Day 4: Selfies and Crowds

Well, either Venice, Italy has changed, or I have changed. I do remember it being crowded and very hot, even though we went in late September. This is the place where I walked by a man whose arm brushed against mine and left a visible puddle of sweat on my arm. Ick. But boy, it's REALLY crowded. Almost like "Disneyland" crowded. I just don't remember it being this crowded. How is it ever romantic when you are just walking through a sea of people all the time? And, still, it is crazy hot.

I'd like to share with you, the crazy stream of people that you have to wade through to get anywhere, But first, let me take a selfie.

The selfie-stick. 

Doesn't he look cool?

There are black-market dealers selling items on the street. Glow in the dark items, splat balls, twirly things, and the selfie-stick. Just a few Euros. And people are buying them. I didn't see anyone in transaction with these guys, but the selfie-sticks were everywhere. I'm not against taking selfies, I do that plenty, but there is something about a selfie-stick that makes me laugh. So much that I spent many photo opportunities taking photos of people taking selfies with their selfie-sticks. And yes, there are new signs in certain places banning the use of the selfie-sticks.

Here we are (Venice taking our photo)
being photobombed by a selfie-stick.

This woman was pretty pushy with her "Pardon, pardon," as she pushed her way to the
edge for her selfie-stick photo with her male companion. I just hope the back of my
kids made it into her photo for eternity!

Look closely, this is a three-for-one shot (three friends taking their own selfie-stick photos!

The RIGHT way to take a photo with your pal. Ask a stranger to take it for you!
Thank you, Chris, for taking one for these guys!

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, let me tell you about these crowds. It was super, duper crowded. I was overwhelmed by the sights (so many people, stores, restaurants), sounds (crying babies, clanging of silverware), and smells (B.O., strong cologne, food, cigarette smoke).

Here's how it works:
If you are wanting to window shop, you will feel like you can't. The crowd will push you along and you don't have any time to see anything in the window. Your only other choice is to stop, causing the stream of people behind you to adjust and move around you. Do this quickly, get to the side! This is the same if you are lost or aren't sure where you are going. You will try to read street signs, but they will pass to quickly and there is no way you will find them on a map as you are moving like this. You must pull over or into a side alley to be able to read your map.

On the flip-side, if you know where you are going (you can actually remember which shop you saw that cute glass item in), or are in a hurry, you will be irritated by all the people who are strolling painfully slow, window shopping, confused as to where they are.

You are in either camp. One or the other.

Admittedly, there were a few times we were, blissfully, "The Strollers". I think gelato had something to do with it.