"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
La veneta piazzeta - Sandro Penna
ReplyDeleteLa 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...
Aaaaah che bello, Lagatta!!! - beautiful!
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