tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51562480922404931032024-03-13T16:37:48.124-07:00The Gondola Blogby Greg MohrGondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.comBlogger3081125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-36546093443035070982022-12-23T01:28:00.000-08:002022-12-23T01:28:03.962-08:0012-22-22 Nobody expected the guy to take a knee and break out an enga...<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Xky5CF_kZ-I" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-85668476513735683862022-12-18T13:35:00.001-08:002022-12-18T13:35:26.519-08:00Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade – part 2<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/ve2bD3EbsSI" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-28425519759835428172022-12-18T01:31:00.001-08:002022-12-18T01:31:34.934-08:00Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade - part 1<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/iS077sQM4zw" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-54587068139809477352022-12-13T23:30:00.001-08:002022-12-13T23:30:31.061-08:0012 12 22 nightlapse<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/1cQ2XTPX3Sc" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-28810126156127365682022-12-11T23:57:00.001-08:002022-12-11T23:57:47.438-08:0012-10-22 Nightlapse in Newport<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0trKMo7Yfi8/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/0trKMo7Yfi8" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-62264092401711002002022-06-25T12:48:00.002-07:002022-06-25T23:58:27.392-07:00Bella and Luna - How It All Started<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uPEjtqQXZQ08IVovgI2dsagQG7MgKbFttXyea7Pw6OeDiqU1jDo_bgV5GWOaJGGYyQZ-WLa6hqxpNi6A7iiyEHvCmEzxScnJ6_xkOJTtrUDwOsb4D0xKvS4Rktcn-7YuXrMghVGaPUElNVFCWvbdGUC--Sa5kf1GesPIu4Fl1x1YuIoxWpLv4MHeSw/s411/In%20container%203%20close%20up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="398" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uPEjtqQXZQ08IVovgI2dsagQG7MgKbFttXyea7Pw6OeDiqU1jDo_bgV5GWOaJGGYyQZ-WLa6hqxpNi6A7iiyEHvCmEzxScnJ6_xkOJTtrUDwOsb4D0xKvS4Rktcn-7YuXrMghVGaPUElNVFCWvbdGUC--Sa5kf1GesPIu4Fl1x1YuIoxWpLv4MHeSw/w620-h640/In%20container%203%20close%20up.jpg" width="620" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">photos by Saverio Pastor and Roberto Dei Rossi<br /></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">It
all started with the Covid shutdown.<br />
We were all affected by it.<br />
For a while my gondola business was closed.<br />
The gondoliers were understandably stir-crazy. <br />
In fact many of us took boats out with our families <br />for exercise and sanity</span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />(in
fact we called them “sanity rows”).</span></span></span></span>
</p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">As
soon as we were able, our doors were open and we were taking passengers again.<br />
We realized that what we offered was already socially distanced.<br />
As it turned out, we were one of the only options out there.<br />
For the first time in, well, ever…<br />we weren’t competing with:</span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />Disneyland,<br />Knott’s
Berry Farm,</span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />Concert
venues,<br />Night
clubs,</span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />And
for a while, even dine-in restaurants.</span></span></span></span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">As
an employer I was thrilled that I could keep my staff working.</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">
Towards the end of 2021 the accountant told us we needed to spend a bit on
company supplies before the end of the year.<br />
I reached out to my friend <a href="http://www.forcole.com">Saverio Pastor</a> who carves oars and forcolas.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">He
agreed to begin carving ten stern oars for us, with the understanding that we
would deal with the shipping question later when the oars were ready.<br />
I asked him if he knew of anyone shipping any boats to the US (so I could have
the oars included in that shipping), and he told me there were no containers
heading in my direction.<br /><br />
Next Saverio told me that <a href="https://www.veniceoriginal.it/en/artigiani/120-roberto-dei-rossi">Roberto Dei Rossi</a> (head of a gondola building
operation) had some new gondolas that were near completion, but there wasn’t
anyone in all of Venice who could buy them.<br />
It seems that we weren’t the only ones quietly working during those strange
times, but gondoliers in Venice weren’t so lucky. Tourism was down, and the
guys who were working were not as busy as they’d need to be in order to afford
new boats.<br />
As you might imagine, the folks in Venice have a history with plagues and
epidemics – they take such things quite seriously.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Saverio
finished telling me about the new gondolas fro sale, and finished with <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span><b><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span>“JUST THINK ABOUT
IT GREG”</span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">So
my wife and I thought about it.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">We
thought about it a <i>LOT.</i></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">We
thought about how there’s typically a 3-5 year waiting list to <i>get</i> a new
gondola,<br />
about how rare an opportunity this was,<br />
and about how if we were to sell a few of our older motorized gondolas, and
move some things around, we might just be able to afford it.<br /><br />
More than anything though, <br />we thought about how we would probably always regret
it if we didn’t try to seize this opportunity.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">At that point the boats were about 90% complete.<br />Here are a few images we received from Roberto's shop when we first learned about the boats.<br />And yes, they definitely helped us make our decision.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeZEsJ11uI3_uQsiI2YJOvAzkw90z1p_8KQf5dFaYghJrg63CbHgP_Lu6Z38wM_YZU0HaY2hYBBibv4FW2UUP4XM9wdg79sznGXCDw2Sqqyps69YLkWldwrrFDMYl13HyJ-Hfc9KsXtltz0g0h4uOxZrcsiDm_YxilGM4w8H0DHpZMRleTyIHhmXqwA/s2048/unpainted%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeZEsJ11uI3_uQsiI2YJOvAzkw90z1p_8KQf5dFaYghJrg63CbHgP_Lu6Z38wM_YZU0HaY2hYBBibv4FW2UUP4XM9wdg79sznGXCDw2Sqqyps69YLkWldwrrFDMYl13HyJ-Hfc9KsXtltz0g0h4uOxZrcsiDm_YxilGM4w8H0DHpZMRleTyIHhmXqwA/w480-h640/unpainted%203.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz1JxXgK-iInm7Yd_a2YuIypN3ZwEWkEykgWNryYz9AOokZidwwrd9q-tcuAMP6eWafjJ6rRsuBnPqOS5k_5sqTREAjlLrUqhRiAf56a3DphmC-WP8hCZX4qSW8qqPLU4JililsZT7h0X61CT90PPmXYPTPFEwWoKXrEKUJ5mHEwDh6NwmVc3ZWOAdQ/s2048/unpainted%202.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz1JxXgK-iInm7Yd_a2YuIypN3ZwEWkEykgWNryYz9AOokZidwwrd9q-tcuAMP6eWafjJ6rRsuBnPqOS5k_5sqTREAjlLrUqhRiAf56a3DphmC-WP8hCZX4qSW8qqPLU4JililsZT7h0X61CT90PPmXYPTPFEwWoKXrEKUJ5mHEwDh6NwmVc3ZWOAdQ/w480-h640/unpainted%202.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPfoeiCRP1zMkmaT0B_iV9-gSaK_bkbFZ_vbf6lugZDfhHd_7kzVdvbT37e72DhhYlZj6Wooye8THjL7QQxbcXDj3dnmy1mYKuUhF83JR6zKuZRUJEJNAT6DJSObA9_8yVTS7pp5PwzBCzHdq7OsLXzqrXJxgIgKCzw0ME5qYgDDBhkavahTvSv4W9A/s2048/unpainted%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPfoeiCRP1zMkmaT0B_iV9-gSaK_bkbFZ_vbf6lugZDfhHd_7kzVdvbT37e72DhhYlZj6Wooye8THjL7QQxbcXDj3dnmy1mYKuUhF83JR6zKuZRUJEJNAT6DJSObA9_8yVTS7pp5PwzBCzHdq7OsLXzqrXJxgIgKCzw0ME5qYgDDBhkavahTvSv4W9A/w480-h640/unpainted%201.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"> </span></span><br />
Belts were tightened, loans were taken, <br />money transfers were made…</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />And
two brand new gondolas were paid for.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Roberto
and I corresponded about various details:</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />What
kind of ferros?</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />What
color floorboards and seats?</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />Which
cavalli we wanted (the brass horses on the rails)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />And
what custom carvings we wanted.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">
Our order with Saverio scaled up to include two more stern oars, <br />
two forward oars,<br />
and of course two stern forcolas and two forward forcolas.<br />
<br />
I cannot overemphasize how gracious and patient Saverio and Roberto were with
us, and with the whole process – which was done between two continents and two
languages.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Both
gentlemen, and their highly skilled staff are some of the best ambassadors that
Venezia could ever have.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">The
master craftsmen in both workshops labored hard to get everything complete.<br />Next we received some fresh images...of <i>freshly-painted</i> beautiful gondolas, out in front of Roberto's shop.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"> </span><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTxSxbRyKCtMhUhbKQ3mkTHy96aM9ZGem6RL6epki2x5c99qgN0TpnGRkLcdD9-WkH_lEzcssHlP705548rGpWD4mCGMtnfiP748E5jOWL4QwtHCQTP3fZw7ftq_X_IXbhh4U1v-ZA85S_lwxlxYFkD06sL9u6b1MmJA-dARf1jFmOr5RTaxAg_oHKg/s1600/painted%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTxSxbRyKCtMhUhbKQ3mkTHy96aM9ZGem6RL6epki2x5c99qgN0TpnGRkLcdD9-WkH_lEzcssHlP705548rGpWD4mCGMtnfiP748E5jOWL4QwtHCQTP3fZw7ftq_X_IXbhh4U1v-ZA85S_lwxlxYFkD06sL9u6b1MmJA-dARf1jFmOr5RTaxAg_oHKg/w480-h640/painted%202.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs30YM1BbWh1htzJ_HbydAfbubm6lxdoegTEV59_3QeEAiRuJCUfbcVqcrHpnKQhTluocFjVLxuX9MVOBXwVMEilM3t5dpQRZh6RDKc7l1xU6jVS3IpNQeu-bY1tksZvgddyTDVOi2NnP8wXLgxwbr2zx5941vtDumzhn4FlbFD_xhswvVI1mQ9wf3WQ/s1600/painted%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs30YM1BbWh1htzJ_HbydAfbubm6lxdoegTEV59_3QeEAiRuJCUfbcVqcrHpnKQhTluocFjVLxuX9MVOBXwVMEilM3t5dpQRZh6RDKc7l1xU6jVS3IpNQeu-bY1tksZvgddyTDVOi2NnP8wXLgxwbr2zx5941vtDumzhn4FlbFD_xhswvVI1mQ9wf3WQ/w480-h640/painted%203.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSUFxhyb65KnKr-e4HFGQ0w07n0iG5Ws8JJAPEfxB-07E6uj-5C9uMuh2zvSGC8C9z7NXExLlHHSEK2p4jRIPD2D9mduWODsbsXpygcTf4TzfbzSJbm9mW786sWh08SUzc6XJX3bLBY-i-8Ix4-LTiEJaDtlj2kU39YaB8TXo-Ym8rVaf6VBC3i217Q/s1600/painted%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSUFxhyb65KnKr-e4HFGQ0w07n0iG5Ws8JJAPEfxB-07E6uj-5C9uMuh2zvSGC8C9z7NXExLlHHSEK2p4jRIPD2D9mduWODsbsXpygcTf4TzfbzSJbm9mW786sWh08SUzc6XJX3bLBY-i-8Ix4-LTiEJaDtlj2kU39YaB8TXo-Ym8rVaf6VBC3i217Q/w640-h480/painted%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">In the next phase I was emailing back and forth with Luca Niero of
Cutter SAS – hashing out the details of how the two elegant crescent-shaped
beauties would be shipped to Newport Beach.</span></span></span></span> <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">I’d
seen this before when Tim and Tyson had two gondolas shipped from Venice back
in May of 2008.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"> <br />(see
<a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2008/05/two-new-sunset-gondols-container.html">Two New Sunset Gondolas – Container</a>)</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br />
And when I received photos from Saverio of the two gondolas nestled into their
container, it was a very similar packing arrangement – with one on the floor
with tires under the ends, and the other just above her, resting on large
sawhorses.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxQsEh0yC9Dnvp6SF4KbOoPxrX7nz4I8zjkbizyJgyXvsI79lsKyNgHc4exOjMSichDrcPtlCKc7YtZj4n22oIG8kFmJjhOiOfEdg9EZt9ohzhhaIaY5odshV5N55xwr3vzTlTfTvs5SDQ6S1Zg0OaeKxa8inHWlBJREsNFHcEx36dLYdvABb6SriJQ/s960/In%20container%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxQsEh0yC9Dnvp6SF4KbOoPxrX7nz4I8zjkbizyJgyXvsI79lsKyNgHc4exOjMSichDrcPtlCKc7YtZj4n22oIG8kFmJjhOiOfEdg9EZt9ohzhhaIaY5odshV5N55xwr3vzTlTfTvs5SDQ6S1Zg0OaeKxa8inHWlBJREsNFHcEx36dLYdvABb6SriJQ/w480-h640/In%20container%202.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span>Because both ends of the boats rise up so high, the two were placed in an “X”
arrangement so the rising tips wouldn’t touch each other during the voyage.</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pWc5lMYlyhBb7HomkLPAlVXHvSdHY-3WugPk9l9rpJAfyybLqTef0fZI0sFv6xaqFKOaH_dSk_QdjIIXj-Sh_KRA-j5uAfdfETu2wBHyPsv7lS1ahwzgzvfLorOMqz4OfC60K2rI5zEB-i1ANJ_C__JxLwo3QnVXmBtlpjRf6O9f9VEu20UjY2MsOQ/s4032/20220309_174149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pWc5lMYlyhBb7HomkLPAlVXHvSdHY-3WugPk9l9rpJAfyybLqTef0fZI0sFv6xaqFKOaH_dSk_QdjIIXj-Sh_KRA-j5uAfdfETu2wBHyPsv7lS1ahwzgzvfLorOMqz4OfC60K2rI5zEB-i1ANJ_C__JxLwo3QnVXmBtlpjRf6O9f9VEu20UjY2MsOQ/w360-h640/20220309_174149.jpg" width="360" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">And
WHAT A VOYAGE it turned out to be.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Svjta2l3wH-UA2Fr-WEexADVl1WczWpxDlAi-AA5YVKBNmvxc8qSw9Ugfls9cxe9BrsmLx-xVYxstjWbJV-RehK4ufqnFSElNpKxfs8RR5TcW3eNRPVPq8GYUJh9zRA0Bbb5v02gaLqYa7Vcii1teYXB_fY-xXOP-h2vservLhUn-A3K8I1ZE_PAUg/s854/In%20container%201%20-%20peeking%20ferro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="854" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Svjta2l3wH-UA2Fr-WEexADVl1WczWpxDlAi-AA5YVKBNmvxc8qSw9Ugfls9cxe9BrsmLx-xVYxstjWbJV-RehK4ufqnFSElNpKxfs8RR5TcW3eNRPVPq8GYUJh9zRA0Bbb5v02gaLqYa7Vcii1teYXB_fY-xXOP-h2vservLhUn-A3K8I1ZE_PAUg/w640-h442/In%20container%201%20-%20peeking%20ferro.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><br /><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">The
gondolas were loaded into their container in the Veneto, but then it was
trucked across the top of the boot of Italy to the port city of Genoa, where
the container was loaded onto a large cargo vessel.<br />
Luca and the folks at Cutter SAS provided us with web-based information as to
the location of the ship, and we followed it’s progress.<br />
The ship called at some other ports in southern Europe before crossing the
Atlantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She docked in Cartahegna,
Colombia, and our container was offloaded there.<br />
For the next three weeks it sat there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My imagination was out of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because the container was an “open-topped” model, with a tarp tied down
over the top, I wondered if anyone was investigating it, plundering it,
stashing contraband in it, flying in and laying eggs in it.<br />
For all I knew, our container might arrive with a family of wild parrots living
inside, or with two feet of tropical rainwater sloshing around inside.<br />
The imagination can sometimes really cause problems.<br />
<br />
Eventually we were notified that the container was on another cargo ship and
heading up the west coast of Central America.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">By
the time the ship docked in Long Beach, our gondolas had been almost three months in transit.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">
</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">To
be continued…</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span></p><br />Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-32427635499817408442022-03-15T02:00:00.003-07:002022-03-15T02:00:56.293-07:00Kyle and Kalev - Coming and Going<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFRuHWnKDH958CAywwuzt1unFQKdTzc1goMVI3Ycxrgyq21gWVh-BM21lpvsKqBifUfM8p0-iefrFQm4jH9XWde7RO8KJwv9P3ep1c7F7ideGFFABZkZTCxErQHaRo19_5axGOJ989YTKVyl01fYnexykeaSIJbcHJy_WC3lUlt5-RZGFb8bgQ1FeQiA=s1384" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1384" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFRuHWnKDH958CAywwuzt1unFQKdTzc1goMVI3Ycxrgyq21gWVh-BM21lpvsKqBifUfM8p0-iefrFQm4jH9XWde7RO8KJwv9P3ep1c7F7ideGFFABZkZTCxErQHaRo19_5axGOJ989YTKVyl01fYnexykeaSIJbcHJy_WC3lUlt5-RZGFb8bgQ1FeQiA=w640-h325" width="640" /> </a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This past weekend our weather in Newport was remarkable, and our gondoliers and their passengers enjoyed it.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here we see gondolier Kyle Wolting heading out on a glistening later afternoon.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhktCAgejGwTSEXroSo8Mg084DLOTIrHHS8_9jd6HwTftSVABLISc1TxgytVy7L7c4jIOFWKlfSHMQv3BLUfwrLKIwytDAQQGgK9NofKONvT_rjpK9PGfWiMW0WqF-ecU2fn3DbTC4t5HJWIUvPlRNoURA9ksgAJJDQzBNFM__DK_E3LgEYqxKI8w056A=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhktCAgejGwTSEXroSo8Mg084DLOTIrHHS8_9jd6HwTftSVABLISc1TxgytVy7L7c4jIOFWKlfSHMQv3BLUfwrLKIwytDAQQGgK9NofKONvT_rjpK9PGfWiMW0WqF-ecU2fn3DbTC4t5HJWIUvPlRNoURA9ksgAJJDQzBNFM__DK_E3LgEYqxKI8w056A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> And later on he returned under golden sunlight.<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4WBkw4gzyJp6XQdHjfxTXhUPa9Va0jgQ0QR3dcrqZQVq7hEvVI4LnswMUiP690kX9tvT7z5iVI5jESMiC8rX7ECqOrCqzR0_XiO5p95D31OnFRMqewiSUix_Xw79ZCLajNrP2-YRzc4Q-8QFbT8jKD-at6ggCYgGMlKp27ufXoAChbNgTmhHgBatChA=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4WBkw4gzyJp6XQdHjfxTXhUPa9Va0jgQ0QR3dcrqZQVq7hEvVI4LnswMUiP690kX9tvT7z5iVI5jESMiC8rX7ECqOrCqzR0_XiO5p95D31OnFRMqewiSUix_Xw79ZCLajNrP2-YRzc4Q-8QFbT8jKD-at6ggCYgGMlKp27ufXoAChbNgTmhHgBatChA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div></div><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Meanwhile Kalev navigated wind and water with the canopy on the legendary gondola "Lucia".<br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi78YV55PWJHma6M_TbvQVyUmkiFIZFLmH0BiV0WqZkasESrFiIEUTBdhoO1VNawrgzp0zsCXuMAJkgArrgiLMq0e5V0rY3XTjZzJvppQWL-E5clP8TJWysUq0sT2FR1q9Vif06Kn3qIUpKsGRSuaFlbH-xrRYJuIBmRQ6leyBZ_CzJ1PP1aYnEpyXxxQ=s1444" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1444" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi78YV55PWJHma6M_TbvQVyUmkiFIZFLmH0BiV0WqZkasESrFiIEUTBdhoO1VNawrgzp0zsCXuMAJkgArrgiLMq0e5V0rY3XTjZzJvppQWL-E5clP8TJWysUq0sT2FR1q9Vif06Kn3qIUpKsGRSuaFlbH-xrRYJuIBmRQ6leyBZ_CzJ1PP1aYnEpyXxxQ=w640-h522" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Painted skies and calm surface conditions.</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi95JaDHUK33-tz11NIrLOc-FTHUFczgbmxVd4xNgn63sm2dzzZzvtStO4yJhhdGlX8_T9tffeYII6vYaDzvxigDXpgUYY9hKXJSoI5Vrv2CAHBvrO26cw3VA8dkLn5vLlS7bUvJI_2jVKdSepxv4bnkQn4jbqFIHCpdYHlQambdUww1I16HU9hXCu9Gw=s1688" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1156" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi95JaDHUK33-tz11NIrLOc-FTHUFczgbmxVd4xNgn63sm2dzzZzvtStO4yJhhdGlX8_T9tffeYII6vYaDzvxigDXpgUYY9hKXJSoI5Vrv2CAHBvrO26cw3VA8dkLn5vLlS7bUvJI_2jVKdSepxv4bnkQn4jbqFIHCpdYHlQambdUww1I16HU9hXCu9Gw=w438-h640" width="438" /></a></span></span></span></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's cruises like this where our clients don't want to <br />get out of the gondola.<br /><br />Can't say I blame them.</span></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcI74ScVlZzShd0EQ_DNx8TydBL-WeQkCfWpFPftH43mUonImEagino-NbdmW1UTScESShGgV0-qaJg8Baxg5yI_fijJ5nyn0nR99kv4pOgih-v3qnATZFzVA2ZZuyM56vFLSZqfMXzVxIcyQ8qroIE-XvrViwQD8j7TUXeK_66bjnD2qzvsQ0E7qtBg=s1960" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcI74ScVlZzShd0EQ_DNx8TydBL-WeQkCfWpFPftH43mUonImEagino-NbdmW1UTScESShGgV0-qaJg8Baxg5yI_fijJ5nyn0nR99kv4pOgih-v3qnATZFzVA2ZZuyM56vFLSZqfMXzVxIcyQ8qroIE-XvrViwQD8j7TUXeK_66bjnD2qzvsQ0E7qtBg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #ffa400;"></span></div><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /></span><p><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-9152580617224255762022-02-11T01:02:00.001-08:002022-02-11T01:02:37.660-08:00Building Up to V-Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ_b5Vz79-5TX1y5c7NbGig8cbrjbzueFwAXRXugN5ydvC1LOd7yZojjBlDqer0zVGJEUwjK_h0LJFT5lbFDBpAVgk4nX2D1Q3aU_OFXxsjCFlEdXC9jcdVMNkNj-Iy9l0e6VsX3Js0ZM-BzNTFq-0fMNuDojmwjV0e5oO1s-Qh65XmFe_jKVIUm2WFw=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ_b5Vz79-5TX1y5c7NbGig8cbrjbzueFwAXRXugN5ydvC1LOd7yZojjBlDqer0zVGJEUwjK_h0LJFT5lbFDBpAVgk4nX2D1Q3aU_OFXxsjCFlEdXC9jcdVMNkNj-Iy9l0e6VsX3Js0ZM-BzNTFq-0fMNuDojmwjV0e5oO1s-Qh65XmFe_jKVIUm2WFw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every year we spend a lot of time worrying about what the weather will look like on February 14th and the days leading up to it. <br />Some years it's dismal. <br />Some years it's something we can work with. <br />This year in Newport, the forecast is SO good, <br />I'm wondering where the hidden camera is.<br /><br />I should apologize to my friends who live in places where there's snow.<br />But believe me folks, we pay for this weather dearly:<br />in taxes, and traffic, and governmental nonsense.<br />Don't even ASK me about gas prices.<br /><br />And yet, for the last week or so,<br />I have witnessed several of our gondoliers out rowing in February...in shorts!<br />So at this point I'm getting an idea of what V-day must be like for my friends in Australia.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here is a collection of shots I took from the docks as some of the gondoliers passed by.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju-6B74MF92D5QimRe2ftmBOguta-SqFe0AkaiY3ySIM7em8alzKsGBXvzKtBopWmrUm8TOiR042iHpgr0W64fexqRk7RsUQwyERlbTPXayri9ocyudquAWij2K7aSC86M_Tdv7KU8ozI8a_bBR0Iv30uUfHaRRohEPj2B96_7jERnQH7046uYK1lUeA=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju-6B74MF92D5QimRe2ftmBOguta-SqFe0AkaiY3ySIM7em8alzKsGBXvzKtBopWmrUm8TOiR042iHpgr0W64fexqRk7RsUQwyERlbTPXayri9ocyudquAWij2K7aSC86M_Tdv7KU8ozI8a_bBR0Iv30uUfHaRRohEPj2B96_7jERnQH7046uYK1lUeA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Summer conditions.</span></span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHAtXRNqVxPfWyoe9uV4XTdaIkkDAz5o03dpo2a2qtN13EaFPzmfm0B347J1mnF_z5WlWHZo3WQMaFBzOCr1qqPIRnbPdXCHr9pTNCPCABwisJX6GHaKDoSuaDL8C0kyygfIrax-vphzF5QtyMKPrjAtdWH2G0y854Q1XhTIHV5sux0fCh1JanjvQwIw=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHAtXRNqVxPfWyoe9uV4XTdaIkkDAz5o03dpo2a2qtN13EaFPzmfm0B347J1mnF_z5WlWHZo3WQMaFBzOCr1qqPIRnbPdXCHr9pTNCPCABwisJX6GHaKDoSuaDL8C0kyygfIrax-vphzF5QtyMKPrjAtdWH2G0y854Q1XhTIHV5sux0fCh1JanjvQwIw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Brooks heads out with a happy couple.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0GEO3FsHRllftn6CLKJWl7rZq8vQnNm1mX5oU5DxmKSGGPcApreLNrYEmFjXRqt1NkNHofWDUJsXHr-uKuT7hYq7P5BZ5EV_q4sBHF1i9dwYZILczwdcsLbf6-qC9CLOBFu_QyZlv0O1-1i_1PXqI1xQFGwJKvkEOvbNBjaAj9i1AbBbhv0WN6_TzWg=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0GEO3FsHRllftn6CLKJWl7rZq8vQnNm1mX5oU5DxmKSGGPcApreLNrYEmFjXRqt1NkNHofWDUJsXHr-uKuT7hYq7P5BZ5EV_q4sBHF1i9dwYZILczwdcsLbf6-qC9CLOBFu_QyZlv0O1-1i_1PXqI1xQFGwJKvkEOvbNBjaAj9i1AbBbhv0WN6_TzWg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a><br />Kyle rows in shorts in the sunshine. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmHu5Lhibi6Qy4IFPIKq7GEEuNBuEprh_Gdk273HV3WSYyiCZgoWNSGuqJbUR1QBH8y7bHAtNSB2uaknfs61HDKh5fUGH_VaEuhxGN3xziujW8RRn8x4hueaDGBKhh3BX62kcmWmuE6kgPa4YpJ2dKl3YHeXZvaS0zE_gqf7e-XYTtDcuZWQgVgNsgDA=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmHu5Lhibi6Qy4IFPIKq7GEEuNBuEprh_Gdk273HV3WSYyiCZgoWNSGuqJbUR1QBH8y7bHAtNSB2uaknfs61HDKh5fUGH_VaEuhxGN3xziujW8RRn8x4hueaDGBKhh3BX62kcmWmuE6kgPa4YpJ2dKl3YHeXZvaS0zE_gqf7e-XYTtDcuZWQgVgNsgDA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Roberto sports the shorts too.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9Hg7o2pHteGycOk0RJUxy0KAQGpN3CshUto2x-ZFRWfd0sU1SDc2GvgSR511fuxg7u1j2AjgKhy36QtviMSqypdDMlAnng7neQYXM3TtAoPgIVGZ0T2GVU5VVCpuGc8rSwncgW6z8W6Ch8VJe6rPfACwHV0J_fFANQ5XleYdcDR_qotKU_WFVmq5VVw=w640-h480" width="640" /><br />Harry departs as his passengers raise a toast. <br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtDYuVOspVNvYHIjczzpAM_fkeT1P3jBUY0B_MzurK_MSS2h79vytbA7UzdW0B5dZJWdkWKkDy4eUWDxVZR_FzFaaAcEUZi4rvpyDNnoVSf242qoIB6qq0ZX7c-722xCWE_5UfNIRnkS3lPXX97LnzpPovYlIg0ObnV1t2I1tInjx5N5keI8g_5jKiCA=w640-h480" width="640" />Brooks adjusts his sunglasses.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinLeNqE_kJRZYVxArmF8OyJPgAiJSd9igNzc39d8Qm2DxNfaEuU2eE5F40ONieCYKVbsZYLyDWkbwlZ_qBosvhjNGXwbM5OBt-jaxAR7jF6qunA31YZgI8Fi8a8TLXha_BPpCP9gNpyB15Gj8BJGR_3F8v_GuBGH8lxT7x6S9p0yEuRwjTKtiNr42Chw=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinLeNqE_kJRZYVxArmF8OyJPgAiJSd9igNzc39d8Qm2DxNfaEuU2eE5F40ONieCYKVbsZYLyDWkbwlZ_qBosvhjNGXwbM5OBt-jaxAR7jF6qunA31YZgI8Fi8a8TLXha_BPpCP9gNpyB15Gj8BJGR_3F8v_GuBGH8lxT7x6S9p0yEuRwjTKtiNr42Chw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mike Ruffino glides along as local rowing teams <br />practice in the distance. <br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO-nE8J7ybsvbxeiOs7KwKB9Vnc7teQ-XfuemGf49MkH5dkLDg5-F6MEQ0UJUxUCJ1OgYsfPbFK2RTVl_W55In5ivyBOdNWR_LdnM2XVngmcoiPI98FxnEN5sGzo4fbD2GIrS0upH0qnO0CIkS6M3BbI3jCyEOEX_vIWTHdiPCaFcqOJdIqLNK0sfKjA=s2016" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO-nE8J7ybsvbxeiOs7KwKB9Vnc7teQ-XfuemGf49MkH5dkLDg5-F6MEQ0UJUxUCJ1OgYsfPbFK2RTVl_W55In5ivyBOdNWR_LdnM2XVngmcoiPI98FxnEN5sGzo4fbD2GIrS0upH0qnO0CIkS6M3BbI3jCyEOEX_vIWTHdiPCaFcqOJdIqLNK0sfKjA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Coming back with a happy family on board.<br /></span></span></span></div></div>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-52005237741682738312022-01-30T23:58:00.001-08:002022-01-31T00:19:01.820-08:00Sunset in Venezia<p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> photo by Alessandro Santini</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQLwHAEfJkH7zgiEkKT_l9HGrGxYVPo7zFVH7BjGJLBLFeywsxmu-LlBZmu9_hToNWluX6a3peLXSDOgqYReEvEjT_knmFBhzoa4lYxLGV8xP6mvgroiOwFYqTFALuRDA_YzbXoUe6mp6P7TjiZOD9j50QKWEW_uedohkFhnowc0J50FxboX4igfN5zA=s768" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="768" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQLwHAEfJkH7zgiEkKT_l9HGrGxYVPo7zFVH7BjGJLBLFeywsxmu-LlBZmu9_hToNWluX6a3peLXSDOgqYReEvEjT_knmFBhzoa4lYxLGV8xP6mvgroiOwFYqTFALuRDA_YzbXoUe6mp6P7TjiZOD9j50QKWEW_uedohkFhnowc0J50FxboX4igfN5zA=w640-h530" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yeah yeah, y'know...<br />Just another boring gondola sunset shot.<br /><br />(Truth is, they never seem to get old)<br /><br />My friend Alessandro sent me this great photo of a brilliant sunset in Venezia, with the iconic dome of the basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in the background.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've been a fan of Alessandro's gondola <br />since she was launched in March of 2019<br />(see <a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2019/03/santinis-varo.html">"Santini's Varo"</a>)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Big thanks to Alessandro for taking my desire to get to Venice...<br />and turbocharging it! </span></span></span><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-36946630514846800282022-01-24T21:59:00.000-08:002022-01-24T21:59:08.076-08:00Clouds at Night<p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> photo by Kalev Pallares</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3NCk2G-_9U-KACplyKBt0KZvvyjMLMVkkUzrf074AIelHvlulBvtZk7ld1DP8S_2_jm48TEsy55RZhzLK1cpQHhxYVPDShqP7FnpErNJLGAqWZFkTFBx93p8Cad4XkOXApQyS_Rr06tjlPQgRywbvcjMMLbwxQLf4pTn5ZTF8zwGcoYGzbODnz9pznw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3NCk2G-_9U-KACplyKBt0KZvvyjMLMVkkUzrf074AIelHvlulBvtZk7ld1DP8S_2_jm48TEsy55RZhzLK1cpQHhxYVPDShqP7FnpErNJLGAqWZFkTFBx93p8Cad4XkOXApQyS_Rr06tjlPQgRywbvcjMMLbwxQLf4pTn5ZTF8zwGcoYGzbODnz9pznw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes clouds are even more beautiful at night.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Gondolier Kalev snapped this shot tonight in Newport <br />while rowing our 1961 wedding gondola.<br /><br />One of my favorite things about working on the water<br />is the way a nice view can turn into a spectacular <br />double-image when conditions calm and the surface <br />gets smooth - reflecting like a mirror.</span></span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-80222374446895374072022-01-20T09:30:00.001-08:002022-01-20T09:30:00.240-08:00AMBULANZA!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2NwjpdWldGA7_VwikVxfWsyyvKq-53A9kvTlgP20HbbC-7bS-a5PfZJ_iVsJlLHOoyRqoI3MePdFN6Od6zgmFKDXzYIhEGugUAQSN40fStLrnnh_yaKmqhlImmKEIpRgfBkcIR0Yh56fbg-OVDihg0GOepUsDXkC2nmtM897JxIXXe-dd-xzuzOWevQ=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2NwjpdWldGA7_VwikVxfWsyyvKq-53A9kvTlgP20HbbC-7bS-a5PfZJ_iVsJlLHOoyRqoI3MePdFN6Od6zgmFKDXzYIhEGugUAQSN40fStLrnnh_yaKmqhlImmKEIpRgfBkcIR0Yh56fbg-OVDihg0GOepUsDXkC2nmtM897JxIXXe-dd-xzuzOWevQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Witnessing an ambulance pass in Venice is anything but boring.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's typically:<br />LOUD<br />FAST<br />UNEXPECTED<br />and creates all kinds of problems for people to solve who are left in it's wake.<br />And I DO mean "wake",<br />because an "ambulanza" creates QUITE a WAKE on it's way to whatever destination it is speeding to or from.<br /><br />I've witnessed several of these passes, but on one occasion I was at the top of the Rialto bridge when this sucker went flying by.<br /><br />I heard the siren as it approached, managed to snap only two shots of the actual vessel before it was gone, but the telltale signs were clear in the waters of the Canale Grande afterward.</span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKwDCY-VCppZPr46J8vhiKarFTnpWY19MfeKqHPYP5-pfszsfo8-upwYrP1JBBkbYGmgaMAcClDSk8BZczIiq1XdPL0w6gtEh5yGgA8JGcvEeTL5gTsFKolBGwtbGuP7a-Ez9eesZWJ_0sAlru8lSAEuv_0lNUiFSF5NSizKjiiszPPfdKArA5E_srXA=s6000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKwDCY-VCppZPr46J8vhiKarFTnpWY19MfeKqHPYP5-pfszsfo8-upwYrP1JBBkbYGmgaMAcClDSk8BZczIiq1XdPL0w6gtEh5yGgA8JGcvEeTL5gTsFKolBGwtbGuP7a-Ez9eesZWJ_0sAlru8lSAEuv_0lNUiFSF5NSizKjiiszPPfdKArA5E_srXA=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqUy7R528YwazNsDhzcnZB-2KmG9u90h2Vhi0NzDBYgajJ1AvcASbn6QqwmV9EajXF_J4XYiQmwhdktwRMCuAK4e8TwGU_FlOetFxJ3P4IGIDL2vfug7S3GHkwfkZje49GXsSX6Wnmt_Xh093SVG5RNrexpo2AbfG-i-9Bt6W8fQ6JnsaHUgIvrCX3Cw=s6000" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqUy7R528YwazNsDhzcnZB-2KmG9u90h2Vhi0NzDBYgajJ1AvcASbn6QqwmV9EajXF_J4XYiQmwhdktwRMCuAK4e8TwGU_FlOetFxJ3P4IGIDL2vfug7S3GHkwfkZje49GXsSX6Wnmt_Xh093SVG5RNrexpo2AbfG-i-9Bt6W8fQ6JnsaHUgIvrCX3Cw=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjceuXcxa1JaVekkZc1IndXeBIjkGo6KHG6pqAJrXyk3MJ9_MjUV3QbY0tnYehsWYWPTnNZ7m4S5xFnSqwo8nNNNsHX2-ev9cxakYn5fsmMD05jABxPY_BRQq2HLrmoocnXRCeg2m44lG-qEQaJDcqh-kYt3KPPRXVJcPWbPn813DrAL0nD-izVw4d-eg=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjceuXcxa1JaVekkZc1IndXeBIjkGo6KHG6pqAJrXyk3MJ9_MjUV3QbY0tnYehsWYWPTnNZ7m4S5xFnSqwo8nNNNsHX2-ev9cxakYn5fsmMD05jABxPY_BRQq2HLrmoocnXRCeg2m44lG-qEQaJDcqh-kYt3KPPRXVJcPWbPn813DrAL0nD-izVw4d-eg=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course we've been here before,<br />On this very bridge in fact.<br />In my post <b><a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2011/04/ambulance-aftermath.html">"Ambulance Aftermath"</a></b>, we looked at a similar scenario, and analyzed the various ways gondoliers dealt with that notorious wake.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On this occasion, the gondolier in the shot handled it like a pro!<br />Need proof?<br />Look at his passengers.<br />They seemed to take it all in stride, smiling and enjoying their cruise.<br /><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBB5f1vn-uz6NJB_OURpvnZ4eXhD7QDis3DNDdgzOtcAD73_1kaAyjnFVDOoJYQ23wxH5cMPFOPHqddrwMNA0hh6fkEnBiYy5qF283mQnL7h1-bfpruEZqvuWjN7gzth-lNvtdsVxIRRphuWeaNd32gE3lqrkEMcTdFZihRDrTo_iYZqYV5FtRizoB5w=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBB5f1vn-uz6NJB_OURpvnZ4eXhD7QDis3DNDdgzOtcAD73_1kaAyjnFVDOoJYQ23wxH5cMPFOPHqddrwMNA0hh6fkEnBiYy5qF283mQnL7h1-bfpruEZqvuWjN7gzth-lNvtdsVxIRRphuWeaNd32gE3lqrkEMcTdFZihRDrTo_iYZqYV5FtRizoB5w=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">He rode it out, and just kept on rowing.<br />And they got back to the business of snapping those all-so-important bucket-list photos (this one being on a gondola with the Rialto in the background).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSDwiLYy4k713_3hfaZ5wD__e5l9IFJSu9DsQgj7BjCtNseN-7CZeJ983S8RISsnZm5lr2hYvmDkDLw1hSnZ73emdQ5F77iNn65Q1x6_eoUAQpsJueMW8VjLJF371Sekj0RxScx1PhjBEKeY44S5w3_N2dibT-2EPKp0sHrZ6gBrostLLcIe5sj-xESg=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSDwiLYy4k713_3hfaZ5wD__e5l9IFJSu9DsQgj7BjCtNseN-7CZeJ983S8RISsnZm5lr2hYvmDkDLw1hSnZ73emdQ5F77iNn65Q1x6_eoUAQpsJueMW8VjLJF371Sekj0RxScx1PhjBEKeY44S5w3_N2dibT-2EPKp0sHrZ6gBrostLLcIe5sj-xESg=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Meanwhile, THIS guy, shows up after it's all gone down, <br />and says <span style="color: white;"><i>"Hey guys, did I miss anything?"</i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoNv8dgOIhsHw7r04iilpoqPxN15WwMzJ-LrgvC5C1WfnW67KZzxuBH_SZbbrVp5ha_CSU74ztSYjzGCbF1HgWN_6UsWtoVyotUTRD7e_d2adptGBdB9926QWFbMzZZuKB3X6W9Huz07LG7YBGZCGanUvw2D4yh-2Arldn_4_Smygj7nujheBLhBsNFQ=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoNv8dgOIhsHw7r04iilpoqPxN15WwMzJ-LrgvC5C1WfnW67KZzxuBH_SZbbrVp5ha_CSU74ztSYjzGCbF1HgWN_6UsWtoVyotUTRD7e_d2adptGBdB9926QWFbMzZZuKB3X6W9Huz07LG7YBGZCGanUvw2D4yh-2Arldn_4_Smygj7nujheBLhBsNFQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"This guy"</span></span></i></span><br /></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For further reading, consult my post</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><b><a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2007/12/what-to-do-when-youre-gondolier-in.html">"What to do when you're a gondolier in Venice and an ambulance boat approaches"
</a></b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #eeeeee;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOdlDtQ0LzI9aIab74WzqTn7FAa0KVDVMq0E_8lBpQ5A6wKHvd1U0H572WlOknneKaRDOdtXPZ6NUDP9iznIs2M74l4xxg2I2ZRtTRuU6yf0XelGArJLsSoKw1u1iRRkFfPT-qsgEWdDpLF-yGtcrjCd81nwsncbD6O02A3Y_HW3-GV_qDcN2H4RbW2g=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOdlDtQ0LzI9aIab74WzqTn7FAa0KVDVMq0E_8lBpQ5A6wKHvd1U0H572WlOknneKaRDOdtXPZ6NUDP9iznIs2M74l4xxg2I2ZRtTRuU6yf0XelGArJLsSoKw1u1iRRkFfPT-qsgEWdDpLF-yGtcrjCd81nwsncbD6O02A3Y_HW3-GV_qDcN2H4RbW2g=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-7331180461034877542022-01-17T20:29:00.001-08:002022-01-17T20:29:29.143-08:00I Saw the Sign<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitbN4pGMESi5qQb_fJpj9pHu_eIQPwIt1icu-Obe9Ecel05149_6SwlABztoOiDq3YKsKYLrXO5tIDK3hezOXQ95R3pMWNb2spKYRvVLofOhgmuXDi7XcjxewzjBaJ5Q9m_3yl4ldC24BLpSUJ_KbXXWTQTXsC62cNjoW9OVHZvb7H6rm0R4SqqKjtow=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitbN4pGMESi5qQb_fJpj9pHu_eIQPwIt1icu-Obe9Ecel05149_6SwlABztoOiDq3YKsKYLrXO5tIDK3hezOXQ95R3pMWNb2spKYRvVLofOhgmuXDi7XcjxewzjBaJ5Q9m_3yl4ldC24BLpSUJ_KbXXWTQTXsC62cNjoW9OVHZvb7H6rm0R4SqqKjtow=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Walking through Venice is wonderful.<br />You never know what you'll see around the next corner, <br />or from the top of the next bridge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A while back I was crossing the bridge over the canal known as Rio del Fontego dei Tedeschi, and I saw this sign,<br />and the gondola activity going on behind it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This is the canal that feeds into the Canale Grande just north of the Rialto Bridge. The servizio name on the sign is that of the Traghetto di Santa Sofia. They have a large traghetto and stazione across the Grand Canal from the fish market, but this appears to also be part of their service area.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-20859584995168601832022-01-15T17:36:00.001-08:002022-01-15T17:36:47.253-08:00Canterbury Punts<p><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyyfJJG2D4uEh3NQUc0nIHHqERpcdkYc09CVLW-pmFGT9k8_---qnHvyl6G3npfC0ZEICCdP2rA2rmrOD87WCv4tggwVRHsXHsRaNy7pNaeIRyh5QJ_oZQouGMDD277tjmQARp-iMjAVgsai-E6jAIzPcQhQSMjErVRigTrUF58_K5dKl9tIQGeUOkNQ=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyyfJJG2D4uEh3NQUc0nIHHqERpcdkYc09CVLW-pmFGT9k8_---qnHvyl6G3npfC0ZEICCdP2rA2rmrOD87WCv4tggwVRHsXHsRaNy7pNaeIRyh5QJ_oZQouGMDD277tjmQARp-iMjAVgsai-E6jAIzPcQhQSMjErVRigTrUF58_K5dKl9tIQGeUOkNQ=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On a driving tour through England, our guide stopped in a small shire to show us some sort of school or shopping area, but when we crossed a small bridge I spotted Something much more interesting.</span></span></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No, it wasn't gondolas.<br />Not exactly.<br />But it sure reminded me of a small walk-up servizio.</span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2gpW-VE-_qFFcuBzelYQi1lbrkLc8CSbRsuN_jv3KQEGyJS0p_FFglhpuNTtBh0BZjMysKWvQPxkm9GG0JjiINJ2RvPDoUorEgcQFZ9pZEZDVv1butS3F6BSZ3KFozvagcV27orUSXHKlxN1uJ4HWK73ECHNx183jDTj1T6Ze8nyH7RvkcMqS_84L3A=s6000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2gpW-VE-_qFFcuBzelYQi1lbrkLc8CSbRsuN_jv3KQEGyJS0p_FFglhpuNTtBh0BZjMysKWvQPxkm9GG0JjiINJ2RvPDoUorEgcQFZ9pZEZDVv1butS3F6BSZ3KFozvagcV27orUSXHKlxN1uJ4HWK73ECHNx183jDTj1T6Ze8nyH7RvkcMqS_84L3A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here were two guys, standing at the spot <br />where a bridge and a canal met.</span></span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There was a large umbrella, a sign, <br />and as I looked down beyond them...<br /><i><b>PUNTS!</b></i></span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiIMQw1uAwHP_5JyTziSCMcaT0njxKS9zYxff9BgSZmblPwhoWOYdTY-DKmD3iPt0IeqjUyMRU3bMPPO3giN3Yt0zUuz1spj8HgvU8RH955zPLy5eZxwtTOdQu2GrQRuBSH7hm_vi0Y5WMHdWF-fA_8TruCrCjrIgu2cDKd_jMtu2xwXvuLEtw67u9Gg=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiIMQw1uAwHP_5JyTziSCMcaT0njxKS9zYxff9BgSZmblPwhoWOYdTY-DKmD3iPt0IeqjUyMRU3bMPPO3giN3Yt0zUuz1spj8HgvU8RH955zPLy5eZxwtTOdQu2GrQRuBSH7hm_vi0Y5WMHdWF-fA_8TruCrCjrIgu2cDKd_jMtu2xwXvuLEtw67u9Gg=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></span></span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sure, I'm in the <u>gondola</u> business,<br />but punts fascinate me.<br />They are quite similar in some ways to our beloved gondolas.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They had their rates and even a small board indicating who was out, and when they might be coming back.</span></span></span></p><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDSeez4opPqY9ePCGRyofhgicbHj6IEuNugykGh7KriWzUj8rNKoQtHW1E6vB9oaJmNdqv1t6i4KYyiRA-sSJE0BfwbCKmnCf2G_dyLcpBvi8li5LAcUsGr6Jl6jaFZJEKnX_NedgaVHLjqAuXPJZVAM8ggyiT7E9Uv63IE62x2IOe0ktrfEmbjVJsmg=s6000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDSeez4opPqY9ePCGRyofhgicbHj6IEuNugykGh7KriWzUj8rNKoQtHW1E6vB9oaJmNdqv1t6i4KYyiRA-sSJE0BfwbCKmnCf2G_dyLcpBvi8li5LAcUsGr6Jl6jaFZJEKnX_NedgaVHLjqAuXPJZVAM8ggyiT7E9Uv63IE62x2IOe0ktrfEmbjVJsmg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6uKDMA9bwgMoD4w9Ca7uAL-1exvoSbp7Co_m2gBwN2vpgJoFa-uIEvhN3eTnKZ3gYE1t5Kyw5n3ZaoDPbgWPrgD9_OPKe1LbtsIEGxGaJXhJZhA9hmuVl01c69U8-2I_8sivlD9yA8HQ1weYnbBN-ryCpqiZQyEAsP7XLRf_4bK-_aMRufc937WWeFg=s3825" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3825" data-original-width="2969" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6uKDMA9bwgMoD4w9Ca7uAL-1exvoSbp7Co_m2gBwN2vpgJoFa-uIEvhN3eTnKZ3gYE1t5Kyw5n3ZaoDPbgWPrgD9_OPKe1LbtsIEGxGaJXhJZhA9hmuVl01c69U8-2I_8sivlD9yA8HQ1weYnbBN-ryCpqiZQyEAsP7XLRf_4bK-_aMRufc937WWeFg=w310-h400" width="310" /></a> <br /></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I snapped some photos and grabbed a brochure before my mother-in-law got a good grip on my ear and dragged me back with the group.</span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEu79qqJ4OHBD5qNbsl9AQCcz-JC9G6br7dw_-8iIGOEUcI6qjjGNM0mpj-g8aOaiXzGYn_INVv3nXZC2YAIkVE59967DBQymyaWSmTWWQEe5LHSmMgRED5s8_TVWbEHuHBJwzxEFPVKhzbvEkWGWkU3X7jpwqbUXYExIrfN-8BASJWVjFCwfNIpYvBw=s6000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEu79qqJ4OHBD5qNbsl9AQCcz-JC9G6br7dw_-8iIGOEUcI6qjjGNM0mpj-g8aOaiXzGYn_INVv3nXZC2YAIkVE59967DBQymyaWSmTWWQEe5LHSmMgRED5s8_TVWbEHuHBJwzxEFPVKhzbvEkWGWkU3X7jpwqbUXYExIrfN-8BASJWVjFCwfNIpYvBw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLTxLL8aMlEMbZJsn3JpgBbF2g1r4lkkS-2XefYnIEcM9EQKI9Zvqk5e2PSjYw6h0p2qOZsrY4TUpPZ3FBK0bqtLmhziNgHxljoOUkToULFS98fNErMKIoSN1V-Ke5NVQKLCmQd828pgpTCEdNRQGAonXD1BfCY_8u-okdcdpe5kF3YgU7RrAo1BlcZA=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLTxLL8aMlEMbZJsn3JpgBbF2g1r4lkkS-2XefYnIEcM9EQKI9Zvqk5e2PSjYw6h0p2qOZsrY4TUpPZ3FBK0bqtLmhziNgHxljoOUkToULFS98fNErMKIoSN1V-Ke5NVQKLCmQd828pgpTCEdNRQGAonXD1BfCY_8u-okdcdpe5kF3YgU7RrAo1BlcZA=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yes, it's true.<br />There <i>ARE</i> punting operations in England that resemble walk-up gondola servizios.<br />I didn't get a chance to get out on the water with <i>these</i> gentlemen, but later in the day, in another place, I did.<br />But that's another story for another post.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To learn more about these punters, go to:<br /><a href="http://canterburypunts.uk "><span style="color: #fcff01;">http://canterburypunts.uk </span></a></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"> </span></span></span></span><br /></p><p></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-54049492358057541922022-01-13T13:32:00.000-08:002022-01-13T13:32:11.725-08:00When it Rains...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLB-j3sfvKyQqt20dRGbUUkmB-A_m6uDcONW8vYfk8zyn4Ok2gSmUH30HzK9PxKdLsP3CtiIOCxSkmoeMr6awZ13b4deOoPGnaoZhH-E26bp-RZG2NxaYKnHEwf5M4Jmfp7e0zuvck4dvhkK5ZV4QFVaXa3-__ajmeyDHc50wXi2TwS0_U4XYcYMztDQ=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLB-j3sfvKyQqt20dRGbUUkmB-A_m6uDcONW8vYfk8zyn4Ok2gSmUH30HzK9PxKdLsP3CtiIOCxSkmoeMr6awZ13b4deOoPGnaoZhH-E26bp-RZG2NxaYKnHEwf5M4Jmfp7e0zuvck4dvhkK5ZV4QFVaXa3-__ajmeyDHc50wXi2TwS0_U4XYcYMztDQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I snapped this from the vaporetto on a rainy day in Venice.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My guess is that those folks in the gondola had <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> <span style="color: white;">"take a gondola ride"<br /></span></i></b></span>at the top of their list in bold Sharpie marker. <br />Yes, they were determined. <br />It HAD to HAPPEN.<br />And the gondolier was prepared that day <br />with rain gear to row in.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My gondolier friend Alessandro Santini says the guy on the back of the boat is Luciano Costantini, and that beautiful gondola came out of Franco Crea's shop.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course the boat is gorgeous, <br />Check out the artfully carved perimeter trim.<br />And I love the gold carvings on the bow and stern:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPUfU0WwuuYbTMlS7Rb96IgK9z2BuHrjUBA5aj4XjCFaHxnCKBsJy4yoBRffFbgzPD6pVNF3GGsHcED16xJe6obEXb8Z7fh1s9eWA1L41JStLexA8-aSoWBxRoDKRi_plCi3_KjlFZ3cWPA_Jt4Q5_UlFRx5zq-i6VEONguminAs9_jet3L0x-NYcxgA=s968" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="968" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPUfU0WwuuYbTMlS7Rb96IgK9z2BuHrjUBA5aj4XjCFaHxnCKBsJy4yoBRffFbgzPD6pVNF3GGsHcED16xJe6obEXb8Z7fh1s9eWA1L41JStLexA8-aSoWBxRoDKRi_plCi3_KjlFZ3cWPA_Jt4Q5_UlFRx5zq-i6VEONguminAs9_jet3L0x-NYcxgA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2bvq3euR6Aq2QDsfZO2Oy6_KcKOpHdgetJTPnnOfldgnI_Gy-dwR95BLONATlh3y2hKtEc3XywGMz6ivKo5xF7LK3gMGGVt8lMjNSinRFN-oIXmdyVIuYI48dUyVG_uDUHhB_Q124zWHkWaFklsrbD_aIchbf_SQrktW3prD7smOGGxF-wGY7UqFaKw=s731" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="731" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2bvq3euR6Aq2QDsfZO2Oy6_KcKOpHdgetJTPnnOfldgnI_Gy-dwR95BLONATlh3y2hKtEc3XywGMz6ivKo5xF7LK3gMGGVt8lMjNSinRFN-oIXmdyVIuYI48dUyVG_uDUHhB_Q124zWHkWaFklsrbD_aIchbf_SQrktW3prD7smOGGxF-wGY7UqFaKw=w400-h313" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">but what caught my attention was the remarkable array of umbrellas!</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9zvYZM3CNNtucencbeLNW78v3cX40biSPIz-jXMItdjkRH379snNpciDrNrdJdHbN5gQwOiVjqN3M33dEmFAeYXSKAcmrm8Dv48ghV2AOcALORzchnR1omah88dWAsVcvZLz-h-zqOfsNiqUHPgMsBkYq_iQjBRSuwr7upfi-0rPp2T9lvmDhMpt9mg=s1056" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1056" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9zvYZM3CNNtucencbeLNW78v3cX40biSPIz-jXMItdjkRH379snNpciDrNrdJdHbN5gQwOiVjqN3M33dEmFAeYXSKAcmrm8Dv48ghV2AOcALORzchnR1omah88dWAsVcvZLz-h-zqOfsNiqUHPgMsBkYq_iQjBRSuwr7upfi-0rPp2T9lvmDhMpt9mg=w400-h378" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> I mean LOOK at that!<br />They look like Romans ready to repel a volley of arrows!</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But not Grandma.<br />No no.<br />She's like the Honey Badger - she don't care!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsfAy1KFP8-QQULh-iuvEBncfyXuFcC9TjDde8_ftfDwh0tcGJrgzZYtvKJm2yOeoTSaPiPhW6K0uw_lhZ4ZgBg3izN3NXNHk93Dm1h-k5TuSv2c9XdKOa8XDL9oluhYJrTM3GX-aCOTQJX3ETwlyO_Ksnb7cYzl6T-m3Z4OWueO_3DE5dsY5GCGHqJg=s529" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsfAy1KFP8-QQULh-iuvEBncfyXuFcC9TjDde8_ftfDwh0tcGJrgzZYtvKJm2yOeoTSaPiPhW6K0uw_lhZ4ZgBg3izN3NXNHk93Dm1h-k5TuSv2c9XdKOa8XDL9oluhYJrTM3GX-aCOTQJX3ETwlyO_Ksnb7cYzl6T-m3Z4OWueO_3DE5dsY5GCGHqJg=w540-h640" width="540" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If anything, Grandma looks like she's quietly plotting some kind of revenge, but one that must be served cold.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meanwhile, working on the back of the boat, is Luciano.<br /> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCmRj-hLg63z6YN0IIm128dVC4UXy7n9UAi1Tot8-VhbGoYNiy_zEuTn1R9LecGElOJpaimpTn_MmpuDIAwcmHhVoyGA6CNsFSM5gyw88GvzfSdXcqM9PNEtm0OolkFKoq5l-XdZv1Y4yGtZKQlGtdGKRrYK-U2R-s6D-kh7L2epfV1BAyD3EBd1mBA=s791" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="538" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvCmRj-hLg63z6YN0IIm128dVC4UXy7n9UAi1Tot8-VhbGoYNiy_zEuTn1R9LecGElOJpaimpTn_MmpuDIAwcmHhVoyGA6CNsFSM5gyw88GvzfSdXcqM9PNEtm0OolkFKoq5l-XdZv1Y4yGtZKQlGtdGKRrYK-U2R-s6D-kh7L2epfV1BAyD3EBd1mBA=w436-h640" width="436" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Makin' it look easy, while rowing in Alaskan rain gear.<br />Cheers to you, Luciano!<br /><br />(don't get too close to Grandma - she looks pissed!)</span></span></span><br /> <p></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-35071543416913079522022-01-11T20:39:00.000-08:002022-01-11T20:39:45.364-08:00Candles in the Canal<p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">photo by Kalev Pallares</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuKaPEfWUys6UKaImsBwcjHS-t38Mb1AbJU27M6rCdO9j_7IFiioNoP02x_Q-58mqtE1icX6KiTmtCiLfacZXkfwZKoAbBDH798MEZQU0L3OKuabZ1VzKdRn7nYkbCvXvfXMU4y7F5viA3i9wjATR96mdLAV18D-XqrBliNwhLWVsvTxRrJgWNTEZxUg=s2012" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2012" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuKaPEfWUys6UKaImsBwcjHS-t38Mb1AbJU27M6rCdO9j_7IFiioNoP02x_Q-58mqtE1icX6KiTmtCiLfacZXkfwZKoAbBDH798MEZQU0L3OKuabZ1VzKdRn7nYkbCvXvfXMU4y7F5viA3i9wjATR96mdLAV18D-XqrBliNwhLWVsvTxRrJgWNTEZxUg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just another perfect moment on the waters of Newport Beach.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Polished brass sirens and gold-leaf guilding glow in the twilight, while freshly painted floorboards reflect the light of the candles in a magical way. </span></span></span><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-18024189734060185942022-01-08T21:21:00.001-08:002022-01-08T21:43:09.410-08:00Raising the Red Gondola - The Life Jacket Trick<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNiO7qaplQzmLQ0rxOhdKIjcVPRXYOmuNA--iIYkV9zn9y0gtzx7Jxt9avPdu2GkkYbGd4H-Hn2AQTWvjzaABK-_0aKMtYUELxraxH3SAIimUVaaXtErWixZqfB7vT30LrhSGQwlQ5RaQd2GPiHiKc4OTzIWDHKc0Z4nzuvmznMP_5wWczzntGRgFuOw=s574" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="574" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNiO7qaplQzmLQ0rxOhdKIjcVPRXYOmuNA--iIYkV9zn9y0gtzx7Jxt9avPdu2GkkYbGd4H-Hn2AQTWvjzaABK-_0aKMtYUELxraxH3SAIimUVaaXtErWixZqfB7vT30LrhSGQwlQ5RaQd2GPiHiKc4OTzIWDHKc0Z4nzuvmznMP_5wWczzntGRgFuOw=w400-h314" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">The internet tends to present a less-than-accurate reality.</span></span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Spend five minutes on social media and you’ll be convinced that
everyone’s having a better life than you are. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">We don’t hesitate to post about victories and good grades. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">But nobody posts about how they got a D+ on an exam, or how crappy their vacation is going.</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Back in 2008 I arrived at my docks after a night of rain to discover
that one of my gondolas had become a </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">“</span></span></span>low rider.”</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">What can I say? Some boats just decide to identify as
submarines, only to discover that they’re made of wood - which happens float. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">When my boat swamped, I thought a lot about whether I wanted
to share this “non-victory” with the world. </span> <br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Surely someone out there might find some kind of perverse joy in
seeing that I’d failed at something. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">In the end I thought about how many times I’d learned from other gondola
owners, and I decided to post about it and also about how I managed to get my gondola back on
top of the water. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">It was a clever trick involving ratcheting tie straps hooked to both
sides of a slip and strung beneath the boat. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">You can read all about it in my post<br /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2008/11/blog-post.html"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">"Raising my own titanic"</span></span></span></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">For those of who haven’t yet experienced this level of
boat-ownership-joy, the object is to get all of the rails of the gondola above
the surface: <br /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">just enough height to prevent water from flowing back into the vessel
as you bail or pump out the water that shouldn’t be there already. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">But the method I employed was only effective because the boat was in a
slip. I’ve often wondered what I would have done if the boat were on a side
tie. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAgRWZ4puC_WzXgiWKqXEDk1NXyWaCCeJ_sXVUPZtHu2Hg8JPLqUBKqE3dGqAem1CZHWwVFDgOR7XHOwTsEIM_crvhW8KQsD1benHZiKP5aubp1o1dAuTIhqRhlSQVYDBmdR7SCi0IVzY/w225-h320/IMG_0191.JPG" style="height: 702px; width: 493px;" width="225" /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Once a gondola has “become one with the surface of the water,” all
sorts of stability elements pretty much go out the window. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Untie her and try moving her to a slip and she’s likely to try and
“whale over” on you. The metal ferro blade on the bow tip is heavy. It has a high center of gravity, and wants nothing more than to seek deeper water.<br /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">If the boat flips, you’re into a whole new level of problems, which may
include having to fish non-floating parts off the bottom. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">So how does a gondola owner accomplish the lift with the boat only moored
on one side?</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Mark Schooling at <a href="http://gondolaparadiso.com/">Gondola Paradiso</a> came up with a very clever method
using materials that were readily on hand. </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">The other day Mark joined the club of gondola owners who've had a boat that experiences a sudden increase in depth.</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">He showed up in the morning, after a night of rain, to this:</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJGy2e9HwXtwhyr_zcep20K_Nqd7YsnXdKHwt6dzNuhCHMLAb4QjnWAybNKpfU3VZOK_ukZcZXavmbUiP5toKLeYTmM9-7FXB8nCYddrzhVJ0MJ-e2EfkCiFrAvbygEHw2GjDs90TMXqXtnGKUCH8lMKIEqTK8GLWnsLvdJX14vJFVc6PNIQ5zAFH8ow=s2016" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJGy2e9HwXtwhyr_zcep20K_Nqd7YsnXdKHwt6dzNuhCHMLAb4QjnWAybNKpfU3VZOK_ukZcZXavmbUiP5toKLeYTmM9-7FXB8nCYddrzhVJ0MJ-e2EfkCiFrAvbygEHw2GjDs90TMXqXtnGKUCH8lMKIEqTK8GLWnsLvdJX14vJFVc6PNIQ5zAFH8ow=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Fortunately the way she was tethered prevented anything from floating away. There was no way to move the gondola to a slip, so Mark did something else.<br /></span><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">He simply gave the vessel more buoyancy … by stuffing life jackets under
the decks. </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF__RzvnospuNQDsoW9HPiu4B1OgcH441VFICAC0AHKWiFd-qbpsCPz10OoS6WrH2d9VesQ3F1BPGYdss6W87tlXR_-kcZrzWTM-CEDkZ8ygLPkhTnp6gtwCCI3VgYdeIM-AX5AqUu9UvyWv7QbyKnPZz9ZUgmgeQ9JhxLIjvRftzFDYibYbb4IQ9Uzw=s2016" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF__RzvnospuNQDsoW9HPiu4B1OgcH441VFICAC0AHKWiFd-qbpsCPz10OoS6WrH2d9VesQ3F1BPGYdss6W87tlXR_-kcZrzWTM-CEDkZ8ygLPkhTnp6gtwCCI3VgYdeIM-AX5AqUu9UvyWv7QbyKnPZz9ZUgmgeQ9JhxLIjvRftzFDYibYbb4IQ9Uzw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Here you see two packs of life jackets, with one about to get stuffed under the trasto de meso.</span></span></span></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"><br /> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXfizbItA3W5DbmgYeoFhPy3GQBuZA5bY57MsuXMBl__yMAmUQBzuKQoypZCqo9k_n67dnUjbNVzcmHqidYEBhxABsgo0TrqZCvFpPD0gBx-yMFWwC3dn7q2NAuRQ5bCnE13QS_5z3XQIT7rr5lb6ClLmMWOU2rPwOQI5WW1IYau8Eb9nNTANHHDgGGg=s2016" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXfizbItA3W5DbmgYeoFhPy3GQBuZA5bY57MsuXMBl__yMAmUQBzuKQoypZCqo9k_n67dnUjbNVzcmHqidYEBhxABsgo0TrqZCvFpPD0gBx-yMFWwC3dn7q2NAuRQ5bCnE13QS_5z3XQIT7rr5lb6ClLmMWOU2rPwOQI5WW1IYau8Eb9nNTANHHDgGGg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #e06666;"> Both life jacket packs firmly lodged beneath the trasto.</span><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">It was a bit of a struggle because life jackets don’t like to be
submerged, but once he got all the life jackets he had in place and climbed
his wet self out of the boat, the rails were high enough to clear the surface. After that it was a simple matter of bailing out the
water. </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">After some serious cardio as well as weight lifting (water weight, that is), the boat was back on top, and Mark got her covered and ready for the next rain.</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1EYtXjUr5HCPzlSTKBXJcZKDQKnri9VSAcTcip_ANydakFkwsug61SvbpP7STRcCOkaAROK9BAVo40cki9TgRmZBYyUoFtVPoSZ_8X_5yvqh8QAOXo-mvP-bwgEKI4J7xYpdZS8ln6V72tWI4R75Lv8u9KNUFAlUaxXk2KPh8tQz3sULpolUwy2JlGQ=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1280" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1EYtXjUr5HCPzlSTKBXJcZKDQKnri9VSAcTcip_ANydakFkwsug61SvbpP7STRcCOkaAROK9BAVo40cki9TgRmZBYyUoFtVPoSZ_8X_5yvqh8QAOXo-mvP-bwgEKI4J7xYpdZS8ln6V72tWI4R75Lv8u9KNUFAlUaxXk2KPh8tQz3sULpolUwy2JlGQ=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />This gondola is a favorite among American gondoliers.<br />Many of us have raced her in the US Gondola Nationals, and a lot of us have also had the opportunity to take passenger cruises on her, both in Huntington Harbour and in her current home port in Oxnard, California.</span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">She's obviously easy to recognize due to her red color.</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfUq_yE8JyDu4gFwbUEUB1eZMAVgOnhvwfAOKcKBcg4ePedg_UnT5IgKhhR_5larb3OSyqaUOYLR4qUU9yN-ne9X3Zi43wVLcOyaH--8Umx4xghWX0ZIXBJt8i_B6EJxtlbZCfNPy0aDUHkiPHrWGdRojLO6TJOzyoXXY-Z9WXBZUVEE93RRSSo1h10g=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfUq_yE8JyDu4gFwbUEUB1eZMAVgOnhvwfAOKcKBcg4ePedg_UnT5IgKhhR_5larb3OSyqaUOYLR4qUU9yN-ne9X3Zi43wVLcOyaH--8Umx4xghWX0ZIXBJt8i_B6EJxtlbZCfNPy0aDUHkiPHrWGdRojLO6TJOzyoXXY-Z9WXBZUVEE93RRSSo1h10g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Gondolier Josh Sopp rows the red gondola</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">photo by Mark Schooling <br /></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e06666;">(shamelessly stolen from Josh's social media)</span><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">Lifting a boat or other object with additional buoyancy is common among salvage divers. They often have fancy "lift bags" that they inflate using their SCUBA tanks. Guys like Mark and I don't have that kind of equipment on hand. </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">The next time I find myself needing to raise a swamped boat, I'll remember Mark's life jacket trick.</span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">(Hopefully it won't happen any time soon)<br /></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">If by chance <u>you</u> find <u>yourself</u> doing this, </span></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;">
</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: white;">consult my post</span> <a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2008/11/top-ten-swamped-boat.html">"Top Ten - Swamped Boat"</a> <span style="color: white;">list of excuses </span></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">to use when people start asking questions.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: white;">Further ridiculous posting on this subject can be read at:</span><br /><a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2017/01/the-tie-strap-trick.html">"The Tie-Strap Trick"</a><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: "verdana";"></span> </span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: white;">For more amusing reading about bad things happening to boats, see</span><br /></span> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2011/09/bad-things-happen-part-1-smashing.html">"Bad Things Happen - Part 1 - Smashing, Burning, and Sinking"</a></span></span></span></div><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKQ3-uyb-5otYwnzscwaApNtcI3RRkPcLjQeWZbj4uKBW8SHOn6wcEApLTnY9Wk9lwoNtGO6ANS1_B7IzOJkqwQWm1_jI-3UAHOkr7pu76wooUXBlhgC_4hMBVZ4lS4ybDZHJA0FmBeGNhZ48IzZGJItg_Z9QYCaq34DxnCtzcoC-Zrh5ZcJ6D6g8OFA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKQ3-uyb-5otYwnzscwaApNtcI3RRkPcLjQeWZbj4uKBW8SHOn6wcEApLTnY9Wk9lwoNtGO6ANS1_B7IzOJkqwQWm1_jI-3UAHOkr7pu76wooUXBlhgC_4hMBVZ4lS4ybDZHJA0FmBeGNhZ48IzZGJItg_Z9QYCaq34DxnCtzcoC-Zrh5ZcJ6D6g8OFA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">photo by Josh Sopp</span></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2">(another photo stolen from Josh - I just <i>HAD</i> to!)</span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"></span></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2"> </span></span></span></p>
Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-42127073913073880222022-01-07T12:00:00.001-08:002022-01-07T12:00:00.241-08:00Fox in the Fog<p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDE2QzGpyS8EpPk8qjLtPzBuQdJeZ5xP09xxJEBZO9KDTfz67GoFBsXtjw3foLiHlxS83r8car0TOZlS1Wqi3kDhehHy4kL5qT7-nKKKfK0HPURjIdaliHr7aje4DBrDOxJikecXc3XuEq9QUyuH1C-gzqhHxZFkCrmfNbxp2KME9vUxfezXjLtMOrYw=s1883" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="1413" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDE2QzGpyS8EpPk8qjLtPzBuQdJeZ5xP09xxJEBZO9KDTfz67GoFBsXtjw3foLiHlxS83r8car0TOZlS1Wqi3kDhehHy4kL5qT7-nKKKfK0HPURjIdaliHr7aje4DBrDOxJikecXc3XuEq9QUyuH1C-gzqhHxZFkCrmfNbxp2KME9vUxfezXjLtMOrYw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you think the only places you'll find gondolas are Venice and the United States, well then you haven't been looking around enough. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For instance, there are several gondola operations in Germany. One of them - called <a href="https://www.gondelfox.de/">Gondelfox</a> - operates in a beautiful area just outside of Berlin.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A while ago Alexander Fuchs (owner of Gondelfox) flew in to visit my friend Drew Sainte Marie at <a href="https://blackswangondola.com/">Black Swan Gondola</a>. <br /><br />I had to meet this guy.<br /><br />After both Black Swan and my company - Gondola Adventures had crazy Decembers, we finally got some time to get together.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXGsKrTuqLdJol2ehdRP78toTrT_BAe-kccRmodN6YrFkDtcscO1Z090Zqza4b3HvIHDMixut5X-7_sso_PLOa6DKzg1026v-Suo7TxZWC9beid6jB46TOFYuq8jfwcbNpApihuB3pGHZbQ39mrvPaRTH0xk08OvPeVbE8NxIH-y9Ewkcyqc9waBPZew=s1512" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXGsKrTuqLdJol2ehdRP78toTrT_BAe-kccRmodN6YrFkDtcscO1Z090Zqza4b3HvIHDMixut5X-7_sso_PLOa6DKzg1026v-Suo7TxZWC9beid6jB46TOFYuq8jfwcbNpApihuB3pGHZbQ39mrvPaRTH0xk08OvPeVbE8NxIH-y9Ewkcyqc9waBPZew=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="color: #fce5cd;">from left to right:</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><br /><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kyle Wolting, Greg Mohr, </span></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Alexander Fuchs, and Drew Sainte Marie</span></span></span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">After a quick cup of coffee<br />(and realizing that I'm the shortest adult male in the world)<br />we jumped on the dei Rossi gondola we call Celeste and headed out for a row.</span></span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFNqgt_MO0HR9EWYO57dfM31G3xMkSalLOoW5oq_3RBXm6w7gdXGwytwwUROPUsuw7zj0-B4K67mz2Nm2uvuYoR5KCgjo8TFdjialHGyVUznVn_OBvEzKC7uDrA8bPZMvBT8uSEc-_ajTlWFynKaKU0143-0x_Cmaik7C28kcy_TUmfAWHB2LLRjkfnQ=s2016" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFNqgt_MO0HR9EWYO57dfM31G3xMkSalLOoW5oq_3RBXm6w7gdXGwytwwUROPUsuw7zj0-B4K67mz2Nm2uvuYoR5KCgjo8TFdjialHGyVUznVn_OBvEzKC7uDrA8bPZMvBT8uSEc-_ajTlWFynKaKU0143-0x_Cmaik7C28kcy_TUmfAWHB2LLRjkfnQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">I pulled the gondola out of her slip <br />and handed the oar to Alex.<br /><br />He was immediately at home rowing "a-poppa".<br />It's always fun to watch someone who knows what they're doing on a gondola, as they row a new boat in a new place with an expert touch.<br /><br />We all talked about the different people we know in the gondola world, and Drew and I hammed it up a bit towards the front of the boat.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitZHnxzoCVXRTJthZyMwHGKEChPK0qkRQe5xhbiTdUfZwFNzH81uSAIkvk5bpK5xRBUkR30LBTo0yMz-n3TKRs05ivC-1p_RrCwCNKdMAyLCVIPXoZ2bZUh_V-crKJT6H83IVRaylyryuLhEaGc4emx-xh57Z4gRp0JHZ3ZnHucwRWKSNGOcHGUo6bWA=s1509" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitZHnxzoCVXRTJthZyMwHGKEChPK0qkRQe5xhbiTdUfZwFNzH81uSAIkvk5bpK5xRBUkR30LBTo0yMz-n3TKRs05ivC-1p_RrCwCNKdMAyLCVIPXoZ2bZUh_V-crKJT6H83IVRaylyryuLhEaGc4emx-xh57Z4gRp0JHZ3ZnHucwRWKSNGOcHGUo6bWA=w480-h640" width="480" /> </a></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> As we neared the Turning Basin at the center of the harbor, I pointed out homes where John Wayne and Nicolas Cage had lived, and we noticed a dense fog rolling into the harbor.</span></span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /><br /></div></span></span></span></div><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiU5J9YtiUEjaQPU5LrLz_-bXn8td8dXQHxy45GbA-8W_0UwaehFf4Qksg4FPy_KHHlf5LOcrbYhB0I9YldL-fgvgFe2V08b77nklvPTz6mr1Vy7BKWB5m7fTq8HYbgHcVnhRlcwhl1XRD0cdmd__PwGUq4dl1jAWQmh9VJNEdmb9UWISb6o29ptyJNw=s1620" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1444" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiU5J9YtiUEjaQPU5LrLz_-bXn8td8dXQHxy45GbA-8W_0UwaehFf4Qksg4FPy_KHHlf5LOcrbYhB0I9YldL-fgvgFe2V08b77nklvPTz6mr1Vy7BKWB5m7fTq8HYbgHcVnhRlcwhl1XRD0cdmd__PwGUq4dl1jAWQmh9VJNEdmb9UWISb6o29ptyJNw=w570-h640" width="570" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="color: #fce5cd;">Alex smiles with some famous homes in the background.</span></span></span><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fog got thicker as we headed back to dock.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">As usual, I made another great friend in the gondola world, <br />and now I can't wait to visit the Berlin area and row with the Gondelfox.</span><br /></span><br /></span></p></div>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-5939189821208366202022-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:002022-01-06T09:20:20.849-08:00Four Guys "Go to the Hoist"<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaJMLFQYSIxWr7DqmCVxBjE6mbWDxCInojrk-X57LU8Xj436N6ij9oWosk-uA-81CJjt-8ierTHfXmiJJvW88UBlS9KOHR2fUJ60Cam-yE09y_xjC2M1LXS8XuGj6woE_6GNWePVhHmiKkux5T0oBU9qfDcBqdOzFAafcIxyTCK_n-NUJwwMHf3NfIUA=s3049" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2315" data-original-width="3049" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaJMLFQYSIxWr7DqmCVxBjE6mbWDxCInojrk-X57LU8Xj436N6ij9oWosk-uA-81CJjt-8ierTHfXmiJJvW88UBlS9KOHR2fUJ60Cam-yE09y_xjC2M1LXS8XuGj6woE_6GNWePVhHmiKkux5T0oBU9qfDcBqdOzFAafcIxyTCK_n-NUJwwMHf3NfIUA=w640-h486" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am am often asked by passengers if I've ever been to Venice.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My answer is usually <br /><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><i>"of course, if you're an Elvis impersonator...<br />ya gotta go to Graceland. <br />If you're REALLY into Karate, ya gotta go to Japan."</i></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my opinion, anyone who rows a gondola owes it to themselves, and anyone they take as passengers, to experience Venice - the place it all comes from.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During my first visit to Venice, I was very fortunate that my friend Nereo Zane introduced me to the GSVVM rowing club. <br />It's in Mestre at the base of the bridge that leads to Venice. <br />It was there that I not only received expert training, but got to see so many other parts of Venetian life that a tourist never sees.<br /><br />The GSVVM is a rowing club. You join, gain access to the various boats they have, and get to participate in all sorts of social activities as well. Think of it as a gym, but instead of weights and workout rooms, everyone works out on the water on boats, and because it's often a leisure activity, there's a strong social aspect to much of what goes on there.<br />More importantly, members get to practice an activity that is part of their history, their heritage, and is culturally unique to their region.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">couples, families, and friend groups can be seen there together, and often the rowing excursions they take into the lagoon have been scheduled and then looked forward to for days.<br />In other cases members will just show up, take a boat out on a whim, and then hang out and socialize.<br />Additionally, there are regattas that members can compete in, and annual events that members sign up for.<br /><br />During each of my visits to Venice, the GSVVM has been an important thing on my list.<br />I've learned basics, had fun recreational rows, and even received competitive race training there.<br />In 2015 Simon Atkins came with me and we spent a week, every day, on the water preparing for the upcoming US Gondola Nationals. The instruction we received from maestro Mario Rossetti was invaluable, and made a big difference in how we trained once we returned to California. We believe it also made a huge difference in our race times.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this post I've included several photos from the "going to the hoist" part at the beginning of one of our training day rows with Nereo Zane and maestro Mario.</span></span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7w0OKirtKSx7-CLl9IKYbNuBA3yUprrwH5BUVG4xgdmL9lSgqxZP0f9xKIG2qK4bJB3RAXg1acXL_d6i_KYjNt9eDMyGrB1Le5ehMI3H0n1Uv5eGL5w0Pg6uzaHp70CG1PcSQQ6Xf9L5dxHco88ynGtC6wdCdEYtuF7DJLH7JB8FtSBQKmp3Rso8Y0A=s2601" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2601" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7w0OKirtKSx7-CLl9IKYbNuBA3yUprrwH5BUVG4xgdmL9lSgqxZP0f9xKIG2qK4bJB3RAXg1acXL_d6i_KYjNt9eDMyGrB1Le5ehMI3H0n1Uv5eGL5w0Pg6uzaHp70CG1PcSQQ6Xf9L5dxHco88ynGtC6wdCdEYtuF7DJLH7JB8FtSBQKmp3Rso8Y0A=w400-h236" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mario and Nereo talk about the planned route, <br />while Simon steadies the boat.</span></span></span><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinbOoCB_UWAc_fNkXSUDvd05gj9z1hUmJX-OG-0-sRhGORzxlvmHh9VLrZFQtABJDjbNvL6uj1nMDIJQteDaDBz7FTBB1qgoc7E2UJ2WeLVTpei6gXJvJEB5w7he7HAV_4t-qXNp0ITXcDaz0hS7aXEqwi7MCfV3UHBujgvRSiTC0Jmi3lB9IDAF1wSA=s3100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3100" data-original-width="2006" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinbOoCB_UWAc_fNkXSUDvd05gj9z1hUmJX-OG-0-sRhGORzxlvmHh9VLrZFQtABJDjbNvL6uj1nMDIJQteDaDBz7FTBB1qgoc7E2UJ2WeLVTpei6gXJvJEB5w7he7HAV_4t-qXNp0ITXcDaz0hS7aXEqwi7MCfV3UHBujgvRSiTC0Jmi3lB9IDAF1wSA=w414-h640" width="414" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another view, with the hoist in the background.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS-IZpqr744i2W3gg6usRLOW0yd8u0vRztUL-JbMCnVHtQ9jgFZ-P0TbeqqV87tk6OE4rJPn1r_yrOrZ7Jq1P3PngYL3x-HKw13_hlOb8yoBxFCICGBlB9QjHJZEP1ZWho8gVk9bG2qN07j2I0BCIxrQ4nIUPl4LVzsenfCZmvlgUt-_4Axt8iC5R2vA=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS-IZpqr744i2W3gg6usRLOW0yd8u0vRztUL-JbMCnVHtQ9jgFZ-P0TbeqqV87tk6OE4rJPn1r_yrOrZ7Jq1P3PngYL3x-HKw13_hlOb8yoBxFCICGBlB9QjHJZEP1ZWho8gVk9bG2qN07j2I0BCIxrQ4nIUPl4LVzsenfCZmvlgUt-_4Axt8iC5R2vA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The club decal adorns both sides of the stern of the boat.<br /></span></span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglTLmkiSAgsDSqDkdxDC3O_AK_PnB5elaW7BbKin_N7fZ095-IkxMJfC6BpEux0S0uqr0g7t9bUrtDjP9CJlmk0Sjjqbo45nUx89ElcmA3okLMmMqbxmYJ4rVh323eBmpnU_HlTHXLdo4nV8q6dQagDj7iTiHmnqL9ZsAO6YkwcLt4nVVG_Y1LBU4jsw=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglTLmkiSAgsDSqDkdxDC3O_AK_PnB5elaW7BbKin_N7fZ095-IkxMJfC6BpEux0S0uqr0g7t9bUrtDjP9CJlmk0Sjjqbo45nUx89ElcmA3okLMmMqbxmYJ4rVh323eBmpnU_HlTHXLdo4nV8q6dQagDj7iTiHmnqL9ZsAO6YkwcLt4nVVG_Y1LBU4jsw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Like many of the other vessels in the GSVVM fleet, </span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">this sandolo was handcrafted by the in-house boat builder <br />Luigi Marcuzzi.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGYEQPlanIhcSzQXZtqSvkmp0fxG-NxoUFLKbXYErdrlBv8pfbAwl4JxAUNSUJRV_ZIN1pm19bkIYs40JWykhqYv5UMNCj364s56XS682cxGcKtFWylZ0wTZIPPiOkElsXGeYH5xpisV-dQR0lrH-JrT0aO5IO9gQWnggc5XquPM9JEX8bfWVL8ntmXw=s2586" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="1693" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGYEQPlanIhcSzQXZtqSvkmp0fxG-NxoUFLKbXYErdrlBv8pfbAwl4JxAUNSUJRV_ZIN1pm19bkIYs40JWykhqYv5UMNCj364s56XS682cxGcKtFWylZ0wTZIPPiOkElsXGeYH5xpisV-dQR0lrH-JrT0aO5IO9gQWnggc5XquPM9JEX8bfWVL8ntmXw=w418-h640" width="418" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nereo tends to the forcole as a club gondola is hoisted in the background.</span></span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmztXD_VRiOfzdBF04qi6trhVc2qYULQB2qRcsbR151uGo-Ee6S6A6u9qgvh8AfVRZaQ83Q6KvysslJ1eE7lOWYI-AB7d9ErxtX5NRQVUpc6nUs3xbh0AFa7TtD1da8EwjWrgRKjOwebVt/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmztXD_VRiOfzdBF04qi6trhVc2qYULQB2qRcsbR151uGo-Ee6S6A6u9qgvh8AfVRZaQ83Q6KvysslJ1eE7lOWYI-AB7d9ErxtX5NRQVUpc6nUs3xbh0AFa7TtD1da8EwjWrgRKjOwebVt/w640-h480/IMG_9774.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Forcole.</span></span></span><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjThifsfvFzEimNidBpP9DYEiV4rin65Tt9X4tD_Zpz23eFx7xJy-k8I7FQ53xPJ8jq9C9j6OFCyIub16cdAEOWTlpjLZh9B0shMYfh5tKXOXkNQukstgGPQvURK34MVrIR65LxNzj11ynm5_cS_GWkakbo3mlFfVWK22SzKqJUgvUZCKKXTe0jKs1u3g=s3007" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3007" data-original-width="1733" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjThifsfvFzEimNidBpP9DYEiV4rin65Tt9X4tD_Zpz23eFx7xJy-k8I7FQ53xPJ8jq9C9j6OFCyIub16cdAEOWTlpjLZh9B0shMYfh5tKXOXkNQukstgGPQvURK34MVrIR65LxNzj11ynm5_cS_GWkakbo3mlFfVWK22SzKqJUgvUZCKKXTe0jKs1u3g=w369-h640" width="369" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A couple in a mascareta are next to launch into the lagoon.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIhbpxy30dpIH5BYo2TZDKHyV76vVnW0BnU0VB3NsNs7_W1bNQA0bQ5yvDNF9Avsqd_GRn0nmIBDc-xhHN23AdCSGwS66GK3i7h6KazR9CK3txs576iHYufm9-aXdFFz27XPCvjFVNHG8K9xfo_9uVgLOOnyuaEOa98P-GSNxY3qSgqApTIS_qFJdWsQ=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIhbpxy30dpIH5BYo2TZDKHyV76vVnW0BnU0VB3NsNs7_W1bNQA0bQ5yvDNF9Avsqd_GRn0nmIBDc-xhHN23AdCSGwS66GK3i7h6KazR9CK3txs576iHYufm9-aXdFFz27XPCvjFVNHG8K9xfo_9uVgLOOnyuaEOa98P-GSNxY3qSgqApTIS_qFJdWsQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nereo exchanges greetings with the couple <br />as they set out for an adventure of their own.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7rsD6vk_k_svKOXhmvVx4_-h7a3Z4CKDvfTbYhsTO9LMyisw5_Llwug2CnEI3TmO-wS2HlNtTaCvA4dgXL04abD0g_vTsb8feFsoUdvb3sjy55OaYLDShAPeUGLhq4Nv-SM9y4VBdBNj3QNHfZ8JJwmU13Dqtb6RR_W0OKZ5Duqv1ep0XARFW3LHnaA=s2813" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="2015" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7rsD6vk_k_svKOXhmvVx4_-h7a3Z4CKDvfTbYhsTO9LMyisw5_Llwug2CnEI3TmO-wS2HlNtTaCvA4dgXL04abD0g_vTsb8feFsoUdvb3sjy55OaYLDShAPeUGLhq4Nv-SM9y4VBdBNj3QNHfZ8JJwmU13Dqtb6RR_W0OKZ5Duqv1ep0XARFW3LHnaA=w458-h640" width="458" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A close-up of the club gondola.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0qIvlU67_hysVOQvNjmMDQ1RB_ZKx0OORCVcQMTzT-Ai7gTUKp8ZCQ23BOkTVzwWtaYQXmie7xlOcramoC2LGZwuqBrYxHFg1wU0KXADuTfw5fNQBERkcxfFNS1HKqcx8Es5E3N8dq6-xnUne_Wiv1nODAj6m5_t28oPTCncbK639qaieSoDyYcotlQ=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0qIvlU67_hysVOQvNjmMDQ1RB_ZKx0OORCVcQMTzT-Ai7gTUKp8ZCQ23BOkTVzwWtaYQXmie7xlOcramoC2LGZwuqBrYxHFg1wU0KXADuTfw5fNQBERkcxfFNS1HKqcx8Es5E3N8dq6-xnUne_Wiv1nODAj6m5_t28oPTCncbK639qaieSoDyYcotlQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our sandolo goes in.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4OHAZuquAthLuncqdt22MDeNskS9wsv54jkBn3RnETybpLswEMAvEnHXtdmgOpk29q_U5uZMS4AYzGlzEsOvfAhm6Gw4CGci2Zzyt2EXNAwkkgnTtywciEP41shBSViX6-CjfoJ0Cf9C/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4OHAZuquAthLuncqdt22MDeNskS9wsv54jkBn3RnETybpLswEMAvEnHXtdmgOpk29q_U5uZMS4AYzGlzEsOvfAhm6Gw4CGci2Zzyt2EXNAwkkgnTtywciEP41shBSViX6-CjfoJ0Cf9C/w640-h480/IMG_9800.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mario steps in and maneuvers the boat out from the straps.<br /></span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitS7huXXOssgti44rkQBnB408IRFATvhCL1pTXsI71GXyZafbCq2qKX7hK7mtoP0GijSRRHfCKdVu7ljczaf1EUsjFaCtJDf4K9_Dkrz7wSr-uNIaKzEwNYqD72t0ijp5o60VAaPAOb_wbwBKyiIzrcPsj86PRc0GW9AAeM3tPlHk9a3g0BjiRrbJUKg=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhokLLDNqcWcQH8KNWrtlasGwFTb4cjXUUK0MIznoBJ_AJNhTGoDRg7WABz2ZEHUWggW1HcqnIymDiguJshR1jB-j9UMAf5uHZ1kp8hQvEzM4dDiHszmnbcvmQPgknvdBxl7hRNDr9It3M0KCAC3JPL-z8Z_2G-NLDXdRJbyw28-7yEto-yTgLVZeu88Q=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhokLLDNqcWcQH8KNWrtlasGwFTb4cjXUUK0MIznoBJ_AJNhTGoDRg7WABz2ZEHUWggW1HcqnIymDiguJshR1jB-j9UMAf5uHZ1kp8hQvEzM4dDiHszmnbcvmQPgknvdBxl7hRNDr9It3M0KCAC3JPL-z8Z_2G-NLDXdRJbyw28-7yEto-yTgLVZeu88Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Simon makes an adjustment to his forcola mount.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What happened next was all rowing, and no picture taking.<br /><br />We set out into the lagoon, rowed in some of the protected areas in Mestre, than crossed the water into Venice.<br />Seeing Venice from the water is wonderful.<br />Seeing it from a boat that you're rowing is the stuff of dreams, and it ends up IN your dreams afterwards.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />We moored the boat near the fish market, across the Grand Canal from the Santa Sofia gondola station.<br /></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvcQhqw6um_aTEXBNpErF3ZMYQR6yHmgd2MxdxQ6TRMNwFOAkjX0OrYwgdjDZgRnnKr79lnakVsbwiktTMHureLxlsynZTRVjjGHKrPbtAJhsZDEQmwhUmYq-Xwbs2dHeJWxyRCjRwNaMx3Z-fTIuA__ckXjBVCHJ0cVBVa0EjsdTpy_KFC8wocXkg5g=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvcQhqw6um_aTEXBNpErF3ZMYQR6yHmgd2MxdxQ6TRMNwFOAkjX0OrYwgdjDZgRnnKr79lnakVsbwiktTMHureLxlsynZTRVjjGHKrPbtAJhsZDEQmwhUmYq-Xwbs2dHeJWxyRCjRwNaMx3Z-fTIuA__ckXjBVCHJ0cVBVa0EjsdTpy_KFC8wocXkg5g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Securing the boat.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After mooring the boat, we headed into a little place called the <br />Bar Stellina, overlooking the Campo Beccarie near the fish market.</span></span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXYUz9rmP_Vn3snKC8rdh0LZ30VwTDH4j5uMAqTNoWNlz9vbAYeHY5ek7uFpLhn4PkL9jVnetq_iJjBC3Lzrb0WPhYMZjaybzk7_uhVWiCsJQakkLiAYmOYiIUz-BJA5ziCFNb0yjOGcKNOHluomugdqw85QSQWd3jj4KJYVtXgpBAIE0tEgrAoEZpcA=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXYUz9rmP_Vn3snKC8rdh0LZ30VwTDH4j5uMAqTNoWNlz9vbAYeHY5ek7uFpLhn4PkL9jVnetq_iJjBC3Lzrb0WPhYMZjaybzk7_uhVWiCsJQakkLiAYmOYiIUz-BJA5ziCFNb0yjOGcKNOHluomugdqw85QSQWd3jj4KJYVtXgpBAIE0tEgrAoEZpcA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Simon and I snagging a selfie shot while Nereo and Mario talk.</span></span></span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Every experience I've had in Venice seems to be engraved in my memory.<br />I treasure it all, and look forward to going back, again and again.<br /><br />Big thanks to both Nereo and Mario for training, translating, and all of their patience with us.</span></span></span><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-70452264624143705822022-01-03T23:09:00.001-08:002022-01-03T23:24:37.817-08:00Celeste at Sunset<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhJZfoDUS7W6PrRqWMydUWyBsNzKClw2O9iWEcUrGwYc_vPlI_2VkNQ0bcMTmyt031apLBOzD1SMNJt8QdFmJKFgqeak2uHbDQofKfYuD9mR7dBej2Deq-HFmzH0FhHjbg7lH5Pjg7obHZ-aUZ7YQVnmaRHkm0oCJXvvGiOA5xyb86T9rnPScQnllqw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhJZfoDUS7W6PrRqWMydUWyBsNzKClw2O9iWEcUrGwYc_vPlI_2VkNQ0bcMTmyt031apLBOzD1SMNJt8QdFmJKFgqeak2uHbDQofKfYuD9mR7dBej2Deq-HFmzH0FhHjbg7lH5Pjg7obHZ-aUZ7YQVnmaRHkm0oCJXvvGiOA5xyb86T9rnPScQnllqw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #31e8f5;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just a little snap I took from the back of the dei Rossi gondola <br />that we call "Celeste."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #31e8f5;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Up ahead you ca see gondolier Brooks Kinney rowing towards the PCH bridge as the bright orange ball touches down on another brilliant day in Newport.</span></span></span><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-60539532352679080652022-01-02T22:00:00.001-08:002022-01-02T22:00:00.200-08:00Day Two of 2022 in Newport<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipzglA7YPyAC9glpSWtjizt2Ftlh1yXnwMC3JWze5KiucouVw4TSHAbW2d7MmSxkLeJM770Ne2_CvFkDwNncHZjTpwW4Ly3GZmhG-jzbo2Vrgz6gwxNzymUp2hHBwxh-w7-xlVJNwJOiYFQLGw6zK991Rnjg4AnKXQIdpuzHZvRnnI5JTFu1GuH3dWvA=s1512" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipzglA7YPyAC9glpSWtjizt2Ftlh1yXnwMC3JWze5KiucouVw4TSHAbW2d7MmSxkLeJM770Ne2_CvFkDwNncHZjTpwW4Ly3GZmhG-jzbo2Vrgz6gwxNzymUp2hHBwxh-w7-xlVJNwJOiYFQLGw6zK991Rnjg4AnKXQIdpuzHZvRnnI5JTFu1GuH3dWvA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The second day of 2022 was gorgeous here in Newport.<br />By all 2020 and 2021 standards, it did not suck.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of course a sunny and clear Sunday in January with temps allowing short sleeves and requiring sunglasses are hard to beat in my peculiar business.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The gondolas came and went all day, with passengers arriving with anticipation, and leaving with big smiles (some with new engagement rings).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I would love to throw dozens of photos up from the day, <br />but I think these few should suffice. <br />After all, I've got to pace myself here.</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgafIAgriNDTr8ztliPf9lKZeaggdt701N0_3ndGousrMkUePUn1pBvAh1kEF1jfkCgDBl57tGVpDlgzjTKRc8kMTSC_54cYopDiQPAzNGf5opPtbtuPE2Zj-0IBu3nqt5TLbbrN_GZxXsG3fnOrUflsRNZgubLe3wAW_-Npx0rlstI6KU9TmYVu5CLDA=s1298" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="950" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgafIAgriNDTr8ztliPf9lKZeaggdt701N0_3ndGousrMkUePUn1pBvAh1kEF1jfkCgDBl57tGVpDlgzjTKRc8kMTSC_54cYopDiQPAzNGf5opPtbtuPE2Zj-0IBu3nqt5TLbbrN_GZxXsG3fnOrUflsRNZgubLe3wAW_-Npx0rlstI6KU9TmYVu5CLDA=w469-h640" width="469" /></a></span></span></span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Kyle rows a pristine Wedding Gondola </span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">in equally pristine conditions.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIn5VfrweaqmbSblb9YK4koN1DNom1SefuPFNznjv1MOI265MZIMChyQYJ7e2xKSbnkUrX_o30CC3MxXptjt6hU_guDL5eo5bbrt1r7wcIqB2C2tGZ-9A2UsfGSH7vO1AqpbAsMOcFhGn6IaR214YnxQRB3Q79gHIrtzyT9_QxJQKCN5c10-f2ojH1A=s1491" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1491" data-original-width="1121" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIn5VfrweaqmbSblb9YK4koN1DNom1SefuPFNznjv1MOI265MZIMChyQYJ7e2xKSbnkUrX_o30CC3MxXptjt6hU_guDL5eo5bbrt1r7wcIqB2C2tGZ-9A2UsfGSH7vO1AqpbAsMOcFhGn6IaR214YnxQRB3Q79gHIrtzyT9_QxJQKCN5c10-f2ojH1A=w482-h640" width="482" /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jonah heads out on the back of Celeste, </span></span></span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #ffa400;"></span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">with post-sunset colors ever changing.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixOxFcmoHZwiRIBnVlYFieFRlpqPVdhNWOUXj14b7hhf8HbnldjgKwfhY90nYchmeO8XK1VVGnmws_vQRT1Ny9tQ8t8PGbZ5eJMfuIt2rxUzvMj34QoW24FEm1BjH56rDPI3tiSd6XGw4yVAvosDWzIh6ZC7cYgOSPSX-r8o5yghuLWuBYj34PI-qZ3A=s1766" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="1268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixOxFcmoHZwiRIBnVlYFieFRlpqPVdhNWOUXj14b7hhf8HbnldjgKwfhY90nYchmeO8XK1VVGnmws_vQRT1Ny9tQ8t8PGbZ5eJMfuIt2rxUzvMj34QoW24FEm1BjH56rDPI3tiSd6XGw4yVAvosDWzIh6ZC7cYgOSPSX-r8o5yghuLWuBYj34PI-qZ3A=w460-h640" width="460" /></a></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Orange skies and purple waters <br />has got to be my favorite combination.<br /><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Later in the evening I stepped on the back of Stella and had a wonderful cruise through the harbor, taking a moment to snap this shot...of my passengers snapping a shot of their own.</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJO1TPlXfAjM66NEw3csaUCyAiTpbYQTZ8V6d2Yf-XArxdwa9YEwxibtqknNd22E1kJaIQeK3tC4eX7A-i5XMkpvGht538n7iATY4AX_69zNmWp_TlntLuktmdwBMZTa0YjaQ18Q4zX6KhWQquQoNWf92z7AzwmMR1Hx9qXTSyuINL3YlXdOcWexduYA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJO1TPlXfAjM66NEw3csaUCyAiTpbYQTZ8V6d2Yf-XArxdwa9YEwxibtqknNd22E1kJaIQeK3tC4eX7A-i5XMkpvGht538n7iATY4AX_69zNmWp_TlntLuktmdwBMZTa0YjaQ18Q4zX6KhWQquQoNWf92z7AzwmMR1Hx9qXTSyuINL3YlXdOcWexduYA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Yep, today was nice.<br />I'm hoping it will be the second of <br />many more in the coming year.</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-50123659624481838402022-01-01T22:00:00.004-08:002022-01-01T22:52:20.944-08:00The Gondola Blog is BACK!<p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl7buAeTl5MClb7oRFTVNTkTXstwjqPPy9xWp56RbfSUg4_9H9iAV6qPZeem1FpZKIEP1tOac7vqOB9IYewtO6Pouu9EMaL0RRnH39YEMhnf6eBB5SSyNwAeKQ36pZc93dMfnRFvmYVChvm-A_MXU4dbCrdSgjbiKd55cFARTF3lPDdo5puVj-dVBQ3Q=s1433" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="1233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl7buAeTl5MClb7oRFTVNTkTXstwjqPPy9xWp56RbfSUg4_9H9iAV6qPZeem1FpZKIEP1tOac7vqOB9IYewtO6Pouu9EMaL0RRnH39YEMhnf6eBB5SSyNwAeKQ36pZc93dMfnRFvmYVChvm-A_MXU4dbCrdSgjbiKd55cFARTF3lPDdo5puVj-dVBQ3Q=w344-h400" width="344" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br />SO, where to begin?<br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let's begin at the beginning.<br />In August of 2007 I pulled the trigger on the <a href="http://www.gondolagreg.com/2007/08/gondola-blog-gets-launched.html">very first Gondola Blog post</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The whole thing was started in an effort to chronicle the adventures of a gondola expedition down the Hudson River in the fall of 2007.<br />I figured it deserved a place online to tell the stories that presented themselves. Sure enough, with the help of Nereo Zane and his camera, Martina Zane and her translating skills, and all of the great people on the river who helped us on our way from Albany to Ground Zero in Manhattan - there were definitely lots of stories to tell, with photos as well.<br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCkGFLPop9yXEdbQjL6g-AF1aR3qIYTTg3SVc0TZtmlwN56q_iv41jVbUiKgB_G4duyyGJtWZdYaHMrYaznjXmej-z1oQov12iG9QccDmBD4z2lDZCEOfiliKREJCh0sb6wDg_LpSmkKOhwlDVzBM3zXY3g1yTcHEkn51h_45SFKEszWlNMZ_vpIPNiA=s963" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="963" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCkGFLPop9yXEdbQjL6g-AF1aR3qIYTTg3SVc0TZtmlwN56q_iv41jVbUiKgB_G4duyyGJtWZdYaHMrYaznjXmej-z1oQov12iG9QccDmBD4z2lDZCEOfiliKREJCh0sb6wDg_LpSmkKOhwlDVzBM3zXY3g1yTcHEkn51h_45SFKEszWlNMZ_vpIPNiA=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">On the first day of our 150 mile expedition down the Hudson, <br />Nereo took this photo. From left to right: Bepi Suste, Enzo Lizska, <br />John Kerschbaum, Vittorio Orio.</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After we finished, I just kept blogging, <br />figuring I'd keep writing until I ran out of stories to tell.<br /><br />I didn't.<br /><br />For twelve years the Gondola Blog was up and running, with stories and photos that were (mostly) gondola-related, from all over the world.<br /><br />Eventually I did begin to run low on stories, photos, and ideas to support a post-every-day blog, so, after some inner turmoil (and over 3,000 posts), I realized it was time to push the big "pause button".</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But you know what:<br /><i>I <u>missed</u> it.</i><br /><i><span style="font-size: large;">SO</span></i> <span style="font-size: medium;">much.</span><br /><br />So after about two years of doing nothing but posting coffee memes,<br />(whether you like it or not)<br />the Gondola Blog is BACK!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not sure I can pull of the whole once-a-day thing, <br />but there ARE more stories to tell.<br /><br />And if YOU'VE got stories, then PLEASE send them my way.<br />Or if you're in the area, drop by and we'll have coffee.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheE-N-DyKRvD0_MsFLJAhtX3He5v_4nhKHdN2RyeDKiTVqWtbvgCp4gmOIJzqaxUclZG-qt9oeg62MMdfWatRiOC4H6zmbc3SUPbonLXIl6TDx8Xexp8LUqR_h6UEXVFCvBYR9suQ_gBoCMt1rNrjkwnh0E8bGX8_kYZGBADQv1Jh7Z5sgUAgnBVR1aw=s1452" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="1451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheE-N-DyKRvD0_MsFLJAhtX3He5v_4nhKHdN2RyeDKiTVqWtbvgCp4gmOIJzqaxUclZG-qt9oeg62MMdfWatRiOC4H6zmbc3SUPbonLXIl6TDx8Xexp8LUqR_h6UEXVFCvBYR9suQ_gBoCMt1rNrjkwnh0E8bGX8_kYZGBADQv1Jh7Z5sgUAgnBVR1aw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Gondolier Paul Imler rows off on the first day of 2022 with happy passengers - chasing after the setting sun and all the colors that follow.</span><br /> </span></span><br /></p>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-86016400931549679902020-04-14T22:21:00.000-07:002020-04-14T22:28:18.045-07:00Restoration of the Capiteo - Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DNn-0a2Cf73WfA6_n99BzKc2yR5O8KoG8pQVQaC9uYKZ1bg6cKgriv7sthCHttL5wTSEilliPHnzhLpBeF2JqcVT8MZA6rTddAwewm-PDUWmi21QYrBdDSF5osMCZFMzf-2CG3c6ktvF/s1600/IMG_5819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DNn-0a2Cf73WfA6_n99BzKc2yR5O8KoG8pQVQaC9uYKZ1bg6cKgriv7sthCHttL5wTSEilliPHnzhLpBeF2JqcVT8MZA6rTddAwewm-PDUWmi21QYrBdDSF5osMCZFMzf-2CG3c6ktvF/s640/IMG_5819.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I first saw the Venetian lagoon in September of 2000, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">it was from a train passing over the bridge to Venice known as the Ponte della<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Libertà</span>.</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My eyes searched for any sort of rowing boats, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and of course the first ones I saw were orange and blue club boats from the GSVVM and their neighbors in green and white. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1mMH3XLX9zVeNdNHQXJf6rP9F1lxXAkTwPCAsym7ck0Rusuh3csL4d-t_lssOCEfKPOcDsLSPUWk-ENEyJFwC9QO40HlOCzH8uFmSFkSm_xa7b1jfNgI7zEAGOZ9__AJIWDCnPj45SGq/s1600/IMG_5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1mMH3XLX9zVeNdNHQXJf6rP9F1lxXAkTwPCAsym7ck0Rusuh3csL4d-t_lssOCEfKPOcDsLSPUWk-ENEyJFwC9QO40HlOCzH8uFmSFkSm_xa7b1jfNgI7zEAGOZ9__AJIWDCnPj45SGq/s400/IMG_5867.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GSVVM caorlinas - ready to be rowed.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hN15f0dPDgqS8rVOMEqmWYbxEsnyMmxaRe0qr9p7uBDbc4lSHOhnxZC-RrwfiOw3FJ1qAsQ_noe0skhGV8Lqgt_MYuItADPJ1ZBXJr-wPqH8CxkkxqHOx4hphMP5hS2QK5cTLkoeTXvP/s1600/DSC_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hN15f0dPDgqS8rVOMEqmWYbxEsnyMmxaRe0qr9p7uBDbc4lSHOhnxZC-RrwfiOw3FJ1qAsQ_noe0skhGV8Lqgt_MYuItADPJ1ZBXJr-wPqH8CxkkxqHOx4hphMP5hS2QK5cTLkoeTXvP/s400/DSC_0334.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">Our neighbors in green and white.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With
the help of my dear friend Nereo Zane, the next day I was <u>on</u> one of
those orange and blue boats, rowing in the same area. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I smiled when I
saw people watching us from a passing train.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-l3sDKVbudW3DQgdy9lhlvZa2ekWl6bjTdTFZ5DEllyjAkskNYkBBHwTipeyT9yNxnYdu7GlpIfL-HpC3dsw0JysOmB3rIP6LSrWINSb2kknzp6B_Kxi6yzdIeqASkN4LJGI_Q3vlFVk/s1600/P6084444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-l3sDKVbudW3DQgdy9lhlvZa2ekWl6bjTdTFZ5DEllyjAkskNYkBBHwTipeyT9yNxnYdu7GlpIfL-HpC3dsw0JysOmB3rIP6LSrWINSb2kknzp6B_Kxi6yzdIeqASkN4LJGI_Q3vlFVk/s400/P6084444.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"></span><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rowing with my daughter in the lagoon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we rowed back and forth between Mestre and Venice parallel to the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ponte della<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Libertà, we would regularly pass by a Bricola with a sort of shrine on it.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The waters of the lagoon are not all deep enough for most boats, </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">and so there are navigable channels that have been dredged to allow safe passage. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">These channels are marked by bricole, but I noticed that one was different.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I asked my friend Nereo about the green shrine and he told me it was called a "capiteo."</span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE75vOaxrgvwptyTLGlQSPyagboTxH9wM5krfbj5uDzqsDzrJwoVQJUrJJcGL4NdUCVfNxyH0iE2WLZbyJi-WeY1RHXUGomROb9c8xUL0Sb9y_nUWvhhK1iXfZD_hhFt8pLwrA1xy3cgab/s1600/IMG_5805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE75vOaxrgvwptyTLGlQSPyagboTxH9wM5krfbj5uDzqsDzrJwoVQJUrJJcGL4NdUCVfNxyH0iE2WLZbyJi-WeY1RHXUGomROb9c8xUL0Sb9y_nUWvhhK1iXfZD_hhFt8pLwrA1xy3cgab/s400/IMG_5805.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nereo Zane captaining a caorlina.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If you try to look it up, you'll go down a rabbit hole that ends with the term "wayside shrine." These are typically found in catholic countries along roads or pathways where people travel. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Naturally, since the channel we were rowing in was a type of pathway, it made sense for someone to place a shrine there.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The original capiteo on this spot was placed in 1979 by the GSVVM rowing club and the Gruppo Tre Archi.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">It has been a source of spiritual encouragement to many who've passed by - either rowing, motoring, or even from the train looking down.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A while back Nereo posted a great video about this remarkable "wayside shrine", with narration in Italian.<br />He asked me to provide a narration in English and I was honored to do so.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Below is the video, although if you can launch it in full screen, </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">you'll enjoy the scenery a lot more.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1VDQ5yd85E&feature=youtu.be</span></span></span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I1VDQ5yd85E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I1VDQ5yd85E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: orange;">Big thanks to Nereo Zane for including me in this project.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 0px; border: 0px none rgb(0 , 0 , 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; outline: transparent none 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-75783762569331893022020-04-07T02:15:00.001-07:002020-04-07T02:18:13.517-07:00Row Venice Makes Deliveries!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After spending so much time shuttered indoors, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">our friends at Row Venice are finally getting to do some rowing, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and it's real rowing for a great purpose.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Watch the video and learn more.</span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5Ng4gODNuY4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Ng4gODNuY4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ng4gODNuY4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2l-XCeQSfUiwJoSO8wbQRr02xnOr5ScQKOSb0OG3GQWVBgQA79akOZhAI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ng4gODNuY4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2l-XCeQSfUiwJoSO8wbQRr02xnOr5ScQKOSb0OG3GQWVBgQA79akOZhAI</a></div>
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Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-1453474227443525142020-04-04T01:54:00.000-07:002020-04-04T02:05:09.124-07:00Deserted Venice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLoFZotKkUWoJk-vuOzTWp5xFsaB_4XdNLLE9VWLZikaIEssxujh2sGiWbmjGgbp2pb3XqXyqLjbGneUIudUPTxlgTvDfZohGihkeyH5JJHaB1auTJ9OxVBoqMQKZVKrklL-ok0L89dZC/s1600/IMG_9120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLoFZotKkUWoJk-vuOzTWp5xFsaB_4XdNLLE9VWLZikaIEssxujh2sGiWbmjGgbp2pb3XqXyqLjbGneUIudUPTxlgTvDfZohGihkeyH5JJHaB1auTJ9OxVBoqMQKZVKrklL-ok0L89dZC/s400/IMG_9120.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you watch the news you might be seeing footage of some of the busiest cities in the U.S. during this strange time of quarantine.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Without a doubt, one of the most remarkable places to see without people all over the place...has got to be Venice.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My good friend Nereo Zane has put together a great video compilation with the help of friends Silvia Bortolato and Thalitha Nicolini.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Watch it in full screen if you can.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_eJxAN7VmYw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_eJxAN7VmYw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eJxAN7VmYw&feature=youtu.be</span></span><br />
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<br />Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156248092240493103.post-68768779219275564192020-03-25T22:19:00.000-07:002020-03-25T22:19:11.773-07:00Wind Face<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47bhkvYDjF819DKVC5gbzU_Jzee8WhSaNDPnnfDmlh2Nc-OLsC58DsyN4z_Wz4ImjyxViqswx9pvAKGF9P98ApwyCjqxHgUVU45FAsiZbiIDnphZ6HzAg-rs9l7l1RyhLXTeRv7xntVVk/s1600/A+IMG_8566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47bhkvYDjF819DKVC5gbzU_Jzee8WhSaNDPnnfDmlh2Nc-OLsC58DsyN4z_Wz4ImjyxViqswx9pvAKGF9P98ApwyCjqxHgUVU45FAsiZbiIDnphZ6HzAg-rs9l7l1RyhLXTeRv7xntVVk/s640/A+IMG_8566.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm convinced that somewhere out there, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the myriad of different cultures and languages, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">there is a group of people who have been so remarkably astute </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as to give the month of March or April a name that, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in their native language translates to "windy as Hell".<br /><br />Maybe it's a different month where they live, but here in Newport </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm thinking of launching a campaign to rename those two months. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps we could go with something more descriptive. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We could call March <i>"What the heck is going on out there?"</i>, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and April could be <i>"Holy mackerel it's windy!"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, you probably think I'm ridiculous.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But right now there's a guy named <b>"Vermin Supreme"</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who's running for President.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll wait while you look him up - really, it's SO worth it.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aw heck, here he is:</span></span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyptAu_CSmuTkULVrJLOVFRy4Bph-KXLASr6sd_Ut1NdGkoHRct5zumwbXKdvQatAG0J9FGF5LbkJOfrnZCo4v0cZ94FF-diUKRLtbRYk-1-wVyD-0U4cGUSNdvzLVL9GPkHTF9Pfjxql/s1600/Vermin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyptAu_CSmuTkULVrJLOVFRy4Bph-KXLASr6sd_Ut1NdGkoHRct5zumwbXKdvQatAG0J9FGF5LbkJOfrnZCo4v0cZ94FF-diUKRLtbRYk-1-wVyD-0U4cGUSNdvzLVL9GPkHTF9Pfjxql/s320/Vermin.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, that IS a rubber boot on his head.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Compared to that guy, I look surprisingly normal.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">some of his campaign promises include giving everyone a pony, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and defeating ISIS by using time travel.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Man, I could solve so many problems that way.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ummm, I feel like maybe I'm getting off topic here.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where was I?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, it's windy out there.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Really windy. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always is this time of year.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In other news, there's this thing going on right now where all non-essential businesses have been summarily shut down. I understand why, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but I'm quite certain that the gondola business is among the most safe businesses out there right now as far as cross-contamination goes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mean if you really think about it, we're even safer than hot air balloons.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly, you can't fall to your death from a Venetian gondola.<br />(NO, that was NOT a challenge, people. And YES, I'm sure there ARE some bizarre exceptions out there)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Secondly, we're away from everyone else.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's no sick dude sneezing at the restaurant table right next to you.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's my well-thought-out opinion that in this time of quarantine, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when folks are getting stir crazy in their homes, that if two people who already live under the same roof want to enjoy an open air cruise on a gondola with only the gondolier aboard </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(and easily six feet away from them), </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that they should be able to do so.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry, I feel like I'm getting off track again here.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, "windy as heck", that's where I was.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So in this time of COVID 19 where everyone's cooped up, we have been encouraged to stay healthy and exercise, and the Governor of our state has told us we can go outside for that exercise.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With that in mind, I'm jumping on a gondola every day </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and rowing my heart out.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the while wearing a Row Venice shirt in solidarity </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with those dear friends of mine in the Veneto </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who can't row right now due to tighter restrictions in Italy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And because we're currently in the heart of the month which shall heretofore be called <i>"What the heck is going on out there?"</i>, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been getting a superb workout in this wind.<br />I am determined not to come out of this strange time in history as a prime candidate for a reality show about 600 pound people.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drinking lots of coffee and rowing like a maniac seems to be a decent fitness program.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blasting Rage Against the Machine also helps. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmDeTsIBdXrn3Otlpnf-1nSkpVvo7shLixBbjxOP5Tl_mgEDXzbBmSe6Mcgjzh0RozAz1Smfqr3wW2FMutcOZyS2dS7RkkICXpEo6GL6ewMVY-PMd_meRwDGMfm7tAasjeaIGWdPNAao8/s1600/A+IMG_8691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="971" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmDeTsIBdXrn3Otlpnf-1nSkpVvo7shLixBbjxOP5Tl_mgEDXzbBmSe6Mcgjzh0RozAz1Smfqr3wW2FMutcOZyS2dS7RkkICXpEo6GL6ewMVY-PMd_meRwDGMfm7tAasjeaIGWdPNAao8/s400/A+IMG_8691.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today while I was out there dodging sailboats (which were racing each other at frightening speeds), I propped my phone up and set it to snap some photos on a delay.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The result:<br />A lot of pictures of me making weird faces and exposing a pair of legs that, really, the world would probably rather not see.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But hey, you work with what you've got.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I've got chicken legs, a funny face, and enough grit and determination to fight those winds all the way to the other side of the harbor and back.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g1-kMHwGlyNfEQRToUJx9OhiXwmprq655R8R_sjcp2FILSubCAh16IOnwmv6K4Bs80T4LNRRUWTAiiBN8kpDtRh_78mUMxcauhx_kR8ELw6pqQiEw3nqWqAzZDm6MYzvU_MWS64hsrJ9/s1600/A+IMG_8627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="894" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g1-kMHwGlyNfEQRToUJx9OhiXwmprq655R8R_sjcp2FILSubCAh16IOnwmv6K4Bs80T4LNRRUWTAiiBN8kpDtRh_78mUMxcauhx_kR8ELw6pqQiEw3nqWqAzZDm6MYzvU_MWS64hsrJ9/s640/A+IMG_8627.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGCA2xjkRlrB74N44-G-YCHNoiTMwzRAR-_O5MDOVi5gi6oexaHP0IQM092srW3jqCyBFToqQyoTL3OZD8hBvIvz5TP88zKhG8HPTMfNVX6ZYFyC-cUNCaI4hm31f2SsVJYV3IiGV6KKz/s1600/A+IMG_8583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGCA2xjkRlrB74N44-G-YCHNoiTMwzRAR-_O5MDOVi5gi6oexaHP0IQM092srW3jqCyBFToqQyoTL3OZD8hBvIvz5TP88zKhG8HPTMfNVX6ZYFyC-cUNCaI4hm31f2SsVJYV3IiGV6KKz/s640/A+IMG_8583.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRnaaayqRZJLvBTsQlYOCb-R_m62283eLkHgwn5Wa1LPN6RUs4pwn6XWxY6Y_tONkZX9B1XvXkU0KbxbbZW2UBsC-4E1axTd_NDyv6s5beH0e3Z69tW0cKH8ckngyrW2MJnZ7SH7k8_ZK/s1600/A+IMG_8654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="811" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRnaaayqRZJLvBTsQlYOCb-R_m62283eLkHgwn5Wa1LPN6RUs4pwn6XWxY6Y_tONkZX9B1XvXkU0KbxbbZW2UBsC-4E1axTd_NDyv6s5beH0e3Z69tW0cKH8ckngyrW2MJnZ7SH7k8_ZK/s640/A+IMG_8654.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't normally row in shorts, but there's nobody on my boat to tell me otherwise (or witness the horror).</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all derive our energy from somewhere.<br />for me, when the caffeine kicks in, and it's still not enough,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like to "make it personal".</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I imagine that the wind is actually really out to get me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then my inner slam-dancing punk rocker takes over.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As if to intimidate the wind, certain faces are made.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Faces that might be seen in a haka war dance before a New Zealand rugby match, but it gets me going. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some folks have a "game face", I've got a "wind face". </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZXE4WA32G201-zpKHzcDXFxEH4O9wJ-1mLRHUNmEuojPPX8LqtxJni1I8ir_JJEEG1d5WWj6bkNOQa83TthSVqx6X5HHOZm2agZiS7ycqlCSV2QDIjr1HYpCJ_AxCrzGhpkQq3lMzZpM/s1600/A+IMG_8560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZXE4WA32G201-zpKHzcDXFxEH4O9wJ-1mLRHUNmEuojPPX8LqtxJni1I8ir_JJEEG1d5WWj6bkNOQa83TthSVqx6X5HHOZm2agZiS7ycqlCSV2QDIjr1HYpCJ_AxCrzGhpkQq3lMzZpM/s640/A+IMG_8560.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we venture further into this strange time, I'm encouraging all of my gondoliers to take boats out for fitness purposes.<br />So if you see a gondola out in the coming weeks, we're not breaking the law, we're simply staying in shape in preparation for better days when this is all over.<br /><br />And if you see a guy with chicken legs out there making strange faces in the wind, it's probably me.</span></span>Gondola Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851059697312050099noreply@blogger.com0