(Image from the internet) I have quite a few photos, but not one suitable one of a vaporetto!
At every stop, the marinaio/a has to use a heavy rope to tie the vaporetto to a bollard, and then release it, once everyone is on board.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPw1748uHBw
I never tire of watching this happen, and the skill involved in handling the rope, as well as the maneuvers of the vaporetto pilot to get the vaporetto into just the right position. Sometimes, there are big thuds as a wave pushes the water bus into the landing stage, other times, it’s a feather touch.
It’s certainly more interesting than taking a land bus.
Hello World 
Today, I was driving through my small town, seeing nothing of interest. But if Venetian came here, he/she would probably think it was an interesting place! We get so used to our own surroundings.
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I agree, that’s why I like to see the place I live with the tourists… I see it from a different point of view.
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Isn’t it strange that there are more foreigners than Italians talking about Venice? Btw, I love reading such memories cause I had something similar in my mind while I was studying at Ca’Foscari.. Well, thank you guys for sharing those interesting posts, I really feel like I’m there! 🙂
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When I was in graduate school I lived on the Guidecca. Every morning I would take the vaporetto to San Marco. One of the most treasured mementos I took away from that semester was the sound recordings I took of one of my trips starting from the moment I left my apartment to the moment I arrived at our classes meeting point for the day. My pictures evoked special memories of that time but nothing could compare with the sounds of a vaporetto. The slam against the dock, toss of the rope and second slam when the boat motor throttled sending the boat against the dock!
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Hello, Christopher. What an excellent way to capture those memories. How long ago was that?
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It was the autumn of 1998.
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I loved the water buses too.
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Bill would have loved driving one of those, Darlene!
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a nice cool picture to veiw on a very hot (112) day my favorite ride
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Uffa!! 112 is about 50 degrees too much, Joanne.
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I also never tire of watching them do this. Impossible to capture with a still camera as I discovered.
And have you noticed how quiet the vaporetti travel at night. At least in the winter. I guess it’s the lack of traffic on the canal but it is almost eerie the way they slip up quietly while I’m waiting for them…appearing out of the dark.
Yes, winter is when there are often very few people on the vaporetti.
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The residents of Venice must get so fed up when it’s peak tourist season, we take up so much room on their public transport.
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It’s hard when you’re on your way to work and can’t get a seat – or occasionally, can’t even get on…
Re the mariners’ skills… I was impressed to watch an Alilaguna captain a few weeks back, on his own on a boat arriving at Sant’Angelo. He brought it in, *didn’t tie up*, stepped off to help passengers on with their cases – and the boat remained perfectly placed alongside. I assume he was practising/showing off his highly developed skills – that must make the job even more fun! Like when you see the vaporetto captains turning round in a really flashy way at the end of a route 🙂
Caroline (back last night & now catching up!)
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It’s a shame the Venetian only vaporetto was quietly removed.
Oh, my, it must have been a calm day when that Alilaguna captain did his party trick.
Welcome home, get up on that altana, woman. 🙂
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Yes, it would have been perfect for us.
Unfortunately, today I’ll be busy as the fridge is bare (no wine, even!!) and the laundry basket is full, but tomorrow I aspire not to leave the house and to get in lots of quality altana time 🙂
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What!! No wine … get out with your shopping trolley, woman.
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Another adventure. Something different from the usual.
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The vaporetti are the work horses of the public transport system, Anneli. One trip costs 7 euro, but there are ways to make it a more reasonable option, for residents and visitors alike.
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Our friend Ned (Kelly!) has just got a job as marinaio on the sightseeing boat on Lake Coniston in the Lake District Nat. Park. I’ve told him he needs to get some wrap-around sunglasses and a navy blue jacket.
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And, he has to help the elderly, and the parents with strollers …
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Yvonne…I love the roping too…and some workers are more skilled than others. I love the smooth operators.
Did you notice how empty the vaporetto was….ahhh!
The other thing I love is the layers of worn paint on the bollard.
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That’s another good thing about being in Venice during the winter months!
Yes, give us a smooth operator every time, eh?
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