Alexander Hai - brava!
After a decade of struggling to become a gondolier, Alexander Hai has won a moral victory. A court recently allowed her to paddle around the canals of Venice - but only for the residents of one of the city’s hotels. “Brava gondoliera! Brava!” shouted one man from his third-story balcony on the Rio de la Veste canal as Hai paddled past, shepherding a couple from Utah on their honeymoon. The man on the balcony, clenching a glass of champagne, beckoned his friends to take a look as Hai’s boat and passengers slipped by.
This is a male dominated job and they are not happy with Hai. Being a gondolier is usually passed down from father to son. They say she isn’t strong enough and cannot pass the test to become a gondolier.
I was lucky enough to go to Italy on two different occasions, but did not get to see Venice, where all this drama is taking place. I was very disappointed–twice! I saw Pisa, Rome, Florence, Naples, and Pompeii, but no Venice. And I absolutely would not have cared who was steering the gondola! You have to give her credit, though, for the abuse she’s taken but hasn’t backed down!
May 18th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Went to Venice once, in 1987. I never took a gondola ride. We were told you’d see more of the city on a motor boat tour, so that’s what we did.
May 18th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Maybe one day………in Las Vegas! heh
May 25th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Just got back from Italy, but like John, didn’t do the gondola thing… I just ran across this news clip of this story and thought it was pretty amazing:
http://www.thenewsroom.com/details/340103/World?c_id=jlt
Here it is, in case you want to add it to the post!