I've learned a few things about Venice since my arrival, and there is a lot more randomness to it than I thought. 1. Venice was built in the 4th or 5th century out on wooden poles in
the middle of a marsh. Technically the city shouldn't even exist. 2. Venice is sinking. Apparently it floods completely about 10 times a
year due to high tides - some people want to gate off the city so that
won't happen, but for whatever reason fixing the problem is a really
contentious political issue. 3. Pigeons. Everywhere. 4. Venetian masks. Everywhere. 5. Cute dogs. Everywhere. 6. The guys walking around "giving away" flowers are extremely
aggressive. (The scam is, they approach with a smile, offer the
"signorita bella" some flowers, and if you so much as touch them, they
angrily demand money.) Two different guys came up to me and Dan with
roses while we were sitting in front of this beautiful church last
night, and we LITERALLY had to yell at them to go away. We must have
said "No" about 15-20 times, and pointed for him to leave. They really
get in your face. 7. There are about 10 street names that get repeated in different
neighborhoods throughout the city. So, at any point in time, you'll be
on "XYZ" street, looking for an address, but right when you think
you've found it you realize it's in another neighborhood. But there
are no street signs anyway, so looking for addresses is sort of a
waste of time. In spite of its oddities, Venice is really beautiful, and is
definitely worth seeing. Just don't expect it to be anything like the
plastic, polished, and fancy Vegas version - it's a lot more "real" in
real life.
the middle of a marsh. Technically the city shouldn't even exist. 2. Venice is sinking. Apparently it floods completely about 10 times a
year due to high tides - some people want to gate off the city so that
won't happen, but for whatever reason fixing the problem is a really
contentious political issue. 3. Pigeons. Everywhere. 4. Venetian masks. Everywhere. 5. Cute dogs. Everywhere. 6. The guys walking around "giving away" flowers are extremely
aggressive. (The scam is, they approach with a smile, offer the
"signorita bella" some flowers, and if you so much as touch them, they
angrily demand money.) Two different guys came up to me and Dan with
roses while we were sitting in front of this beautiful church last
night, and we LITERALLY had to yell at them to go away. We must have
said "No" about 15-20 times, and pointed for him to leave. They really
get in your face. 7. There are about 10 street names that get repeated in different
neighborhoods throughout the city. So, at any point in time, you'll be
on "XYZ" street, looking for an address, but right when you think
you've found it you realize it's in another neighborhood. But there
are no street signs anyway, so looking for addresses is sort of a
waste of time. In spite of its oddities, Venice is really beautiful, and is
definitely worth seeing. Just don't expect it to be anything like the
plastic, polished, and fancy Vegas version - it's a lot more "real" in
real life.
