Man vs. Pigeons in Venice's Piazza San Marco

Children playing with pigeons in front of Piazza San Marco's 11th century Basilica di San Marco, Venice's cathedral since 1807. — **Getty Images**

Two months into my European backpacking trip, I made use of my digital camera's video function for the first time. Dublin pub scenes, Paris raves and Amsterdam theatrical performances staged in small booths all went unrecorded (probably best in that last instance). But feeding the pigeons of Venice's Piazza San Marco demanded documentation that transcended a still photo.