Photo of the Day 07/06/10 - Afloat Upon the Ages

I'm not going to lie, the canals of Venice are pretty spectacular. Now, I realize it's a gigantic floating tourist trap these days, at least between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or so. However, there's obviously something there of real value for that many millions of people to visit each year. It's not a fabricated environment in the sense of an amusement park (although, it is, of course, completely fabricated on what is really not even land at all), despite being co-opted for the sake of tourism, which ultimately pays all the bills for the fine residents of this sinking city. Is a cheesy/iconic gondola ride worth the 20 Euro? Probably. Especially on the off season when you actually get views of empty canals and a few moments of calm and quiet. 

Larger version here: Afloat Upon the Ages