Hi Just returned from 3 days in Trieste followed by 7 days in Venice. As a "camera-aholic" I obviously looked for some "before & after" type shots and thought you might like to see a couple of pics. The Venice shot was taken in 1945, the Trieste one in 1946.
Has it changed much Ron? Are your old girlfriends still there? No seriously lovely photos. Thanks for showing them.
Hi Owen Has it changed much Ron? Surprisingly, and particularly in Trieste, not a lot. While in Venice, our hotel was bang opposite the Rialto Market and I took at least a hundred photos (I kid you not!) from our balcony including this one of the equivalent of an emergency vehicle belting its way along the canal.
I'm currently addicted to 'then & now' format books and those two comparisons are absolute blinders. Great stuff! (Venice looks like you could point a camera in any direction and get an interesting shot?) Cheers, Adam.
Andy Great photos Ron. Has that monument got bullet holes in it? The "monument" is a lamp post and, as there was no actual fighting in St.Mark's Square in 1945, I think not Ron
The "monument" is a lamp post and, as there was no actual fighting in St.Mark's Square in 1945, I think not Ron 'Now don't I feel daft', he says as he hurries off to hide in the corner...like a mouse. P.S. That's a big Lamp post that like!
I was in Venice in 1990 whilst InterRailing went there after a few days with friends in Vienna. (Excellent war museum in Der Arsenal, Museum of Military History they have the car & uniform of Archduke Francis Ferdinand from when he was assassinated in Sarajevo 1914 ) We camped on the Lido and watched some Italian soldiers doing drill, caused me to giggle somewhat. Venice is a rather weird place, definately NO jay-walking! Ought to return one-day. After Venice we moved down to Florence. (Where I lost a game of strip-poker and ran around the camp-site naked jumping over tents.)
Hi Marcus It seems as though I owe you an apology ! You said 'Now don't I feel daft', he says as he hurries off to hide in the corner...like a mouse.:smile: P.S. That's a big Lamp post that like! These posts are so damn high that I'd never been able to see what was at the top of them or find out any more detailed info, so I've "borrowed" an image from the internet (I'm sure the original owner will allow us the privilege) to show you how impressive they are. In the meantime I shall carry on referring to them as lamp-posts until someone else can put me right Cheers Ron
Some great colour photos of Venice on IWM site. Driver C W (Bill) Hoe of Mansfield, Notts, and Driver F G (Freddie) Talbot of Brentford, Middlesex, both of whom have been overseas for over 2 years, in the Piazza San Marco. In the background is the famous clock which tells the time, season, month and day of the year. Also TR 2887 TR 2888 TR 2889 TR 2890 TR 2891 TR 2892 TR 2895 TR 2896
Owen Many thanks for drawing my attention to all those brilliant snaps. I wonder who took them in such cracking colour ? Ron
Seems to be a popular place for snapshots. Google Image Result for http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/81/images/1134746276983083282_1.jpg British Brigade photos in Venice 1945 http://www.geocities.com/hovav_frenkel/Holocaust/parents.html
Just thought I'd bump this up as we hope to get down to Venice this summer. I'll have to try & take similar pics of lampost & clock. Just had an argument with my youngest about the fire-engine. He said it's not a fire-engine , it's a fire-boat. Sounds like me doesn't he?
Owen If I ever had to chose a place to be born in then Venice would come top of my list ! I fell in love with the place in 1945 and it has never disappointed either Nita or I. When your hols get a bit nearer please e-mail me and let me mark your card for you. Ron ps I defy you to take any bad pics :p
Owen Quick heads up for you, just off St Marks square there is a Burger King, use it not for the food, but the Facilities it offers they are scarce in Venice or expensive. As Ron talks about the Rialto market back in 2006 the wife and I ended up buying 2Kg of Cherries for €3.00 ate them as we wandered round. The Doges Palace is well worth a visit, see old Casanova's cell, cross over the Bridge of Sighs and if you take a coffee in the bottom room/coffee Bar have it standing they charge €1.50 extra to sit down. Owen enjoy and let us know how the trip goes
Owen - have a good look at St Mark's while you are there as it was in 1946 that it was in grave danger of sinking owing to the lagoon being in spate and so the CRE of the day - Lt/Col. Maurice Menage M.B.E. saved it by underpinning the foundations in the same way as Salisbury Cathedral had been saved in the 20's- by packing it with cement .....he was also sent by Gen. Alex to asist the Monks in clearing the site at the Cassino monastery - but the Abbot decided that they would clear it by hand - which they did ! Maurice was a neighbour of mine in Highcliffe - near Christchurch ! Cheers