Stone

Idly turning the pages of the guide to Venice noticed at reference 1 today, I came across Torcello Cathedral, dating from the seventh century. But it was not the considerable age that made me look twice, rather that some of the windows come with stone shutters hung on stone hinges, one of which is illustrated left. Never heard of such a thing before.

I have also been reminded that the original lido was a long sandbank, separating the Venice Lagoon from the Gulf of Venice, that is to say the northern end of the Adriatic Sea. An Italian version of our own Dawlish Warren or Orford Ness. A long sandbank which went on to became a very fashionable beach resort, rather than just popular in the way of Dawlish Warren, a beach resort which went on to give its name to open air swimming pools all over London. Swimming pools which still existed when I first arrived in London in 1967, but which have now mostly vanished. With the honourable exception of Tooting Bec Lido, an enormous pool which is still hanging in there. It used to be a very entertaining place on summer Sunday afternoons.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/heygates.html.