Thursday, October 26, 2006
8 Aug: (Mu & Bu)-rano
Today's plan is to visit the island of Murano and Burano. The former famous for it's glasswork and the latter for it's lacework. This particular entry is going to be quite picture intensive cos I simply love Burano.
First stop, Murano.
The entire island's economy is based on glass. There is nothing but shops selling glassware on the island. We scouted around and I ended up with a pair of glass cuff links and Shuyi, a glass wine stopper. The other normal Murano glassware can easily be acquired in Bugis Junction and the big items are really extravagant. We're talking about custom made chandeliers shipped to your home. Super nice.
We went for a glass blowing exhibition conducted by this uncle who is most reluctant. But he anyhow blow here pull there and shitted out a glass horse, showing how much you are ripped off when you buy these stuff from them.
The island was quite boring and basically a waste of time. The glass blowing industry is over hyped unless you're talking about the expensive stuff. The touristy stuff all look the same in every shop. Definitely mass produced and not handmade. Like I said, can get at Bugis junction.
DHL: Everywhere we also go!As we were leaving Murano (at the ferry point), we saw this
LOL. Well said.
Burano is something else altogether. Imagine a quaint little island with little houses lined up along longkangs, painted in bright colors like in an Nippon paint ad. So bohemian.
Here, you see Shuyi chowing down on what we call a Capitalist Biscuit®. While we were buying the biscuit, the American lady in front do not have change and pulled out a 50 Euro bill. The old shopkeeper keep calling her a capitalist in jest. The American lady will have none of that. She flared up and said 'that is what your ATM gave me!' 'I'm helping your economy!'. The uncle hiew lan all that shit and keep calling her a capitalist while laughing. He knows that the lady is upset but he is Italian so he don't giva shit.
After all the trouble the food guide gave us, we decided to give it one last chance. The book says when in Venice, you must eat fish. Ok lor. So we ended up here.
Fuck that is some expensive fish. We ended up paying SGD 72 for 6 small sardines, a sold fish and 1/2 a lemon. Things I bet you can get at Bedok Jetty by yourself. Ok, except the lemon. But the fish was indeed fresh (but not THAT fresh!).
Like I mentioned before, Burano is famous for it's handmade lace. I went to a few shops and their handmade lace look interestingly similar... But THIS... this is the real deal. When Burano was really hot for their lace, they were described to be so fine that they appear like 'points in air'. Machiam superweb.
Here is an auntie keeping it real with the lace.
A group of aunties making lace.
Burano folks only wear white.
The entire place is so serene. So old folks home. Most of the people there are oldies, living their carefree life.
Even the doggie is spacing out.
As evening comes, we walked around and noticed a lot of oldies drinking a particular drink so we ask them what the drink was. After 5 minutes of gesturing, we vaguely got a name and proceeded to sample the drink.
We had the drink at this restaurant and started talking to the Asian looking waiter. Turned out he came from Thailand as his sister married the boss of the restaurant. He mention that he came to Singapore before and was impressed by our zoo. Siao. But he is very friendly though he cannot speak fluent English or Italian. Which means he is pretty fucked being a waiter in Italy.
While drinking, I notice a number of people sipping on a funny concoction which looked like milk. Upon inquiry, I was informed that it is a local special which is melted lemon gelato + alcohol. I decided back then to give it a miss cos the first drink was starting to take effect and I a newbie when it comes to alcohol. I am so kicking myself right now. Sigh.
Also at that restaurant, we came across this adorable grandpa and his grandson. Shuyi noticed grandpa had a toy sword stuck behind his belt like in a wuxia movie.
Later on, the grandson showed us his true powers. Jedi style.
We chanced upon a grandma sitting in her living room watch BLACK & WHITE television. Do not get me wrong though. The content on the TV is also back in that era. Really feels like being back in time back there. Shuyi begged me to take a picture of the granny but I refused as I would not appreciate being photographed by passersby in my own living room. But that would have been quite a unique picture.
It was getting pretty late and we started to worry about the possibility of being stranded on Burano. At the ferry point, we met with an old couple who are the most friendly folks ever.
They DO NOT speak English nor do we speak Italian. So we spent the half an hour gesturing. But we did learn a bit about them. The husband is a glass maker while the wife, a lace maker. Keeping it real. Awhile later, their son and daughter-in-law happened to walk by. Yes. The island is THAT boring. Thank god they speak English! Shuyi asked them why the buildings are all painted in bright colors. The daughter-in-law said that the legend is that the buildings are so brightly and distinctly colored is for the fisherman to recognize their own home. But she added that even fisherman are not THAT dumb. She goes on to say that they change the color of their house whenever they feel like it. Yes. It is THAT boring really.
We were lucky to be able to catch the last boat back to Venice. Only upon viewing the picture we've taken did we realize that they are vampires.
LOL. Well said.
Burano is something else altogether. Imagine a quaint little island with little houses lined up along longkangs, painted in bright colors like in an Nippon paint ad. So bohemian.
Here, you see Shuyi chowing down on what we call a Capitalist Biscuit®. While we were buying the biscuit, the American lady in front do not have change and pulled out a 50 Euro bill. The old shopkeeper keep calling her a capitalist in jest. The American lady will have none of that. She flared up and said 'that is what your ATM gave me!' 'I'm helping your economy!'. The uncle hiew lan all that shit and keep calling her a capitalist while laughing. He knows that the lady is upset but he is Italian so he don't giva shit.
After all the trouble the food guide gave us, we decided to give it one last chance. The book says when in Venice, you must eat fish. Ok lor. So we ended up here.
Fuck that is some expensive fish. We ended up paying SGD 72 for 6 small sardines, a sold fish and 1/2 a lemon. Things I bet you can get at Bedok Jetty by yourself. Ok, except the lemon. But the fish was indeed fresh (but not THAT fresh!).
Like I mentioned before, Burano is famous for it's handmade lace. I went to a few shops and their handmade lace look interestingly similar... But THIS... this is the real deal. When Burano was really hot for their lace, they were described to be so fine that they appear like 'points in air'. Machiam superweb.
Here is an auntie keeping it real with the lace.
A group of aunties making lace.
Burano folks only wear white.
The entire place is so serene. So old folks home. Most of the people there are oldies, living their carefree life.
Even the doggie is spacing out.As evening comes, we walked around and noticed a lot of oldies drinking a particular drink so we ask them what the drink was. After 5 minutes of gesturing, we vaguely got a name and proceeded to sample the drink.
We had the drink at this restaurant and started talking to the Asian looking waiter. Turned out he came from Thailand as his sister married the boss of the restaurant. He mention that he came to Singapore before and was impressed by our zoo. Siao. But he is very friendly though he cannot speak fluent English or Italian. Which means he is pretty fucked being a waiter in Italy.
While drinking, I notice a number of people sipping on a funny concoction which looked like milk. Upon inquiry, I was informed that it is a local special which is melted lemon gelato + alcohol. I decided back then to give it a miss cos the first drink was starting to take effect and I a newbie when it comes to alcohol. I am so kicking myself right now. Sigh.Also at that restaurant, we came across this adorable grandpa and his grandson. Shuyi noticed grandpa had a toy sword stuck behind his belt like in a wuxia movie.
Later on, the grandson showed us his true powers. Jedi style.
We chanced upon a grandma sitting in her living room watch BLACK & WHITE television. Do not get me wrong though. The content on the TV is also back in that era. Really feels like being back in time back there. Shuyi begged me to take a picture of the granny but I refused as I would not appreciate being photographed by passersby in my own living room. But that would have been quite a unique picture.It was getting pretty late and we started to worry about the possibility of being stranded on Burano. At the ferry point, we met with an old couple who are the most friendly folks ever.
They DO NOT speak English nor do we speak Italian. So we spent the half an hour gesturing. But we did learn a bit about them. The husband is a glass maker while the wife, a lace maker. Keeping it real. Awhile later, their son and daughter-in-law happened to walk by. Yes. The island is THAT boring. Thank god they speak English! Shuyi asked them why the buildings are all painted in bright colors. The daughter-in-law said that the legend is that the buildings are so brightly and distinctly colored is for the fisherman to recognize their own home. But she added that even fisherman are not THAT dumb. She goes on to say that they change the color of their house whenever they feel like it. Yes. It is THAT boring really.
We were lucky to be able to catch the last boat back to Venice. Only upon viewing the picture we've taken did we realize that they are vampires.Posted by weelian at 7:31 AM
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