Venice in rain… still picturesque
Ten days after I came back from Mexico, I was on the road again. I got asked to judge a children’s book competition for aspiring illustrators in Italy. It took place last week in Chioggia, a not-so-popular little sister of Venice about 1 hour bus ride away. Despite canals and historic buildings you never see a tourist. And most of the hotels are closed during off season. A sleepy cute little town.
From Stefano’s book: Why War Is Never A Good Idea.
It was pouring rain. Despite a free day in Venice after judging, everyone was in bad mood, REALLY bad mood. Venice is a town where cars are off limit and you have to walk everywhere. We were soaking wet from head to toe. Just when my mood was switching from bad to terrible, something magical happens: Aqua Alta! Venice’s famous high water. Stefano tells me I have to come see San Marco Square becoming a big lake.
Wellies, wellies, wellies! Stefano knows how to dress for Aqua Alta!
It was a surreal scene. I only knew San Marco as a big square filled with thousands of tourists with cameras and pigeons flying above. All that were gone. In the darkness of the night, the whole square was quietly sinking under water. A few cafes were open, with live violin playing and people were still enjoying drinks in terraces half under water. Just to see that changed my mood and memory of this trip 180 degrees.
