Venice is more than surrounded by water -- it has the water of the Adriatic running in its veins. One unfortunate effect of this is that high tides or heavy rains can cause flooding in the city.

In December 2008, one of the highest tides in its history hit Venice. People waded through the streets in high boots, or walked on the boardwalks above the flood waters. See how the 4th highest tide in recorded history (records there have been kept since 1872) affected the city.

(If video doesn't show for you, watch on YouTube)

That was last year. What will this winter bring?

Whatever happens, the Venetians and their visitors will find ways to deal with it. But what permanent damage is such flooding doing to the city and its treasures?

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1. Venice in the morning
2. Venice, Italy - Planning your trip to Venice
3. Venice gondoliers for Obama

The national sport of Italy is soccer, and the country is crazy for it. If you're there during the World Cup, you'll find televisions everywhere tuned in, with crowds standing around watching.

That includes tourists!  Cafes post signs outside with the times different teams are playing, so that fans of the German, US, Korean, or any other team know when to show up to cheer on their favorites.

But the biggest crowds are for the Italians, and the excitement was never so high as it was in 2006 -- a year when the Italian team went on to victory, claiming the World Cup in a thrilling finish.

What would it be like to wake up in Venice in the morning?

This lovely, atmospheric video gives you the feeling of a different side of Venice, away from the hectic crowds of San Marco. This is a peaceful, calm, lovely Venice. One that makes you want to stroll aimlessly through the back streets, just enjoying the scenery, and listening to the ever-present sounds of lapping water.

Watch as the city comes alive in the morning, and the locals go about their daily lives.  Most of all, this makes me  want to wake up in Venice in the morning! 
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Related posts:

1. High tide floods Venice
2. Venice, Italy - Planning your trip to Venice
3. Venice gondoliers for Obama

Even in Italy, people are paying attention to the US Presidential election, and here it's no different, as these gondeliers express their preferences in song! Destined to be a classic.
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Related posts:

1. Venice, Italy - Planning your trip to Venice
2. Venice in the morning
3. High tide floods Venice