Monday

 

April 25 in Venice marks Liberation Day and St Mark’s Day. In honour of the latter, the gondolieres of Venice have a traditional race in their special racing traghetti. Four men man the oars in each traghetto.

Online, we had read that the race would begin at the Arsenale at 9:30, with a course up the Grand Canal to a turning post at Riva de Biasio, and the grand final in front of the fish markets. Accordingly, the big plan was to get to finishing place in plenty of time to have a good viewing spot. It was lucky we did this. There weren’t all that many people around to cheer the teams home, but the race finished about 9:30, with no lap up and down the Grand Canal!

Here’s the winning boat.

Yay! Red team wins

Among other things they were awarded, their rowing club gets to display this trophy (all 33 kgs of it!) in the clubhouse.

This ferocious lion was protesting the recent proposed move of the fish wholesale market, from Tronchetto. Luckily sensible minds have prevailed.

Taken from Tre Ponti

Another graffiti, this time near San Pantalon.

This time, I got really close to it, and found it has been done on paper that was then glued to the wall. I showed Barb the rhino one, and it was done using the same method.

 So endeth Monday. Tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain, it’s San Erasmo. Ciao!