Day 5 was supposed to be a riding all day long on the water taxis, but when we tried to validate our tickets she said they’d ran out.  On reflection, yes, 72 hours is only 3 days in their books, not 4 as we thought.  Oh well, Shanks’ Pony for us.  For the un-initiated, that’s on foot.  Wandering around Venice again for a last minute tour we listened to a concert by a full military orchestra and opera diva.  Nothing like listening to music in St. Mark’s Square.  I would suggest to everybody who reads my blog that a visit to Venice should be in your cards sooner than later.  With a labyrinth of passage-ways, alleys and bridges I defy anyone to know where you are at any given minute,  unless you’ve lived here all your life.  Just watch the scary old movie “Don’t look back” with Donald Sutherland, to get a taste of Venice.  I think we saved the best till the last.  We just wished we had more time………. Watch for reflections of a World Cruise when we get back.

Lido.   Another island.   Another day.  This 72 hour water taxi pass is working out well, just like a hop-on, hop-off bus.  Lido has something to offer that Venice doesn’t.  Transportation.   Even though it’s a sandbar there’s still the good old automobile, smart car and all.  Also, Lido hosts the Venice film festival every year.  But it was a beach we were looking for and we found it.  Another lazy lunch, another few drinks and back on the ferry to Venice.

A quaint little fishing village, Burano is full of colourful little houses and small shops selling their very own lace a Venetian speciality.  After picking up the usual souvenirs and a wander around the village (check out the clock tower) I thought we were in Pisa not Burano, oh well.

Just a short boat ride from the hustle and bustle of Venice lies the island of Murano, world renowned for its ornamental glass blowing.  Things on this island happen at a much slower pace and whilst strolling around Joanie managed to pick up the odd thing here or there.  Beautiful old buildings and displays of glass sculptures dot the canals.  Stopping for a lazy lunch we soon found out what coperto was on the bill, (a cover charge for silverware, imagine that.)  God knows where we’ll put all these knick-knacks…..

     Docking in Venice and leaving the Pacific Princess after three and a half months gave us a strange feeling.  Sad to be saying goodbye to all our new found friends and all the cruise staff, (Chelsea even had a few tears) yet glad to be on terra firma again and looking forward to discovering Venice again (I was there in 1967 or 1968 I think) for a few days before jetting home on Saturday.  Trying to get acclimatised to where our hotel is situated.  Then out for a jaunt into “Saint Mark’s Square” or if you’d prefer” La Piazza del San Marco.”  How’s my Italian?  Wandering around takes me back, too young, to appreciate it then.  With the iconic Basilica San Marco, Doges Palace, Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge there’s lots to see.  Fantastic place and our hotel  is about a five minute walk from the square.   Venice is a maze of paths, alleyways and piazzas, with Saint Mark’s being the heart of Venice.  It has been called “a great marble saloon,” open to the sky with covered galleries all around sheltering luxury shops and cafes with six piece bands that serenade you.  In fact we stopped and listened to Ravel’s “Bolero” and to end the night a rousing rendition of the “William Tell Overture.”  How’s that to send you home happy.  Well, to the hotel,  anyway.  Today Venice spans 118 islands with a well planned web of 150 canals (the most famous being, the Grand Canal) and 400 bridges (must be more, feels like we’ve walked over all of them at least twice.)