A TRIP TO VENICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 27, 31 July 1936, Page 4

A TRIP TO VENICE

ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION

The monthly .lectures arranged.1 by the Travel and Discussion Circle of the English-speaking Union are becoming increasingly popular, and recently, a large number of members and friends were taken in imagination by Mr. Th'eo Queree to 'Glorious Venice, Queen of the Adriatic." ..'

The .speaker delighted his'audience by showing a wonderful collection of coloured lantern slides which illustrated in an. excellent manner .the charm of this unique city. Mr. Queree said there, .was no sign of soil, or beach, or rock on which the.city -was built—the walls just disappeared into their own reflections. Though the buildings had no visible means of support they were nevertheless1 supported by wooden foundations of teak, oak, etc. Venice was described as being isolated and splendid, and so unusual as to almost seem unreal. The speaker referred to it as an Oriental dream city arising out of the sea. Venice was without doubt one of the showplaces of the world,and the playground of the wealthy. The tourist traffic of the city was a very big factor, and,the authorities were using every effort to hold the world's patronage. Pictures of palaces, churches, and public buildings were shown—buildings crowded with treasures. Mr. Queree said that no other city in the world could show such a unique collection of rare works '' of art. A picture of the Grand Canal during *& festival i time was a most colourful sight—this picturesque waterway was crowded with decorated gondolas, buildings on each side were hung with thousands of gaily-coloured balloons, etc., and fireworks added to the brilliance of the scene. He described the elegant simplicity of. the buildings where, in many leases, the windows were not evenly spaced and some were of different shapes. Pictures of the house of Desdamona and the Doge's Palace, were greatly admired, while the famous (and gruesome) "Bridge of Sighs" i was appropriately shuddered at! In according Mr. Queree a hearty vote of thanks, Mr. Keruse (chairman of the Travel and Discussion Circle) said the audience had been privileged to listen to an address of unusual interest and appeal: '