We (my wife Pat & I) visit Northern Italy every year and usually spend some time in Venice as there is always something new to do or see. This year we stayed at the Principe Hotel on the Grand canal and near the railway station. Once you got passed the usual efficient but unfriendly reception staff everything was fine. The next day was a visit to Padua, again the highly efficient rail system made the journey easy It started raining that night and continued until Noah started building. The next day we wanted to go a walking tour deatiled in the guide book "the Ghetto to St Marks" the choice was to get wet or don't go, so we got wet but managed to see some magnificant sights the Jesuit Church with wonderful ceilings and paintings, the church of St John and St Paul (good coffee in the square) and after many twists and turns and turnbacks we reached St Marks Square which was flooded but bonus no dive bombing birds around. we managed to reach the Doges palace and though by this time we were cold and wet we had a good visit. quick walk back to the hotel, shower hair dryer on the shoes, cup of tea and we were ready to do the Grand Canal waterbus but is was getting dark,the windows were steamed up and there was no map of the stops. reached St Mark's walked to next stop and quickly back to railway station. Dry off again, some inner warmth and another good meal. the walk boards were out but we did manage to buy some more icecream (10pm dark and cold) but we had been on a diet since Christmas. Met some nice tourists and they were amazed that two 60 year olds could walk all day and not bother about the rain, beauty exists in the rain, in the dark as well as the sun. Best part SuperBreak had given us a wonderful bonus as we had used them for ten trips and the family gave us vouchers for Christmas. we have a photograph of St mark's square with no tourists and no birds. Will we be back by SuperBreak we will be!!