Gondola Ride! (Finally)
This was my third trip to Venice but up until this trip I had never, ever been on a gondola ride. 33 years ago I was doing "that backpacking thing" with a friend from high school. We went in the off season so a) just way, way too cold for a magical gondola ride and b) just way, way too expensive (even then) for our very frugal budget.
In 2012 I went with a friend from university. We did have glorious, incredible weather for mid March when we went, but still very, very expensive. So, even though one gondolier came up to me on that trip and said, "Signora, go on my gondola and I will SING to you!" , I declined and no gondola ride for me.
So now it is 2014 and I am with a tour group. Note the last word of that sentence - group! There was an option to have Alfio arrange for those in the tour who wished to go on a gondola ride together and since the price was split up among a number of people it made the experience feasible.
Consequently, now that when people ask me "Did you go on a gondola ride?" - which they always, always, always do (!) - I can finally answer, "Why yes I did." (Smugly.)
Our gondolier was "Alessandro". A few hours before our ride I had the chance to catch the above photo of gondoliers at rest - I have the benefit of being able to 'zoom into' this picture and Alessandro is in the back row of gondola's, third from the left. Little did I know that a few hours later he would be our gondolier.
I giggle. When Alfio made arrangements for the gondola ride I requested of him that he ensure that my gondolier group got a good looking one. When Alessandro was assigned, Alfio turned to me and said, "He is quite good looking, isn't he? "
Yes, Alfio, he was cute. Job well done. ;)
Alessandro did share some information about himself. We laughed when he explained how he is not a good driver of the car, but has no worries on the water.
When asked about how one becomes a gondolier, he said you usually learn when you are young. He said he learned from his father. He said it takes a lot of practice.
He said he was often nowadays quite shocked about some people he takes on the gondola - how they sit and immediately begin to text on their phones rather than look out and enjoy the actual city, the bridges, the unique experience! He said it was "A different world nowadays. "
Later he said how he really appreciated we had taken an interest in his life by asking him questions etc.
Side note: We went under a bridge upon which Alfio was standing. If I told you I blurred the picture on purpose to be 'artsy' and create a sense of movement, would you believe me? :D ;)
I must say I did enjoy it. Seeing the city from the level of the water was a very different experience from tramping along its calles and lanes and over its bridges. The water seemed so very dark and inky and mysterious. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Check out the slide show at end of page for more images of Venice, the most beautiful city in the world.
In 2012 I went with a friend from university. We did have glorious, incredible weather for mid March when we went, but still very, very expensive. So, even though one gondolier came up to me on that trip and said, "Signora, go on my gondola and I will SING to you!" , I declined and no gondola ride for me.
So now it is 2014 and I am with a tour group. Note the last word of that sentence - group! There was an option to have Alfio arrange for those in the tour who wished to go on a gondola ride together and since the price was split up among a number of people it made the experience feasible.
Consequently, now that when people ask me "Did you go on a gondola ride?" - which they always, always, always do (!) - I can finally answer, "Why yes I did." (Smugly.)
Our gondolier was "Alessandro". A few hours before our ride I had the chance to catch the above photo of gondoliers at rest - I have the benefit of being able to 'zoom into' this picture and Alessandro is in the back row of gondola's, third from the left. Little did I know that a few hours later he would be our gondolier.
I giggle. When Alfio made arrangements for the gondola ride I requested of him that he ensure that my gondolier group got a good looking one. When Alessandro was assigned, Alfio turned to me and said, "He is quite good looking, isn't he? "
Yes, Alfio, he was cute. Job well done. ;)
Alessandro did share some information about himself. We laughed when he explained how he is not a good driver of the car, but has no worries on the water.
When asked about how one becomes a gondolier, he said you usually learn when you are young. He said he learned from his father. He said it takes a lot of practice.
He said he was often nowadays quite shocked about some people he takes on the gondola - how they sit and immediately begin to text on their phones rather than look out and enjoy the actual city, the bridges, the unique experience! He said it was "A different world nowadays. "
Later he said how he really appreciated we had taken an interest in his life by asking him questions etc.
Side note: We went under a bridge upon which Alfio was standing. If I told you I blurred the picture on purpose to be 'artsy' and create a sense of movement, would you believe me? :D ;)
I must say I did enjoy it. Seeing the city from the level of the water was a very different experience from tramping along its calles and lanes and over its bridges. The water seemed so very dark and inky and mysterious. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Check out the slide show at end of page for more images of Venice, the most beautiful city in the world.