In a spot along the fondamenta, south of the Rialto you can find Servizio Gondole Riva del Vin on the west side of the Venezia's Grand Canal - a traditional gondola service with some nice looking boats.The name "del Vin" is attributed to the fact that this was once a location known as a loading zone for wine.
Walk by there and you'll probably see gondoliers and their boats. When I've passed by there, I've noticed something:
like most gondoliers they like to hang around, talk, and of course they love their cellphones, but there's a little more concern in the area of presentability.
Gondolas and gondoliers tend to be better dressed than in some other places.
Custom upholstery and boat details are visible.
I've seen guys wearing crisp white marinere,
and belive it or not...hats!
Maybe I just caught them on a "good day", but when I come upon guys who are lucky enough to have the best job in Venice, I like seeing more than just a striped shirt and a smirk.I posted another photo from Riva del Vin on July 5th, 2009.
Even the boat covers look crisp in that photo.
3 comments:
Notice the blue EU flag in the background, behind the sitting gondolier who is talking on the mobile phone.
Who would think the EU is popular enough that the owner choose it adorn the boat's bow?
I noticed it too, and had the same thought. Most Venetian I know consider themselves Venetians first, and maybe Italians second. The EU doesn't usually even fit into the picture.
I did notice a strong "blue theme" though. Maybe he put the flag there because it was the only blue one he had!
If I were a gondolier I wouldn't touch the EU, not even with a remo. They have regulated the curvature of gherkins for commercial sale. Maybe, one day they will regulate the curvature of venetian gondolas and pay to have the non-conforming ones cut up...
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