Rocking the Gondola.

• Position: ITALY - Brief article

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For more than a thousand years, Venice has had gondolas--the long, narrow boats that serve as taxis on the city's canals--but never a female gondolier. Now, after a decade of struggle, Alexandra Hai has become a gondolier, with limits: A court ruled that she can operate a gondola, but only for guests of one hotel.

Other gondoliers resent Hai, pointing out that she failed four...