September 2022 – Snapping The Globe

The Star of Milan

Coffee shops in Italy are plentiful and it has to be pretty hard to compete.

So how does Starbucks open up a location in Milan and attract people who are willing to wait in line to enter and drink their special blends when there are so many authentic coffee shops throughout the city?

I have never been a coffee drinker…give me a Diet Pepsi in the morning and I am all good! But when I had the opportunity to stop by the Starbucks Reserve Roastery while on one of my layovers, I said yes, as I was dying to see why people stand in line to enter the beautiful…and historic…Poste building in Piazza Cordusio.

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened on September 6, 2018 and was created to pay homage to the Italian espresso culture that inspired Howard Schultz to create the Starbucks Experience, 35 years ago. Not just your ordinary coffee shop, the Reserve Roastery is a total experience which captivates your imagination and attention!

The first thing I noticed was the size. All 25,00 square feet of it!

But it wasn’t just big…it was beautiful…and colorful…and elegant…and fascinating…

Taking our place in line at the main bar, we perused the menu and made our order decisions. Serving everything from espresso, to nitro draft to cold brew to tea to hot chocolate…all is made to order and so worth the wait. Having ordered a chilly cookies and cream Frappuccino concoction, I sat at the bar with my friends, near the Scolari coffee roaster, the heart of the roastery, and savored my drink.

Cool music was playing giving it more of a club feel, but every now and then, a clattering noise from above caught our attention. Copper tubing, snaking its way across the ceiling, transported coffee beans to their holding cannisters at the main bar. How cool it that? A coffee bean highway!

And that’s not all. Nooks and crannies were filled with sculpture and murals lined the stairway leading down to the beautifully equipped bathroom, constructed of locally sourced marble and up, to the ArriviamoTM Bar where the vibe is definitely more about drinking, however, not coffee. If specialty cocktails are your thing, this is the place to be…the 30 foot long marble bar is the working space where mixologists create their passions.

The Princi Bakery occupies the left side of the space and houses a wood-fired oven, the tool for making proper bread and the nearby gift shop offers Starbucks merchandise as well as rare and exotic high-quality Arabica coffees sourced from around the world that you can take home and make for yourself.

.Many people choose to sit in the outdoor space, perfect for people watching, but I think staying indoors gives more insight into the art and science of coffee making in Italy!

I am still not a coffee drinker, but I would definitely visit Milan’s Starbucks Reserve Roastery again!

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Starbucks Reserve Roastery

https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/milano
Address: Piazza Cordusio 3, Palazzo delle Poste, Milano, IT 20123
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 0700-2300, Saturday and Sunday, 0700-2200
Admission: free

Beginning in Bogota

Mardi Gras is a huge celebration, especially in Louisiana, but amidst the beads and floats, some people forget that Mardi Gras is the precursor to the Lenten season for the Catholic religion. Partying and feasting are the norm during the Mardi Gras season, but all that comes to an end on Ash Wednesday, the day after Fat Tuesday, when Catholics begin their abstinence for six weeks.

Having attended Catholic school, I remember being off of school for the Mardi Gras holiday, but the thing I remembered most was attending mass on Ash Wednesday with my school so that we could receive ashes on our foreheads. For the Lenten season, it was as important to us as Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Recently, I found myself in Bogota. Since I had not been to Colombia in many years, I was excited to revisit some of the places that I had in the past and some new ones. At least one of those places was a church and since it happened to be Ash Wednesday, I was excited to see if any of the traditions in Bogota Catholicism were different than I expected.

Early in the morning, two of my friends and I decided to take an Uber to one of Bogota’s most famous natural landmarks, Monserrate. Rising more than 10,000 feet above the city center, the mountain boasts a 17th century church and shrine devoted to El Señor Caído (“The Fallen Lord”).

I recalled visiting many years ago, but I didn’t remember much except for the photo of a beautiful flower that I took there (that now hangs on my living room wall) and that we had taken a teleférico (cable car) to the top of the mountain.

Arriving at the teleférico station, we discovered that the teleférico was not in operation, only the funicular. So be it! It was either that or a long hike (almost two miles) with a steep grade! Purchasing our tickets, we took our place in line and awaiting our turn to board the railway car to the mountaintop. As we were packed like sardines, it made it easy to make friends and I practiced my Spanish while we enjoyed the scenery during the climb.

At the end of the line, we exited the funicular and made our way along the pathway admiring the beautiful statues of the Stations of the Cross as well as the stunning views of the city below, in between the low clouds and light rain showers. On the adjacent mountain, we spied the 45-foot tall statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe and its adjacent sanctuary, which appeared to be miniscule from our vantage point. Finally, we were face to face with the Basilica Sanctuary of Monserrate which houses the statue of the fallen Lord of Monserrate, representing Jesus falling for the third time on his way to Calvary.

Pausing for a moment to take a photo with the Bogota sign in front of the basilica, we then entered, realizing that Ash Wednesday mass was taking place. Walking quietly through the church, I made my way through its interior, investigating the chapels and its decorative features. At the rear of the building, in an enclosed room behind the altar, I discovered the Lord of Monserrate. It is said that this miraculous effigy of Christ has hair that grows and that when they try to lower it to the city, its weight increases, becoming an impossible task to achieve. It was difficult to get a good look as the viewing windows were small and many people were lined up, hoping to get a glimpse of the famous icon, but I did notice that hair on the statue appeared to be realistic.

Dating back almost 500 years, the basilica is built on the mountain that was once named Cerro de Las Nieves for its frequent cloudiness. A monastery dedicated to the Virgen of Montserrat was founded in this location and a path was created for pilgrims to climb the hill. The basilica houses a chapel dedicated to this Black Madonna and while I studied it, I thought it to look familiar. After some contemplation, I realized that it was because the origins of the Virgen Morena de Monserrate are of Catalonia, Spain and I had visited the monastery of Montserrat outside of Barcelona many years ago. In fact, it was so familiar to me because I had purchased a tiny replica of this Virgin which sits on my desk in my home office!

After my investigation of the basilica was complete, I wandered around to the rear of the church to where a large craft market is located. Small stalls offered up all sorts of handmade objects, clothing items and religious souvenirs. Hoping to add to my nativity collection, I figured that this would be the best place to find a unique piece. Surprisingly, however, it took quite a bit of asking around to finally find one…and then a lot more searching to find one that met my requirements. Happy at last and package in hand, we decided to catch the funicular so that we could head back down the mountain and catch a ride to the downtown area.

The ride to Plaza de Bolivar was only about ten minutes and we were dropped off right in front of the Catedral Primada de Colombia, better known as the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Bogota and Primate of Colombia. A lively square, standing before the basilica, it is filled with both locals and tourists, but its main occupants are pigeons! Lots and lots of pigeons!

The square is also surrounded by many historical buildings, including the Palacio de Justicia (Palace of Justice), Palacio Lievano (Palace Lievano), Museo Santa Clara (Santa Clara Museum), Museo Colonial (Colonial Museum) and the National Capitol among others. While we wished that we had had the time to visit everything in this area, it was the cathedral that we were most interested in, however.

Towering over Bolivar Square, the cathedral is the largest church in all of South America. The neoclassical structure has a striking façade, however, its interior, we soon found, was rather lackluster as are many of Columbia’s sanctuaries. We did take the time, however, to inspect the many paintings, sculpture and statues from the 17th and 18th century as well as the side chapels and other architectural features of the church.

*Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Bogota and Primate of Colombia*

*Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Bogota and Primate of Colombia entrance*

Noting that mass was not being conducted, we saw a line spanning the length of the cathedral down the central aisle. The three of us, all practicing Catholics, realized that the cathedral’s parishioners were receiving ashes, so we took our places and slowly made our way to the front of the line. What a special opportunity to receive ashes in the Bogota Cathedral on this day!

Lunchtime had already passed, so deciding to seek out a local restaurant, we headed down the pedestrian friendly Carrera 7. Vendors were plenty and it was fun to check out the some of the unique merchandise and watch the street performers, while seeking out Colombian cuisine. Since it was Ash Wednesday, we had to be mindful of our meat intake, but empanadas were plentiful and it was easy to order those filled with queso and dulce de leche churros for dessert!

Our meal complete, we realized that the afternoon was almost halfway finished. We still had a bit of a drive back to our hotel and there was that pesky thing called work that we had to do, but there was one more church at the end of Carrera 7, that I wanted to visit…the Church of San Francisco.

Dating back to the 16th century, this ornate church is the oldest preserved church in Bogota. Built between 1586 and 1611, it originally was part of a complex combined with a monastery that covered two city blocks and had three two-story cloisters. Its exterior once covered in white, was stripped in recent years leaving only the white bell tower to exhibit its original appearance. Today, the only parts of the original temple that survive are the church façade, the tower and the chancel.

Somewhat intimidating when we approached, with its unassuming façade, graffiti spray painting on the front wall and trash littering the walkway and within the entryway, my colleagues looked to me as though I was a bit mad to bring them here in a city where crime is rampant. Stepping gingerly into the darkened interior, we allowed our eyes to adjust as we gained our bearings. Met with a beautiful red screen separating the inside from the gritty periphery, we peered around up the central aisle toward the high altar. A beautiful wooden roof soared above our heads and a simplistic, double nave design spread around us. The confessionals were designed in an ornate gold and red composition as were many other features, however, the chapels were decorated chiefly in gold and the Stations of the Cross were of a wooden design.

The overall presentation was extremely dark, both in brightness and composition, and I am sad to say, maybe because of its location in the downtown area, it gave me a very eerie feeling. We did not notice many other visitors and no services for Ash Wednesday were being held. I think when I suggested to bid our adieu, my companions were quite relieved to move along.

Our day was coming to a close and other considerations were coming into play, including traffic and getting some rest before flying through the night. Scratching my forehead while on the ride home, I realized that my ashes were still prominently displayed. Removing my compact from my handbag and taking a glance, I noted the dark mark semi-hidden under my bangs.

It was the beginning of Lent. Beginning in Bogota.

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Monserrate

https://monserrate.co/
Address: Carrera 2 Este No. 21-48 Paseo Bolívar, Bogota, Colombia
Admissions and Hours: Accessing Monserrate: By foot, trail open every day, except Tuesdays, 0500-1300 to go up and from 0500-1600 to go down. Free of charge. By funicular, Monday to Friday, 0630-1145 and Saturdays, 0630-1630. 23,500 COP (about $5.40 USD) round trip. On Sundays and holidays, 0530-1800. 14,000 COP (about $3.20 USD) round trip. Discounts for Senior citizens (over 62 years). By teleférico, Monday to Saturday, 1200-2200, 23,500 COP (about $5.40 USD) roundtrip. On Sundays, 0530-1800. 14,000 COP (about $3.20 USD) roundtrip. Pets allowed for an additional fee. Basilica Admission: free

Catedral Primada de Colombia

Address: Carrera 7 10 80, Bogotá, CO 111711
Hours: 0900-1700, daily (unverified)
Admission: free

Iglesia de San Francisco (Church of San Francisco)

Avenida Jimenez de Quesada #7-10, Bogota, Colombia
Hours: 0900-1700 (unverified)
Admission: free

Strike Out

Italian train strikes…I hate them.

It always seems that they happen when I have plans to visit other towns in Italy. While they usually give plenty of notice, for some reason, I usually miss that information until I arrive at the train station and realize that something is amiss.

Last October, exactly that happened. Skipping my nap, I readied myself for my day trip to Vigevano, the city known for its shoemaking history. With my list of places I wanted to visit in hand, I arrived at Porta Genova train station, purchased my ticket and walked out to the platform to await my ride. My train was supposed to leave at 12:40, but the time had come and gone. As I began to study the departure board, a man began speaking to me in Italian. My confused look must have clued him in that I did not speak his language, so instead, he said, “Signora, no trains, no trains!”

WHAT? NO TRAINS?

Refusing to believe his revelation, I continued to wait, eventually realizing that not one train had traveled through the station. Trying to look up any bit of information on the internet, I had no success, even with attempting to find an alternate route, other than driving or walking.

Defeated, I realized that I needed to find an alternate plan for the day. “Okay, think…”, I said to myself. Realizing that I was near the Navigli Canal area, I decided to head that way.

It was a beautiful, fall afternoon, perfect for strolling along the waterway, so I attempted to enjoy my plan modifications…with a scoop of gelato to cheer me up! Having been in this area before, I decided to seek out more about what makes it special.

Until the nineteenth century, the Navigli canals were the port area of Milan allowing the reach of Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Ticino. Consisting of two major canals, Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese, these canals were used to import the marble needed to construct the Duomo church.

Today, there are alternate methods of reaching other Italian cities and for receiving goods and merchandise, but the Navigli canals still play an important part in the Milanese daily life. An exciting place where locals and tourists alike meet to enjoy the lovely evenings while the evening light reflects on the waterways, many restaurants and bars are available to choose from. The last Sunday of the month also draws crowds for the Vintage Market, which hosts exhibitors from all over Lombardy selling an odd assortment of goods.

It wasn’t Sunday and it wasn’t quite happy hour yet, so I opted to analyze every shop, alleyway and piece of architecture along the way. Not long after I began my explorations, I stumbled upon something interesting. What appeared to be an awning covering a small stream, I learned was the Vicolo Lavandai, the former laundromat, dating back to the last century. One would expect that it was the meeting place of women, however, it is interesting to note that in fact, it was the men who did the washing here. The small stream was fed by the Naviglio Grande and on wooden boards, also known as brellins, they scrubbed their clothing items. These men created their own trade association in 1700, the Confraternita dei Lavandai which had St. Anthony of Padua as its patron saint and it was to him that they dedicated the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Naviglio.

This church was where I headed next, a short distance down the canal.

Santa Maria delle Grazie al Naviglio, had its humble beginnings on the left bank of the Naviglio Grande in the sixteenth century with a chapel built to house an image of the Madonna. The chapel was eventually demolished and a larger Baroque church was built in its place, being devastated by fire in 1719 and then restored. At the end of the 19th century, the church, deemed to small for the growing parish, was demolished and replaced with a larger one in 1909…the current church.

The exterior was a bit confusing for me as it did not look like many of the Italian churches I had visited. In fact, it did not really appear to be a church at all remaining largely unfinished. I entered the portal set in its rough brick façade and took a look around, still not convinced that it was a church that I was setting foot in.

Glancing around, I noticed that the church’s neo-Romanesque interior contained three naves covered by a barrel vault. As I made my way down the main aisle, I admired the afternoon light filtering in through the stained glass windows established throughout the church. Two bronze pulpits and two additional altars flanked the main altar. These altars were crowned by stained glass windows depicting the Cross and the Madonna. The altar on the left was formerly the main altar and contained a statue of the Pietà which was originally housed in the previous church. The right altar is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, the protector of the nearby laundrymen. The highlight, however, was the neo-Gothic high altar which showcased a beautiful temple containing a bas-relief of God the Father Blessing.

*Altars dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua and the Pieta*

Making my way through the church’s interior, I was continually drawn to the rich stained glass windows and the church’s clean lines. Stopping in the baptistery, I admired the stunning fresco of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist.

The cafes were starting to attract a few patrons interested in cappuccinos and stronger concoctions. As tempting as a nice, chilled Nastro Azzurro sounded at that moment, I decided to make my way to one other place.

Passing the Church of San Gottardo al Corso and Porta Ticinese, the former city gate of Milan, I snapped a few photographs of each, but with neither being my intended destination, I continued on.

Finally, I made it to the place that had been on my list of things to see in Milan for some time…Basilica di Sant’ Eustorgio or more specifically, the Museum of Sant’Eustorgio and the Portineri Chapel.

Walking through the cloister, I made my way to the entrance to the museum. Here, I paid my entrance and began my self-guided tour through the museum. After St. Ambrogio, the 4th century Saint Eustorgio is one of the most noteworthy medieval structures in the city and stands on the ruins of an Early Christian Necropolis. It houses the famous Portinari chapel as well as numerous artworks of different nature.

*Remains of Early Christian Neocropolis*

Moving from the southern portico of the first cloister to the remains of the early Christian necropolis, I admired the frescoes that decorated the walls of this area. Heading then to the former chapter house of the primitive Dominican monastery and then the monumental sacristy, I inspected the large collection of relics, liturgical objects, vessels and reliquaries that were exhibited in the walnut cabinets. While the collection is vast, many which were referred to in the archives, have been lost over the years.

Continuing on to the sunlit Solarian Chapel with its black and white floors, I stopped for a moment to appreciate its simplistic style. Turning and navigating the hall on the left, I then found myself in the famous Portinari Chapel.

Commenced in 1460 and completed in 1468, this jewel of the church, created in the Renaissance style, is absolutely breathtaking. With walls decorated with frescos by Vincenzo Foppa and a multi-hued dome, it contains the relic head of St. Peter of Verona, to whom the chapel is consecrated. Originally slated to function as both a family chapel and mortuary, the marble sepulchre of Peter of Verona was moved from the basilica into the chapel in 1736. A marble altar was erected in front of it, on which was place a silver shrine containing the saint’s head. In the 1880’s the sepulchre was placed off center in the chapel to be better illuminated and the shrine containing the head was moved to a small adjacent chapel. The chapel also includes a number of paintings by undisclosed Lombard artists including frescoes such as the Miracolo della nuvola e Miracolo della falsa Madonna, and a depiction of the martyrdom of St. Peter Martyr.

Finally, I made my way to the dimly lit basilica which was once an important stop for pilgrims on their journey to the Holy Land because it was said to contain the tomb of the Three Magi.

Founded around the 4th century, it was named after Eustorgius I, the Bishop of Milan. In the 12th century the revered relics of the Magi were taken to Cologne, Germany and it wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that fragments of the bones and garments were returned to Sant’Eustorgio. Today, they are in the Three Kings altar.

On the right side of the church there are chapels commissioned from the 14th century onwards by Milan’s prestigious families each contain important frescoes and tombs. The high altar offers an imposing marble polytypch from the 15th century and other important works by Ambrogio Figinia can be found in the church.

As I exited the church, I took a few moments to analyze its more modern exterior, dating back to the 19th century. What is interesting to note is that the belltower is topped with a star instead of a traditional cross, giving homage to the Three Magi.

As my day was coming to a close, I took a seat at the restaurant I chose along the Navigli Grande. Reflecting on the turn of events due to the train strike, I was sad that I wasn’t able to stay with my plan of visiting Vigevano. Yes, I struck out!

But…that didn’t mean that I lost the game. With some quick thinking, I was able to salvage the day and see some amazing sights within the city. And Milan is full of them!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Vicolo Lavandai

Address: Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 14, 20144 Milano MI, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Naviglio

Address: Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 34, 20144 Milano MI, Italy
Hours: unknown
Admission: free

Church of Saint Gotthard al Corso

Address: Corso S. Gottardo, 6, 20136, Milano MI, Italy
Hours: unknown
Admission: free

Porta Ticinese

Address: Piazza Ventiquattro Maggio, 20123 Milano MI, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

Basilica di Sant’ Eustorgio

http://www.santeustorgio.it/ http://www.museosanteustorgio.it/en/home-eng/
Address: Piazza Sant’Eustorgio, 1, 20122 Milano, MI, Italy
Hours: Church, daily, 0745-1200 and 1530-1830. Museum of Sant’ Eustorgio, Monday, closed. Tuesday to Sunday, 1000-1800.
Admission: Adults, €6,00, Children (ages 6-18), €4,00, Children (under 6), free.
Getting There: From Piazza Duomo (MM1 and MM3) with Tram 3. Trams 9 and 10 (Piazza XXIV Maggio stop) and from Piazza Sant’Ambrogio (MM2) with bus 94 (DeAmicis-C.so Porta Ticinese stop).

The Musical Wall

Murals, graffiti, sculptures…

Having studied art and architecture, they always draw my interest. There are days, during my layovers, that I just wander around taking pictures of public art…and it is never in short supply in any city throughout the world.

One fall afternoon in Milan, I was walking the streets in the Navigli Canal area. Trying to locate another particular point of interest, I spotted something else marked on Google maps.

The Macan Music Wall.

Not quite sure what this would reveal, I headed in that direction.

Each year, in addition to Milan’s famous Fashion Week, the city also hosts Music Week, a pace of concerts, showcases, meetings, workshops, webinars, exhibitions and presentations. During Milan’s 2018 Music Week, the event was kicked of with the inauguration of the Macan Music Wall, a public artwork dedicated to music, unveiled, commissioned and gifted by Porsche Italia to the city.

This imposing mural covers the façade of a building in via Conchetta (corner of via Troilo) and was created by the collective of urban artists Orticanoodles and the Leagas Delaney agency. Entitled “Music Is A Never Ending Journey”, the work depicts a gigantic beating heart placed at the center of a musical cosmos. Around the heart, planets and constellations inspired by different genres and musical instruments rotate, as in a star map. Painted with special fluorescent paints, it is even visible during the nighttime hours.

To make your visit even more special, pop your Airpods in and tune to Porsche Italia’s Spotify channel, entitled “Music Is a Never Ending Journey” for the full experience!

While this is not a major attraction, it was interesting to discover while in the area and I think that it would be quite the spectacle to behold at night!

Many more art installations, sculpture and graffiti can be found the in Navigli Canal area, including the Wall of Dolls ( https://snappingtheglobe.com/?p=6924). Put on your walking shoes and start searching!

*Navigli Canal area art installations, murals and grafitti*

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Macan Music Wall

Address: Via Conchetta, 8, 20136 Milano, MI, Italy
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Tram 3, L.go Mahler stop. P.TA Genova FS metro stop, walk 16 minutes.

The Glass

You know the saying…”the glass is half full”?

My husband is that kind of guy…always sees the bright spot!

While my husband could have been upset that I only allotted a condensed visit to Murano during our day, he was elated that he would have any time there at all. My birthday, my decision…he had agreed to this plan! So…glass half full!

Revisiting Murano was not high on my list. Twice before, I had called upon the island, most recently, the week before. Both times, I had been part of a tour and was taken immediately to one of the glass blowing demonstrations in one of the workshops on the Grand Canal of Murano. With limited time, because of the presentation, my impression of Murano was not optimum. Not having time to do much exploration, the only thing I could associate with it was a dark, cramped (and hot) workspace, filled with other tourists, holding up their iPhone (me included), trying to document a master glassblower manipulate molten glass into a small pony. Then, being ushered into the crowded giftshop so that I could buy a replica of that breakable steed.

Arriving from Burano, we disembarked onto the Murano Faro dock and had a wonderful view of the tall, elegant lighthouse that was built in 1934. Walking down Calle Bressagio, we passed the Oratorio Ex ospizio Briati, a chapel which was the former Carmelite convent and followed the street until we reached the canal along Fondamenta Manin, where we browsed the many souvenir shops that line the waterway.

A building across the canal caught my eye and I quickly ushered my husband across the bridge….the Church of Saint Peter Martyr. This ancient church was originally built in 1348 with a Dominican convent and was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. After a fire in 1474, it was rebuilt to its current state and was one of the two main parish churches on the island of Murano that I planned to visit.

Church of Saint Peter Martyr

The church contains some important works by Tintoretto (Baptism of Christ), Giovanni Bellini (Assumption with Saints and Barbarigo Altarpiece), Giovane (San Nicolo, Santa Lucia, San Carlo Borromeo), Paolo Veronese (Saint Jerome in the Desert), Giovanni Agostino da Lodi (Barcaioli Altarpiece) and Guisseppe Porta (Deposition from the Cross). In the right wing is the Ballarin Chapel, built in 1506 and named after the famous glassmaker from Murano. It is a humble church, but warm and welcoming.

Continuing our explorations, strangely enough, we found ourselves at the Guarnieri Glass Factory. It wasn’t one of the factories that I had visited previously, but it also wasn’t something that I had really desired to experience again. As we approached the arched entrance, decorated with beautiful glass roses, a gentleman greeted us warmly. The factory was about to close, but he agreed to ask the master craftsman if he would do one more demonstration for us. Although this man seemed reluctant, no doubt ready to retreat to his air conditioned home for a nice dinner, he agreed after another couple approached.

Sweating profusely in the intense heat, he shaped a beautiful stallion, much more elegant that the ones I had witnessed being sculpted at the other demonstrations. For his final act, a glass bubble was blown and popped, signaling his departure!

I must admit, while it was not something I had wished to do again, it was quite nice to be one of only two couples in attendance and I later learned that this is one of the best places to seek out this experience. The outstanding thing about it, however, was that before leaving, I ended up with a beautiful necklace from the gift shop! A splendid birthday gift!

Murano boasted an impressive landscape along its hidden streets and central canals…stunning Italian architecture, cobblestone streets and occasional handblown glass exhibits randomly placed in courtyards throughout. While we never did make it to the other church that I so desired to see, Duomo Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, we enjoyed the impressive scenery that we encountered.

It was getting late in the afternoon at this point and the sun’s slanted rays led to an ambiance that I had never experienced in Murano having visited earlier in the day. Entranced with the deepening of the colors along the canals, I actually hated to leave. Indubitably a much different Murano, one I would choose to return to again.

As we boarded the water taxi for our return to Venice, we found the ride to be much more enjoyable with the heat of the day diminishing. In fact, a cool breeze made our ride quite refreshing especially since we were able to snag a spot on the outside deck. Cruising between the islands, the sunlight glittered on the waters as we passed Cimitero di San Michele, the 10th century cemetery christened after the resident Church of Saint Michael. Entering the canals of Venice, we passed elegant bridges spanning its width, and spied architecture, palpable in late afternoon sunshine, while tourists strolled the banks searching for their dinner destination.

These tourists would be us later, celebrating my birthday and the glass would definitely be full…of my favorite Italian beer!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Church of Saint Peter Martyr

Address: Fondamenta dei Vetrai, 30141 Venezia VE, Italy
Hours: Unknown
Admission: free

Guarnieri Vetreria Artistica

Address: Fondamenta Serenella, 11, 30141 Venezia VE, Italy
Hours: Monday to Friday, 0900-1800, Saturday, 0900-1645, Sunday, Closed
Admission: free