February 9, 2010: Sightseeing, Synagogues, and Sore Feet

February 9, 2010 (Alexander): Breakfast as usual. We walk over bridges over many canals and under walkways of large buildings and get to the Jewish Ghetto. Here we buy our tickets and get a guide tour of three Jewish synagogues. Our tour guide was not friendly. Daddy and I had to wear Beanie hats out of respect of the holiness of the synagogues. The amazing thing is that these were hidden places of prayers for the Jews. While walking to the third synagogue, we saw a little hut with police in them for protection of the Jews. In the Jewish Ghetto museum, we saw the coverings of many Torahs (we were not allowed to see the real Torah because only the Jewish priest could see it), the Jewish candlestick – Menorah, and the incense burners. After we finish the Jewish Ghetto museum we head toward the Frari Church and get lost on the way. Getting lost made us hungry and so we went to a Gelatti place and had coffee, hazelnut and lemon gelatti in a cone. I also buy pastries that taste and look like our new year’s donuts (farallias). We keep on walking and discover a Mirano Glass shop with a video of how it is made. Karannina, daddy, and I watch the video while mommy buys Mirano glass necklaces. Finally we get to the Frari Church. We discover paintings from Titian from the 1500’s. His paintings have beautiful details and there were lots of them. Next we entered into a side room in the church were Titian, Canova (“I left my heart in the Frari Church” – his heart was in a jar in the pyramid shaped monument), and the Doge’s Foscail (the architect of the Doge’s palace). Walking back with aching feet and hungry stomachs we head toward our favorite pizzeria. We order Venetian (looked like Canadian hotdogs and cheese) and 4-cheese (parmesan, blue cheese, mozzarella, and brie) pizza. We collapse on our beds and sleep.