Lost in Venice":
On the plus side my UNguided tour of the front, back and middle streets of Venice got us to see far more if Venice than we otherwise would have, sometimes repeatedly. After getting off the train at Santa Lucia station we caught the vaporetto to our great hotel the sant'elena a former convent converted to a really nice hotel (fantastic room). We were early though so I suggested we walk 20 minutes into the St marks square. More like an hour but a nice sunny but cold day. Had a great time wandering around - Venice really is a city of water - canals, boats and bridges everywhere and with the tide up some of the streets and alleys had water coming up through manholes and through the paving. The return trip to the hotel is where I came unstuck - "why don't we wander back through the backstreets?" says I. We saw a lot of backstreets. And bridges. And dead ends. In the end Jeannie took over and led us back to the hotel. Humbling. Venice is very nice, but complicated.

After a rest at the hotel went back out into the streets and canals. Heaps of locals out because it was Sunday, walking on the canalside park near the hotel, playing games, chatting, basking in the torrid 15 degree sunshine, taking their beloved dogs for a walk. So many dogs, and obviously loved. Had great pizza and pasta at a street restaurant, serenaded by street musicians. Great end to the day.
While we were sitting there a huge cruise ship loomed into sight at the end of the street, blocked out the sunset and started coming up the street. That's how it looked anyway - at the end of the street the Grand Canal took a turn before swinging away, but a great visual effect.