IntrepidFromDC

At 2pm, parts of Piazza San Marco are still 3 inches deep in water. In a couple of these pics you can see the drains trying to work. Notice the clock, 24 hour clock. The bell tower is semi automated where the statue turns to strike the bell on the hour. Church bells still ring out on the hour just as they have for centuries, adding to the romantic vibe Italy, and especially Venice, are overflowing with.

When Napoleon announced he would invade Venice the Doge gave up power in return for Napoleon's promise not to destroy the city, and so ended Venice's reign as an independent republic for 1,100 years, beginning at the end of the 600s. Napoleon had all buried bodies transferred to St. Michele island (right). And the island somewhat distant left in Murano where the amazing handcrafted glassworks are created. You can see free demonstrations of the glass artisans at work.

Chef picking fresh crab and customers, menu and my 3 courses at Al Gazzettino where I had a fantastic meal for lunch!

Rush hour on Canale Grande and a bus stop (vaporetto).

I'm starting my walking tour in an hour but the local, cheap but delicious, red wine is taking the edge off so the historical and cultural knowledge transfer from the guide may not make its way here. I'll do my best but I'm about one glass away to switching to rum and talking like a pirate. I don't want to walk the Bridge of Sighs. 🥴 🏴‍☠️ Dinner tonight...

On my walk from Ponte Rialto to Stazione

Amazing. I had to wait in line 20 minutes while nearby trattorias were half full. The power of TripAdvisor

Venice is flooded again, some places are impassable

Lunch today

Me too!

Dinner was yummy but nothing special. Tonight I just roamed and roamed until I found this place near the Jewish ghetto.

I have this walking tour tomorrow, and another one the next day.

I didn't mean to sound like Chicken Little! (then again, he WAS right). St. Mark's and areas bordering the Canale Grande were impassable without boots, unless they placed the elevated walkways in place, like for the line to get inside Basilica San Marco and Palazzo Ducale. Other areas you could tiptoe your way around the water. Anyway, there are always parts of Venice that don't flood during high water. I love this city without cars. Walking or by boat are the only ways to get around. No annoying mopeds, no bikes. But lots of stairs, every time you cross a canal you have stairs up one side of the small bridge and down the other side. The streets have completely dried out but high tide is coming in 4 hours.

No idea, but they have a name for it I can't recall, it's something about when Adriatic Sea high tide mixes with some other condition that causes the flooding of the city. They are predicting it will happen again around midnight.

As I opened the door all the way, crisis averted.

Lunch was delicioso.

Venice's beauty is overwhelming. The history is amazing. At one time Venice as a "city-state" was a major world power.