Day 257-260 - Sunday to Wednesday - 5/27-5/30/2012

Italy... What an amazing trip. Day one when we arrived we walked around the island to see the sights!

Rialto Bridge 

Grand Canal

Grand Canal

Yummy yummy pizza

Gelato- yummy

San Marco Square

San Marco Square

Basilica

On top of the Basilica

Outside the Dodges Palace

Outside the Doges Palace

LUNCH- so delicious...just a little place we found on the walk back.

How the bill looked 

Another canal view

For dinner we went to a wonderful place that Lizzie and Justin had eaten at when they were there in the fall. It was so yummy!

Octopus Salad

Wild Mushroom Pasta

Tomato Basal Pasta

Rialto Bridge at night

Inside our  Hostel- Sweet Dreams

Out the window of our hostel

 Day 2 was to be Murano and Burano. But before we left the hostel, we got to experience something we never had before..an earthquake. We felt the earthquake that occured in another part of Italy. Cass and I were a bit caught off guard being that we had never felt one before, but we were fine. Our thoughts went out to those that were not.

After breakfast it was back to San Marco Square on our way to catch the water taxis to the islands of Murano and Burano.  Murano is known for its glass blowing and handmade glass. It was an amazing little island! We then went to Burano which is known for its lace making. This island was also beautiful, a bit smaller and the buildings were much  more colorful.

San Marco Square

One of the many bridges on our way to the water taxi

A gondola!!! 

Murano

Glass blown in the Murano center

Burano Island

Burano 

Burano

I had to take a picture of our lunch... not only was the pizza delicious, but look at the can! A redhead!!

After searching for the perfect spot for dinner... we found it and it was so amazingly delicious. It is a place we will go back to when get back to Venice!!

This was our view as we headed to the airport as the sun rose! Cheers to you Venice!

Lesson: Venice is a city to come back to, and we will!!!

Day 256 - Saturday - 5/26/2012

We left Popovo Kula to head to the Northeast of Macedonia.  It was about the first day that the family arrived that we realized we just were not going to get to do all of the things we wanted. Mom started a list of where we will go when we come back to Macedonia.  Our goal was to see a few things in the northeast region and then Skopje, but we quickly realized it would be one stop in the northeast and then straight to Skopje.

Our one stop was the Stone Dolls of Kuklica. There are many legends and myths about how they formed, but the most popular one states that it is a wedding scene.  Once upon a time there was a boy from the village of Kuklica who could not decide whom to marry so he asked two girls. The wedding for the two were planned on the same day. One of the brides heard that there was another wedding on the same day so she ran to see who was getting married, when she saw her boyfriend and another girl she cursed them all saying "Let God turn all of you into rocks, even me."  Another legend says that they are soldiers who froze during a war. According to scientist they were formed 10 million years ago by tectonic erosion from minerals that dissolve in water.  No matter what the truth is they are very amazing formations to see!

At the entrance  

Walking to see the dolls

The first dolls you see- these are the "bride and groom"

Cass and I standing with the bride and groom

Mom and Dad standing by their respective stones.

Stones up the side, behind the "bride and groom" these are the wedding guests

The weather did not really cooperate with us very much during much of the time they were here. Today/this afternoon was particularly worse.  We went to see Skoje and got soaked! That didn't stop of from seeing as much as possible and taking a few photos.

Mom and Dad with Stone Bridge 

Lahmadjun - Turkish Pizza 

On Stone Bridge

Awesome designs in our coffees

Tonight we got to go to dinner with my dear friends, Linda, Artan and Adora.  We met at Gino's in Skopje for food and good company! Having my parents get to sit and meet such speical people in my life while I have been here was priceless!

Adora and I being ourselves!

Mom's Dinner

Cass's Dinner 

My dinner

Dad's Dinner

Lesson: Macedonia's countryside is so beautiful and doesn't seem to ever get old!