It was the first time I'd seen The Gondola Company operation,
and I was impressed.
Most of the photos I took on the docks there were included in my post
"On the Docks in Coronado", but I chose to hang on to this one until now - it just serves as a perfect example of gondolas in America.
In this shot we see:
Three gondolas - two are Venice-built - they are far away from the squeros and canals of Venice, and yet in this establishment they are well cared for and meticulously maintained. The other gondola was built here in California by two guys who wanted more than anything to start their own gondola business (Sean, and his former business partner Eric Johnson - who now runs a string of successful Irish pubs).
Customized seating - like so many aspects of gondola businesses outside Venice - each servizio has it's own unique challenges, and we all do things to accommodate our clients in ways that best suit them.
Shorts - while the gondolier on the left is in his stripes and long pants, the guy on the right in the background is moving a boat without passengers, and not in uniform. Wearing shorts on a gondola is typically frowned upon in Venice, but we do see gondoliers here in the US wearing shorts in warm climate areas. I'm sure there are a few Australian gondoliers out there who understand.
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