Last year Mr. Munro and I spent a few days in Venice during our Mediterranean cruise. Venice is a very cool place to visit. It’s bustling and full of color and noise.
Mention Venice and people’s minds drift to gondolas, but have you ever wondered what happens to older gondolas?
Some of the old gondolas are used as traghetto. And what is a traghetto, you ask?
A traghetto is used to ferry passengers back and forth across the Grand canal for a nominal fee. The locals use them all the time. We decided a romantic gondola trip was too expensive, but a traghetto was our chance to ride in a gondola.
The locals stand for the journey across the canal. All other canal traffic must give way to the traghetto. Note the uniform above – the striped shirt and black trousers. All the gondoliers wear this uniform.
I was a little concerned about this standing business, but I noticed the traghetto had a couple of seats and tourists were sitting for the crossing.
The canal can get choppy with all the traffic, and it was easy to imagine a passenger overbalancing (me) and tumbling into the water. I decided I was going to sit for the crossing.
We paid our fare and stepped aboard. Hubby, of course, decided to stand. Not to be outdone, I stood too.
And I managed to get to the other side completely dry, despite the rocking. No sweat! The traghetto wasn’t nearly as bad as the dug-out canoes in Africa, but that’s another story entirely.
Do you have good balance? Or are you the one who trips over their feet?
I’m generally pretty good, although the canal did concern me a bit. I think my big feet help with balance. They cover more ground 
ROTFL!
I have terrible balance! But since starting yoga, it’s getting better. At least I can stand on one foot…sometimes. :)
You know my balance is pretty good until I try standing on one leg!
I would have been sitting. I probably would never have made it into the boat in the first place. Might as well just jump in the water and swim…LOL
I tried not to think about exactly what was in the water. The canal looked a bit murky to me :)
I don’t think my balance is too bad, but would probably sit all the same.
I was going to sit, in fact was determined to sit but hubby said the locals secretly laughed at tourists who insisted on sitting. I couldn’t have that LOL
Oh no. I would have been sitting right on my arse. No standing. That would have been inviting Murphy’s Law into things lol!
That Murphy creates all sorts of problems :)
LOL, I would’ve been in the canal in a heartbeat had I stood. Good for you!
Nothing like a challenge to get the blood pumping!
My balance in regular life is pretty bad, but in yoga I’m rock steady. No idea why. Easily distracted by life, maybe? I love this blog too, Shelley! You are a busy lady! Glad I found you, and have joined your email list.
Hug,
Carole