Venice in February. Finally started into the challenge.

I picked up my book from the library. I am going to read A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi. Unfortunately I only got hold of this

book, otherwise I would have committed to reading more.

Since I have been to Venice twice already, I thought I might share some impressions. Both times I went to Venice it was blazing hot in the city. I remember heading for narrow alleys, because houses there spent some cooling shadow. The windows and their shutters were closed keeping the heat out or because houses were abandoned. The canals running alongside the the alleys exuded the smell of standing water. There were shops that sold sandwiches and cold soft drinks to the tourist as well as souvenir shops that sold tiny glass figurines or painted masks. And I swear that I smelled licorice sticks at every other corner. I figure it must be some local speciality.

Hundreds of doves were filling Piazza San Marco and I think there must have been many more people. Napoleon once said: "San Marco is Europe's most elegant salon." Well, the setting is awesome and I am sure Venice might be able to make visitors feel quite exquisit, too. I also remember a very long queue of tourists waiting to get access to St Mark's Basilica. People were asked to cover bare shoulders and legs despite the heat before entering the church.

I can't say that Venice stroke my sense of romance though, because I only saw it in bright daylight and because instead of a mild sea breeze there only was sweltering heat and because instead of some privacy, Venice offered boatloads of shoving excursionist.