Serving the Nato, Naples and Gaeta military community in italy
59th year, No. 9
The Brilliant Colors of Burano
Friday, March 7, 2014
W hat ’ s I nsIde
Venice is a popular destination for travelers, but four miles from the Grand Canal are three small islands with charm to spare – one of them renowned for its lace, color and cuisine
Story and photos by Laura Byrd
A black cat with green eyes, sprawled on a window ledge nearby, was watching me. Twitching the tip of her tail, she gazed lazily at my frantic scramble to grab my camera out of its case and attach a lens. The sun was moving quickly toward the waterline, and in the small canal next to me, a liquid canvas of color was gradually coming to life. I watched in awe as art emerged around me, like a scene in an animated movie. Small, crayon colored boats were bobbing gently in the water creating ripples that were twinkling with crimson, purple, electric blue, and yellow. A small island four miles from the shores of Venice, Burano is a tiny fishing village with a storybook feel. Its narrow canals are lined with brightly colored homes painted according to district. For visitors watching the local residents go about their daily routine of hanging laundry, off-loading fish from their boats and cooking meals, it is like watching a living canvas. The artistry of daily life epitomizes everything romantic about Italy. The history of Burano is unremarkable when compared to that of its neighboring islands. Murano is known for the creation of famous glass works and Torcello was one of the first islands populated in Venice, as well as being home to the original government of Burano. A small fishing settlement with bright homes that legend describes as “vivid enough for the fishermen returning home to see
them,” Burano eventually became prosperous for exporting handcrafted lace starting in the 1600s. Another legend – and there are many – explains the origins of lacemaking with the story of an engaged fisherman who resisted the call of a Siren while out bringing in his catch. Impressed with his resistance of her and devotion to his betrothed, the Siren swatted his boat with her tail, creating white foam that became a wedding veil. The veil was gifted to the fisherman’s bride and replicated with needle and thread by the women of the island, who later exported their handicrafts throughout Europe for more than three hundred years. A lacemaking school opened on the island in the 19th century, but today, the time-consuming tradition has given way to modern methods. Anyone seeking an authentic piece of Burano lace will have to pay a substantial amount. Walking past the bits of machinemade lace displayed in tourist shop windows; I stopped to photograph the Church of San Martino and its leaning bell tower. Aside from setting up an easel to paint the view or, more realistically, visiting the lace museum, the third most compelling reason to visit Burano is to eat. There are only ten restaurants and two pizzerias on Burano, and we had come to the island to experience one in particular. Strolling along one of four streets that frame the canal as it twists through town, I was looking for an entrance to Trattoria el Gatto Nero. See COLORS OF BURANO Page 4
NMCRS Fund Drive Commences in Naples Page 5
USA Knockouts Boxers Visit NSA Naples Page 6
One of the main streets on Burano, Fondamenta Pontinello Sinistra, is colorfully congested with waterfront villas and the boats residents use for both fishing and transportation. A small island four miles from the shores of Venice, Burano is a tiny fishing village that became prosperous for its export of hand-crafted lace beginning in the 1600s.
Secretary of the Navy Announces Career Sea Pay Increases
Got a Question? Call NAVY 311 Page 7
Weekly Crime Report
By Chief of Naval Personnel, Public Affairs
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced an increase in Career Sea Pay (CSP) and Career Sea Pay Premium (CSP-P) for eligible Sailors and Marines serving aboard ships whose primary mission is conducted at sea. "Those Sailors and Marines on sea duty, deployed away from home around the world, are the backbone of the Navy and Marine Corps, and enable us to provide and maintain our global presence," said Mabus. "This change to Career Sea Pay will both improve critical sea-duty manning and reward those who take these challenging sea-going assignments. See CAREER SEA PAY INCREASES Page 12
Review what happened between Feb. 26 and March 4. Page 5
FRIDAY High 61 / Low 46 Partly Cloudy
SATURDAY High 60 / Low 45 Partly Cloudy
The aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) transits the Strait of Gibraltar, Feb. 27. George H.W. Bush is on a scheduled deployment supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. (Photo by Lt. Juan David Guerra)
SUNDAY High 63 / Low 44 Partly Cloudy