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494  

Venice. Monday, 
April 25-

Wandered along the Lagoon & on the spur of the moment, at 9 AM - took a boat trip to Murano & visited there the factories & furnaces of the Glass makers. It was fascinating to watch the heated molten glass shaped like magic into vases, figures, animals. The craftsmen are artists in their own right. The craft & agility with which they handle the long iron poles thru which they blow the glass - & also, on the ends of which the push out of the furnace, the boiling glass - then - always turning the pole with the left - they  magically manipulate the heated glass which is soft with the right. In moments, literally, the image is formed. The onlookers, as well as myself - broke into applause & bravos when it was done. The boat trip (by water launch, cost only 230 lira the round fare - about 40c - & took all told, including the visit to the furnace - 3 hrs- It afforded me the opportunity of traveling half the length of 



495  

Venice 
 April 25

Venice (West) Tomorrow, I hope to take the trip to Lido & then the train - along the canals & which will afford me the complete vista of the city by water.

After lunch - took the afternoon tour of the canals by gondola. Narrow, dark canals, weathered beautiful old stones of houses - Mondrian paintings in (grey-whites-blacks-) (yellows into ochres & umbres) & every shade of rose pink into venetian reds - The most superb textures one can visualize.

Visited the Church of the Franciscan monks - second only St. Mark's (S. Marco) Tomb for Tintoretto. All these great artists are honored & venerated as are the Popes & Saints. Saw also the lace workers. Came to the Danielli Hotel with the Crandalls & Callahan for a cocktail & accepted their invitation to dinner at 'Quatre' - one of the best restaurants on the Piazza S. Marco. We were joined by Col. Mulholland, who had called during the evening & whom I had invited over to meet the party. Conversations & walk [[?]] 1230 PM

Transcription Notes:
I question "Mondrian?" Looks like "R?a?mdrian." Walk "until? 1230 PM"