René’s old blog

This site is some twenty-five years old, and it contains lots of ancient stuff, much of it utterly dated and useless.

Sorry about that.

If anything, I post very unevenly, and about whatever occupies me.

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Most recent posts

  • Kayaking ban in Venice – new rules

    Kayaking ban in Venice – new rules

    The rules for paddling in Venice city will be moderated from April 20th. The new rules were decided by the city executive on April 3rd, published officially on April 9th and they’ll be executive ten days after publication. The kayak/canoe/dragon/sup ban in the Grand Canal and other canals will be reduced to the hours 8am-3pm…

  • Kayaking ban in Venice – the city’s proposal

    Kayaking ban in Venice – the city’s proposal

    The City of Venice has issues a wide ban on kayaks, canoes, SUPs, dragon boats and more. Yesterday I had a meeting with a representative of the municipal government, sufficiently high up in the hierarchy to be able to influence municipal policies. While the meeting itself was rather inconclusive, there was a recognition that there…

  • Kayaking ban in Venice – dialogue with the city administration

    Kayaking ban in Venice – dialogue with the city administration

    Venice has issued a ban on kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and more, which is effective from Sunday, March 1st. Currently it is illegal to go by kayak, canoe or dragon boat on the Grand Canal and several other canals in the city. As a consequence, the city’s canal network has been cut to pieces, from…

  • Kayaking ban in Venice – legal challenge

    Kayaking ban in Venice – legal challenge

    Venice has issued a ban on kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and more, which will be effective from Sunday, March 1st. This ban will harm the activities of several groups. The local kayaking association Arcobaleno has initiated a legal challenge to the new regulation banning kayaks and canoes in Venice. Arcobaleno is one of the oldest…

  • Kayaking ban in Venice – where and how to help

    Kayaking ban in Venice – where and how to help

    Venice has issued a ban on kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and more, which will be effective from Sunday, March 1st. This ban will harm the activities of several groups. All of these groups, together with the Italian Federation for Canoe and Kayak (FICK) and other organisations are trying in various ways to counter this blanket…

  • Who’s affected by the new prohibitions in Venice

    Who’s affected by the new prohibitions in Venice

    The new regulations banning kayaks, canoes and dragon boats will affect quite a few clubs and activities in Venice. The association Venice Canoe & Dragon takes (or rather, has taken) school kids in dragon boats through the city. Until now they have done so for 9000 kids, but that is a thing of the past…

  • “Detourism” in Venice

    “Detourism” in Venice

    The City of Venice has a project they call “Detourism” supposedly promoting sustainable tourism in Venice. They describe it this way: Travel Venice like a local DETOURISM is a new project of the City of Venice for curious travellers who enjoy wander off the beaten path looking for the Venice most unusual and secret places…

  • Vogalonga and the ban on kayaks in Venice

    Vogalonga and the ban on kayaks in Venice

    As I have written earlier, the City of Venice has made a partial but extensive ban on kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and others, effective from March 1st, 2015. The Vogalonga is a rowing event that has been held in Venice every year for the last forty years. It is organised by a non-profit committee, the…

  • Kayaking ban in Venice

    Kayaking ban in Venice

    The City of Venice has published a modification to the city traffic rules, which bans kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and others from navigating certain canals. The relevant text is this: Nei Rii principali interni di collegamento: Canal Grande, Cannaregio, Giardini, Greci – San Lorenzo, Santa Giustina – Sant’Antonin – Pietà, Noale, Novo, Ca’ Foscari, Santi…