Venice yesterday was wet! It rained but people just got out their umbrellas and rolled up their pants. I also took my shoes off because I had my nice runners on and at some points the water got calf deep! The thing is with a rain like yesterday (on/off heavy/light) all day, Venice floods. Like people were playing in it having the best time, taking pictures of the City of Water...in water. Shops that were busy with tourists just a few minutes earlier were closed up as the water rose. Others started pumping out water to stay open. Tourists loved it. Locals were like...whatever.
I have the coolest pictures of the flooding and I'll post them maybe tonight but I did put some on Facebook. I thought it might suck to be rained on in Venice but actually it made all the tourists so happy to take pics and play in it. Complete strangers were having fun with each other. Gondolas started running again towards the end of the day. I didn't ride in one; I wanted to save that for Paul and Anna. There was otherwise plenty of walking and ezploring to do. I'm glad it rained...what a neat way to see Venice!
I walked around for about 8 hours, buying crap for people (wait I think the correct term is souvenirs!).
Note to future self: when returning to Venice, pack light. Everyone has to haul their crap down those tiny "streets" (there are no cars). The "streets" are either waterways or alleys, some only a little wider than you. Most speak English and also you can bet a fellow American tourist is just a few steps away from you if you need directions or advice in English.
I went in to St Mark's basillica, saw his tomb and the treasury. Didn't go inside Doge's palace. I just didn't want to spend my time in lines to get in. It was weird wandering around completely by myself. It was a little freeing but also it's a wide world of choices and nothing happens unless I make the call. No one else to consider, no one to bounce ideas off of or tall plans through. Not a bad thing, just different. Simon Says GO. Stop. Go over that bridge. Go get that neat looking panini. Go inside THAT shop. Go back to the hotel. Skip dinner (gasp!) Go to bed. You get the idea...
Or again maybe I'm just rambling.
I'm on the train now. I have Internet capability on my iPhone now and there's a plug right here at my seat so I'm all set for Milan!
I've learned that on long days with no power, just turn off data roaming and 3G and the battery will last almost 2 days. Or more. Just lasts much longer!
Ok, time to look out the windows!
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