The Glass Fish

water shuttle boat

We were late because of the late people, and the glass factory on Murano usually closes at 5, but they stayed open for us.

Glass factory from the ship's shuttle

On the way over we saw some kids practicing rowing - they did it standing up and sculling.

Leaving Burano

Practicing for the regatta

Also saw

a wading bird

Murano tower

We got to Murano and they took us into the factory where there was one man (a master) who made a vase while we watched.

glass furnace

Working at furnace

Taking the glass out of the oven

blob of hot glass

hot dripping glass

Rolling glass out

getting ready to blow the glass

rolling in color chips

shaping the glass

Shaping the glass

Rolling the glass on the metal table

Glass after being pressed into a form

top opened up

It was black glass (although we couldn't really see that until the end because it was hot and therefore red) with little pieces of colored glass in it.

Holding up the finished cooling vase

Taking pictures was difficult because it was dark and the glass was moving. My grandson's photos are better than mine because I was sitting down and had to shoot between people.

I don't like this glass as much (I think it is sort of gaudy) as the crystal that they make at Waterford in Ireland.

Leaving the glass house

After the demonstration, they took us to an area where the very very expensive glass was on display. These were the signed pieces by the Masters. We were not allowed to take any pictures here. We could take photos of the regular (less expensive) area of the shop

glass chandilier

Glass works

Horses on the shelf

Vases and pitchers like the one we saw made

Glass Carriage and horses

My grandson used all his money on a glass fish for his parents. We had to get money exchanged to pay for it. I think the exchange rate when I was in Ireland last year with his cousin was about $1.35 = 1 €. The exchange rate we got in Madrid when we arrived was $1.70 = 1 €, and the ship rate was $1.60 or $1.65 = 1 €, although they charged $10.00 per transaction on top of the price, so I didn't get any changed there.

The least expensive fish signed by the master was €595 (including shipping and insurance), but a rearing horse that I got for my daughter by an apprentice was much less - probably only about $65.00

Isola di Murano (Entrance Range Rear) Light

I am always on the lookout for lighthouses, although I don't always recognize them right away. But there was no doubt that this was one. It was built in 1912. The lighthouse is painted white; near the top there are two black horizontal bars facing the range line.

Isola di Murano light from Burano (back of it)

Isola di Murano (Entrance Range Rear) Light

The lighthouse has a distinct lean in the seaward direction which I may have edited out with my software because I hate to have a water horizon that isn't level.

another one of the Murano light from the back

It is an Active light which is 121 ft above sea level. The white light has a pattern, 4 seconds on, 2 seconds off. It can be described as a round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and double gallery. Located 3.2 km (2 mi) west northwest of the front light, on the southeast side of the Isola di Murano, near the foot of the Calle Giuseppe Briatio

Sailboat in the Lagoon

Mountains

lagoon and mountains

After we got back from the tour, it was about 6:30, so we went right up to the dining room, expecting it to be full, but it was not. I guess people were doing St. Marks at night and the wine tasting tours and the gondolas at night tours. They seated us right away and we got to share. I had the Cooking Light curried butternut squash soup,

spinach and onion turnover appetizer

Chilled Strawberry soup

and no entree, and my grandson as usual had the

sirloin steak and fries

and ice cream for dessert. He had plain vanilla as usual, and I had it with raspberry sauce.

My grandson had demagnetized his key card by putting it in his camera case which has a magnetic catch, and we had to go to the desk and get another one. They clip the corner of the kids cards so that they can't get alcoholic drinks and this card had a smaller clip than the other one.

He apparently did not understand the schedule, and thought we were going home from the ship on Saturday. So he packed everything up in his suitcase and then didn't have anything to wear.

The room steward made the walrus this time.

Towel walrus

I told him that we were leaving and I think he was sad - I had expected to have to pay the $10 charge even if I was not there, but that wasn't the case. So I left him an extra amount to make up for it. We were getting off the ship early because my grandson did not have enough vacation to finish the cruise.