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On the outskirts of Venice there is the section of the city called Porto Marghera. Here there is a naval construction center called Fincantieri. They are considered, just like Venetians of the past, top notch ship builders. The good news is that they have just finished building and consigning the biggest ship they have ever built to Carnival Cruises. It's called. CARNIVAL FREEDOM.

This ship is huge. It has eighteen bridges, ...

Since writing this blog on Venice I haven't yet written about Murano glass. Murano glass doesn't really need much explaining, for it has become a worldwide symbol of Venice.

It's manufacture is an old art form that has been around for at least seven hundred years. There is a particular process that needs to be followed, and the masters even give demonstrations. Once reaching Murano, just as you get off the ...

Since we're still in theme until February 20th, there's something interesting and fun happening at the Santa Lucia train station for Carnival. The city of Venice has set-up a stand where anyone can get there face made up with make-up for the festivities. In exchange the youngsters doing the make-up work ask for a contribution to help construction of the "Villaggio dei ragazzi" (Village for Young People) in Romania. ...

Please forgive me for not writing into my blog in the last few days. I've been hit with a terrible flu, and have been unable to place any entries.

This experience has made me think that tourists might come up against the unexpected. While away from home they can get ill, or have an accident. I'm sure tourists wonder what king of medical treatment they will be receiving in the country ...

One thing travelers love to do is shopping. Venice definitely has many unique shops and products to purchase, but buying isn't the only reason tourists should spend time shopping. While in Venice, to truly get to know Venetians, and Italians in general, one should spend some time at the places where they do most of their buying. Here you can observe their habits.

Italians, and Venetians aren't any different, love to ...

Yesterday I wrote about the carnival mask, and today I'm going to write about carnival desserts. There are two treats that are the symbols of the Carnival of Venice. The recipes are so simple. There aren't any fancy ingredients involved, and yet, they taste so good that it's difficult to eat just one. These are frittelle and galani.

Frittelle are made by preparing a dough with flour, milk, eggs, sugar, a ...

Well folks, the Carnival of Venice is almost here. From February 9th to the 20th one of the most famous celebrations will take place. Please, take a look at my blog entry of January 23rd for general information. Right now, I want to write about one crucial object of this feast: the mask.

The most famous and used mask of the Carnival of Venice is called the bauta. This is the ...

St. Mark's Basilica and Bell Tower are both good places for beautiful views, but there's a drawback. These historical landmarks are so filled with tourists that it's difficult to enjoy them with complete tranquility. Also, with all the people it's sometimes hard to have the necessary time and space to take pictures, but there's a solution.

There is another historical landmark that isn't yet visited as much as the buildings in ...

Perhaps while in Venice you will happen to pass by workers in the canal, usually securing buildings underneath water level. It's actually fantastic to watch. They create great walls with wood pilings to surround an area of a canal. Then, they use big pumps to take the water out of the enclosed section. Once the water has been taken out, underneath there's mud.

It's interesting to look at the sides of ...

Marco Polo is a figure that has sparked the imagination through the centuries. In his personality the world has connected the essence and spirit that represents Venice. Yet, in a city that has remained the same for centuries his home, or at least its location, seemed to be lost, until a recent discovery.

In 1998, during restoration work being done to Teatro Malibran (Malibran Theater) archeologists of the city of Venice ...