art) are the most important. Venice's other outstanding sites are her smaller churches; Gothic “Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari”, “Santi Giovanni e Palo”, the “Gesuati”, “San Zaccaria”, and the “Redentore”; with their paintings, tombs, sculptures and treasuries, are also museums. Beyond the city, there are the islands of Murano, burano, and Torcello where the pace of life is slower.
Grand Canal
The Grand Canal (“Canal Grande”) is Venice's Main Street, 3.8 kilometers (2.5 miles) long, with an average width of 70 meters (230 feet) and a depth of max. 5 meters (16 feet). It follows the course of an ancient river, cutting through the city from Northwest to Southeast in the shape of a reversed (S). As it is crossed by only three bridges and mostly hidden from pedestrians, the only way to see it is from the water, from which the splendor and wealth of the city's past is overwhelmingly impressive. More than 100 palaces line the banks, representing every style of architecture from the 12th century to the early 18th century. The most magnificent style is the arcaded Venetian Gothic Style, flamboyantly represented by the “Ca'd'Oro”, and the Early Renaissance, typified by the “Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi”, perhaps the greatest architectural masterpieces along the Grand Canal.
Basilica of San Marco
Founded in 832, the Basilica of San Marco was built to enshrine the body of Saint Mark, patron saint of Venice. The present structure dates from 11th century, though it has been modified over the years. It once served as the doges' private church, reflecting the fabulous wealth of the Venetian Republic. Essentially a Byzantine-styled Greek cross, structure, it has five domes, an exterior bristling with Romanesque and Gothic carvings, and an interior embellished with magnificent mosaics, marbles, and carvings. Among many treasures in the museum (“Museo di San Marco”) are the four gilded bronze horses from the basilica's facade; they were brought inside to escape pollution and have been replaced with copies.
Doges' Palace
The Doges' Palace (“Palazzo Ducale”) was the official residence of the dukes (doges) of Venice and the seat of government from the 9th century until the late 18th century. Externally, the 14th – century building is an extraordinary example of florid Gothic architecture, with porticoes and loggia at the bottom and the heavier mass of walls above, miraculously balanced. Inside are the magnificent late Renaissance and Baroque state rooms, richly decorated, with gilded ceilings and a multitude of paintings, including notable “Tintorettos” and “Veroneses”. The State Armory (“Sala d'Armi”) contains a remarkable collection of prestigious arms and armaments and intriguing experimental weapons.
Accademia
The Accademia's 25 galleries form the most complete collection of Venetian painting in the world. It charts the glorious story Venetian art, starting I the 14th century with the Byzantine work of the so-called Venetian Primitives, through the 15th-century innovations of Giovannti Bellini and the astonishing High Renaissance era of Tintoretto, Titian, and Veronese, culminating in the work of the great rococo artist Tiepolo in the 18th century. World-famous works on show include, among others, Carpaccio's “Saint Ursula Cycle”, Titian's “Presentation of the Virgin”, and Giorgione's mysterious “Tempest”.
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge (“Ponte di Rialto”) was built in the late 16th century, designed by Antonio da Ponte, and is situated halfway along the Grant Canal. Plans by far greater architects, such as Palladio, Sansovino, and Michelangelo, were rejected in favor of da Ponte's often criticized design, which includes two rows of shops and three pedestrian passageways. There are fine views upstream and downstream from the bridge, and it has become a symbol of the city's antiquity and exotic character.
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