I was under the gun earlier–15 minutes in an Internet cafe doesn’t leave much time for bloggig after checking email.

The high water this morning was really a lot of fun. We tried to just avoid it for awhile but we kept getting stymied by walkways that were entirely submerged. At one point we literally watched the water move closer to our feet.

Once I bought the high waders, we were able to really go exploring (Mary wore sandals and short pants–the water was surprisingly warm). It was like a snow day in Tacoma. Everyone was friendly and wanted to talk about the acqua alta. We saw a couple gamely try to leave their front door with three plastic bags to cover their four feet–after attempting to hop through the water the guy eventually shared a bag with the girl and walked, three-legged race style, to dry land.

After nearly 24 hours of travel, we were grateful to be able to just amble about and look at stuff–the architecture, canals, outdoor art, etc.

And the food is, of course, amazing. Great coffee, great meat, great paninis, great everything. We just finished a wonderful meal by the side of a canal.

After dark Venice gets very quiet. It’s a great relief after the crowds of the day.

Tomorrow: museums and churches!