Despite a heavy flood due to a combination of higher-than-usual tides and a mass of storms that have hit much of Italy, the pizzeria at the Piazza San Marco is still going at it, delivering pies to waiting customers while wearing knee-high boots.
Chances are, you can get almost any topping you want on a pizza these days while in Venice. But one pizzeria is doing its best to ensure that rainwater isn't among those ingredients. The conditions might be hazardous for the city to shut down the major St. Mark's Square tourist attraction, but people still need to be fed.
And yep, the customers are braving ankle deep water on the premises waiting for their pies, while obliging waiters, despite the different footwear, look like it's business as usual in their black ties, crispy white shirts, and aprons.
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All this is going on while Venice is experiencing one of the worst episodes of flooding in recent history with roughly three-quarters of the city under water. Brave souls, these pizzeria folks, considering elevated platforms in major pedestrian locations in the city are deemed unsafe, while the municipality's water transit (vaporetto) service has been shut down. Throughout the rest of Italy, several schools in major cities have been closed, while flooding and storms have reportedly left 11 people dead and several dozens injured.
At the very least, patrons at the pizzeria can consider themselves fortunate. Ankle deep water might be some consolation given that water levels hit 61 inches on Monday afternoon. Most people glopping through town did so in water that was thigh deep among most adults.
What's interesting is how well the joint seems to be doing. As the video indicates, while waiters are wading through the deluge, people still keep coming through the doors for a slice of the good stuff. A pan around the room indicates the spot is more than half full.
Maybe Venice is so accustomed to all that water that a little flooding isn't enough to dampen their spirits. Or if they were saving up for a rainy day to enjoy a unique dining experience, they couldn't have picked a better place.