Mikey Goes to Murano

[mikefrantz]

I leave on Monday the 19th of April and start off with business in Prague and Budapest and then off to Venice.

I will be visiting with Effetre and Vetrofond and they have promised new colors when I arrive.

I will do as much posting while traveling and keep you informed about any new colors I find. And with luck I will post pictures.



Mikey

[GlassGalore]

Exciting!! Lucky man. Be sure to pack light and bring lots of suitcases full of bubble wrap so you have plenty of room to carry mucho pounds of new glass back for us. ;)

[Flonche]

Prague?? Getting some Ornela?

[daisydog7]

Am looking forward to the postings and especially the pictures. They should be very interesting.

[Amy's Artisan Beads]

Have a GREAT time Mikey! Safe travels! Can't wait to see new colors!8-[

[ginger2]

Have a blast!
ginger

[carolanne]

:-) Okay, so I have to go on Google maps and see how many tanks of mind-blowingly expensive German gas it would take to drive to Venice for a weekend... :-) and see if my guy feels like doing most of the driving since I cannot stay awake behind the wheel for more than about 45 minutes, when it's sunny... worse when it's dark...

Or even better, drive 3 hours to one of those freaky tiny Ryanair airports and get one of those 72 Euro flights to Venice... I mean, it's not like you can drive around Venice in a freaking car... :-) And the flight would be cheaper than gas, and when you get there, you are still human, and all fresh and cheerful...

Can you pm me the dates you will be in Murano and when it would be most convenient/disturb things the least/have a chance of there being a double room available over a weekend and what the room cost is? That would be very super cool... We would not be needing a washing machine... ;-) and are expert stove top cooks... and can bring you German stuff... if there is anything German that you like... ;-)

Can you pack Jean and Susie in your suitcase?

Smiles,
Carol Anne

[Mustang Dawn]

Mike it was nice meeting you at Glass Craft :) It sounds like a really cool business trip!

[mikefrantz]

:-) Okay, so I have to go on Google maps and see how many tanks of mind-blowingly expensive German gas it would take to drive to Venice for a weekend... :-) and see if my guy feels like doing most of the driving since I cannot stay awake behind the wheel for more than about 45 minutes, when it's sunny... worse when it's dark...

Or even better, drive 3 hours to one of those freaky tiny Ryanair airports and get one of those 72 Euro flights to Venice... I mean, it's not like you can drive around Venice in a freaking car... :-) And the flight would be cheaper than gas, and when you get there, you are still human, and all fresh and cheerful...

Can you pm me the dates you will be in Murano and when it would be most convenient/disturb things the least/have a chance of there being a double room available over a weekend and what the room cost is? That would be very super cool... We would not be needing a washing machine... ;-) and are expert stove top cooks... and can bring you German stuff... if there is anything German that you like... ;-)

Can you pack Jean and Susie in your suitcase?

Smiles,
Carol Anne

I could use a mushy peach for sure, and a bowl of vanilla icecream!

[carolanne]

I could use a mushy peach for sure, and a bowl of vanilla icecream!

Was that ALL you liked about Germany? :-)

I ate my first ice cream that wasn't home-made yesterday - vanilla, chocolate, and then strawberry and raspberry sorbet - not those generous Italian scoops - those well measured, 1 and 1 quarter inch German scoops... and the whole time, I thought about that awesome ice cream place at the foot of that pretty metal bridge... where 4 German scoops equals 1 Italian scoop... and costs less...

How long are you going to be in Prague and Budepest? When do you arrive in Venice?

I want to surprise Norbs with a trip to Venice/Murano - the weather here is really really crap at the moment, still snow in the forest and mud everywhere where he has to run to train for an upcoming marathon... whereas Murano and Venice would be amazing to run through to train... (and I can stroll through the vegetable market and take 1 million more pictures...)

If we come, I have to get some pictures printed for you and bring them!

:-) So, let me know what you are up to! :-)

In the summer down on Lake Garda, Norbert had this Sundae that had a hot chocolate sauce on it that was the consistency of fudge, just not so sweet and as someone from North America, I could have written a poem about it...

(Can you tell that Spring is taking its own sweet time this year in coming???) That's right, all I can think about is sitting outside in the sunshine somewhere, eating ice cream in the broiling sun... but when the sun shines here at the moment, it is too cold to sit outside... and today it was driving rain from sun-up... shiver shiver shiver...) Lily of the Valley are still alive though...

Smiles from Lauscha, where ice cream is good, but expensive... as opposed to Italy, where ice cream is great, AND cheap...
Carol Anne

[beadsoncypress]

Not ice cream, Carolanne, GELATO!!!! ooohhhh Fondamente Norde Gelato.......then a short vapretto ride over to Murano.......

[mikefrantz]

Prague?? Getting some Ornela?

I will leave that all for Monique.

Mike

[mikefrantz]

Right now I think I am going to Murano, but if I were leaving today or Friday and even maybe Saturday.....there might be no flights as ash from an exploding volcano is restricting many flights in Northern Europe. By Monday hopefully........the winds and ash will be no problem and I can fly fly away!

Everyone is asking me if I am excited....in a way, but after going to Venice over 15 times, it feels more like a trip to the corner store, but a trip that takes over 10 hours for the first flight going close to 500 mph in a metal tube, with bad air inside and outside the temperature is minus 50 degrees makes it a bit more complicated then driving to the 7-11 Store..

What I am not excited about is the airplane, the airport, the security, the bad food, the bumpy flight, the crying babies and the volcano ash, but what I am real excited about is seeing friends on Murano and looking for unique color to bring back.

Mike

[PaulaD]

How about some Chalcedony 104 Mike from that nice friend of yours???

[Shrimp]

Polly want a cracker? No. Aleta wants some Parrot from Vetrofond! Have a safe trip Mike. While you are at it, would you be kind enough to inquire about some Poppy?

[SunDoorBeads]

HEHEHEEH Aleta you read my mind!!!! I have a little of both and man would love more!!! Have a great trip I am totally envious of you!!! I would love to see Murano some day!!!
I know how you feel about the "germ tubes" that fly us from place to place lol!!!

[SunDoorBeads]

ROFL- Aleta I just read your edit reason and busted out laughing!!!

[mikefrantz]

As I get closer to my Monday 4pm departure, it looks less and less likely that I will be going to Europe. That big old Valcano on Iceland has stopped most of the Northern European air traffic and I continue to watch the updates from the airlines, and I give my self a 20% chance of flying out on Monday.

But there is always October....a lovely weather time in Italy!

Mike

[Nancy Peterson]

Hi Mike - I am suppose to be going to Venice & Murano tomorrow the 19th too. We fly to Amsterdam first but it is not looking good.

I was wondering about October but you said that is a nice time of year there.

Good luck!

Nancy Peterson
Beaver Island Jewelry (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)
Ann Arbor & Beaver Island MI

[Ofilia]

October is a nice time to visit Venice. The weather can be still beautiful and well before any aqua alta season. Bring mosquite repellant, even for October.

[Nancy Peterson]

Ofilia! Don't know if I'll make it to Murano yet. If I don't come to Lucio's studio I probably didn't make it there! We are set to go tomorrow (Monday) and as yet the plane hasn't cancelled.

[carolanne]

Looks like we're going to have to go in October too... The volcano hasn't stopped erupting yet... so, taking a road trip up to the Baltic Sea, now, and going to Venice in October for a little bit longer than the currently available 4 days... (it's not Venice, or Murano, but it's very very pretty...)

I guess we could drive to Venice too, and then park the car for like, a million dollars... but for me, there is a big difference driving 4.5 hours in a car, and driving 8 hours in a car... don't know why... 8 hours is not too long for a full week's vacation, but for 4 or 5 days, it is just kind of bleh to finish up a short vacation with an 8 hour drive back home...

Did find an awesome hotel in Venice... cheap and awesome location... the next trip will be a museum trip! :-)

Italy in October is still warm and wonderful and sunny. :-) Still hope you get to go Mikey - it was so beautiful this time of year in Venice last year... :-)

Smiles,
Carol Anne

[Nancy Peterson]

Maybe all of us who don't make it to Venice/Murano now can have a get together in Venice in October!!

[mikefrantz]

A suitcase packed and no place to go :(
Flight was canceled and stuck at home
Eight Flights
Four Hotels
Cancellations and rain checks
Got A haircut
A new laptop
Some new pants
It came to a stop
A volcano was spewing
Into the air
I need a flight to Venice
And the Volcano Gods don't care

Mike

[Diane (clarus)]

Can you fly into Rome? Or somewhere in Spain? I hate to see you have to miss this trip!

-Diane

[Shrimp]

Bummer.

[carolanne]

Maybe all of us who don't make it to Venice/Murano now can have a get together in Venice in October!!

I think that sounds like a really nice idea! I think Susan was thinking the same thing... :-)

We still haven't heard back if our reservation up north on the Baltic Sea is confirmed... if I don't get any vacation whatsoever, I am going to be really really sad...

I know you must be really stinking sad, Mikey, especially since you have new pants AND a new haircut - but we are going to come 99% for sure in October, so we can get together and drink red wine then, and visit a couple of museums together and eat gelato and hang out in the sunshine. And we want to cook for you. And October is Rucola (sp?) season!

But yeah, a major bummer when it is such an awesome annual tradition for you... :-(

Smiles,
Carol Anne

[beadsoncypress]

I am starting to save my pennies NOW and watch those air fares....if the volcano quiets down that would help. They started flying again, so who knows, maybe.......GELATO!

[carolanne]

That Italian ice cream... that style of ice cream is very popular in Germany - it's practically all that is served here...

It's so sunny today, that all I can think about is Venice at the moment... I looked at all the pictures from last year yesterday evening... :-( sigh...

Do you ever just want to get in the car, and run away for 5 days? That is just how I am feeling at the moment...

So, going to go across the street and see if they have any hazelnut or coconut ice cream, Italian style... sigh...

They are flying again, but it's not consistent, and a flight can be cancelled anytime at the last minute without warning... and different countries have different criteria for cancelling. It's all based on what the insurance companies say... and having seen a video of a plane's engines flying through volcanic ash last night, you could not pay me to get in an airplane and fly at the moment...

But Venice is so freaking beautiful. And Murano is so relaxing and quiet and wonderful without cars and hustle and bustle...

Saving my pennies (or Eurocents actually) and let's make it a date in October!

Trying to smile... Carol Anne - okay, no hazelnut, but coconut, stracciacella (sp?) and cappucino :-) so, frozen smile achieved...

[Nancy Peterson]

Today was suppose to be my first day of vacation in Venice. I kept picturing myself on the Grand Canal -- while I was back at mundane things like aerobics class in Ann Arbor!!

I hear October is beautiful too....

[carolanne]

Today was suppose to be my first day of vacation in Venice. I kept picturing myself on the Grand Canal -- while I was back at mundane things like aerobics class in Ann Arbor!!

I hear October is beautiful too....

:-( siiiiiigggggh... It just started snowing in Lauscha, and I already have the summer wheels on my car... very big sigh...

We swam everyday in Lake Garda in Italy last year the week of October 22nd and it is further north and higher altitude than Venice, so I guarantee that October will be wonderful this fall in Venice. :-)

There is a bunch of volcanic ash on my car today - seriously - it's a black car, but it stayed pretty much clean all winter because we had a lot of misty moist fog and then frost, and then the sunshine melts the frost on the car, and that seemed to wash the car automatically, but this morning, my car was coated with a greyish brownish fine dust with a water droplet pattern, all over it. It's disgusting and it stained my fingers - it's so fine. Car looks like crap all of a sudden... Sseriously, it was totally shiny all winter and then, today, because we got rain last night, it was completely disgusting.

I am sure that there are many advantages to NOT breathing this stuff in.

:-) So, that is one small thing to be thankful for... if you live somewhere else... sigh...

On the TV news last night it said, that anyone with even minor breathing problems should stay indoors and avoid any exertion in the ash fog that is hanging over Germany, and that perfectly healthy people can be seriously affected if they walk or run outdoors during this time.

Not much of a bright side to look on, but better than nothing...
Smiles,
Carol Anne

[carolanne]

it's still snowing... maybe it's crappy weather in Venice too right now... yeah, right! sigh...

[Nancy Peterson]

Carol Anne: Yeah, maybe it is crappy weather in Venice! You live in Lauscha Germany?
In a glass house??!

That volcano needs to settle down and go back to sleep!

Nancy Peterson
Beaver Island Jewelry
Ann Arbor & Beaver Island MI

[carolanne]

Carol Anne: Yeah, maybe it is crappy weather in Venice! You live in Lauscha Germany?
In a glass house??!

That volcano needs to settle down and go back to sleep!

Nancy Peterson
Beaver Island Jewelry
Ann Arbor & Beaver Island MI

:-( Yup, I live in Lauscha... sigh... but I really wanted to go to Venice again... it would have been so nice. Italy is so beautiful. Before I moved here, I had pretty much never been anywhere. (other than Michigan! :-)

(no glass house ;-) but lots of windows, and they are completely coated with gross volcano ash, after I just washed them all for Spring)

That "running away" urge is not going away - it's getting worse...

So, are we all making a pact to get together in October? Huh? That would maybe make me feel a little better. Thank goodness we have awesome blue skies today... otherwise, I would have just stayed in bed...:hide:

Smiles,
Carol Anne