The Weekend in Black and White

Today La Serenissima is 1, 596 years old.
Buon Compleanno, Venezia!

[To see more b/w images, visit
Dragonstar's meme.]

Thursday Challenge—"attractive"

They're kind of special and they know it.
This gives the gondolieri of Venice a certain
self-confidence that I find very attractive.

[To see more of the Thursday
Photo Challenge, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—F is for "flotilla"

It took seven gondolas to accommodate
this large group.  That's a lot of euros for
my favorite Venetian workforce!

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Thursday Challenge — "two"

As I understand it, the job of gondoliere is
usually passed down from father to son—
but what to do when there are two?
I imagine these guys learned to share
 from early on—and they still do.


[To see more on the theme, visit 
the Thursday Photo Challenge.]

Challenge: Walk in the Street

While walking in the street in Venice, I encountered this
charming gondoliere and his friend.  I tried to take the shot
surreptitiously, but they caught me—and smiled anyway.  Grazie!
[To see more "street" shots, go here.]

my favorite Venetians

I've never ridden in a gondola (except for the 

traghetto, which you ride in standing up, 

just to cross the Grand Canal).  But I'm 

fascinated by the gondolieri, who ply a trade

like no other.  Not such an easy job, and they have to

drum up their own business.  And a gondola needs

to be very well cared for if it's to last.