In keeping with my upcoming trip to Las Vegas, Nevada where I will be staying at the Venetian Hotel and Casino . . . I am planning a tribute piece to the infamous gondolier . . .


The gondolier . . .

Some background . . . A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat. Gondolas have for centuries been the chief means of transportation within Venice and still have a role in public transportation today.
The gondola is propelled by a gondolier who stands facing the bow and pushes, rather than pulls, a single oral. Contrary to popular belief the gondola is never poled, the waters of Venice being too deep for that. A gondola for passengers may have a small open cabin, for their protection against sun or rain. A gondola is long and narrow, with an asymmetrical outline to facilitate propulsion with a single oar, and a good deal of rocker to minimise the area of contact with the water. The oar or remo is held in an oar lock known as a forcola. The forcola is of a complicated shape, allowing several positions of the oar for slow forward rowing, powerful forward rowing, turning, slowing down and rowing backwards. The iron ornament on the front of the boat is called the ferro. It serves to protect the prow from accidental damage, as decoration and as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern.