Don Petter
18-12-10, 12:14
I recently returned from a week’s holiday, and was interested to see how the new Forum was faring. Pretty well it would seem. My What’s New? extended to nine pages, which took a while to work through (see footnote). Everyone seemed to be settling in, with few surprises, though ff had taken away our badge for reaching 100 posts, which was a bit disappointing for we anoraks who were feverishly heading towards Seniordom. Apparently the only badge now left is for History and Knowledge of The Archers, but this, of course, is sacrosanct.
We were in Venice, which we have visited many times over the years, usually in early December, when the prices are (relatively) low and the other tourists (relatively) absent. I sometimes wonder if, because of intense population pressure in their small islands, there is a law in Japan that at any one time 15% of their countryfolk must always be in Venice. Of course the actual sample is continually changing, and these days they fly in and out, rather than march overland, four abreast, like that wonderful illustration of the Chinamen in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. But I digress (and must now probably dodge the PC police).
Venice is renowned for (relatively) not changing, and I am happy to report that the CD shop near the Rialto (Il Tempio Della Musica) is still there and seemingly thriving. No longer run by the old couple, but by, we think, their son, it had a vast stock of classical CDs, with quite a few other genres as well. This is now the last outpost for serious discophiles in Venice, since the Ricordi shop closed some years ago. Prices are, naturally for the location, full, and there are few bargains for those of us used to electronic shopping. I did buy two CDs for €6 each – Hands up those who knew that Offenbach had written operettas called Pepito and Daphnis et Chloe. I thought not, neither did I. These will perhaps be reported on in the Recent Purchases thread.
Musical offerings in the city were much as expected. Every other church seemed to be hosting a concert of the usual baroquery – 95% Vivaldi with one Mozart piece to add a little gravitas. The Fenice was advertising a vocal concert in honour of Carlo Bergonzi. None attracted us particularly, though in a previous year we have been to a concert in the pre-burnt Fenice which was well worth it for the venue alone. Apart from anything else, prices for even the lesser concerts started at €25. I mean, if you stay away from the San Marco area you could get a pizza for that.
[Footnote: When you are, say, two pages into What’s New?, and you view a thread, you can, as normal, use the back button to return to your place. However, if while viewing a thread, you decide to subscribe to it, as far as I can see there is no way back to your previous page in What’s New? from the subscription page. You have to start again at page one and remember which page you had got to. Thoughts or solutions anyone?]
We were in Venice, which we have visited many times over the years, usually in early December, when the prices are (relatively) low and the other tourists (relatively) absent. I sometimes wonder if, because of intense population pressure in their small islands, there is a law in Japan that at any one time 15% of their countryfolk must always be in Venice. Of course the actual sample is continually changing, and these days they fly in and out, rather than march overland, four abreast, like that wonderful illustration of the Chinamen in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. But I digress (and must now probably dodge the PC police).
Venice is renowned for (relatively) not changing, and I am happy to report that the CD shop near the Rialto (Il Tempio Della Musica) is still there and seemingly thriving. No longer run by the old couple, but by, we think, their son, it had a vast stock of classical CDs, with quite a few other genres as well. This is now the last outpost for serious discophiles in Venice, since the Ricordi shop closed some years ago. Prices are, naturally for the location, full, and there are few bargains for those of us used to electronic shopping. I did buy two CDs for €6 each – Hands up those who knew that Offenbach had written operettas called Pepito and Daphnis et Chloe. I thought not, neither did I. These will perhaps be reported on in the Recent Purchases thread.
Musical offerings in the city were much as expected. Every other church seemed to be hosting a concert of the usual baroquery – 95% Vivaldi with one Mozart piece to add a little gravitas. The Fenice was advertising a vocal concert in honour of Carlo Bergonzi. None attracted us particularly, though in a previous year we have been to a concert in the pre-burnt Fenice which was well worth it for the venue alone. Apart from anything else, prices for even the lesser concerts started at €25. I mean, if you stay away from the San Marco area you could get a pizza for that.
[Footnote: When you are, say, two pages into What’s New?, and you view a thread, you can, as normal, use the back button to return to your place. However, if while viewing a thread, you decide to subscribe to it, as far as I can see there is no way back to your previous page in What’s New? from the subscription page. You have to start again at page one and remember which page you had got to. Thoughts or solutions anyone?]