A Gondola Ride
by: Haley Barnes
Going on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy, is a magical experience that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. I am a person who does not enjoy boats or water, but this is one of those opportunities that you should not pass up.
Gondolas are a symbol of Venice, Italy that are associated with romance. Most gondolas travel on the Grand Canal, which is the main waterway in Venice and is roughly 2 miles long, according to a 2007 Daily Telegraph web article. They weigh 1,500 pounds and are made from eight types of wood: lime, larch, oak, fir, cherry, walnut, elm and mahogany. They are roughly 35 feet long and carry seven people: six passengers and one gondolier, who paddles and steers the boat.
The gondolas are black and are decorated with elaborate décor that almost reminded me of a Chinese dragon.
The gondolier stands on the back and paddles the gondola. Each gondolier has an oar that is carved from beech and walnut forcola. Each oar is carved to suit the gondolier’s personality and allows for eight distinct maneuvers, according to venicegondola.com.
These gondoliers must obtain a license before they can find work. The first step involves taking courses in the history of Venice, history of Venetian art and foreign languages, according to www.venicegondola.com. Upon completion of the courses, they must successfully pass an exam and then complete an internship. The final step involves completion of a practical examination in front of five judges. While men seem to dominate the gondolier career field, there is at least one woman in the field, according to our tour guide Elena. The men are none too happy about her, she added.
However, I feel as if it is a stereotype that the gondolier sings to you. I can assure you that they do not sing. While they help you in and out of the gondola, they do not even talk to you. They will speak in Italian to other passing gondoliers. But other than that, you ride in silence.
On the gondola, you sit there, enjoy the silence and look at the view. There is a lot to look at, as the gondola weaves in and out of the canal around the buildings. There is beauty around every corner to enjoy. It is quite a peaceful experience.
I highly recommend taking pictures during the gondola ride. Yes, you can take pictures while walking through Venice. But there is a certain perspective that you can obtain while being on a gondola, as you are sitting in the water. Just be careful to not drop your device in the water.
I was surprised by how shallow the water is. It is roughly 5 feet deep and it is a clear, icy blue color. I could see tiny schools of fish throughout the water, and I could even see a small crab at one point.
It amazed me how in control they are over the gondolas. There is quite a bit of traffic on the water, but they could travel through the water with ease and grace. It is such a smooth ride. They can get within an inch of the buildings, and not bump into anything. If I were paddling a gondola, I would crash into a wall and probably fall into the water.
I wish the ride would have been a little longer. While I was not paying much attention to time while on the gondola, I believe the ride lasted about 30 minutes. I could have sat there all day and enjoyed Venice. However, I do recommend wearing a bit of sunscreen while in the gondola. I did get a little burned from the reflection of the sun on the water. It was a beautiful experience that I will never forget, and it was one of the highlights of my trip!