Would You Like to be a Gondolier?

Excerpt from A Child’s Geography: Explore the Classical World

Our gondolier tells us that his name is Giancarlo and that he will give us the best tour of the back canals of his city. He tells us that he has been a gondolier since he was a strapping young man, as was his father before him, and his grandfather before him. In fact, his family has been in the trade for more than 400 years. This is true of most gondoliers in Venice. It is a family trade, passed from generation to generation. But, the tradition is strong that gondoliers must be native Venetian men. It is nearly impossible for a woman or an outsider to open a gondola business in Venice. See a gondolier in action here: