We stayed on an island in Venice and did the gondola ride and the lagoon launch trip. We did the guided tour of the islands, and shopped till we dropped. As we had come into Venice, Irene, our tour guide, pointed out several homes which I now understand to be the originals of the Paladin style. When I got through on the telephone to home, from Venice, I was standing under the clock tower of St Mark's Square at midday as the bells rang out. Mum would have been at dinner, as I called her but could not get an answer.