Brothers from Italy Bring Gondolas to Point Pleasant Canal

Anyone who lives along the Point Pleasant Canal is accustomed to hearing the "Ooo-ta! Ooo-ta! Ooo-ta!" of dance music coming from the party boats. The boats cruise back and forth as passengers drink, dance, and get seasick while the loud pop music plays. Lately, however, residents may have noticed a different kind of music from a different kind of boat. Two gondolas now give romantic rides on the canal while the gondoliers sing Italian opera classics. Brothers Mario and Luigi Fratelli have brought a little bit of Venice to the Jersey Shore.

Growing up in Venice, the Fratelli brothers worshipped the gondoliers. "We always thought they had the best life," said Mario. "All day, up and down the canals, singing opera, making tourists happy... what could be better?" The brothers saved their money in the hopes of starting their own gondola business. Unfortunately, they didn't realize what stood in their way. 


The brothers discovered that in Venice, the gondola business was controlled by a big boss named Bowser. "This Bowser, was not even Italian," said Luigi, "but if you wanted to work in a gondola, you had to go through him. No matter what you try to do, Bowser and his goombas would try to stop you."

Mario and Luigi came up with a plan. First they went all around Venice collecting money that anyone owed them, or that they had in banks. Sometimes they had to climb over obstacles or go down sewer pipes just to avoid Bowser's goombas. Once they had managed to collect all their money, Mario said, "Let's go!" 

The brothers had purchased two gondolas to be shipped to the United States. Even that proved to be something of an adventure. "For some reason, this guy who was as big as a gorilla and worked at the port wanted us to pay him a bribe before he would load the gondolas on the ship," Mario said. "Luigi and I refused, so this gorilla, he starts throwing barrels at me! I had to keep jumping over barrels as I tried to climb the ladders to get on the ship. Luckily I found a big hammer and I was able to smash some of the barrels before I got hit. It worked out ok, though. The guy left with his girlfriend before I got to the top."

They chose to settle in Point Pleasant because of the canal. They expected it to be a bit more tranquil, like the canals in Venice, but they're learning to adapt. "Americans want to do everything fast," said Luigi. "The boats speed up and down the canal and make big waves. Sometimes we have to work hard to control the gondolas, but the passengers seem to enjoy the bumpy rides. Mario says it makes the ride like an Odyssey."

Mario and Luigi's Gondola Adventures is based in Brielle. For $25 passengers can enjoy a romantic half hour ride on the Manasquan River and Point Pleasant Canal.

"I think everyone who takes a ride in our Gondolas will love it," said Luigi. "Just yesterday when her ride was over a woman said to my brother, 'That was super, Mario!'"

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