Apparently, in the 19th century kayak-like boats could be seen on the canals of Venice. These sandali a sbatole may well have been the inspiration for Venice Kayak, which offers kayaking in Venice and the lagoons. René Seindal, the driving force behind the business, claims to be “Danish by birth, Sicilian by marriage, an historian by education, a paddler by passion, and italophile d’amore”. And his two blogs, Venice Kayak and René Seindal, will make even the most unadventurous wish they too could to take to the waters of Venice and the surrounding lagoons.
René’s blog provides a great resource for those who love Venice. His offers a view of Venice from the waterline, with some great photos and unusual shots. In addition, from his anecdotes on life in the canals, we learn all sorts of things the average visitor would miss. For example, that concession owners are likely to set your boat adrift if you moor without permission – “Don’t moor (here), or on my return I will untie your boat, leaving it to its destiny” or that the real reason for “gondoliere poverty is that Italian law explicitly does not require them to give the client a receipt”.
The historian in him is revealed in René’s post on the old video of a frozen Venice in 1929, “when it was possible to walk from Venice to Murano, and people could go skating on the Canal Grande.” He is also intrigued by the ruins he discovers when he visits locations described in a new book ‘The Abandoned Islands of the Venetian Lagoon’.
Oh, and René’s favourite place for ice cream in Venice is Gelateria San Stae! Do pop by if you are in the area, and do stop by and read his blogs. I guarantee you will enjoy them.
