Well I know I have sort of told this story before but having gone up into the attic, I came across some pictures but they don’t really fit into the old story. So I thought I will tell you it all over again in a different way.

In my youth, I had a fascination for entering competitions (my competitive side). These days one just goes to the internet and types in numbers from the inside of a packet to see if you are this week's lucky Utterly Butterly competition winner.

In the old days, these companies used to run competitions in magazines and national papers by giving a fairly easy riddle or puzzle to solve, followed by the person entering having to write a slogan in less than 12 words, as to why you would buy their product etc.

Now one such competition had an Italian car as first prize (an Alfasud), second prize was a week in Venice. Now Mrs DB and I didn’t have a car, as we had to previously sell ours to help raise a deposit for a house

This competition was run by a cigarette company who were launching a new cigarette in this country called MS (not a good name but I don’t think they realised this at the time). Now the problem was I didn’t smoke, but Mrs DB helped me out, as I needed 5 packet tokens to enter.

So apart from selling their cigarettes, they required a slogan which they could perhaps use in a commercial.

For those of us in the know, there was a monthly magazine out published for keen competitors called “Competitor’s Monthly”, but it never appeared in the shops, I had to put it on order it, the magazine used to list prize winners etc but the only slogan I ever read from it worthwhile, was an old chestnut used regularly to win prizes for cologne products, the slogan used was ‘From Bath to Cologne this product is well know’ which sort of gave me a clue, as to what the competition panels were looking for.

So I had Italy in mind (prizes were Italian), a cigarette and an original slogan to think of, which might raise the panel’s eyebrows. A couple of weeks passed and various slogans came to mind, what do you think of this one Mrs DB........”no” would be the reply.

Soon the frustration set in trying to then think of yet another one. (I probably chucked away many winning slogans just to satisfy Mrs DB, she was a hard task master).

Anyway sitting in the bath one day, various things were going through my mind, Italy and cigarettes hmm.

Then suddenly Eureka I had found it , no not the plastic duck, a slogan. I couldn’t get dressed and down stairs quick enough to tell Mrs DB.

What do you think of this, “Rome just fiddled, till MS burned”?

“Well it has a chance”, said Mrs DB.

So with a rustle of an envelope, I was down the post box and the entry was sent.

More to come

Ooooh oooh I love your stories del

























I thought of a slogan straight away...........











Don't be a penis(s) come to Venice!









Don't worry, I'm getting my coat

The bath water was cold by that time

Mark wrote:

Ooooh oooh I love your stories del

























I thought of a slogan straight away...........











Don't be a penis(s) come to Venice!









Don't worry, I'm getting my coat

That is terrible mate. I am thinking of taking that rep away that I just gave you & changing it to a red one. Yes, in fact that is what I will do.

Errr... your one is written in invisible ink I take it???

Errr...... excuse me, at least I am giving you reps mate.

Where's that then mate

You know where mate, don't give me that BS.

come on then delboy

where's part 2 ?

hope your not going to keep us in suspenders all night

Was the slogan, " This is not any cigarette, this is an M & S cigarette."

Well some weeks after the closure date of the competition had passed, we hadn’t heard anything and I said to Mrs DB, “I thought we might have just had a chance with that one but never mind”. However, one day in the office I had a call from Mrs DB. “Well unfortunately you haven’t won the car , however, we have won the holiday to Venice.


Mrs DB excitedly read out the letter it was an all expenses paid holiday for two, including flight and hotel, but excluded was drinks. The flight would be from Heathrow via Italia Airlines scheduled flight and we would be staying in the prestigious Luna Hotel just off St Marks Square.

At that time Venice had recently been on the BBC travel programme presented by Frank Bough and the programme told us of the high price of a coffee in St Marks Square, so we had at least been warned of that.

Soon the day of departure came around and having been seated on the plane we were amazed to see Concorde as the next plane in the queue just in front of us ready for takeoff.

Dinner and drinks were provided on this luxury flight and it all added to a great start to this holiday.

On arrival at Marco Polo Airport, no coach transfer for us, launches were waiting to take us to our Hotel. Eventually our launch came into a side waterway and then bought us right up to the Hotel Luna’s entrance.



I could see this was going to be a good holiday



More to come on this trip to Venice

Love it............. I'm repping already!

Great stuff del

Our bags were taken into the hotel and the Matradee had them sent up to our room and said, "anything you need ask me". Oh great, not had this treatment before. The hotel porter showed us how to turn the light switches on and yes I gave him some lira

After unpacking, we decided to walk out on to St Mark's Square and saw the Frank Bough chairs and laughed



We then walked along the path of the Grand Canal looking at the other major hotels overlooking the waterway, many gondola's were tied up at the entrance to St Marks Square ready to take the tourists on an expensive ride. Further down we came across the Bridge of Sighs



The bridge spans the interogation courts and the prisons are on the otherside. The bridge was said to have been given it's name by the prisoners, as they saw there last view of freedom before being taken down to the dungeons and execution. However, the true facts are that the bridge was built some time after the interogations had been stopped. The box I was carrying is a video camera on which most of the holiday was captured (so photos were limited)

So, as the sun was setting, we headed back to the hotel for the evening meal. The evening meal was to be eaten in a Grand Dining room with chandeliers (ready grandad, you unscrew it and Rodney and I will catch it). However, we waited a few seconds and the head waiter (not sure what they are called) guided us to our table.

Once one was seated (gone posh already) a menu was handed to us, "would sir like to see the wine menu", "Yes please", "can I ask sir, whether you are with 'someone tours', "No", i said surprised". "Well Sir, you have complete pick of the menu". Oh, my god Mrs DB, there is caviar on here and the price is.......Oh surely we can't order that sort of stuff at those prices, we might get a big bill at the end of the holiday, best to stick with steak things etc.

I opened the wine list and I can't remember the prices but not wanting to take out a second mortgage, we ordered a half bottle and that was it for the rest of the holiday. We were in a different world to the one we lived in.

The next day, we decided to walk around St Mark's Square there were towers to climb but Mrs DB hates spiral staircases. The tallest tower was the Piazza out of the picture on the right of Mrs DB. The other climbable one, was the clocktower building just above her head on the right



So it was up the tallest one for me and a picture of St Mark's square and of course I took a video, lovely views but this is the only one I have on a photo.




sorry more to come later I pressed the wrong button

Great stuff DB! . . . Would love to go to Venice!
Isn't the architecture stunning . . . .

PS - the only thing I ever one was an iron . . . a Rowenta Aquaglide . . . 25yrs ago!

My luck must be due to return soon . . .

Looking forward to the next bit!

Loving it del. I thought the box around your neck... I thought you'd borrowed Mick's mobile

It would have been in those days

A good read mate. What a great city Venice is, but very expensive if memory serves me right.

so afterwards, it was up the well worn siral staircase and into the bell clock tower at the top

Mrs DB stayed down below and took the photo



We also visited the Doge's Palace dungeons and prison, here just outside



Our next visit was to the Rialto Bridge which is one of 4 bridges that span the Grand Canal, there are little shops and stalls set up inside the bridge, not sure what I was carrying in that bag, it wasn't doggy poo or last night's Doge's bag



I look like I'm a member of the Italian Mafia in this one. The shops have been there for generations, where they brought in revenue to pay for orginal wooden bridge which eventually burnt down



I think we visited every church on both sides of the river, some of the ceilings inside were painted quite well

We returned to our hotel late in the afternoon and had a drink in the bar, well it would be as dear as the restaurant would it. "Hello, is that the Nationwide, I'll like to take out another mortgage please". Well we didn't do that again.

The next day, Mrs DB wanted to have a gondela ride, so I asked a Gondelier how much he would charge. "£80 was the quote", PS this was 30 years ago.

Look I said, "I've got Delboy in my name as well".

Well £60....no, well £40....no, £30.....no

and as we walked away, he came chasing after us, OK £20 then, my final offer he said.

"DONE", I said and so I was, as we didn't get the singing for that, but we could hear the wailing of others that had paid in the parallel canals.

There was one last thing that we wanted to do, to visit the Island of Murano, where beautiful Italian glass is make

Story of this is on seperate thread, I will try and link it later for those that have not seen it
https://majorcaforum.forumotion.com/t372-mill-yon-aires-on-a-budget-a-holiday-story?highlight=mill+-yon

Murano Glass is for sale in their local shops. A lot of them are seconds but we did buy a dolphin which fell off our mantlepiece one day

We did find some reasonable cafe's in the Campo squares but it was a dear place to stay on one's own money

I hope it gives you a flavour of Venice (done on the cheap of course )

A great story mate, & not bad for coming second in a competition. Rep on the way.

Great stuff del

Great stuff DB - Don't you look very comfortable posing as Mr Suave . . . .

Here's me with the portico in the background . .

Here's me casually leaning against a lamp post . . .

Didn't you all travel very formally dressed in those days . . . no hawaiian shirts etc: . . .

Forgot to say . . rep for you! I love your stories . . .

Enjoyed reading that DB. Looks an interesting place to go. Rep from me.

Yes Boss it was sort of dress up in those days , I dont think Hotels of that standard would approve then even to walk through their doors. It's funny like yourself, most of my pictures dont include me these days, I find the scenery looks much better