Venice Is A-maze(ing)

I called Venice “amazing” yesterday, and I meant it. But I’ve come to realize the double meaning of that word. Venice does amaze, and Venice IS a maze. In fact, I find this city more fascinating for its maze-like alleyways than for its trademark canals.

We’ve been up and down the Grand Canal a few times already, but most of our time so far has been spent exploring Venice on foot. And that means meandering through its network of alleys, in most of which you can touch both sides if you stretch out your arms. And while you can get to where you’re going by following a general direction, it’s nearly impossible to go anywhere without taking a wrong turn or two (or twenty). Just ask my traveling companions.

And if you’re not paying attention—because your nose is buried in your smartphone, trying to navigate Google Maps, or because it’s dark—you might just end up in the water. More than a few alleys dead end at a canal with no railing, steps or anything else to stop you.