Woke up after a good night sleep and had breakfast in the hotel. Jason cancelled is debit card and filed a police report. We head out to Murano on a free boat from the hotel. A smooth talking rep from the glass factory is waiting to show you in upon arrival. Large tour groups were being shown a demonstration of the ancient art of glass making while we got a 'personal' interpreter. The factory we visited was housed is an old church-you could feel the heat of the furnaces. After the demonstration our 'personal interpreter' took us into the showroom to see all the glass-pretty smooth talking to attempt a sale. We declined using Jason's loss of cards as a reason and walked away empty handed.
After glancing in a few shops down the road, we pop into one and let the kids spend some money on trinkets. Griffen really wanted to pay for his own but only had some loose change. The old couple in the shop understood this and took his money and Jason's on the side. They then gave each of the kids a little glass toy. The Italians are absolutely great with kids-it has been really easy traveling with them so far. After the shop we decide to head back to Venice, but we missed the boat. Then next one comes in about an hour-so we wonder. Across the water there is a church with a boat in front carrying a casket. We decide not to cross the bridge yet as a crowd in dark clothes has gathered and a priest is saying a prayer before bringing the casket into the church.
Kaitlyn is desperate for a toilet so I take the older 2 and set off for a quick search. We find one in the park and Kaitlyn has her first experience with an Italian toilet...a hole in the ground. At least it was a porcelain hole. We spy a vaporetto and head back to Venice. Lunch-more pizza and gelato and strawberries from the market. We are tired of carrying Jillian around and go back to those 75 steps and get the stroller. We still have to pick up the stroller every time we cross a bridge-but that is less exhausting than carting her around full time.
Next we find a mask shop I had read about and wanted to visit. The shop owners are there and they show us how they make the masks-the wife does the painting herself. They welcome us to look around and answer any questions we have-even giving us the full history behind the masks of Venice and what the different types represent. Kaitlyn and Griffen watch another woman painting in one of the rooms for a good 30 minutes while Jason and I decide on our purchase. Jillian is entertained by the shop dog. We make our selection-pay in cash for a discount and ask him not to mail until the next week. The masks we picked out are original pieces of art-a better purchase for us to add to our collection than a glass vase.
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