I don’t want to jinx myself, but I’ve felt relatively safe in Venice these past few days. It’s the crowds that make you nervous though, and you can’t help clutching your bag closer when you’re in the push and shove of the human mill race.
This morning as I walked the empty alley ways to the bakery, a man fell into step behind me. I didn’t panic, but a few thoughts went through my head. The usual thoughts when you’re alone in an alley with a strange man behind you. Things like, he could push me into the canal. Or off this bridge. That would hurt. How long would it take to find my body? Not long, it’s a busy canal, or will be in a few hours.
But I wasn’t scared. Not really. Because the real threat in this town isn’t men.
As this handy sign informed me:
Beware of Italian pickpockets!
