As I mentioned in my previous post, our next stop was an optional excursion to Burano. We took an hour boat ride to this colorful island. All the houses are painted in bright, vibrant colors. Instead of having house numbers, they are identified by the color of their house! We had a fantastic lunch and purchased some masquerade masks. The gentleman who owns the shop makes each mask by hand, and they were all so lovely that it was hard for me to pick just one! If you decide to purchase an authentic Venetian mask, look for one handmade in Italy with a seal from the maker. 
We then took the boat back to the Bridge of Sighs and walked to our hotel – yes, the hour walk we skipped from this morning! Zach and I decided for a quick 20-minute gondola ride instead. Our particular gondola had musicians and a singer. We sat back and enjoyed the music, the gentle breeze brushing our faces as we glided through the Venetian canals.
As part of our traveling experience, we try to purchase t-shirts or magnets from a Hard Rock Cafe in each city. Ciro showed us how to get to the only HRC, and cautioned us on where to eat because of extra charges or taxes that most restaurants along the waterway will include in your bill. We got our HRC purchases, walked along some alleyways, and came upon a small pizzeria. We sat outside for dinner and enjoyed a delicious margarita pizza.
Nighttime fell upon us as we made our way back to the hotel. I enjoyed everything we did on that first day in Italy, but the gondola ride was the most memorable!
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