we headed out from the square and realized that the water had risen significantly over night...it is rainy season here and venice is known for its flooding...the tourists stood out...we were in shoes...the locals in rubber boots...this is the small canal just off our square...the water is still within the walls...but last night the water was 3-4 feet lower...
we take the corner and the sidewalks that brought us to the hotel are gone...
we roll up our pant legs and go...my shoes are water proof..i carry ginny for a few steps...we get to a high spot...i am about to pick her up again when along come this monster sized man in huge yellow slicker pants and boots...he scoops ginny up and carries her around the corner to "dry land"...it turns out he was the owner of our hotel...we wind our way through the streets and make our way to the train station...it is here we catch a water taxi/shuttle/vaporetto....our destination...San Marco...along the way the flooding is really something to see...life as usual for venetians...most of the buildings along the grand canal do not use their first floors...as flooding is comon and takes its toll...
another one of those cheesy long armed photos on the water bus...
we wind our way through the grand canal...we sit at the front of the boat...my camera in one hand and torn out pages from the 2006 rick steve's book...we are following his narrative for the grand canal...we read as we ride and i snap the photos...
we find our way to san marco square...it too is still under water...
the city has put out platforms for people to walk on...they are everywhere...really quite a sight...
we do a little shopping and all of a sudden i hear "its our friends from the train"...it is carol and ross...the canadians we met days ago on the train from nice to santa margherta...it has been tree days since that ride...i am floored to see them...what are the chances...we visit for a bit and then ginny and i head off to see san marco...there is no photography allowed in the chruch...i feel badly about that...would love to share it with you...it was really quite amazing...a little moorish...but oh so impressive...when we leave the church the water is receeding but still a few inches remain...
i love these photos...the reflection in the water is great!
the water is almost gone by noon...i pull out a map and we head out to see more of the city...
we are in a city full of masks...rita they have come in handy :)
we make our way into the side streets...men at work...
i have no idea how many bridges we crossed today....
we wind our way throught the streets over bridges...we get a little turned around...we finally pop out in a square in front of a theatre and who is standing there? you guessed it carol and ross...strange...very strange...we part ways again and we continue our journey to the rialto bridge...it is the largest of the three bridges that cross the grand canal in the city....when we rode underneath it there were no sidewalks visable...all under water...when we arrive there in the afternoon we stand on the sidewalk and eat a snack...this is the time that i will tell you about our dinner last night...pizza...i order a plain but wonderful margherita pizza...tomato...mozzarella and basil...ginny orders the "bart simpson"...pizza with ham, hotdogs and fries on it...it was amazing...and good...weird but good...the "bart" left overs are being eaten as we stop at the base of the rialto bridge...we walk over the bridge...stopping to take a few pics of the canal...this is my favorite...
we make our way back to our neighborhood which happens to be next to the old jewish ghetto...i learned today that 'ghetto' was coined here...in the 1500s jews were forced into an area called the geto (later spelled ghetto)...they were not allowed to leave except during the day IF they were wearing yellow hats to identify themselves as jews...i was floored....i really know too little about the history of the jewish people...we went to the jewish museum in the ghetto today...
after the museum we headed back to the hotel for a break...i take another photo of the small canal just off the square that we are staying at...the water level has dropped dramatically...it is hard to see but it has fallen 3-4 feet from earlier today...
we take a break...i work on photos and gin continues to work on her italian...the sun goes down and we head out for dinner...thank you venice...
we head off to florence in the morning...a wonderful day in venice...flood water...enough to make for some excitement...but not enough to get in the way of a fabulous day...i look forward to visiting venice again someday...thank you ginny for sharing this wonderful city with me....
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