Oddly enough, my first sight of St. Mark's Square (walking across it from the "water bus" towards our hotel) did not leave me in awe of the spectacle. Quite the contrary. Maybe it was the 17+ hours of travel time without sleep, and/or the fact that it was a cold, overcast, gloomy afternoon, but all I could focus on was the jostling hoards of people and seemingly thousands of continually-pooping pigeons. Admittedly, they're not as bad as Canada Geese, but you still don't want to stand underneath as they fly by. Maintaining a semblance of composure as I schlepped my luggage along was the best I could manage.

Although we did return to St. Mark's after checking into the hotel (the Panada - about 1-2 minutes' walk away - great spot!), all I really wanted to do was get some sleep. Carpe Diem! Later that night it started to pour and the next morning the Piazza and surrounding area were under 30cm of water - presumably more the result of unusually high tides than the rain. It rained more or less constantly for the rest of our time in Venice, and I never did see St. Mark's again without it being flooded. In fact, rain/overcast was the norm for the next two weeks ('til we reached the Amalfi Coast). Ah - the trials & tribulations of travel!

But in a way the rain and flooding were kind of fun (for us, not for Venice - it's a serious problem). Some entrepreneur a short block from St. Mark's was selling yellow "sloshers" (above-the-knee-water-proof-plastic boots") for €9, and they quickly became the rage for everyone - he was quite literally mobbed! Not bad, considering his profit was likely at least 8€ per pair. To appreciate their appeal, understand that once flooded, the thousands normally visiting St. Mark's either slosh through a foot of water - not fun if you're not equipped - or crowd onto a very few hastily supplied elevated walkways which are about a metre wide. What's wrong with this picture? Plenty - those walkways can't physically handle everyone trying to use them - even if they weren't all carrying open umbrellas - and the penalty for one misstep is a sudden, cold, dirty "bath" - and likely worse! But on the plus side, there's not a pigeon in sight!

I can't even begin to address everything we experienced in Venice, but a few things I must say:
- Being required to check bags, backpacks, fanny packs, satchels, etc at tourist attractions is fairly common in Italy. This can be a problem if, like me, you're carrying a lot of camera or other equipment that you're not prepared to check because of its monetary value or other importance. Most places will say O.K. after a polite request and explanation. Be advised: Basilica San Marco is not one of them.
- The tour of the Doges' Palace - particularly the "secret" areas - is fascinating. Casanova was imprisoned here for a while (can't image why) 'till he escaped and was ultimately pardoned.
- The Venetian system of government was incredibly sophisticated with multiple checks and balances. Mind you, it was reinforced by public executions and the frequent appearance of bodies without explanation (everyone knew - no need for explanations!).
- We had a most enjoyable dining experience in a small unpretentious "neighbourhood" bar/restaurant recommended by the folks at the Panada Hotel - Ostaria Antico Dolo. I would have thought it was a place not frequented by tourists, although their web site seems to suggest otherwise. Anyway, it was great, even though there were only 5 people in the place! (They've also got a pretty interesting history: click on "Restaurant" on their site.)
- If you simply must have a ride in a gondola but don't want to pay the price, take one across the Grand Canal. While it only lasts about a minute and there's no singing provided, it only costs 0.1€!
- It's true: for all practical purposes, there are no cars in Venice (no "roads" wide enough to drive on.) That's why you have feet and the Venetians have canals!