......VENICE....VENEZIA ! ! !
..... CITY OF DREAMS ! ! .....

(My mother once called it "a City for Rats" when she visited it with us in 1984, (and to be fair, we DID see one, and she wasn't feeling well that day! ; -)) Otherwise, she loved it too!! Others say, "See Venice and Die!" My opinion?? I think Venice is absolutely nothing short of enchanting, beautiful and unique in all the world, but it does have its problems. It is today a city which might as well have been built for tourists only, since, because of those problems, it is now INHABITED BY TOURISTS ONLY, for the most part. We were told that most of the former, native inhabitants have either died, or else have long since deserted Venice, in favor of firmer, higher ground. And that those who still linger here, do so mainly to run businesses FOR the tourists. Yes, Venice is slowly sinking ....and flooding, more and more every year, causing lots of problems for residents and tourists alike. The cost of living here is also beyond the means of most Italians today. More about some of this later. But after having experienced "modern day" Venice and Rome again, my views haven't changed that Italy in general is a GREAT place to find old world charm, adventure and romance, but NOT as much practicality and convenience! Having said that, if you ever in your life get a chance to see this enchanting city - DO IT !! (Just bring 2 pair of comfortable shoes (in case one pair gets wet) and LOTS of money!! LOL : -D