The Gondola Blog

On the Eve

2012-02-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight, as I write this, I'm tired:
"tired" not so much from all the rowing that I've done as we ramp up to the 14th, but tired from all the work I've done to get my boats in order, and tired from all the other work associated with getting the business prepped.

I'm amped:
"amped" because this is our busiest day of the year,
our "Superbowl", the time when we push things to the limit in so many ways.

I'm pensive:
"pensive" because I've got a million things buzzing through my mind right now, from glassware, to forcolas, to docking arrangements. It's all got to come together, and that doesn't just happen, it requires planning. I've spent a lot of time on the planning, now I'm unable to stop thinking about it all.

I'm fired up:
"fired up" because I live for this day, absolutely live for it.
And when that alarm clock rings tomorrow, I'll be in my stripes and out the door in no time, with a big thermos of coffee and sunscreen on my nose.

Valentine's Day - can't wait for it!

Today's Proposal

2012-02-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

photo by Mark Mohr

My brother Mark was in the neighborhood today, and for good reason:
One of his best friends was getting engaged on my gondola.

I'm not Hawaiian, but over the years I've developed a great love for the culture, and one of my favorite words is "ohana" - which means "family".

Today, Tiago Costa (a true "ohana" to the members of my family),
asked his girlfriend Lesya to be his bride.
She said "yes", and then about twenty friends and family members popped-up from behind things along the canal and shouted congratulations.
It was awesome.

I've been at this for a long time, but today's proposal was one of the very best I've witnessed.

My most sincere congratulations to Tiago and Lesya.

Lucia in Light

2012-02-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

Just a quick shot taken from the dock today in Newport.
Steve Elkins rows the historic "Lucia" on a breezy but beautiful day.

Tips on Trailering

2012-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

In my Newport Beach gondola operation, I have eight boats, and for all but one week out of the year, I've got only seven gondolas in the water.
It's a slow rotation; we always have one boat out of the water for maintenance.
One week each year I have all boats in the water - that week of course, is the one surrounding Valentine's Day.

Yesterday, after lots of work, I trailered a gondola out of the service yard, and parked her near the launch ramp so I can add her to the fleet this morning.
It's been almost twenty years now that I've been "messing around with boats" in this manner, and while the trailering thing is nothing new,
it's always taken seriously.

Here are a few thoughts I felt like sharing on the subject of trailering a gondola.

STRAP
strap the boat down.
You might think you're the exception.
You might think that there's no reason for you to worry about the boat moving around on the trailer, after all, there are no stop signs,
traffic lights and no obstacles between you and that ramp.
Murphy's Law applies to people just like you
(I should know, Murphy is practically my middle name!).

Strap the boat down anyway - when a cat, squirrel, fox, kid with a ball,
or idiot in a Toyota enters your path unceremoniously - you'll be thankful you strapped the boat down...as she won't come through the back window and join you in the front seat when you have to slam on your brakes.

I prefer to place the straps with the ratchet-buckles on the left side of the boat so I can see them in my rear view mirror better.
It should also be mentioned that if you don't strap the boat down,
you will likely have a hard time explaining to the nice officer who pulls you over, that you are the exception - you're not, and he will tell you so.

HANG
Make sure your stern isn't hanging too far off the back of the trailer, and if it is, hang a flag or other attention-getter off the tail.
Your boat will thank you, and so will the guy driving behind you.
Also, if you are crossing state lines, check to see if the overhang requirements are different in the state you're driving into.

On the subject of overhang, leave your gondola hanging too far off the back of the trailer for too long, and let's just say that "bad things" can happen.

SMILE
Smile as you drive. Smile at the folks at traffic lights,
smile to the people looking and pointing from the sidewalk,
and definitely smile at the curious policeman who pulls alongside you on his motorcycle.
Smile, and he might not be as likely to pull you over.
Then again, smile too much and he'll call for back-up.

As you drive around with that beautiful boat in tow, folks will be looking.
Smile and they might just go out of their way to look up your business and book a cruise with you.

FLASH
Flash your hazard lights to make sure the tail lights work on your trailer.
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of trailering and forget to connect the lights.

Chances are good that anyone sharing the road with you will be so interested in your boat that they won't need to rely on your brake lights, but Murphy has a wicked way of capitolizing on such situations.

CHESS
Anyone who has spent time playing chess competetively, has a brain that's already wired to drag a trailer.
Sadly I got my butt kicked in checkers, never really played chess,
and that was that.
Navigating with a trailer was something I had to learn to do.
Like chess, this kind of driving requires you to "think five moves ahead".

You don't just turn onto a street without first determining:
whether it is wide enough for you and your trailer,
that it doesn't dead-end,
and isn't going to lead you into a dangerous or challenging piece of road.

Driving carefully ought to be a given, but sometimes we get a little carried away, in an "I got this" kind of manner. Here's what happened to one such guy:
"Bad Things Happen - Part 2 - Dropping and Dragging" see the "Transit Tragedy" part.

Thinking ahead doesn't just apply to the driving part; you must also think ahead with other things.
For instance, a week before you're going to trailer, hook up the lights and make sure they work. Time is on your side at that point, but if you wait until the day of, you might discover a problem and decide to just go without lights.
Chess, my friends, chess.
While I'm at it, make sure you've brought everything you'll need to accomplish the goal - including a full tank of gas!

HITCH
It's amazing what you can forget to bring.
Today, I'm sorry to say, my adventures were stalled because I was missing a small but important item, one that connects the vehicle to the trailer.
Sure, I suppose I could have just chained the two things together and skidded down the road, but I think the men-on-motorcycles with ticket books would have had a field day with that.
Better to wait while someone goes and gets the wayward piece of hardware.
Mhmm, insert your favorite chess vs. checkers wisecrack here.

BARF
B.A.R.F. stands for "bring a real friend", and in many cases you won't need one, but when you do...you do!

Sometimes you need to lift something that takes two people.
Sometimes you need a friend to stop traffic while you back out of that alley you shouldn't have turned into (ask that friend to help you learn to play chess later).
Often you need a friend to guide you as you line your vehicle up to connect with the trailer.
I like to have my friend follow directly behind me to keep an eye on things.
In some traffic scenarios, having a friend who can shoot ahead of you to help facilitate a critical lane change can save you a lot of grief.

CONE
John Kerschbaum likes to say:
"better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it".

There are times when having a simple item with you can make a huge difference.
Duct tape certainly fits that description sometimes.
When trailering, I always have a traffic cone with me.
Most of the time I don't need it, but it's helped me more than once:
Finding a parking spot for vehicle and trailer is hard enough,
getting into that spot can be even more difficult sometimes.
Now imagine you've been away for twenty minutes and some jerk has parked his black BMW six inches from your front bumper and there's a truck behind you that doesn't look like it's moved in three months.
Yes, I know your first thought - it's the same as mine,
and while it may feel gratifying at the time,
four-wheeling over the rear quarter of the BMW will probably cause more problems than it's worth.

If you'd placed a traffic cone five to ten feet in front of your vehicle,
you'd probably come back to find it right where you left it.
It's a funny thing about traffic cones - nobody wants to move them once they're placed.

If you have several cones, you might even get away with saving a spot for your vehicle and trailer - this doesn't always work though.
If you show up and there's a police officer holding your cones,
when he asks if they're yours, say "no"
(because he appears to own them now),
"but I sure could use a few cones if you're looking to get rid of them".

There are several other uses for a traffic cone while trailering but I'll let you explore that on your own.

TRUCK
learn some of the trucking protocols.
You might not think you're like the 18-wheel rigs you share the highway with, but there are many similarities.
And as you motor down the road, with drivers rudely cutting in front of you (because they don't want to get stuck behind you), you'll gain a better understanding of what it's like to drive a big-rig, and people can be downright mean to you.
There are behavioral courtesies among truckers too, but they are noticeably nicer. If you flick your lights and allow a guy in an 18-wheeler to change into your lane in front of you, he will likely tap his brakes twice - it's a sort of "thank you". Ten miles down the road, he may offer you the same courtesy. Drive somethng that long, and you'll begin to appreciate every friend you find on the road.

EAT
Eat with the boat in view.
If you're going long distance, and need to stop and grab a bite to eat,
try to park the gondola where you can see it. These boats are like attention magnets - from curious kids to crazy drunk fraternity brothers, everyone seems to want to investigate.

DRESS
Dress for the occasion.
Be ready to get dirty, wet, and make sure you've got the kind of footwear necessary for the various tasks you'll need to accomplish.
I once had to change a flat tire on my car while on my way to a wedding.
No, I was not dressed for the challenge, and it took a lot more care and skill to do what I needed to do in my crisp white dress shirt.
I managed to get it done, stay clean, and arrived just in time...to perform the ceremony.

Sometimes you've got to get your feet wet,
sometimes you've got to go in up to your knees or waist,
and sometimes you've just got to fully commit.
Empty your pockets.
Bring a towel.
You may not be planning on getting wet,
but sometimes Mr. Murphy has other plans for us.

Oh, and if you're launching in cold conditions, expect the worst and bring an extra layer.

SLICK
I grew up in a waterskiing family, and my uncle had a saying that my cousins and I loved:
"This rock is slicker than snot on a doornob!"
He would say that and we'd just laugh like crazy.
Of course we were very young, but if I heard him say it again today, I'd probably still laugh out loud. As a matter of course, there always seems to be a slick surface around a boat launch area, and I always seem to find it (often by accident).
Watch your step, or you'll know what i know from experience:
it really IS "slicker than snot on a doorknob".

Lastly, watch out for those slick surfaces with your vehicle,
otherwise you might just end up launching more than just your gondola!

---------------

Once you're done with your trailer, if you leave it empty, lock it up!
I lost one a few years back and don't want to see that happen again, to anyone.
(see the post "Lock Up Your Boat Trailers" )

Ice in Venice

2012-02-10T01:34:00.000-08:00

This looks a little bit more like something I used to see when I lived in Alaska."Ice Clogs the Canals of Venice"

Venice has a lot of different kinds of boats, but somehow I don't think they have any icebreakers in their fleet.

Happy Birthday Gilberto Penzo

2012-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Serenity in Texas

2012-02-08T23:48:00.000-08:00

Some days it's windy at my operation in Irving, Texas;
sometimes it's not.
I took this photo on a beautifully calm day.
Perfect serenity in north-east Texas.

A Quick Word

2012-02-06T23:02:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Headed in opposite directions, these two guys appear to have exchanged a few quick words.

What were they talking about?
Weather, the economy, the news?
Maybe they were talking about the fact that their boats were so similar.
How about that rude passenger in one of their boats?
They could get away with such talk in dialect.

Heck, they could talk about anything if they were sure their passengers didn't understand.
Politics, religion, Luigi's bachelor party.
They could talk about girlfriends, exchange stock tips, maybe even talk about how they want to kill that yappy dog that's always barking at them when they row by a certain apartment.

Then again, maybe the guy rowing away from the camera simply said
"hey, watch out for my remo",
and the other guy gave him a look.

No, I think it was the "yappy dog" they were talking about.

----------------------------------------------------------------

One of my favorite shots of this type can be seen in my post
"The Conversation".

The Concordia Disaster Sends Waves Through Venice

2012-02-05T17:01:00.001-08:00

Anyone who has visited Piazza San Marco on a summer day has probably seen them:
the "floating alps", as Erla of "I Am Not Making This Up" calls them.

Venice is at the top of the list of cruise ports in the Mediterranean.
Since the Costa Concordia met her demise last month while passing too close to the island of Giglio, attention toward the safety of the cruise industry has grown exponentially, even on the other side of the country in Venice.

The drama that played out over the radio that fateful night between Captain Francesco Schettino and Coast Guard Captain Gregorio Maria De Falco was the kind of thing we'd only expect to witness in fiction.
No doubt, all Italians have chosen sides in that argument
(I'd guess that just about everybody has taken De Falco's side).

Erla touched on a few Venetian opinons and some historic captains
(other than Schettino) in her post "Ripples from the Costa Concordia",
and then went in depth with her post "Venice and the Floating Alps".

Venetians are nothing if not opinionated, and many are sharing their opinions these days about having the ships pass through their cherished city; some are actually protesting.

Just today Kathleen Gonzalez sent me a link to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled "Venice Rebels Against Cruise Ship Intrusions".
There are several different perspectives on the issue.
In the above article, Saverio Pastor is quoted.

What happened off the coast of Tuscany was horrible.
I'm not sure if a cruise ship is likely to plow into the Piazza at high tide, but I do understand some of the concerns of people who are lucky enough to call Venezia their home.

I also see the undeniable appeal of seeing the city from the top deck of one of these behemoths. A few years ago, my family and I departed on an MSC ship after participating in the Vogalonga.
My daughter Cassandra and I shot lots of photos and will never forget the amazing view from up there.

Here are some of the posts that have photos from that session:
"Just the Photo - the Zattere Platform"
"Quay at the Giardinetti"
"Just the Photo - Salute and Campanile"
and "Yachts and Venezia".
It really is quite a view.

Everything I read on this subject these days mentions:
how much cruise-tourism has increased in Venice,
how the economy benefits from the income,
how the residents don't like it,
and there's usually someone quoted as saying that not cruising past the Piazza would be a "deal killer" with cruise-tourists.

As time cruises on, like an unstoppable giant ship,
we will see what finally comes of all this.
I think it's safe to say that whatever happens,
there will always be someone out there who doesn't like the way a decision went...and someone else who thinks that it didn't go far enough.

Let's just hope we don't see any more guys like Captain Schettino behind the wheel - no matter where the ships are cruising.

My Friend Steve Has a New Camera

2012-02-04T22:38:00.000-08:00

photo by Steve Atkins

I was the victim of a stake-out this evening.
A friend of mine recently got a new camera and decided to "lay in wait" for me along my cruise route.

Not long after this photo was taken,
the gentleman on my boat asked his lady a very important question.
She said "yes", of course.
It might have helped that he asked while holding a small light blue Tiffany box, with a ring inside that was just her size.

It's Hard to Row in Frozen Water - 2

2012-02-04T15:30:00.000-08:00

Nereo has posted some higher-quality photos on VogaVeneta.it.Here's the link:
"La laguna ghiacciata (2)"

As you can see, there weren't very many boats moving about,
but there was one very hearty kayaker who ventured out.
See for yourself.

It's Hard to Row in Frozen Water

2012-02-03T23:54:00.000-08:00

On his blog VogaVeneta.it, Nereo Zane has just posted some photos of the Venetian Lagoon with a frozen surface.
Nereo showed up at teh GSVVM with rowing in mind.
Ask John Kerschbaum in Minnesota - it's pretty difficult to row when the water takes on a solid state.
I'm guessing Nereo didn't take a boat out that day.
Here's the link:
"La Laguna Ghiacciata"
These were shot with a cellphone.
I can't wait to see what he shoots with his Nikon.

Just the Photo - "Two Ferros"

2012-02-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

Ten Days

2012-02-02T01:09:00.001-08:00

photo by Alison White

We are now two days into February and less than two weeks away from Valentine's Day - the biggest day of the year for just about any gondola operation that has boats in the water through winter.

"V-day", as we often call it, is crazy, frenzied, chaotic and a Godsend.

In the middle of winter, when most gondoliers are tightening their belts,

the phones ring (and ring, and ring, and ring).

I sometimes refer to it as "that time when the wind blows in winter and all the nuts fall off the trees, so us squirrels can grab and store them to get through til spring".

Really, it's not just one day; it often becomes about a week of activity,

so a lot of us gondoliers do our best to pace ourselves,

stay as available as possibly,

and be in the best rowing shape we can be so when that extra cruise books at the end of the night after a full schedule and a long day of fighting the wind, we can give our passengers the same quality experience that we gave to the passengers on our first cruise.

A Place for Every Color, and Every Color in its Place

2012-01-30T23:49:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Green seaweed,

blue canvas,

black boats,

perfect day.

Moose Stew Anyone?

2012-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

You might not have realized it, but January is "Meat Month".To read more about moose, escargot, and yes, "misto cavallo", take a look at my recent guest post on Tim Joseph's Daily Food Holiday blog:
"Guest Post - National Meat Month",
and then swing by my house for a barbecue.

Another View from the Bridge

2012-01-28T23:38:00.000-08:00

photos by Tamás Fehér

Looking down from the Rialto bridge, in the direction of the fish market,
Tamás snapped a few shots of some gondolas that moor along the wall.

As the sign on the wall says, that walkway is known as the "Fondamenta de la Preson". My guess is that it has something to do with those iron bars behind the guys in this next photo.

There are countless little places in Venezia where gondoliers tuck their boats in and run their cruises out of - some are more visible than others. This guy seems to have a more noticeable spot.

Martina Zane took some photos from almost exactly the same spot not long ago, some of them can be seen in my post "Ambulance Aftermath".

I'm sure that it's crazy at times, running a servizio out of that location, but it must be terrific to have the Rialto so close and be able to row under it whenever you want.

Happy Birthday Sean!

2012-01-27T12:54:00.000-08:00

Sean Jamieson of The Gondola Company in Coronado, California is celebrating his birthday today, and if his gondoliers are doing their job right, they've already put him through one kindergarten-spank-line
(and then begged to get their jobs back).

Happy birthday Sean!

Kissing Before the Bridge

2012-01-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

In Newport Beach, as in many other gondola locations,

it's tradition for couples to kiss under every bridge.

As a habit I remind people that:

"You don't need the bridges, they're only there to remind you.

When you start needing the bridges - that's when you need to come back and see us".

Here's a photo of a couple who probably didn't need the bridge they were approaching. Either that or they wanted to be sure that by the time they went under it, they'd be kissing.

photo taken from post "The View from the Bridge"

with Stefano rowing in his mega-stripes

(which I will steal one day).

The Danieli Fleet

2012-01-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Moored in front of one of Venice's most famous hotels, these beautiful boats await their gondoliers early in the morning.

Shower Curtain

2012-01-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

photo by Joe Gibbons

Joe Gibbons of Gondola di Venezia in Boston sent me this photo with the accompanying text:

Makes me want to voga in the tub.

I don't have a shower that needs a curtain right now,
but when I do, I'm definitely looking for one of these!

Just the Photo - "Gato and Gelato"

2012-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

photo by Chris Clarke

Winter Conversation

2012-01-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

As the weather cools down in the Veneto, a lot of gondoliers bundle up a bit. Long sleeves, coats, and jackets are as common as they are necessary.

A lot of hats with red or blue ribbons are swapped out for ones with black ribbons.

But one thing is standard all year round:

Gondoliers love to socialize,

and can be seen chatting both with one another and passersby.

"Find a Happy Place!"

2012-01-16T02:28:00.000-08:00

I am a big believer in "enjoying every station of life".
Having spent enough time with grandparents and seniors,
I'm told that while the aches and pains of age really stink,
seeing your grandchildren running around makes it all well worth it.

Recently I was introduced to one of those new adventures that only comes with age: I got my first crown.
No, it wasn't a king's crown, but parts of the procedure did come with some king-sized pain.
I got this crown in the dentist's chair.

As I found myself taking in new experiences
(like gaining a clear understanding of what it would be like if someone tried to shove a buick in my mouth using the jaws-of-life),
I drew upon recent memory to "find my happy place".

In my house, you can't use the term "happy place" without one of my kids loudly mimicking the frantic starfish in Finding Nemo as she hollers "Find a happy place" repeatedly, as a kid beats against the other side of the glass of the fishtank.

I'm not a real pop-psychology buff, but sometimes it does help to try and detach yourself a bit from the immediate chaos you're in, and pretend you are somewhere else.
I helped a couple realize their "happy place" back in November:
it's mentioned in my post "Another Perfect Moment".

In the summer of 2000, on our way to Europe, my wife and I were lucky enough to get moved up to first-class on Lufthansa.
That was my "happy place" for the longest time.
Any first-class is great, Lufthansa's version: even better.
But since I only did it once, the Lufthansa first-class memory hasn't had much staying power, and the more I use it, the more it fades off.
My first-class "happy place" has been increasingly losing it's power to chase away bad times.

So the other day, as I was having terrible things done to my mouth, and starting to feel agitated and sweaty, I fell back into another state of mind.

It wasn't flying to Europe this time.
My wife, who was in the room sensed it when I became more relaxed
(despite the mayhem in my mouth), and she asked me where I was.
I can't type exactly what it sounded like,
but she understood my response to be "rowing".

I was out there,
rowing at twilight,
in perfect conditions,
on a canal in Newport where in 1993 I proposed to my wife.
My "perfect moment".
My "serenity".
My "happy place".

I've lived that dream thousands of times now,
no matter how many times I draw from it, that one will never get old.

Which Boat Would You Choose?

2012-01-14T23:33:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Minivans Don't Float

2012-01-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

This morning, the folks in Newport Harbor learned a few valuable lesons:
1. If you drive your Mercedes Benz onto the small car ferry, put it in park,
and leave it in park.
2. If for some reason you don't observe lesson number one, be aware that your vehicle does indeed possess enough power to shove another vehicle right off the end of the car ferry and into the water.
3. If you happen to be sitting at the front of the car ferry in, say, a minivan,
you might consider carrying life jackets because...
4. well, see lesson number two, and watch your rear-view mirror.
5. Minivans don't float (at least not for very long).
6. Welcoming people from out of town to Newport by forcing spontaneous baptism upon them is, well, not very welcoming
(even if you do it with an impressive black Mercedes).
7. If you happen to be hanging around an area where a minivan has been shoved into fifteen feet of water, get your butt in the water to help.
8. You don't have to know someone to save lives with them.

Here's the story as told by the Orange County Register:
http://m.ocregister.com/news/ferry-335506-balboa-whether.html

As far as I know, no gondoliers were involved, but as I read the story and watched the video, I knew exactly what I would have done to help.

Want Some Pizza?

2012-01-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

This week I spent some time musing over my many adventures eating pizza,
(after all, it IS "National Pizza Week").
When Tim over at "Daily Food Holiday" asked me to write something,
I couldn't stop thiinking about the best pizza I ever tasted.
You can read about it in the post:
"Chicago or New York?".

Just the Photo - "Ferro in Acqua"

2012-01-12T23:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's a reflection - both literally and figuratively.

To Polish or not to Polish

2012-01-11T23:54:00.000-08:00

photos by Joe Gibbons

Joe Gibbons of Gondola di Venezia sent me this one.
He writes:

Our older gondola "Firenze" here in Boston is 18 years old this season.

As you know this boat was aquired through Danielle Bonaldo's Squero. Our original intention was to have just the one gondola built "Maria" by Thom Price back in 2000/2001
As our gondola progressed with all the carvings and great detail,

a local friend of Danielle, also a gondolier with a few bucks attempted to purchase our new gondola. This situation was stressful and disappointing to say the least. After considerable negotiation and frustration, Thom Price stepped up for us and brokered us a great deal that ulimatley got us Firenze and Maria.

Danielle's friend was willing to wait considering the squero was going to replicate our gondola for him. Also knowing now he had a buyer for his gondola which was built in 1994.

My initial reaction to all of this was full of four letter words, but in the end we really got a great deal and on top of that we actually developed a friendship with this Venetian gondolier and his family. They actually attended the Vardo ceremony at the squero before the gondolas were shipped here to Boston Win-Win!!

The real prize was in the end, they sent their Cavalli off with us to Boston. They were not included in the deal (a gift to us) but we think they got some nostalgic vibe by having their gondola and Cavalli gracing the water here in the USA.

This pair of Cavali has adorned several gondolas and stayed with this family for many years. My recollection was that the previous gondolier claimed they could be 60 plus years old. This would make them antiques! I do not doubt it! Looking at the iron stands that pass through the corbala and the detail in the brass, not to mention the actual size and weight..They are very unique considering the newer cavalli we see today.

Here comes the dilemma! Do we polish these bad boys and really show them off and give Firenze the respect and dignity that we feel she demands.She is a lady after all, and I've yet to meet a lady that wants to look old and dull. Or simply let time, age and some dulling effects of the patina reflect the true grace and character of this beautiful boat.

As you can see in the photo above we have made our decision,

but I would like to hear what other enthusiasts out there have to say Good or Bad!

So, If there's one thing I know about gondoliers
(aside from the fact that they're interesting),
is that they all have opinions.
What would you do?
Polish or not polish?
Leave a comment - even if you don't have cavalli of your own.

It's the Boats...and the People

2012-01-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I'm crazy about gondolas.I'm also pretty nuts for Venetian rowing, other Venetian boats, and of course Venice and the Veneto.
But today I was reminded of another thing I love - the people.
Today I spent time on the phone with Joe Gibbons of Gondola di Venezia
in Boston; we talk regularly and I always enjoy catching up with him.
I chatted for a while with a gondolier friend of mine - Fred in Texas;
we talk a couple times a week.
Tim of Sunset Gondola,
John of Gondola Romantica in Minnesota,
Sean of The Gondola Company in Coronado,
and Mike in New Jersey,
These are guys I enjoy talking to on a regular basis.
And then there are gondola friends on Facebook.
I regularly post photos from guys like Nereo, Tamas, and Chris Clarke.

Sure, I love the boats, but the people are terrific too, and there are many more names I could mention here.
Gondola people are great.

This afternoon I was visited by Marie of "Italy to Los Angeles and Back" and her husband Roberto - a carreer gondolier in Venice.
We share a common love of many things mentioned above, and while this was the first time we met face-to-face, they were like family.

Thanks for reading, my friends.

Serenity

2012-01-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

Serenity.
Everybody has their own interpretation of the word.
No matter what your serenty is, you'd probably like to have more of it.
We all seem to be longing for this, um...
Is it a feeling?
An experience?
Maybe a state of mind?

Whatever "serenity" is, it's popular.
In fact a few years ago, the list of most popular boat names in America showed "Serenity" as number one.

I have many things that represent the word for me,

and tonight's cruise at sunset was definitely one of them.

The "Befane" Ride Again

2012-01-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

Once again the odd spectacle of rowers dressed as old women with brooms took place on the Grand Canal. The Regat delle Befane is an event that appears to be unique to Venice.Nereo Zane covers the story on his site vogaveneta.it.
"La Befana a Venezia"

Last year, with the help of Nereo, I gave some background on this annual occurance that often has old men, dressing up as old women, and rowing mascarete with brooms propped up in their boats.
(see "Befane")

Want Some Tea?

2012-01-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

I mentioned earlier in the week that a friend of mine, Timothy Joseph, who I met on a gondola (of course), has launched a fun new blog called "Daily Food Holiday". You can read more about it in my post "Spaghetti", or just go to the blog itself.

Tim has graciously put up a post of mine (written for "Daily Food Holiday") which explains how

tea helped me survive two Alaska winters.

No, it has nothing to do with gondolas, but it's fun writing and I'm a big fan of this new undertaking of Tim's.

Check out "Guest Post - Hot Tea Month", and find out a thing or two about arctic Alaska and of course, hot tea.

"Monica"

2012-01-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

photos by Tamás Fehér

Tucked neatly between the fondamenta and a row of paline, just a few steps from the Rialto Bridge, Tamás came upon this beautiful gondola.

If you take a closer look at the background, in the center you'll see a familiar green awning. Walk in that direction, and you'll see the servizio featured in the post "Benchwarmers and a Beautiful Boat".

There are a lot of beautiful boats in that vicinity.

Fully carved deck and lots of extra attention to detail also seems common to the shores of the Canalazzo just this side of the Rialto.

Many of the gondoliers along the Grand Canal moor their boats perpendicular to the fondamenta.

This guy, however, has a spot that seems perfect from a marketing standpoint (so easy to show off to people as they stroll by). On the other hand, it looks like whoever rows this wedding gondola has extra challenges getting in and out.

Gondolas built in Venice typically have brass straps adorning the perimiters of the trasto da prua (or trasto da prova as Venetians call it).

The straps across the forward edge of the trasto on this gondola read "Monica".

She could be the gondolier's wife, daughter, mother, or even girlfriend.

Whoever she is, she must be honored to have such a beautiful gondola with her name attached.

Venice as Described by Photographers

2012-01-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

Being the fanatic that I am...of all things "gondola", "Venice", and to many of my friends "Italian", I regularly receive e-mails with things someone thinks I might appreciate.
This one actually came from my wife who happens to be a travel agent.

Here's a nice article on the Budget Travel website called
"5 Beautiful Reasons to Love Venice".
One other aspect of the Gondola Blog, of course, is photography.
In the above-linked article we get some thoughts and perspectives on Venice from folks who make their living with a camera.

Wrapped

2012-01-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

photo by Chris Clarke

In other cities they "wrap" busses with advertising.
Well, in Venice they don't really have busses...or do they?
It's called a "vaporetto", but some folks say "water bus".
Is it any surprise that the vaporetto gets "wrapped?"

Spaghetti

2012-01-05T00:14:00.001-08:00

Over the years I've visited a number of different gondola operations.
One time, while my wife and I were in Orlando, Florida, we took a cruise with a great gondolier named Timothy Joseph.
Tim and I have kept in touch over the years, and recently he's launched his own blog with a great plan and purpose.
The blog is called "Daily Food Holiday - 366 National Days of Food", and it chronicles the different "National Day of ___" foods.
Did you know that each day of the year has at least one food or drink that it is the "National Day" of?
For instance, yesterday - January 4th - was "National Spaghetti Day".
I celebrated, did you?
Well, Tim celebrated too, and he blogged about it in this post.
Read it, enjoy it, leave your favorite spaghetti recipe in a comment.
As it is only the first week in January, Tim has just begun his 366 day project (it's leap year, you know). So we have a whole year of posts to look forward to.
I can't wait.

Sunset on Steel

2012-01-04T00:50:00.000-08:00

While waiting for my passengers a few days ago,

I noticed the colors of the setting sun begin to glint off the steel ferro of my gondola and I had to grab a shot.

It was a fleeting moment, and the timing wasn't perfect.

If I'd been able to wait it out a bit, the colors would have been richer,

but my passengers showed up and that was that.

Next time I'll try the same shot with no cruises scheduled.

Just the Photo - "Stripes for Sale"

2012-01-03T01:46:00.000-08:00

Brazil

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Someone rowing in Venice is a fan of Brazil.
Maybe he's part Brazilian.
Maybe he likes jiu jitsu.
Maybe he's a fan of Brazilian soccer - Ronaldinho, or even the famous Pelé.
Or maybe he just has a girlfriend from Rio.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T01:06:00.000-08:00

photo by Aaron McCullough

As one of my favorite gondoliers, Joey Hamamoto said today:

"Hau'ole Makahiki hou!"

Joey is Hawaiian, but to date he is my longest employed gondolier,

and a great friend.

I love the sound of "Happy New Year",

I like it even more in Hawaiian.

Have a great day, amici.

I raise a toast to you all, hoping 2012 is fantastic.

Best and Favorite Posts of 2011 - part 2

2011-12-31T00:18:00.000-08:00

Continuing on with some of my favorites of 2011 here on the Gondola Blog, some choices are hard to make. We've seen lots of different views of several regatas, but I've gotta go with my heart on this one.

Favorite regata:
"Regata Maciarele".
Watching scrappy club races is exciting, witnessing the "best of the best" duke it out with all of the Veneto watching from the windows and shores of the Grand Canal - amazing. Even the casual for-fun regatas can be great fun to watch, but the seed that it all grows from is what tugs most at my heart.
The "Little Fish" are coached masterfully by Bepi Suste, and photographed equally as well by Nereo Zane.

Best image of a traghetto:

"Traghetto in Winter" by Chris Clarke

Boat I'd most like to row?
C'mon, this one was the obvious choice.
"Olimpica".
Sure, there are so many other boats I'd like to row, but if I had to pick just one this year, the decision would be an easy one.
Now choosing three friends to bring with me to row this amazing four-person craft...that would be a much more difficult decision to make.
Thanks to Tamás Fehér for putting this boat on my radar, and Nereo Zane for helping me identify her accurately.

For "Most adventurous people", I had to choose two:
Bart de Zwart - he may not be a gondolier, but the guy's got guts. Rowing the entire Hawaiian island chain on a stand-up paddle board with no support; yeah, that's adventurous. Search his name on the net and you'll see that he's well known in the SUP world. I reported on Bart in June, in my post "SUP Expedition in the News".
Tommaso Luppi - This guy makes his living as a gondolier in Venice, Italy (insert your jealous remarks here). And while many of us may have a dream of doing what Tommaso does one day (if only for a day), he had a dream of his own...and he accomplished it. No, it wasn't on a gondola, but he did sail across the Atlantic singlehandedly. Adventurous!
Many thanks go out to Marie at "Italy to Los Angeles and Back" for bringing this story to our attention and keeping us posted on Tommaso's progress.
When the story first appeared, I posted "Gondolier Sails Across the Atlantic? Oh Yeah, I'm Following That!", and then when he completed his solo voyage, I posted "Gondolier Lands in Martinique".

Coolest punts - "Narrow and Fast".
I think if I had to give up Venetian rowing (you know, like if I had to go into the witness protection program), I might consider taking up punting. Of course if I did need to go into hiding, punting would probably not be the most low-profile choice for a profession.
We've seen passenger punts, big barge-like punts, and the crazy punt races in Stocherkahnrennen. This year Chris Clarke introduced us to the gondolino equivalent, and I can't wait to try one someday.

While going through the posts of 2011, I realized that I could come up with many more categories to post about here.
Instead, I'll invite you to comment about any "favorites" or "bests" that you would like to share.
And as always, with the new year approaching, I encourage you to send photos, videos, and content that you think might be of interest to Gondola Blog readers.

Thanks for reading, my friends.
-Greg

Best and Favorite Posts of 2011 - part 1

2011-12-30T01:47:00.000-08:00

We've looked at so many things in the past year on the Gondola Blog.
There have been numerous subjects covered and a lot of cool boats to look at.
Here are some of the posts that stood out for me.

Favorite "instructional" post:
"Ambulance Aftermath" with photos by Martina Zane.

Gondola I'd most like to steal:

I talk a lot about boats I'd like to swipe.

I'm really not prone to maritime theft, and in fact I've never stolen a boat. I was involved with a yacht repo once, but it was a bank-sanctioned affair and I really only delivered the repo-men to the yacht. But...if I were to steal a gondola in Venice, of all the boats we've looked at this year, the "Super Deluxe" gondola would be my first choice.

Best "Hey, wait a minute, what's going on there?" photo:
René Seindal's "Kayak in the Sky" absolutely forces you to look at it from different cerebral perspectives. I'd venture to guess that many readers actually tried to turn their head over while contemplating it. Leave it to a kayaker to get such a great view from the water.

Best action shot:
Mark J. Hunt's image in "Boston Gondolas - the View from Above" captures so much movement in a still photograph.

Most colorful post:
"Caorline Come in All Colors" - Tamás came upon this group of boats while watching a regata one day on Giudecca. Rainbow references would be easy to make here, but personally, the boats remind me a little bit of the fruit flavored Life Savers candies I used to love as a kid.

Favorite "Snow" shots:

"Snow-Blanket in Texas".

I've received some great photos of snow-on-gondolas over the years, and I'm hoping some of you will send some fresh ones to post this year. You'd expect a snow post to come from a place further north...than Texas.

Favorite "Shot from the back of the boat":

The twilight view in the December 24th post "Christmas Eve on the Water in Newport".

Blog Header Roundup : Changing Colors with the Seasons

2011-12-29T00:08:00.000-08:00

Over the Side - Sunset Skies

Hanging your camera over the water, clipped to the end of a tripod can be a nervous affair.
Using the timer feature allows full extension.
Try doing it while rowing - remo in one hand, extended but bundled tripod in the other, and you have to make numerous attempts to get something decent. In between the decent ones (and all the missfires), you get a few real "keepers".
This was one of five images featured in my post Hanging it Over the Side.

"Roberto and Bella Mae"

This wasn't the first time I placed this great profile image at the top. But when Roberto of Nola Gondola in New Orleans was celebrating his birthday, it seemed like the perfect fit.
The photo first appeared here in the post "Livin' the Dream in New Orleans".

Wedding Gondola in Monochrome - This was one of many images captured by my office manager (and climber of Mount Kilimanjaro), Alison White. The series of photos were shot on January 17th, 2011 and many can be seen in the post "Mid-January in Newport" and "Good Friday Wishes".

Pupparin in Venice, California - In early July of 2011, Tim of Sunset Gondola and I ventured up to Venice, California for one last row of his pupparin before hauling her out. The Whole story can be read (along with more photos) at "Rowing in the "Other Venice".

Parade Illumination- On the fourth night of the Christmas Boat Parade here in Newport Beach, gondolier Justin Deckert shot this one of me as the lights from a passing parade boat was casting light on my white gondolier's shirt. More photos from that night can be seen in the post where this photo was originally seen: "Newport Beach Boat Parade, Night 4 Photos"

Spinning in the Light - This was shot with a tripod mounted on the floor near the front of the gondola. My daughter Cassandra assisted by getting the lighting right and firing the shot (really, "shots" because for every one good long exposure, it seems there are fifteen or twenty failed attempts). The photo was taken in early January of 2011 when some of the Christmas lights were still up from the 2010 festivities.

Benchwarmers and a Beautiful Boat

2011-12-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

photos by Tamás Fehér

Just a stone's throw away from the Rialto Bridge on the San Polo side of the Grand Canal, tucked between the crimson awnings of outdoor dining areas, you'll find a gondole servizio that's in an eviable position.

Enviable because the guys here get to row under an amazing bridge anytime they want to.

The acoustics under the Rialto are great.

I've belted out in song more than once while passing under her archway - doing so in a rowing boat with fellow club members is fun, but I've found that singing from the bow of a vaporetto...doesn't quite get the same response.

A drawback of this area, of course, is that these guys also operate in one of the most heavily trafficked areas of the city, but I'm sure the benefits offset the challenges.

I'd also veture a guess that when it comes to handling chaos while rowing passengers, these guys are among the best.

I've snapped a few photos of another small servizio with a similar green awning just a little further down the fondamenta; you can see them in "Pride in Presentation at Riva del Vin", and like the guys at that location - these gondoliers look like they take presentation seriously.

Even when it gets cold.

Tamás shot these photos in November of this year, which explains why the three guys huddled on the bench are wearing a lot more clothing (and a lot more black).

Black pants are standard all year long, but black ribbons on the hats tend to show up during colder months. Gondoliers often swap out their white marinere for black ones - they have the same sailor collar and buttons, but are long sleeved.

On this day in November, however, it must have been much colder because two of these guys looked like they were ready for a ski trip.

I think the stripes worn around the neck were a nice touch.

Now let's take a look at that gondola:

Yes, she's beautiful.

There are a few places in Venice where you're guaranteed to find the most beautiful gondolas - the "rivas" south of the Rialto are prime examples.

This one is a "wedding gondola", you can tell by that fully carved deck.

Yes, I'd say that the intagiadòr who showed up at the squero with his toolbag, spent a lot of time on this one.

The gold plating on the statue sitting in place of the canon (usually a tiny vase) shows that the gondolier isn't afraid to spend some money to keep his boat looking her best.

And as we look at the passenger area,
we see more evidence that this boat is well cared for.
The seat has a nice red cover with matching pillows - all trimmed in gold.
Deck carvings are also present along the rails.
The cavalli appear to be plated in gold as well, but it's hard to be certain. They also look like they have some sort of "wing" trailing behind (above the tail). Red being the theme color, the pom-poms follow suit. And while it's difficult to see much of the pusiol (arm piece), the eight-leafed flower in gold with the red center is perfect for the boat.

Perched atop the seat-back, we see a nice scimier.
The central shield isn't uncommon, but the shape of the shield is unique.
My guess is that the detailwork in the shield is specific to the owner of the boat. What really caught my eye was the fact that the sheild was flanked not by cherubs or angels, but horses.

Working back, we see that the forcola has also been visited by an intagiadòr (or a remer with a flair for carving in the intagiadòr's style).

We've looked at a lot of really nice gondolas here on the blog.

Each one of them is unique and different in her own way,

but there is one common thread:

Of all the top notch gondolas we've seen,

each and every one is obviously someone's pride and joy.

Christmas Parade - Venetian-Style

2011-12-27T02:57:00.000-08:00

I've spent a fair amount of time looking at Christmas parades here in California, but in the mean time, Nereo Zane was taking part in a whole different kind of procession in the Veneto.
He writes:
The other day I went to Mestre with a lot of GSVV members rowing along the small river called Marzenego to bring the Baby Jesus to the floating Nativity scene. Unfortunately the weather wasn't our friend (light rain just before we start) so I decided not to risk my photocamera and used a small videocamera instead.

Here's a link to the video:
http://www.vogaveneta.it/video-gallery/98-presepio-galleggiante.html

I watched the video with a big smile.
The boats, the people, the club facility are all old friends - all of whom I miss.
One added element to the mix:
costumes.

In past years we've seen great photos of this procession from a spectator's viewpoint, but this time we got to see it from a rower's perspective.
(see "Christmas in Venezia - procession in Mestre" parts one, two, and three)

Thanks for bringing us along for the ride, Nereo.
What a blast!

Merry Christmas from the Gondola Blog

2011-12-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

I wish you all the very best this Christmas.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for your friendship.
God bless you all.
-Greg Mohr

Christmas Eve on the Water in Newport

2011-12-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

There are so many reasons I love my job;
the view is certainly one of them.
Here are three photos I shot this evening
(Christmas Eve) on the waters of Newport.

Golden hour.

Reflection Island.

Still water at twilight.

Safely Navigating the Christmas Party

2011-12-23T22:21:00.000-08:00

On your way out the door soon to a family gathering?
If so, you're probably experiencing a range of emotions.

We love our relatives, well, most of us love most of them.
They are genetically the most similar to us, but get them in a room together and you'll see both similarities and differences.
In many families there are recognizable common traits - whether appearance or personality based.
The shared physical traits don't cause any problems, but sometimes similar personalities don't get along...especially if people have had enough time together in the past to get sick of each other.
Welcome to the family gathering!

Why am I waxing on about family dynamics right now?
Because now, more than ever, you're likely to find yourself in a room full of relatives.
Between Christmas eve, Christmas day, Hannukah, and New Years, just about everyone ends up in a room, house, apartment or other place full of relatives and/or friends.

If you're like me, you're one of the "weird ones".
Yes, there will be people at these parties who have "real jobs"
(and probably don't like their jobs nearly as much as you do).
There will be drunk relatives who can't help but belt out a bad version of
"O Sole Mio" when they see you (and they will be certain that nobody else has ever come up with something so clever).
There will be folks who think that you push off the bottom with a pole,
jet skiers who think they can fully identify with your craft, and someone who wonders why your college degree isn't being put to better use (again with the whole "real job" mindset).

My hope for all of you is that in the coming days you'll enjoy these gatherings.
As a gondolier, you are an exceptional human being,
(no bias here, I swear)
and with great power comes great responsibility.
Let's look at some of the folks you'll encounter.
These are caricatures but many of them do exist.
I've also thrown in a few "do's and don'ts" for your consideration.

The Singing Uncle
We have an unusual variety of skill sets.
Most of us can outsing just about everyone in the room.
Really, you'd be surprised how bad an out-of-practice relative can sound when compared to someone who sings for a living.

So when that drunk uncle greets you with his best "O Sole Mio",
just laugh. Laugh like it really IS funny.
It may be hard to do, but no matter how much it might annoy you, remember that he's doing it because he likes you.

It would be considered bad form to then blow him away with YOUR best "O Sole Mio". Instead, if you feel up to the challenge, teach him how to sing it right.
This may or may not be easy (or worth doing) depending on how drunk your uncle is. In no time, you and your drunk uncle can be serenading the whole place, whether they like it or not. Believe me, it's fun...in an obnoxious way.
Caution: if you do the job too well, your uncle might ask for a job.

The Tough-Guy Cousin
He's bigger than you, lifts weights, loves mixed martial arts,
and his favorite movie is Fight Club.

If you were to tell him that Venetian rowing was a "sport",
he'd probably laugh out loud at you.
(show him this post: "Crazy Americans - "Strap Cam" with a Soundtrack"
and maybe he'll realize that what we do is indeed a sport)

Watch football on the couch next to him and you'll learn almost everything you need to know about him. Almost.

There's one thing that you and your cousin may not be aware of:
there's a good chance that his smaller cousin
(the gondolier)
could beat him in arm wrestling!
Caution: before you allow things to go there, and before you whip the guy in arm wrestling, remember that,
He's bigger than you, lifts weights, loves mixed martial arts,
and his favorite movie is Fight Club.

The Parents Who Paid For Your Education
Insert your own pulp and clichés here. You know them better than I do.
Maybe they didn't actually pay your college tuition, but they raised you.
Impressive jobs and status symbol cars are nice, but at the end of the day,
a lot of parents really only want a few things for their children:
they want their sons and daughters to be happy, safe, and able to provide for themselves. In short, a lot of parents want to make sure they prepared you for the world.

Love your parents.
Tell them how much you enjoy this funky job we do.
If you own your gondola operation, remind them of your job security.
Then, do what far too few of us do until someone is terminally ill:
Thank them - for a bunch of things - think about some of the sacrifices they made for you and thank accordingly.
Tell them that you love them.
Express in whatever way you deem appropriate, that they did a great job as parents.

Ok, enough of the mushy stuff, let's talk now about
The Women
There are aunts, grandmas, sisters, cousins, some are younger than you,
some are older, but they are all female.
Why is that important? because as a gondolier
you have a keen awareness of all things romantic.

Romance is a woman's true primary language.
Most guys think they know about romance, but in truth...
                                                                       most guys don't.
Most guys know about as much about romance,
                                              as most ladies know about football.
Sure there are exceptions, but you get my point.
Most guys need to take a "romance as a second language" class.

The women in the room won't want to hear about the rowing, the wind,
the drunk idiots hanging from bridges, no.
They want to hear about the romantic stuff.
Proposals, anniversaries, surprises, and 9 out of 10 will make some kind of swooning noise when you tell them about how some guy last week proposed to his girlfriend by floating a message in a bottle.
Heck, a gondolier can almost "hold court" with the women at a family gathering.
caution: do too good a job and someone might want to date you...and they're related to you!

The Guy Who's Better Than You
He's got a "real job". Maybe he's got more degrees.
He may have a Rolex, and he's probably arrived in a car that's worth more than you make in a year.
He's better than you - just ask him - he'll tell you.

He's determined to be the one to die with the most toys...and he'll probably succeed in dying before you do.
The stress of his pursuits will help speed that along.
Be his friend to the best of your ability, not because someday you might need him, but because whether he knows it or not...someday he'll need you,
along with everyone else in the room.
He just doesn't realize it right now.

Oh, and this guy is a classic example of some guys in the romance department.
his idea of romance involves buying a woman's heart.

The Screaming Kids
Well, they might not be screaming when you get there,
but at some point they will surely make a lot of noise.
If presents are to be opened,
there WILL be screaming.
As a gondolier, you're probably more energetic than most of the adults there. And if you regularly pilot a small boat in challenging conditions,
you're surely able to handle the stress of screaming kids.

If it's Christmas - play Santa.
No, you don't need to wear the suit (but that can be really fun),
just be the one who distributes the presents.
Make a big deal out of every gift. Inspire the screaming.
Heck, join in and do some screaming of your own.
I'm in my forties and I still love it!

The Geezers
These are the really old folks.
To the kids they are about as exciting as the furniture that they are sitting on, but to them - everything going on in the room is fantastic!
Every person in the room is somehow connected with them,
and in one way or another,
every person there...is there because of them.

I use the word "Geezer" for comedic reasons,
but also because I look forward to being one some day.
And I'm sure my great grandkids will find me about as exciting then as I found my great grandma when I was one of those "Screaming Kids".

The Apostle Paul said "be all things to all people".
I believe his message in that was to communicate in different ways for different kinds of people.
Speak to each person in a way they will best receive the message.
If you talk to the "screaming Kids" the way you would talk to your Great Grandma Ruth, they'll tune you out almost immediately.
More importantly, if you talk to your Great Grandma Ruth like you would to the "Screaming Kids", things will not go well.

The old folks would love to visit with you, to hear all about this unique job you have, and maybe impart some wisdom from their many years of experience.
Remember that they prefer things to move at a little slower pace, and may not hear as well as you do.
Take a breath, shift gears, and soak it up.
Remember that you are more than just your job - especially to the Geezers.
They've known you your whole life and have been proud of you since before you could ever realize it.
they see potential in you that you don't yet know about.
The time you spend with these folks is more valuable to you than you may realize...and it's more valuable to them than you can possibly imagine right now.

The Leading Ladies
There may be some women there who would like to get all the attention,
and then there are those who you should be sure to give credit and attention to.

Unless you came alone, the lady you came with should be at the top of your list.
There's an old saying in Texas:
"Dance with the one that brung you".
Wife, fiancee, girlfriend - if you arrived with her, you're gonna leave with her.
If she meant enough to you to bring her, tell her so, with your words and your actions.
This might sound elementary or silly, but it's an easy one to overlook.
If you're at a gathering of your family, you might want to disappear with the cousins you grew up playig with, or "occupy" the couch with the other guys to watch the game.
If this is your family, try not to abandon your lady - she might not know anyone else there.

The lady doing the cooking is often an unsung hero - sing to her.
She may be your mom, or another relative, but whoever she is, she's probably the only one working, and she deserves more credit than she'll probably get.
If you were going to sing for someone - sing to her.
And if you end up singing for everybody - sing in her honor.
If singing is not on your list of things to do, then raise a toast to the person or people who did the cooking.
Along the same lines, if your grandma baked a pie - tell her how much you loved it. She will beam.

Now, take a look around the room.
Is there someone who doesn't look like they want attention?
Maybe they're not having a good time?
Seek out the ones who are quietly hiding and at least ask them how they are doing, and if there's anything you can do for them.
Sure, loud carousing is what this time of year is known for,
but selfless caring is what it's really all about.

Blessings to you and your families from the Gondola Blog.

Last Minute Stocking-Stuffer and Gift Ideas

2011-12-22T23:48:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, most of you have probably already bought all the gifts you need to buy, but if you're like me, you've left the stocking-stuffer items till the last minute.
(Actually, if you're like me you may still have some gifts to buy as well)

Here are a few things you might want to consider as gifts for gondolier friends.
More to the point, here's a list you could mention to those family members who might soon be stuffing your stocking.
Or maybe you might just print it out and happen to leave it on a counter somewhere.

Swiss Army knife

I prefer the Victorinox variation – I always have one of the smaller versions that have a little red flashlight and ball-point pen built in. It also has a cap lifter (that would be a bottle opener) - essential when you need to open someone’s Martinelli’s…or your own frosty beverage of choice at the end of the evening.

Corkscrew/bottle opener
A lot of passengers arrive with their own wine.
Not all of them think it through and bring a corkscrew.
A good gondolier is prepared for such things.
Having a nice looking wine opener is important too, because unlike most things on the boat, this item comes in direct contact with something the passengers will put to their mouth.

Flashlight

The Mini Maglite is a great choice, and not as expensive as some of the more high-tech flashlights on the market. The AA size Mini Maglite fits perfectly in the canon (little brass rose vase piece on the bow), and when you twist off the lid, it becomes a great running light.

Pinch-light

These little flishlights are remarkably bright, and easy to keep on a keyring or somewhere handy.

I posted about one such product called the "Photon Light" a few years back.

Just this week I used my Photon to get the attention of a drunk Duffy driver.

Last night I used it to help a passenger who was struggling to get their camera working, and a quick sweep of the passenger area after each cruise helps guests find their things before they step off the gondola.

Here's a link to my post on the the Photon:

http://www.gondolagreg.com/2008/10/photon-light.html

Watch cap
In the colder months, a lot of gondoliers like to swap out their straw hats for something warmer (and less affected by wind). The black watch cap fits the bill and tucks easily into a pocket as well.

Thermos
Coffee. I live on coffee.
Gotta have it on my boat, especially if I'm gonna do any singing.
Recently my daughter's voice teacher expressed surprise when I told her that I drank coffee before singing (I guess caffeine is looked down upon by serious vocalists). My response was a phrase I use a lot: "Hey, I'm a gondolier".
We just do what we need to do.
As I run out the door for a night of rowing in the cold night air, my stainless steel Thermos is almost always with me...and that caffeine definitely helps do what I need to do.

Bandana
Not all gondoliers prefer to wear a bandana around their neck
(although it does help fight the chill of winter).
Some gondoliers tuck a bandana in their back pocket,
or simply keep it in their bag.
A simple square of cloth can be invaluable in the job we perform.
I'd list off some fo the many uses, but you're a creative bunch - I'll let you mull it over yourselves.

Bird chart
They have these at the hardware store just down the street from my house,
and probably at bookstores too. The one I keep in my bag weighs nothing and can make a huge difference for that passenger who starts asking about the different shorebirds they see.

Anybody want to add to this list?

Merry Christmas, my amici.
- Gondola Greg

Long Exposure on the Dock in Texas

2011-12-21T23:44:00.000-08:00

We al have our compulsions (those things we just can't resist doing), and when it comes to photography, I can't resist the night-time long exposure.

I shot this one a while back during a visit to my operation in Irving, Texas.
The boat is La Serenissima - a rather unique tour-boat variation, which was built in Canada in the early 90's.

To read more about this boat, go to "Unusual Gondola in Texas".

As I mentioned, this is a long exposure, a telltale sign is above the left of the gondola, there's an aircraft of some sort - which left a solid white line as the shutter of the camera was open.

Some Things Just Never Get Old

2011-12-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

Cruising under the Newport Blvd. bridge today,
I looked at a view I've seen more times than I could possible count,
and decided that it was still beautiful,
still worth taking a picture of,
and still worth sharing with my friends.

I don't care what they say, some things just never get old.

Christmas Boat Parade - Newport Beach - 2011

2011-12-20T00:20:00.000-08:00

photo by Steve Elkins

On Sunday night, the final night of the boat parade in Newport this year,
I caught some decent video footage.
Steve Elkins and I also shot a few photos.
The lighting during this event is "challenging" to say the least.
Everything is moving, including the gondola.
And then there are all the other spectator boats, so to get good photos or video, a gondolier has to be very good at multi-tasking.

As the parade stacked up this year, the first parade boat, which followed the red Harbor Patrol boat, had an eye-catching light display on the bow that looked like it had been stolen from an alien spacecraft.

"Close encounters" of the lead boat.

Grabbing a snapshot of the lead boat was all I could accomplish,
as I was jockeying for position with a few other boats,
and safety always trumps photography in my book.

As the parade passed by, I fished out my video camera and shot this clip:

Yes, yes, there IS always some guy with a microphone who,

upon seeing my gondola, feels the irrepressible urge to deliver his best unrehearsed version of a song he's sure all gondoliers sing.

The variety of boats is always an interesting aspect of the parade.

Here we see a motor yacht, then a sailboat, and then a small boat that most have at least three generators on board to power all the lights:

One of the most popular boats in this year's parade was this one:

I didn't get the name, but I was able to shoot both a photo and some video - and this one is better appreciated with video.
The bright rectangular "sails" changed color and flashed in stripes.

Did you catch the crocodile trailing behind at the end of the video?

Some of these boats plow by quickly, leaving some nice moto-ondoso for a gondolier to handle.

Sure, the parade is supposed to move at a more "leisurely" pace, but there are times when one boat slows down a little, and then decides they need to catch up.

That's when it gets dicey.

photo by Steve Elkins

All the parade boats are well lit.

Many of the participating boats have music as well.

Combining the music and lights isn't something we see much of,

but when we do, it's usually pretty cool.

Here's one that's "Snoopy cool":

Some parade boats have obvious themes.
I think the Spongebob boat won in their category this year.

photo by Steve Elkins

You don't have to have a huge vessel to make an impression in the parade.

Here's one example of someone who worked well with what they had.

Many of the large fishing boats take part in the procession.
These are "cattle boats", also sometimes known as "head boats" because you can go fishing without chartering out the whole vessel
(admission is a certain amount per head).
In this case folks pay per head to be in the parade.

As this one passes by and turns the corner, you can hear her engines well.
These boats specialize in open water trips that require a lot more power.

A special thanks goes out to Steve for taking some great photos,

but more importantly - for being such a good sport about it.

I rowed over to his gondola, handed him my camera,

and asked him if he'd take a few shots for me.

When he agreed, I proceeded to give him way more directions than he was probably expecting.

photo by Steve Elkins

As always, it was exciting to be out on the water for the Christmas Boat Parade this year, and my passengers will all tell you that there's no better way to see it than from a gondola.

Not only can you get remarkably close to the procession, but a lot of parade boats see the gondola and speak (or sing) to us over the P.A. system.

When a fully lit mega-yaght cruises by, with Santa Clause on the bow holding a microphone, and Santa says "Merry Christmas to the folks on the gondola" - well, for my passengers, it's something they'll remember for a long time.

Christmas in Venezia

2011-12-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Marie at Italy to Los Angeles and Back just posted some great views of La Serenissima in her Christmas splendor:
"I took a walk in Venice today and this is what I saw..."
Thanks Marie, I have yet to visit my favorite city in December,
but one day I certainly will.

It's the Moments

2011-12-17T23:58:00.000-08:00

Out on the waters of Newport tonight, I chased the Christmas Boat Parade around on my gondola "the Phoenix" with a fun couple who had seen the parade numerous times, but never from a gondola.
One of them was a writer, who asked me many questions about the parade,
the gondolas, John Scarpa, and such.

Then she asked me what it was about gondolas that kept me coming back.
Not an easy question to answer...
because there are so many things that I love
about what we do and the boats we operate.

I told her about how I loved being out on the water,
about how I grew up in a Boy Scout troop, and being outside in the elements is a natural fit for me.
I didn't mention my love for all the "fitness aspects" of rowing a gondola,
but they are many, and every time I row I appreciate the athletic benefits.
"Being the captain of my own boat" should have been mentioned. I think every gondolier likes that (along with the escape appeal).
What I landed on, was a more visceral, or shall I say "heart related" reason:
Perfect moments.

I love the boats - and they are amazing.
Really, there's nothing like a shiny, gleaming, black gondola.
The complex curves and uniques design features make them unlike any other vessel.

But at the end of the day I don't sit in my chair,
sipping red wine, reflecting on the day, and say
"Today I rowed a beautiful boat".

No, it's "Today I witnessed a proposal",
or "My passengers saw a perfect sunset".
"A marriage was saved on my cruise",
or "I know my couple will never forget their cruise".

At the end of the day, my fellow gondoliers,
We provide our clients with perfect moments.

Our job is a funny one:
We row a boat!
In this super-ridiculously high-tech world, we row a boat.
The most technical thing on the boat is a cell phone in the gondolier's pocket. Most of what we do is as it was two-hundred years ago...and people love it.
We love it.
As I sing a song for my passengers, row the gondola, and breathe in the ocean air of the Pacific, I'm doing the same thing John Scarpa did a hundred years ago here in Newport when he started this crazy boat parade ritual.
And I must say,
That there's nothing I'd rather be doing.

Others measure our lives by years,
but when we look back,
When our lives flash before us,
It's the perfect moments that we'll savor.

More Attention Directed at the Cruise Industry

2011-12-15T23:12:00.000-08:00

Along with the discourse of establishing a cruise terminal in Marghera,
there's also some talk of establishing a mooring facility outside the lagoon.
The folks at the Venice Travel Blog have posted on it at "Should Venice have an offshore cruise terminal?"

While I admit that mine is not the most informed opinion, to a certain degree I understand both sides of the issue. On one hand it must be frustrating to have these great behemoths spewing tourists upon the city on a daily basis
(Piazza San Marco gets downright nuts sometimes), but the tourist dollar is also important for the economy.

As for the actual passage, I've seen that from both angles as well.
It is indeed an amazing thing to pass through the Giudecca Canal,
shooting pictures from the top deck of a gigantic cruise ship.
And yet, standing at the water's edge along the fondamenta near Piazza San Marco, it's a bit disturbing to watch a floating city pass by the historic city,
with many structures that were built before my continent was even discovered.

I'm sure there are as many opinions on this as there are residents in the Veneto.
Only time will tell.
Whatever happens, I'm sure no one party will get a 100% win,
but I'm also confident that everyone will survive it.

While you're on the Venice Travel Blog,
take a look at their post on "Barging from Venice: the beautiful life".

Pupparin - Before and After

2011-12-14T23:27:00.000-08:00

photos by Tim Reinard

Many of you may know that one of my favorite boats outside my own operation, is Sunset Gondola's pupparin.

Recently Tim hauled her out and gave her the TLC that a genuine Venetian beauty deserves. Here's a photo he sent me after spending some real quality time with some sandpaper.

A lot of times, if you prep it right, you can varnish over previous coats.
But sometimes you've just gotta start from scratch.
Get rid of the old material and go with all new varnish.

Here's what it looks like when it's done right:

And here she is, all dressed up and ready for her close-up.

Shortly after this photo was taken,
the boat took part in a special parade in Venice, California.
I'm sure she was the best looking boat of the bunch.

Cruise Ships Under the Magnifying Glass in Venezia

2011-12-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

In a recent USA Today article:
"Calls grow for restrictions on cruises out of Venice",
There's talk of changing things around with regard to where these massive ships can dock.
It could be the beginning of something big.
Or it could just be a lot of talk.
After all, politicians are involved.

Huntington Harbour Boat Parade 2011 - Part 2 - Video

2011-12-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some video clips from the gondola on Saturday night as we rowed in the Huntington Harbour Boat Parade.

This first piece of video was shot as we were on our way to the area where all the boats congregate before the start. Kale had brought along a "penny-whistle" - you can hear it a little bit in this clip.

The theme for this year was "Islands", so a lot of the boats who participated chose to theme their decoration around a particular island or archipelago.
The Hawaiian themed boats were easy to spot, and there was at least one Jamaican themed boat (I know because I kept hearing Bob Marley pumping out of their sound system). We, of course were representing the Island of Venice.

Here's a clip I shot as the boats started moving in the same direction, in a semi-controlled manner, but the whole thing hadn't started to resemble a parade yet.

The moon was full that night, and as it was rising, I was able to grab a few decent shots of it through the trees and just above the rooftops.

As the crowd of boats began to trail off in a uniform direction, we found ouurselves doing a little jockeying - not to compete for position, but to stay in the proper order.

Early along the route we encountered two stand-up-paddlers who did an excellent job of "personal lighting".

This snippet was shot as we began to enter some of the tighter areas.

In the distance you can hear some of the excited spectators on boats, bridges, docks and land.

I shot these last two video segments while perched on the trasto-de-meso between Nico and Kale. Tim was rowing a poppa and Chris was up front.

Huntington Harbour Boat Parade 2011 - Part 1

2011-12-10T23:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Saturday, December 10th, I was fortunate enough to row once again in the Huntington Harbour Christmas Boat Parade.

Tim Reinard of Sunset Gondola has a keen sense when it comes to creating fun traditions that involve Venetian rowing.

This was the third year in a row that we've done this dance with big luxury yachts, sportfishers, and lots of other local power boats - all filled with people getting into the holiday spirit, and all decorated to the hilt.

This year we had a team of five, which meant that one guy got the fuss over photography, make sure the christmas lights were working (a black boat in the dark is a great way to get run over during such an event), and take care of beverage distribution for thirsty rowers.

Here are a few snaps from the dock, getting ready for the parade.

Guys prepping the boat.

Kale tending to the lighting.

Chris trying to make sense of the decorations.

Nico - striking that "How YOU doin'?" pose.

Tim stepping on.

Erla Knows Saint Barbara

2011-12-10T00:17:00.000-08:00

Erla of I Am Not Making This Up sees things from a rather enviable perspective, and she's gracious enough to share it with us all.
Her recent post "Racing Saint Barbara" gives us an idea of the goings on of a six-oar caorlina regata.
Read,
Be jealous,
Leave a comment.

Thanks Erla!

Gondola Books for Christmas

2011-12-09T01:01:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, some of you may still be looking for that perfect gift for your favorite "gondola fanatic". Perhaps you are that gondola fanatic, and are thinking about simply "gifting" something to yourself.
Either way, here's a list of great gondola-related books - chances are something on this list will make the perfect gift for that gondola fanatic in your life
(even if it's you).

“Forcole Remi e Voga alla Veneta”
by Gilberto Penzo

In a previous post I wrote:
The book has an English translation in the back, along with great photos.
Penzo collaborated with Saverio Pastor,
and it shows.
You get a real insider’s view of the world of the remer. I risk sacrilege here,
but on more than one occasion I’ve called it “the Bible for Venetian rowing”.

Gilberto Penzo has published many great books.
If you have this one already, chances are you'll find something else on his website, www.veniceboats.com, that you simply can't live without.

price range: under $30

availability: it may be available elsewhere, but go to the source at www.veniceboats.com

"Free Gondola Ride" by Kathleen Ann Gozalez

This book follows the adventures of the author as she explores Venice with the goal of better understanding not the boats, but the guys who row them.

A more complete description can be found on her website: www.freegondolaride.com

To read more about the book here on the Gondola Blog, go to my post "Free Gondola Ride" from October of 2007.

price range: under $20 (includes shipping)

availability: you can order them directly from Kathleen at www.freegondolaride.com

"The Gondola - An Extraordinary Naval Architecture" by Carlo Donatelli
Here's a book that looks at the gondola from some unique angles, including the way she moves through the water. Donatelli's book is available in english, and has some great images and information.

price range: under $40
availability: not always easy to find but well worth it. Amazon claims to have them

"The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

This fiction piece looks at Venice through the eyes of a group of orphans in Venice and their mysterious leader.
My daughters are 11 and 14 and they love this book.

price range: under $15

available: everywhere

"Nolite Oblivisci" by Nereo Zane.

I must confess that I wrote some of the copy for this book, but the amazing photography is all from Nereo.

This book chronicles the journey we took down the Hudson River in 2007.
If you are interested in this book, you can contact me directly at:
greg@gondola.com

price: $20 + postage

availability: through the Gondola Blog or Nereo Zane (depending on which continent you're on)

"The Silent Gondoliers" by S. Morgenstern

The author is best known for another of his books "The Princess Bride".

This tale involves a history of gondoliers and why they no longer sing in Venice.

price range: under $10

available: everywhere

"Guido's Gondola" by Renee Riva,

illustrated by Steve Bjorkman

This is a fun little children's book about a mouse named Guido and his adventures on the water.

We've hosted a number of school field trips at our docks in Newport.
Before we take the kids out on the boats, I give a short lecture on gondolas, and for the younger ones, I always read "Guido's Gondola".

price range: under $10

available: everywhere

With about two weeks left before the big day, some of these may be easily found at your local bookstore, others through mail order companies. For the special order items: order the book, and if it doesn't come in time, blame the sender. Heck, blame me!

Merry Christmas amici!

Just the Photo - "Full Moon Over Minnesota"

2011-12-07T01:57:00.001-08:00

photo by Bill Whitney

On October 18th I posted a series of images

in the post "Views from a Cruise in Minnesota".

Here's one I held onto because I had similar photos,

and also because it's such a great photo - one that deserved it's own post.

John Kerschbaum has probably got all his boats out of the water now,

and is sitting by the fire as the snow falls on Minnesota.

But if I know John, he's thinking about moments like the one

captured by Bill Whitney in the photo above.

Gondolier Lands in Martinique

2011-12-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

"Gondoliers are interesting" is a phrase I often use,
but there are others:
"Gondoliers are adventurous".
"Gondoliers like to be outside, and are comfortable in unsure circumstances".
"Gondoliers have big dreams".
And lastly, "Gondoliers are capable".

I can think of many gondoliers who meet all of the above criteria,
but at this writing, nobody fits the description better than Tommaso Luppi.
After twenty-three days at sea, Tommaso successfuly crossed the Atlantic,
and as I write this he's probably either sleeping,
laughing somewhere in a hammock,
or maybe sampling rum in Le Marin Bay on the Caribbean island of Martinique.

Bravo Tommaso!

To read more about the crossing and see photos, go to Marie Ohanesian Nardin's blog and check out this post.
Many thinks to Marie for keeping us all updated on this adventure.
And thanks to Tommaso, who embodies the spirit of the gondolier and has made all of Venezia proud.

Scooby and the Pupparin

2011-12-05T00:21:00.000-08:00

photo by Tim Reinard

As many of you know, Tim of Sunset Gondola has one of the only pupparini in the US. Because I have a healthy amount of ~~jealousy~~ love for the boat,

I'm sure you've seen plenty of images of the boat here on the blog.

One of the things that sets this boat apart is that she has a lot of varnished wood, which of course, requires a little more attention than painted surfaces.

For the past few weeks the pupparin has been undergoing a little sanding prep.

Tomorrow Tim will begin the varnishing process.

He's already got the most impressive pupparin outside the Veneto.

Now she's gonna look even better.

All this is taking place under the watchful eyes of Tim's dog:

"Scooby" - a dog with a name as fun and affable as his personality.

More Gondolas in Egypt

2011-12-04T00:47:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I posted "Gondolas" - Egyptian-Style - featuring some clever little boats that were in pretty good shape, but my guess is that a lot of you wished that they were authentic Venice-built craft.

Now, we'll take a look at some boats that appear to be Venice-built,
but I suspect most of you will wish they were better taken care of.

We're going back to Egypt, where it seems there is another gondola operation, also in a controlled waterway (that means a fancy swimming pool),
and like the ones in my previous post - it looks like they also push with poles rather than row with remi.

It also appears that they aren't very well-versed regarding the placement of the forward gondolier...

The place we're looking at here is called the "Venice Canal Mall",
which is located in the Porto Marina Resort.
An earlier version of their website can be viewed here.
Their current site is here - with one or two high-resolution photos of a couple in a gondola (I'll let you do the hunting).

A better quality image of one of the Porto gondolas can be seen at this link.

Click on the displayed image to get a bigger version on most computers.

Upon closer inspection, the boat is pretty beat up. It's easy to criticize someone else's gondola, but we must remember that this is Egypt we're talking about.

I haven't crawled through these gondolas personally, but my guess is that they were either built to pretty close Venetian specifications, or more likely, bought in Venice and brought to the property in Egypt.

Chances are also good that if they were bought in Venice - they weren't bought new.

All the same, I applaud the gondoliers who are trying to make things work in their given situation.

I hope their passengers come away with great memories,

and I hope they do their best to represent the city their boats came from.

Happy Birthday René!

2011-12-03T00:19:00.000-08:00

The Gondola Blog isn't just frequented by gondoliers.

I'm thankful to say that others who are interested in Venice, Venetian boats and rowing, and even a few lookie-loos stop by here regularly.

In fact, while many might think that the Gondola Blog is solely a product of Gondola Greg, the truth is far from it. I receive photos and text from several friends. In many cases I don't think they realize how much I appreciate them.

One such friend is René Seindal of Venice Kayak - who just so happens to be having a birthday today.

So to honor his birthday, I went to his Facebook page and stole this great image of him paddling under the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

I made sure to snag an image that also had a gondola in it.

The paddle in René's hands is a custom crafted piece by our remer friend Paolo Brandolisio.

Happy birthday René!

Oh, and sorry for swiping the photo.

Getting My Nickel Back

2011-12-02T01:49:00.000-08:00

If you operate a gondola, pretty much anywhere in the world, chances are good that at the end of most cruises you find at least one empty bottle on board.

It could be wine, champagne, sparkling cider, or even sake.

Some servizios provide their passengers with refreshment, while others take more of a BYOB approach.

Heck, the passengers may have smuggled it aboard.

I'm not here to talk about where these bottles come from, this is about where they are going once they become empty.

I'm also not going to talk about what should be done with a half-full bottle left on the boat (but if it's a good chianti, and you don't want it - feel free to bring it to my house).

If you are looking for a long expose on going green and saving the planet, that's also not gonna happen here. The internet is already brimming with op-eds on how important it is to re-use our resources. As much as I agree with all the philosophical concerns about recycling,

I tend to look at things from a more practical angle.

Practical, and some might even say "miserly".

Bottom line:

I want my dang nickel back!

"What's that?" you say.

"Nickel?"

Every time my company buys non-alcoholic beverages to serve on board our cruises, we pay the purchase price, plus a deposit.

In many cases it's about five cents per bottle.

here in California it's known as "California redemtion value".

You'll see "CRV" on most mainstream recyclable items in this state.

I'm sure other states have more clever names for roughly the same thing:

you buy it,

pay extra for the material that the bottle is made of,

and get your deposit back...

if and when you turn in the empty container.

Did you catch that second part?

yes, you pay extra for the material that the bottle (or can) is made of.

I don't know about you, but I am NOT a fan of "paying extra".

All I can think of is that someone's got my nickel!

Miserly? Yes.

Practical? Also yes.

I've got to feed my kids,

and while a nickel doesn't buy dinner - a lot of nickels does.

My last trip to the recycling center yielded about thirty bucks;

well worth the trouble - especially in this economy.

Of course I throw in the empty bottles and cans my family generates as well,

and the job of sorting must be done before going to the recycling center.

Some items say that they can be recycled (like HDPE milk jugs), and there are new types of recyclable plastics hitting the market all the time, but many centers only handle the main categories:

glass, aluminum, and PET (water and soda bottle plastic).

Another thing to note is that wine bottles do not get you a deposit back

(at least not in California).

If you're strictly out for money, you can either skip the wine and champagne bottles or find a bulk recycling center.

I'm sure there's better money in it, but that the extra margin involves more work.

For me, it's about keeping this as a "quick errand" so it's easy and worthwhile.

I still bring the wine bottles.

By the time I sort CRV containers from non-CRV ones, it's just as easy to throw them in the back of my truck as it is to chuck them in the trash.

The recycling center is happy to "pass them along" for me (for no deposit).

I don't know if they are actually getting something for them, I just know that I'd rather see the glass go back into the system than end up in a landfill somewhere.

Any business owner in this economy should be looking at every single opportunity to help fortify their bottom line.

Recycling may not be in your original business model,

but hey - someone's got your nickels.

Get 'em back!

If you're running a gondola operation, and not recycling,

you may be missing out on an opportunity.

"Environmental concerns",

"Going green",

"saving the planet",

or just keeping the place we live a bit more tidy.

We could talk about all of the above topics, but like I said, I tend to take a more brass tacks approach.

I want my nickel back.

Just the Photo - "Iron Bridge"

2011-12-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

photo by Martina Zane

Not all bridges in Venezia are made of bricks or stones.

Newport's "Marco Polo"

2011-11-30T01:14:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I had the occasion to employ a gondolier from Venice, Italy in my Newport Beach operation.

For the purpose of our discussion, I'll call him "Mario".

His best friend had married an American tourist girl from this area and had relocated to Orange County, California - taking a job and starting a family.

The two friends had both served as gondoliers back in Venice,

and after visiting his friend, Mario decided that he needed to make Southern California his home as well.

I'm quite certain that it had nothing to do with rowing a gondola in California, and everything to do with a chance encounter he had with a rather curvacious cashier at a grocery store in Fountain Valley.

Nevertheless, Mario ended up applying for a job with my servizio.

I must admit that the interview process was a little weird.

Here was a guy who'd grown up rowing in Venice, and who had rowed as a gondolier for a major traghetto, and I was there to make sure he knew what he was doing rowing a gondola.

Truth be told, I spent most of the interview watching his technique so I could try to replicate it during my next cruise.

I felt like I was interviewing Eddie Van Halen for my garage band.

Big surprise: he got the job.

So many things happened during the year and a half that he rowed for me,

but this is the "Marco Polo" post.

We learned a lot about Venetian gondoliers from Mario.

And while it may be unfair to draw the conclusion that

"All Venetian gondoliers like to make stuff up" - Mario sure did.

In fact the joke among our staff to this day is:

If you take a gondola ride in Venice,

it doesn't matter where you start,

where you finish,

or what part of the city you go through...

somewhere along the way - you're gonna see Marco Polo's house!

Is it an unfair characterization of all gondoliers?

probably so, but that's what happens when you have Mario rowing cruises for you.

You see, six months into his tenure with us,

Mario was pointing out the house in the photo above as "Tom Cruise's house!"

Marco Polo never lived in Newport Beach, so Mario had swapped him out for the next best thing.

Tom Cruise probably owns a lot of nice homes,

and a place on the corner of an island facing the setting sun,

in a city like Newport Beach would be a great choice.

But I can tell you with great certainty that

Tom Cruise did not own that house, ever.

In fact the guy who lived there at the time was about six feet tall,

blonde, and looked more like Ed Begley Jr.

He wasn't Ed Begley Jr. either, but he most certainly was not Tom Cruise.

As time went on I found out that Mario was also pointing out the homes of "Cher" and "Madonna"...but not always using the same houses.

The funny thing about it was that passengers knew most of the time that he was just making it up, and it turned out that they loved it - found it charming

in a strange sort of way.

Eventually things didn't work out with the voluptuous grocery store cashier,

and like Texans pine for their Lone Star State,

Marco began to miss La Serenissima.

After calling Southern California his home for about a year and a half,

Mario returned to Venice, where I understand he is quite happy.

In fact as I write this, he's probably pointing out "Marco Polo's House"

to someone right now.

Aluminum!

2011-11-29T01:15:00.000-08:00

New Orleans gondolier Robert Dula has a problem that some of you might identify with:
I have to deal with submerged stumps in certain areas of the park.
They wreak havoc on my wooden oar.

After dealing with these underwater hazards, and the damage they cause, Roberto talked to a friend who knows a thing or two about fabrication using other materials.

Construction of an aluminum remo began.

I received the above photo with the words:
"Top Secret! For your eyes only!"
I felt like a secret agent.
It was great.
Roberto told me to hang on to the photo, and he'd keep me updated on progress and tell me when I could share the information.

Then, on Sunday, I received this photo:

This photo was shot during the first row with the new aluminum remo.
Roberto said that it rowed excellently, and felt just like a wodden one.

I pressed him with some questions about whether it behaved like a wooden oar in flexing, and expressed some concern that in a severe situation - a metal oar could bend.

The weight is close to a wooden oar, but a bit lighter. It has a slight flex to it, but will not bend. I gave it all I had and it can take it.

I asked him if he thought it could get colder in the gondolier's hand in winter because it's metal.

I plan on wrapping my hand area with something like handlebar tape. That should give me a good grip and help insulate, as well.

John Kerschbaum in Minnesota has done the same thing with his wooden remi as teperatures drop at the end of the season.

Cold remo means cold hands.

If handlebar tape works in Minnesota, I'm sure it will do the trick in Louisiana - even with metal.

My next obvious question was "how much?"

Price wise, we're looking at around $500. I know that's steep, but it should outlast a wooden oar.

Without a doubt, some folks will have a negative opinion of this new remo,

and I'm certain that others are already thinking of buying one.

If the aluminum remo truly does perform like a wooden one, and if it will outlast it's wooden counterparts, I can see a possible success story for it.

Only time will tell.

Roberto finished with:

After I row with it for a while, I'll send an update and let you know how it's holding up.

I'm so curious, I'm tempted to jump on a plane and fly out to New Orleans just to try it out!

"Benedettina"

2011-11-27T01:40:00.000-08:00

photos by Tamás Fehér

As beautiful and unique as they are, many of the standard-design rowing boats of the Veneto are seen as "just another _____" as they float alongside others of the same design.

Sure, a gondola in a group of gondolas may look more "common",
but each and every rowing boat in the Venetian rowing fleet is a beautiful thing; unique in her own way, and built with great care by someone who probably loves their job almost as much as they love the boats they build.

But if you still can't help but look at a bunch of sandoli at a rowing club, or the raft of gondolas in Bacino Orseolo, and say to yourself "ah, they're all the same", you can't say that about something like this:

I realize that the term is probably an aberration, and I must confess that I coined it myself, but I like to call this group of boats the "big desonas".
These bring custom-built to a whole new level.
There are 8, 10, and 12 oared versions.
The Gruppo Sportivo Voga Veneta - Mestre has many boats, but their pride and joy is the 14-oar "Mestrina" - a quattordesona.
The "Mestrina" is so big that she consists of three sections that are bolted together (easier to transport that way).
I believe the 18-post "disdotona" at the Società Canottieri Francesco Querini currently holds top billing in the group.

Of course each of the "big desonas" are original designs, but they all tend to have a certain look - as if they were based on the gondola design at both ends. But this one is different.
That's not the tail of a gondola there.
And the prow is more like that of a sandolo-type vessel.

Tamás shot these while attending a regatta off the end of Giudecca,
he didn't get a lot of info on the boat, but one of the photos came with the name “Benedettina”.
in taking a closer look, I noticed the name of the club on the side:

Gruppo remiero "Porto Pedocco" in Comune di Correzzola.

Next, I searched “Benedettina” and found this page on Gilberto Penzo’s website: www.veniceboats.com/it-restauro-autocostruzioni-nuoveforme.htm

There’s a boat in the “Pupparin” section of the page that looks a lot like this one (except that she appears to be a three-part-boat that can be bolted together like "Mestrina").

In examining the photos, this looks like a 12 oared boat, but my suspicion was that "Benedettina" also wasn't a fancy new way to say "twelve-man-boat".

I asked Nereo Zane about the boat, and he cleared it up as only a Venetian can:

"Benedettina" is the boat's name, like Mestrina is the name of our quatoresona.
The name "Benedettina" comes from an old Monastery (founded in the 13th century) called "Corte Benedettina" located in Correzzola. The monastery was very important for the whole area during the past centuries. Today it's an interesting and unique witness of the past.

Nereo also provided this link:
www.correzzola.it
click on the "Storia" tab, and you can learn more about the history of the place.

Nereo's opinion was the same as mine:
In my opinion (after a visit to Gilberto's website) the boat is a multiple rower puparin with the stern like a sandolo buranello.

Anyone with more information on this unique boat is encouraged to comment on this post or e-mail me at greg@gondola.com.

2011-11-25T23:56:00.000-08:00

photo by Monica Ballielo

Well, the folks at the GSVVM are at it again - building and launching beautiful boats.
Nereo Zane has a collection of nice images,
captured by GSVVM's Monica Ballielo, on his blog.
Go to www.vogaveneta.it
and check out Varo Sandoli 2011
to see what you missed.
Sure wish I'd been there.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks for checking in here, my friends.

I hope you all have a day worthy of thanks.

The Hoist

2011-11-23T23:56:00.000-08:00

photo by Tamás Fehér

Most operating gondolas are kept in the water,
but other Venetian rowing craft
(especially the ones in rowing clubs)
are stored dry, and hoisted into the water before each excursion.
As you might imagine, the hoist is of great importance to club rowers. I'll bet most clubs value their hoists as much as they value their boats.

Tommaso's Journey is Under Way

2011-11-22T21:57:00.001-08:00

In August I told you about Tommaso Luppi, a gondolier from Venice who was preparing to cross the Atlantic on a solo sailing adventure.
Marie at "Italy to Los Angeles and Back" knows Tommaso and has been following his adventures as he's prepared for the big journey.
An interview with Tommaso is available in her August 18th post.

The ocean voyaging gondolier is now on his journey.
He's hardly alone - as he's been kept company by whales, dolphins, and lots of other characters "local" to the areas he traverses, but he's the only person in the equation.

Marie is maintaining a regular log of Tommaso's progress at:
Baimaiself: Tommaso Luppi's Atlantic crossing running update
and she gives coordinates so his last reported position can be tracked.
Of course if you're too lazy to do the calculating (that would be me), take a look at the GPS page on his website.

Tommaso's website is simply:
www.baimaiself.com

Gondoliers are not fond of desks.
We like to get out there and do things.
Tommaso Luppi is a perfect example.
Go Tommaso!
We're not on the boat with you,
but we're following your adventure...with pride and envy.

A "Fall Tradition" in Boston

2011-11-21T23:54:00.001-08:00

photo by Joe Gibbons

Many of our gondolier friends in cities to the north will identify with this photo and what it represents.

My good friend Joe Gibbons in Boston sent it in so we could all share in the moment.

He writes:

Hi Greg

This shot that I sent you seems to be a yearly event. That is Steve Bruno and his sons Mike and Matthew. After winching the Maria out of the Charles River and onto the walking path, we goof off a bit in preparation for the half mile push down the side walk that abuts a very busy road. With horns beeping at us, joggers ,walkers, and bikers looking on in awe, it can be a nerve wracking experience to say the least. We actually pass within feet of the guard rail that seperates us from the highway. You can feel the breeze of cars flying past at 40 to 50 miles per hour. Once Maria was put to bed for the long winter we celebrated with a great {Santarpios Pizza} and a few beers.

Time now for a ride on the snowmobiles!!

Thanks for the great description, Joe.

I wish I'd been there to help push the boat (and eat the pizza too).

On top of it, Joe added something a lot of us have probably thought of a time or two:

A funny thought comes to mind! Maybe a set of skis on the bottom of the gondola and a holiday sleigh ride/gondola through the apple orchards{helmets required}.

Tell you what, Joe:

You set up "gondola sleigh rides", and I'll fly out and take one.

Photos from the Prodigy

2011-11-20T23:55:00.000-08:00

photos by Cassandra Mohr

I took my daughter Cassandra out on the Phoenix the other day to give her some pointers on how to take good photos during a cruise.
We had a couple who wanted to be sure their cruise was captured for all time, and we thought that since Cassandra had won a few awards locally with her amateur photos, maybe she'd do a decent job with this kind of project.
We sent her out with my right-hand-man, Steve Elkins (who is an accomplished photographer in his own right), and she snapped away.
Here are some of the images she captured.

Before the gentleman proposed.

Right after she said "yes".

Steve enjoys proposals almost as much as his passengers.

A nice three-quarter shot.

Rowing past the famous "Edwards Estate" - so named because of the Edwards Cinemas family who lives there.

Venice-built gondolas are NOT short.

Steve rowing in his black peacoat - a common sight this time of year.

The couple enjoys a perfeect moment.

All things considered, my 14-year-old daughter did a pretty good job
(especially since she managed to not fall in the water with her camera).
I'm sure the client will be thrilled to receive the images.

Good job, Cassandra!

Father-Daughter Photo

2011-11-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

photo by Cassandra Mohr

I took my daughter Cassandra and her camera out for a row yesterday,
showing her some of the different photos you can take on the gondola,
and she came away with some nice images.
Here's one she shot while sitting on the back of the boat.