Cheesy title aside, the first two things that come to mind when one thinks of Venice. Water and gondolas. I'll answer a few questions first. Yes, there are gondolas everywhere. Yes, they are expensive as the dickens. And yes, gondoliers really do wear those funny hats and pin-striped shirts. And they sing, too. However, you'll hardly see any working before 8 am.
We did not ride a gondola, the shaded vaporetto worked much better for us in the sweltering heat. But we certainly saw them everywhere. One of the most intriguing things to see was the gondolier fighting to ride the wake of our vaporetto when we rode past on the Grand Canal. I secretly hoped that one of them would tip over, but I guess not...
The canals vary in size and width from lake size, the Grand, to narrow winding creeks. And, guess what? Because of the canals, no wheeled transportation is allowed. After dodging the mopeds traveling at warp speed in Florence, this was a welcome break. |
