New Orleans is sinking
and I don't wanna swim

I woke up with this song in my head this morning, possibly subliminally influenced by the sound of rain on the window. It turned out to be incredibly appropriate, since Venice is experiencing a pretty bad acqua alta (literally, high water) today. I just googled for news, and there's nothing about today's high tide, but an article from November 2000 talking about Venice's third worst flood since 1900 puts the tide level then at 144 cm above sea level. Today's was 136.

The sidewalks outside my hotel were completely submerged this morning, but today's my last day in Venice and I had no intention of staying home all day. When there are floods in Venice, do as the Venetians do, which in the absence of knee-high wellieboots involves rolling up your pants, taking off your shoes and socks, and (literally) taking the plunge. The water was pretty cold, and frankly, if I'd known my calves would be showing I'd have shaved my legs, but the whole experience was pretty funny. Tourists braved the waters in everything from flip-flops to old socks to garbage bags, but most had wellies or went barefoot like me. I managed to make my way down to the Accademia, Venice's premier art museum, and enjoyed a nice (dry) tour of the major Venetian artworks since 1300 or so.

After that, the waters had receded a bit, but my next port of call was the Basilica San Marco, which sits in the middle of Piazza San Marco. Piazza San Marco is notorious for being the first part of Venice to flood, so if the waters at my hotel were nearly knee-deep (on me at least, which I know ain't saying much), I knew San Marco would be pretty bad. It was. However, due to the massive influx of tourists there, even on a day like today, San Marco is well-equipped with the portable boardwalks I mentioned in my last post. I did manage to find a wellie vendor at this point, so I continued on my way in a pair of shiny black wellies (only 25 euros, which I think is a pretty damn good bargain considering the markup the guy could have gotten today).

As you've guessed at this point, I didn't end up going to San Marco on Friday as I'd planned, so I had to go today or not go at all, and I'm glad I braved the floods and went. San Marco is unlike any other church I've ever seen, and it really defies description. It's an amalgam of Byzantine and Romanesque architecture, and the whole interior is dazzling gold and marble and mosaics everywhere. The city council passed a law in 1075 or thereabouts stating that anyone who returned to Venice from a trip or trading mission had to bring something back to beautify the church, and it shows. San Marco, more than anywhere else in Venice, is a reminder of just how wealthy and powerful the Venetian empire was at its height.

San Marco is a major contrast to the other Byzantine church I visited while I was here, Santa Maria dell'Assunta on the island of Torcello. I went up to the islands in the northern lagoon of Venice yesterday, and Torcello is a small, quiet island that's often called "the antique Venice" because that's really where the empire started. Santa Maria was founded in 6-something (that's right, not 16-something), and the present basilica dates from 1008. I've never been in a thousand-year-old building before, but Santa Maria is quiet, peaceful, and much more austere than San Marco (despite also having some really nice gold-leaf mosaics). I find myself almost not wanting to write about Torcello, because it's the most peaceful place I've ever been and I don't want more people to go there. I want it all to myself.

I also went to Burano (not Murano) yesterday, another northern island notable for colourful houses and a similar peaceful atmosphere. I did a little souvenir shopping, had lunch in a cafe, and scratched a few happy cats behind the ears. A nice relaxing day, all around. Oh yes, and the third time was the charm. I finally found Santa Maria dei Miracoli, and it was worth it... a tiny little pastel marble jewel box of a church. Supposedly, it's where Venetians like to get married, and I can see why. It's hidden away and very private, and very pretty.

Tomorrow I return to London, but I don't really want to go. I like it here.