Burano Sunset

Home
Up


Fluttering laundry with colors of the Italian Flag

Our first visit to Gatto Nero was in January of 1995 with a group of great friends, and oh, that is a whole story in itself.  As we were lingering over the end of a very long and delicious meal, our minds swirling with wine and too-too good of a time, the Italians in the table next to us were trying to get is to go out the nondescript back door right next to our table. When we obliged, we were greeted with the magnificent sun setting across the lagoon, bathing the scene in intense colors.

A wide lawn with colorful laundry hanging served as a staging area for sports rowing boats; their varied colors intensified by the direct sun. The campanili of Venice on the horizon formed a lovely and idealistic vista. We waited for the sun to set; induced with lots of wine and grappa, we hugged in groups and let the moment take us to a very romantic and nostalgic place. Immediately I thought of the romantic scene in Summertime when Rossano Brazzi sped Kate Hepburn off to an outer island for a romantic interlude where they watched the sunset across the lagoon with Venice on the horizon. 

One-man and two-man rowing is the most popular sport in Venice. It is an ancient sport unique to Venice, and is intensely competitive, requiring great skill. Everywhere you look on the lagoon you see men standing in their boats and rowing.   On a separate visit to Burano in March of 1998 with my sister Chris we took her around back to this spot at sunset. As we were waiting for the setting sun, two guys showed up in their club's uniform and launched their boat. We later saw them rowing in the main canal of Burano as our vaporetto slowly moved towards Venice.

Enjoy these pictures from our sneak-peek out the back of Gatto Nero along with some pictures of the sunset from our return boat ride with our grandson twelve years later in 2007.

Click the picture for a larger view

BehindGattoNero1.jpg
The grass lawn facing the lagoon out-back of Gatto Nero.
Burano5.jpg
Colorful row boats in the intense light.
BehindGattoNero2alt.jpg
The setting sun burns the colors of the boats.
BehindGattoNero3.jpg
The sky & lagoon ablaze with color & Venice's campanile in profile.
BehindGattoNero4.jpg
Our good friends Diane & Leonard savor a special moment.
Burano1.jpg
Two rowers launch their boat, a pupparin style with a platform for the man in the rear.
Burano6.jpg
The rowers launched into the evening sunset.
Burano2.jpg
Later, as we were departing in the vaporetto, we caught the duo at their trade.
VeniceMarch07151.jpg
Beautiful Burano.
Burano4.jpg
Departing Burano we caught its seriously leaning campanile with the setting sun.
VeniceMarch07144.jpg
On the way back to Venice yours truly catches a nap with the last warming rays of the sun while grandson Dietrich enjoys the prized seats in the aft of the vaporetto. Ah, a nice day indeed.