our next stop is murano. venice is famous for its glass, for centuries blown here on the island of murano. a 13th-century law restricted the dangerous glass furnaces to murano to prevent fires on the main island and also to protect the secrets of venetian glassmaking, historically vital to the local economy. today glass is still big business as tourists come here in droves. while savvy shoppers know the cheap knickknacks are most likely from china, the venerable art form is alive and well, as you'll see in some of the elaborate showrooms. you can witness the traditional mastery of this craft in adjoining workshops, which welcome the public. these artisans are from families of glassblowers which go back many generations. if you don't have a venetian friend with a boat, water taxis zip quickly from island to island, while regular ferryboats connect venice with neighboring lagoon communities in a more relaxed and less expensive way. our next lagoon stop is burano. burano, with its pastel facades gracing the lago