On the Other Side of the Bridge

 

After the foot-plant from my "Off The Wall!" post,

The gondoliers beneath my apartment window had to take the corner close

so they could make it "Under The Bridge", ducking as they navigated the

right-hand turn.

 

Here we see a few of them emerging from under that archway and completing the turn.

 

Something interesting to take note of on this point of the canal,

is the set of white stone brackets on either side. 

I would imagine these are used to hold bulkhead pieces - which slide into

the two slots, thus allowing for the canal workers to drain and clean this

section of the waterway.

 

Not only do these gondoliers have to perform amazing maneuvers,

rowing their long boats through seemingly impossible tight turns,

but they do it all while on full display with tourists watching

(see the group of them on the bridge above). 

 

 That scaffolding on the far wall created a challenge of it's own,

as the gondolas emerged from the bridge, and came out of the turn,

they would drift a bit to port, but their gondoliers managed to keep on course.

  

And of course all this happens, all day, every day.
And each gondolier knows that there's another boat right behind his own.

Just another day at the office
for a bunch of guys (and a few ladies) with one of the best jobs in the world.