Thursday – November 3, 2011
It was a bit overcast this morning and we decided to walk around the city. All the guide-books recommend discarding maps and just stroll through the labyrinth of small back streets and alleys as the best way to see Venice.
Typical Venetian Rio
Venice is a city made up of many little islands with bridges and interconnecting alleyways and canals. There are no motorized vehicles of any kind, except boats. Because there are no cars, or bicycles, or Vespas, the city is rather quiet without the din of traffic.
Gondola Tied to a Commercial Delivery Boat
Everything, and I do mean everything!, must be delivered by boat along the small canals, called “rios”. Then workers load the cargo onto hand-trucks and deliver to all the shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. All the deliveries are very labor-intensive.
Deliveries on the Grand Canal
Throw into the mix: ferries, garbage boats, fruit & vegetable boats, vaporettos, traghettos, boat taxis, motor yachts, private runabouts, the man-propelled gondolas and you have the Venetian waterways bustling with boat traffic! It’s great fun to watch!!
Ahhh Venice….
Gondolas and Water Taxis
Gondolier’s Hat
Gondolier
Tourists in St. Mark’s Square
Stacked Walk-Ways – Ready for “Alta Aqua”
Realto Bridge With Tourists
Gondolas
A Typical “Campo”
Reflection
Gran Teatro La Fenice
Pink Marble Lobby
One of Several Music Rooms
Gondolas Everywhere!
Aciugheta – Best Pizza in Venice!
Gondola Parking Lot
Gondolier’s Hat
Going Home