Italy is bracing for a record wave of tourists, but is having trouble handling them

Man, it is one of those situations : "Be careful what you wish for... ." I was lucky enough to tour parts of Italy way back in the beginning of the 1970's. Then got to go back in the 1990's, and then again in 2013...and man oh man. Venice in 1970, and you could stroll, pick a gondola from several waiting for a customer, and in St. Mark's square there might be you and a million pigeons. No so now. You wait in line to catch gondola and you have to buy a ticket to get into St. Mark's square. I have no idea where the birds go now.