Living, working, kayaking, rowing in Venice, Italy
Waiting for the Carnival procession on the Canal Grande at the traghetto San Samuele we enjoyed the view of two gondolieri practising the manoeuvres they need to do the operate the traghetto. They needed to turn the boat repeatedly and fast, to navigate the current […]
The Redentore Feast is one of the major annual celebrations in Venice, and one with a massive local participation. It takes place on the third Sunday of July, and on the evening before there is a huge display of fireworks just before midnight. It usually last around 45 minutes.
I went there with a bunch of friends in an old verigola belonging to the Arcobaleno association, and we got a place in front row, just in front of the Punta della Dogana, with only a few gondolas and sandolos in front of us, which proved a very nice spot for getting some photos of the fireworks.
More photos after the fold ..
Rowing a gondola at high tide requires some special skills. The higher water makes for lower bridges, and a gondola is not a low profile boat that’ll just go under anyway. The gondoliere have to do all sorts of weird manoeuvres to get the boat […]
The local above average size lagoon mammal can have a bad day. If the weather is foul, he is foul too.
Some people won’t renounce their gondola ride, not even if its raining cats, dogs and medium sized lagoon elephants. Photos from Rio di Santa Marina, on September 14th, 2009 – a fairly humid day in Venice.
There are strict speed limits on the Canal Grande, and its under constant surveillance, but the speed limits don’t apply to the fire brigade, as can be seen from these photos. When you hear the siren you better move – or even better – keep […]
There has been a larger than usual mammal on the loose in the lagoon this summer.
The life size elephant stands on a shallow island near the Certosa island, just east of Venice, on the canal that leads to the airport. Most boats pass at a distance, but we can paddle right up under its trunk. It doesn’t seem to mind, though.
It appeared there in early June, just at the opening time of the Biennale, so it probably has something to do with that. If that’s the case, it will likely disappear in November when the Biennale closes.
Seen up close it looks like its made from old car tyres, heated and moulded into shape, and some pieces of drift wood.
Some have suggested that the little red ball is like a key stone on an arch. Remove that, and it’ll all come apart 🙂
One day as I was paddling through some of the smaller canals in the sestiere S.Marco, close to the Fenice, I spotted this little sign in a window directly on the canal: The sign reads: “Pied a terre of 50 mq, completely restored with high […]
