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Monday, July 1, 2013

Venice - on a boat & a trolley


"We're called gondolieri..."


Minimal bicycles but come with us anyway...


...for peep behind scenes at how Venice works


First up...


...before crowds build up


...drop-offs and pick-ups start


...by boat


...by trolley


...by trolley


...by trolley


...by boat


There's linen by trolley


...& boat


...and rubbish by trolley


...& boat


All day long supplies keep coming...


...and going


...even the odd bike


...even the odd log


While at the railway station, bikes are cracked out for line inspection...

A car-free city...bliss



2 comments:

  1. La veneta piazzeta - Sandro Penna

    La veneta piazzeta,
    antica e mesta, accoglie
    odor di mare. E voli
    di colombi. Me resta
    nella memoria - e incanta
    di sé la luce - il volo
    del giovane ciclista
    vòlto all'amico: un soffio
    melodico: "Vai solo?"

    There are more bicycles if you go to the somewhat less touristed neighbourhoods at the far ends of Venice, but it is above all a walking and walkable city, and so small that walking - and boating - are the ideal transport modes. The neighbouring suburbs and towns are very cyclable. I did a summer of study in Udine and Pordenone, in Fruil just east of Veneto: the flatter parts of that province are very cyclable, and the towns full of bicycles. Most cyclable town in Italy is probably Ferrara. Bologna and Lucca are also very interesting. Alas most of the governments (and corrupt powers) in Italy have been very pro-car, as opposed to public transport and bicycles.

    Cycle path on bridge from Mestre to Venice: http://www.amicidellabicicletta.org/spip/spip.php?article809

    google bicicletta ferrara for some lovely images! And, of course, Mikael has a good post: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/11/ferraras-vintage-bicycle-fleet.html And look at the links to the elegant signori e signore, many of them a generation up from us boomers...

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