From Murano we took another boat to Burano. Chris and I had never been here before. It is a colorful fishing village also known for its handmade lace. We were guided by a local man introduced to us by the taxi driver, who told us that each family on the island has a color, and their house(s) are painted that color. Also each family in the lacemaking industry has a certain stitch they are known for. Many locals will know the origins of a piece of lace simply by looking at the stitches. To make pieces, up to 7 women may collaborate. Again, we learned the technique by watching a master lacemaker perform detail work. Here she is to the right, operating on a stuffed animal that Amory was given by the shopkeeper- a stitch had come loose.The girls loved wandering around the shop, eyeing beautiful dresses and ceramic dolls and intricate lace cloths of any kind.

Our guide suggested a seafood restaurant for lunch. Having heard that squid ink is a local specialty, I ordered squid ink risotto. It was delicious- had a delicate fish flavor- but I was amazed at the truly inky consistency! Riley loved it, and by the end of lunch had a squid-ink mustache. Unfortunately the picture didn’t come out so well, but it was really funny. We lingered over lunch, enjoying the breeze and the girls’ pretending to sew with toothpicks (see left), and later in the afternoon headed back to Venice. While on the boat Riley exclaimed, “Hey! Look at all the whipped cream behind us! Let’s swim in it!” Chris and I loved her interpretation of the boat’s wake.