1 The most intensive study I ever made of tourists as at Torcello, where it is impossible to avoid them. Torcello is a minute island in the Venetian lagoon: here, among vineyards and wild flowers, some thirty cottages surround a great cathedral which was being built when William the Conqueror came to England. A canal and a path lead from the lagoon to the village, the vineyards are intersected by canals; red and yellow sails glide slowly through the vines. Bells from the campanile ring out reproaches three times a day ("cloches, cloches, divines reproaches") joined by a chorus from the surrounding islands. There is an inn where I lived one summer, writing my book and observing the tourist. Torcello which used to be lonely as a cloud has recently become an outing from Venice. Many more visitors than it can comfortably hold pour into it, off the regular steamers, off chartered motor-boats, and off yachts; all day they ambled up the tow-path, looking for what? The cathedral is decorated with early mosaics -- scenes from hell, much restored, and a great sad, austere Madonna; Byzantine art is an acquired taste and probably not one in ten of the visitors has acquired it. They wander into the church and look round aimlessly. They come out on to the village green and photograph each other in a stone armchair, said to be the throne of Attila. They relentlessly tear at the wild roses which one has seen in bud and longed to see in bloom and which, for a day have scented the whole island. As soon as they are picked the roses fade and are thrown into the canal. The Americans visit the inn to eat or drink something. The English declare that they can't afford to do this. They take food which they have brought with them into the vineyard and I am sorry to say leave the devil of a mess behind them. Every Thursday Germans come up the tow-path, marching as to war, with a Leader. There is a standing order to fifty luncheons at the inn; while they eat the Leader lectures them through a megaphone. After luncheon they march into the cathedral and undergo another lecture. They, at least, know what they are seeing. Then they march back to their boat. They are tidy; they leave no litter. | An outline of the selection: A. Torcello which used to be lonely has recently become an outing from Venice. a) Tocello's location 摆度b) A general view of Tocello. c) Too many visitors pour into it. d) Most of them are ignorant and rude. e) Concrete description of the visitors: 1) Americans. 2) Englishmen 3) Germans | |
2 More interesting, however, than the behavior of the tourists is that of the islanders. As they are obliged, whether they like it or not, to live in public during the whole summer, they very naturally try to extract some financial benefit from this state of affairs. The Italian is a bon actor; between the first boat from Venice, at and the last on which the ordinary tourist leaves at , the island is turned into a stage with all the natives playing a part. Young men from Burano, the next island, dress up as gondoliers and ferry tourists from the steamer to the village in sandolos. One of them brings a dreadful little brother called Eric who pesters everybody to buy the dead bodies of sea-horses, painted gold. "Buona fortuna", he chants. I got very frond of Eric. Sweet-faced old women sit at the cottage doors selling postcards and trinkets and apparently making point de Venise lace. They have really got it, on sale or return, from relations in Burano, where it is made by young girls. Old women, with toil-worn hands, cannot do such fine work. It is supposed that the tourists are more likely to buy if they think they see the lace being made, but hardly any of them seem to appreciate its marvelous quality. Babies toddle about offering four-leafed clovers and hoping for a tip. More cries of "Buona fortuna". The priest organizes holy processions to coincide with the arrival of the steamer. And so the play goes on. .The tourists are almost incredibly mean, they hardly leave anything on the island except empty cigarette boxes and flapping Daily Mails. The lace is expansive, but they might buy a few postcards or shell necklaces and give the children some pennies; they seem to have hearts of stone. | B. The Islanders' activities during the daytime: a) Italians are born actors. b) The island is a stage c) Everyone plays a part. 1) the young men 2) Eric 3) the old woman 4) the babies 5) the priests | |
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