Home » Italy » 3. day. Trip to the island Murano and a visit to the local chess club.

Murano - The Glass Island
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Breakfast at 8 and I phone the chairman of the local chess club. I tried yesterday afternoon, but he was not at home and his wife knew nothing about my visit.
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Antonio speaks excellent English. He'll be at the chess club shortly after 5 p.m. and we're welcome. He has a training session with some boys, but if interested I can have a look at the club's library.<br/>

3. day. Trip to the island Murano and a visit to the local chess club.

Eric
2005-12-08 19:06:42

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Murano - The Glass Island

Breakfast at 8 and I phone the chairman of the local chess club. I tried yesterday afternoon, but he was not at home and his wife knew nothing about my visit.

Antonio speaks excellent English. He'll be at the chess club shortly after 5 p.m. and we're welcome. He has a training session with some boys, but if interested I can have a look at the club's library.

Having made the arrangement with Antonio we leave for Murano, the glass island. Venetian glass was once unique. Because of the fire risk the glassmakers were "deported" to Murano, a small island north of Venice, and this also made it easier to safeguard craft secrets. Later the secrets leaked anyway (with good help from travelling Venetian craftsmen), and although they are still capable of making beautiful stuff, the bulk production nowadays is souvenirs rather than chandeliers that require at least 6 meters from floor to ceiling.
Intermezzo on the Deck

On the boat to Murano we're lucky to get seats on the small quarterdeck where there's a bit of air. I look through the free paper "Leggo" in search of a weather forecast. The weather is marvellous (though on the hot side), but will it stay this way? It must be the paper that tricks the old man next to me into a sudden torrent of Italian. I excuse myself and explain that he must speak slowly - lentamente - if I'm to understand. He smiles and then asks - lentamente - why the two stupid tourists have taken a position in the doorway where they block the breeze? The tourists probably suffer as much from the heat as he does, but I don't say that; instead I offer him my paper to use as a fan, and while he fans himself we have a lentamente-talk about the weather, which is hot but fortunately not as hot as in June last year.

In the Glass Workshop

Like most we get off at the first Murano stop, Colonna. A local tells two Italian ...