What is it about Venice that makes us love her so? What makes Venice one of those cities that people love….even if they have never been there? The bridges? The glass? The canals? The gondolas? The gondoliers? The mystique? Truth be told, I didn’t like Venice the first time I was there. The crowds. The pushing. The shoving. The crowds. The flooded piazza. The prices. The crowds.

I read once that tourists in Venice do not have a sense of staying in line. I found that to be quite true. When the gates to a vaporetto (water bus) or museum open, people start shoving. I’ve learned to get away from crowds in Venice. When I go there now, I walk the back streets and alleys, get lost, and enjoy it so much more.