I set out into the beautiful sun-painted cobble-stone streets of Venice and began to have a wonderful day. I purchased a map of the city and even one of Florence as well. (I was going to be very well prepared when I arrived in the next city!) Never mind that I later discovered that I purchased a map and guidebook of Florence that was all in German. Don’t ask me how it happened, suffice it to say that the plastic-wrapped set seemed understandable enough at the time that I didn’t even notice it wasn’t in English.
So with a fat back pocket (stuffed with two city maps and a guidebook, no less), I began walking around the east side of the city to San Marcos, the city’s single Piazza. The city was really fantastic. Little canals crisscrossed underfoot, streets and side-streets led every which way, and the weather really was perfect. It was worth it to do nothing more than people watch as hundreds passed up and down the narrow pathways.
