Nissan Murano - a 4x4 rocket

Advantages: Looks, performance
Disadvantages: Fuel Consumption, Poor interior

...I've just got rid of my Murano but I thought my comments may still be helpful to some. I could be wrong, you decide! I was in 2 minds about getting a Murano in the first place. Before the kiddies came along I was enjoying myself with some great 2 seater top down motoring for 5 or 6 years but of course there was no space for the little 'uns so it was time to grow up and get myself something far more in keeping with my age. I could always go back to sports cars when my mid-life crisis kicks in. Either that or I could get myself a Harley. Anyway.... I fancied a 4x4. I don't know why. At the time I had no reason for one, but with a very young family I thought I felt safer in a 4x4 than I would in say a saloon. I didn't want an X5 or an ML, both seemed too obvious and in my neck of the woods every other car is a BMW or a Merc. I wanted...

goldie13 28.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Nissan Murano

No fleas, just wonderful Venice glass.

Advantages: Easy find, easy found, with some great bargains.
Disadvantages: None other than baggage allowance.

...Having arrived on the bus from the airport we decided to walk to our hotel near the hospital in Venice. On our walk we came across a flea market, near the hospital in the area called San Giovanni e Paolo. It was Saturday lunch and the area was alive with stalls, sellers, buyers and browsers. We took our cases to the hotel and walked the short distance back and became the browsers. There was Murano glass both old and new, second hand and chipped. Trinkets, jewellery, photos, buttons made from glass that I hadn?t seen the likes of for years. When I was small all my hand knitted cardigans that my mum made me had glass buttons on them. Chandeliers of varying sizes, wall mounted lights, coins of every denomination. We found a couple of 1948, 1 shilling?s (now 5p?s) that they had in a mixed coin box. The stall holder was selling these...

bostonianbeer 29.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Venice Flea Market

Madonna of the Almonds - In a nutshell....

Advantages: Rich and evocative descriptions, interesting historical background
Disadvantages: The story is far too predictable

...must confess to having skipped the latter tales in my eagerness to get back to the story. This is Marina Fiorata?s second novel and while I think it fails to reach the heights of the excellent ?Glassblower of Murano? I was pleased to see that she hasn?t followed the same introduction to the story by having some contemporary person discovering a family history but relies on the straightforward telling of the tale instead. Definitely one for fans of historical fiction but perhaps one too that would make a good holiday read for anyone travelling to Italy as it certainly captures the sights and tastes of Northern Italy. 371 pages Published by Beautiful Books...

fizzytom 30.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Madonna of the Almonds - Marina Fiorato

Vile Venetians

Advantages: Good characters, good descriptions of Venice
Disadvantages: not too thrilling

...Commissario Brunetti and his colleague Vianello "play hooky" on a fine spring day in Venice and leave the Questura to help Vianello's friend Marco, an engineer and ardent ecologist, who's protested in front of a factory on the mainland that poisons the lagoon with its waste and has been arrested. Brunetti succeeds in getting him released, but when they leave the station, Marco's father-in-law, Signor De Cal, appears, the owner of a glass factory on Murano, an island in the lagoon off Venice, all rage and fury. Later Marco's wife confides in Brunetti that she's afraid her father who's repeatedly threatened to kill her husband may indeed do it. When a man is killed in De Cal's glass factory some time later, it isn't Marco, though, but the night-watchman who, as Brunetti has already learnt, is convinced he's being poisoned by the owner...

MALU 15.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Through a Glass, Darkly - Donna Leon

A quiet little gem, easy to find.

Advantages: Quiet area handy for trips to the Islands.
Disadvantages: Steep stairs to room 6.

...for the internal door to reception and one to the outter Door, just pull these closed when Leaving or entering when recption not manned. So overall I would recoomend this Hotel for Couples, it is a Good Area of Venice not often given much time by tourists, so Local Restaurants and Bars are that much cheaper and better quality than around St Marks. When you learn the Route you are 10 Mins stroll from Rialto, 15 mins St Marks. 5 Mins from Fonfdementa Nova where you have Vaperroto that go to Murano and Burano. But I do feel you need to get it at an Internet Site Price, although the Direct Price is not out of line with other Venice Hotels....

poshtroika 26.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Locanda Ss. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice

VENICE ROMANTIC CITY

Advantages: LOVERS
Disadvantages: Can not go more often.

...Arrived at Venice Marco Polo Airport last Wednesday 12th March 16:30. Took second cheapest option to get to Venice Island, 3 Euros on the express Blue Coach to Piazza Roma at the end of the Grand Canal. Then bought a 72 Hour Ticket for 31 Euros, the 72 hours begins when you first validate so ideal for us returning on Sat. The ticket covers all your Vaperreto trips even out to the smaller islands Murano, Burano and Torchelli. Also if you use City Bus number 5, back to the Airport at the end. Great value when a single ticket on the Grand Canal is 6 Euros. That covers the boring part. Now my Venice Experience. I boarded Vaperreto Number 1, sat down and then looked into her eyes. Its at times like these that thoughts run thru your mind , what will I ever do when I no longer have her. There in front of me is this beauty...

poshtroika 18.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Venice (Italy)

CHEAP & CHEARFUL LUNCH ON BURANO

Advantages: Larger than normal portions of Pasta.
Disadvantages: Can only lunch there once a year.

...LUNCH ON BURANO Each year for the last seven years we have visited Venice, we go for lunch on Burano, a small Island famous for its Lace. The easiest quickest way is to catch a Vaperreto from Fondamente Nova I am sure it is a Number 12. The advantage of this one is that it calls at Murano, so if you catch an early one you can have a morning with a visit to the Glass Factories before rejoining a number 12 to Burano. When you land at Burano you will see a couple of Café's near the small Dock, we usually have an Umbra (Small Red Wine at the bar) and toilet break, the Barman a tall Guy is very friendly and Bar prices very cheap, he does have outside tables, but as it is mainly a toilet stop for the ladies, why pay table prices. You can then meander past the Lace Shops, there's not many and the Ladies are not too pushy. You...

poshtroika 21.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Restaurant Sport Burano Island, Venice

Nissan Note - A Car For All Seasons

Advantages: Just plain good value for monet
Disadvantages: Er - Um - Cant think of any

...One of my favourite cars, the Nissan NOTE is just plain and simply an honest car that offers stunning levels of space, equipment and value for money. Long gone are the times when someone might not choose Nissan because of the badge. Nissan today are the makers of the fabulous 350Z a sports car we would all love to have. The stunning 3.5 V6 Murano, which is just superb and of course the latest style icon and one of the best pick-up in its class, the new Navara. So the Nissan NOTE has a fabulous pedigree and shares many features and design keys from the cars above, what else does it offer? Well firstly, it's made in Sunderland, so its one of a few British built cars you can buy these days. The NOTE is a well made and neat-looking car, with a front end looking like the striking Murano SUV and a roofline which Nissan describes as...

dragman50 26.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of Nissan Note 1.6 Automatic

Venice Carnival

Advantages: Wonderful colour, sights and sounds.
Disadvantages: Never known one.

..., just have their photo taken and are very pleased to let you if you stop them and ask. We spoke to people from Canada, Germany, U.S.A. and Japan. How they came through customs or how much baggage allowance they had is unknown as the costumes where large. The Carnival is early this year, the end of January as it coincides with Shrove Tuesday. Our only draw back in visiting this year is that the restaurant that we visit was sold last year. It was the "Tre Spiedi" and it had been owned by two brothers married to two sisters and they had owned it for 25 years. Our visit to Venice was never complete without visiting there. Whilst in Venice if it is your only trip then we would advise you to visit the island of Murano and Burano, both enjoyable and so different to each other, one for glass and one for lace. We tend to go to Murano (glass...

bostonianbeer 23.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Venice (Italy)

A Touch of Italian Class

Advantages: Superb Architectures, Gondola experiance
Disadvantages: Watch the expenses, and pidgeons

...of the prisoners as they crossed over the bridge Turning right in to St Marks Square, Surrounded by arched arcades and unique monumental buildings, and of course St. Marks Cathedral. It was just a pity that there was so much restoration work being carried out, that a lot of my, view was obscured. Making your way around the town there is 100's of small shops selling everything your heart desires from tacky trinkets to top brand items, Beware though, no cheap knockoff goods here, be prepared to pay top dollar. A real must, is to visit is the Murano Glass factory, and see glass blowing and glass art form at it's best. And perhaps treat yourself to a holiday souvenir Murano glass clown, just pack it well. And of course who could visit Venice without taking a ride in a Gondola .Be warned it can be very expensive, try a bit of friendly haggling...

dreamscancometrue 15.12.2005 · Read review
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Review of Venice (Italy)