Venice 6 Sept

Get up early was the cry, but with no alarm this proved difficult. Waking at 7:15 I had difficulty prising myself out of my bed. Eventually I did so, and then Ridgway awoke. By 8:30 we had paid and were on our way.

It was very hazy, as it has been most of the time, and it was almost too dull to take photos. The sun was obscured. After paying 5s (shillings) for parking, which grieved us, we set forth into the city. What a wonderful place. No traffic, except on the canals. We bought a guide (again 5s). The first notable encounter was with the coal "lorry" (barge). Later we saw rubbish collection, furniture delivery, drinks and builders "lorries". Porters trolleys have extra little wheels for steps. Dogs are all muzzled and there are a lot of cats.

We headed straight for St Mark's Square via the Rialto Bridge, where I realised that I hadn't brought a spare film. Damn. On to St Marks where the film soon ran out after taking photos of St Marks and surroundings. So I decided to go back to the car to get tripod as well, for internal shots of St Marks. On the way back to the car I happened into a 'Tabachi' factory. Three quarters of an hour was the allotted time but it took one and three quarter hours - further than I thought! On my return, while waiting for Brian, I spotted an eccentric gent in blue corduroy suit, silk hankie, stick, bag and Panama hat strutting round the square. Very "Death in Venice". While the book by Thomas Mann was published in 1912, the film was still two years away. With great forethought Mahler had composed the music for the film, his symphony #5, in 1902.