Day Two - Sensory Overload Prevails...

I awakened at 7 a.m. but, wisely decided to return to sleep. I have never experienced jet lag before but, I definitely have it this time.   A little more rested I left the apartment at 10 a.m and decided to follow the crowds in the other direction this time.

I guess I was not entirely surprised to see just as many tourists in this direction as well. I could tell they were tourists, even though many spoke Italian, because each and every one of them would come to a  sudden grinding stop in the middle of the narrow, winding alleys to: a) stop to talk to each other as though incapable of both speech and movement at the same time b) have a family pow wow to discuss lunch or further sightseeing plans in the middle of every intersection or photo opportunity c) focus on whatever bauble they spied in the store window which had rendered them incapable of forward motion.

 As a tourist, I can honestly see why Venetians despise tourists. The locals have places to go and people to see, and jobs to go to all of which are hindered by tourists with low self monitoring skills.  All of this abominable touristic behavior did nothing to lessen my irrational hatred of crowds.  Quite to the contrary, I now find my hatred all the more rational. Apparently this is a family trait, as Deidre cannot step foot in overcrowded Chinatown anywhere without breaking into a sweat.

I was relieved to find out that all of this backbiting (for indeed, with all the sudden stops by those ahead of me had me unwittingly biting more than one backside and stepping on more than a few heels), through the alleys ended up in ... Piazza San Marco.

San Marco is vast and impressive from it sheer size alone. I was disappointed to find the front of the basilica swathed in tarps and girded with scaffolding. I guess they have to do maintenance and my two week visit is as good a time as any.

I pulled out my camera and took my first shot... or tried to. My camera stuck with the lens half way extended and was rendered incapable of moving one way or the other (not unlike the tourists!). Worried that lightening would strike me down in this holy place, I nonetheless, swore like a truck driver.  Not only was the camera broken... but, I had walked all that way to find out. I thought it might be the battery and put in the spare, but, against all hope, nothing happened.

Swearing under my breath the whole way home, I was at least thankful that I had brought three cameras and now had two left. I vowed to always carry a spare. Disheartened I went back to the apartment, plugged the batteries into the battery charger (just in case) and laid on my bed for several more hours of dreamless sleep.

Still jet lagged and exhausted by trekking to and from San Marco in record time, I decided to just pick something up at the grocery for dinner. I had made the big mistake of going to the CoOp around the corner the day before. I stood in line for 30 minutes for 2 bottles of water  (yes the ones I would immediately empty and fill with barrel wine from the store directly across the street.)  The clerks actually sit and check and you do all the work. Interesting.  They must not be familiar with the Lucky Stores mantra of "Three's a Crowd".

The Billa grocery is about a mile away, but, I preferred the trek on my sore and stiff legs to the alternative. I picked up some salami, cheese and rolls and some pizza squares (to go with the whole takeaway pizza I purchased the day before at the very authentic Pizza Kebob store in nearby Campo Santi Apostoli).

Once home,  I did what has become my Venice routine. As the bells throughout Venice chime Angelis at 6 p.m. I head to my terrace with my bottle of barrel prosecco and my Mac Air and write a post on this blog.

It turned out to be a great day. With a fully charged battery, the camera is now fully functional and all the pics I took before the Great Venetian Camera Caper turned out great. I can't decide what I love more... seeing all the beauty that is Venice, or looking at them in the photographs I take.