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Venice's sleek and graceful gondolas
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are a symbol of the city.
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From the start, boats were the way to get around
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among the island communities of the lagoon.
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To navigate over shifting sand bars,
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the boats were flat-bottomed,
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and the captains stood up to see.
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Today's boats still come with gondoliers standing up,
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and no rudder or keel.
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They're built with a slight curve,
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so that a single oar on the side propels them in a straight line.
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The art of the gondola survives in the quiet back canals.
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In this shop the workmen,
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were traditionally from Italy's mountains.
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That's why they maintain a refreshing Alpine feel
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in this delightful little corner of Venice.
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Nearby, in an artisan's workshop,
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visitors are welcome to observe as he provides for
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the city's 400 gondoliers.
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Working with traditional tools,
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graceful oars are carefully planed
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to be true and properly balanced.
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And each walnut forcula --
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the stylized oarlock --
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is like a sculpture -- hand crafted,
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one of a kind, and honoring the city's heritage.
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A gondola ride
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is a traditional must for romantics.
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Gondolas are moored everywhere.
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Wait till early evening,
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when the crowds are gone and the light is right.
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Find a gondolier whose personality you enjoy,
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settle on a price, and hop in.
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[ Speaking Italian ]
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On a gondola, you glide through your own private Venice,
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far from the hubbub of modern tourism.
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Lonely bridges,
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canals without sidewalks,
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and reflections of once-upon-a-time grandeur.
