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| Don't look now, but there's a small detail in the above which may recall Nicolas Roeg's famously spooky 1973 film about Venice, starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland |
The heading of this post is taken from the title of the old blues song "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)."
Originally written and performed by T-Bone Walker, it's been often on my mind--and playlist--this spring here in Venice as rainy day follows rainy day. Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Allman Brothers, and Eva Cassidy all performed bluesy covers of it, if you find yourself looking at similar weather patterns where you are.
Seems as if there's similar weather in Venice to here in England - wet and not very pleasant.
ReplyDeleteUmbrellas in Venice can be a menace! I never use them. As I quite like to keep my eyes, I have to take care in the streets. I prefer a good rainhat myself.
Umbrellas are indeed a menace in Venice's narrow calli, Ella, which is why I'm always careful to hold the stem of mine in a position that will deflect the sharp-ended ribs of other people's umbrellas away from face, rather like a fencer positions his or her foil. In a hat I you might have to use your forearm at times!
DeleteYou tripped me up with the comment reminiscent of Nicolas Roeg's film. Then I got it. Then I wished I had not.
ReplyDeleteTell me if this is an acceptable mode for a visit. We get into the car, drive the four hours to Piazzale Roma, walk to our friend's place of business, say hello, then adjourn to lunch, walk back to the parcheggio and drive home. Less impact than a cruise ship I think but not a happy event for the environment, although it is an Alfa Mito.
Following your blog since 28-09-2013.
Thanks for all of the insight and wonderful photos.
JP
I'm sorry to be so late in replying to your comment, JP, and to your kind words about the blog. I think we all of us do the best we can and your approach actually contributes to the local economy, in that you eat at restaurant. In contrast, the vast majority of cruise ship tourists eat onboard ship then clog the city's calli in the form of mass guided tour groups of as many as 50 to 75 people while each of their ships idles at the Tronchetto spewing NON-STOP the equivalent of an immense parking lot of car exhaust into the city's air (https://www.euractiv.com/section/air-pollution/news/daily-emissions-of-cruise-ships-same-as-one-million-cars/)
DeleteAs Amitov Ghosh points out in his recent writings about climate change, it's important that each of us takes the kind of steps you've chosen, or the one which potential cruise ship passengers might take of NOT going on a cruise after all, but without large scale efforts--the kind of which only governments and industries are capable--then all of our individual efforts will prove to be not pointless, but still ultimately futile. Government and industry must be at least accountable for its actions as we individuals are, and, alas, most of them are not.