Photos

DUCK!

In a city that offers inspiring scenery at every turn, the visitor would be insane not to have a camera close by, and, much like a quick draw artist in the ‘Old West,’ be ready to pull out a camera and shoot within milliseconds. There is frequently little response time. So it was when I suddenly came across this bottleneck, a low bridge, gondoliers navigating within millimeters sideways and up and down. With full composure, the gondolier here ducked to avoid being swept out of his boat and into the canal.

Venice, the 1500 year-old city that features canals for streets, is frequently cited as one of the two or three most beautiful cities in the world. During the past century some of the smaller canals have been filled in — changing the habitable land area, and changing also the numbers of islands, bridges, and canals. Nonetheless, it is still possible to pin down some general statistics. Currently the best estimate suggests the existence of 120 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges. The Grand Canal is a wide serpentine body of water that divides the city into two halves, and features three bridges — among them the Ponte di Rialto and the Ponte dell’Academia. Among the most famous of the city’s bridges is also the Ponte Sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs). Even lesser bridges, however, are frequently architectural gems that date back hundreds of years. When the city floods, something not infrequent, the water rises to the point where even gondolas cannot pass under the low arches, leaving commuters trapped, the transportation system in a state of paralysis.

Just as in the previous photo that I posted, "From the Deck," I shot this in early August 2006, when the Crystal Symphony, when the cruise ship on which I was lecturing, visited Venice. Very little cropping and color correction was applied, and I resisted removing the vertical wooden post used by some gondoliers to attach their boats. I suspect, this is a matter of taste, and some might suggest that it detracts. What do you think?

Season's Greetings to all TE viewers.

Bulent