The theme for our ‪‎travel pics this week (and a bit) is I, for Italy.

When you go to Venice, you simply have to take a Gondola ride.

Yes, it’s cheesy. Yes, it’s cliched, Yes, it is only for tourists. But you still have to take a ride – because, well, it’s Venice, dammit! 🙂

Gondolas were regularly used by upper-class Venetians as transport – but today locals are more likely to use ferries, or the sleek speedy vaporetti water-taxis.

in the 1800s, its estimated there were 10 thousand gondolas but today there are only about 500.

The 600 kilo boats are 11 metres long, painted black and gold, and are controlled by (usually male) gondoliers who are licensed, wear black pants and striped shirts, and who generally don’t sing.

In fact, if you are unlucky, you may get one who spends the 40 minutes of a standard ride on his mobile phone.