134 replies to this topic

[Professor Dent]

Good to hear things are still on track, Major. The time until arrival in Venice is quickly approaching. Have any more CBn'ers signed up for the mission?

[Jeff007]

What's this about???


See everyone soon!

What's the count down?

[Bondposters.com]

Ah, unfortunately, I won't be on the whole trip - I will see you guys in Paris!
I really wanted to do the bungee jump!!!!!

[volante]

Paris; sounds good, and very achievable from UK.

I've checked the Novotel, which appears to be fully booked (do you have any rooms reserved?)
Other than that; I know a small 3star round the corner.

I understand the Paris event is 55usd

So; are there any places available?
Do I need to book?
...and most importantly; what's the dress code?

I'll message you on Facebook, for details if all is Ok


See you in Paris

[volante]

Volante; offically signed up for Paris.

C'est bon

[Professor Dent]

Ah, unfortunately, I won't be on the whole trip - I will see you guys in Paris!
I really wanted to do the bungee jump!!!!!

What? I was counting on you assist with my Italian to English translation.

Volante; offically signed up for Paris.

C'est bon

Fantastic! Look forward to meeting you in person.

[Bondposters.com]

Yes, my Italian is tremendous ...

Looking forward to having a break!
As well as seeing everyone!

[volante]

This Summer.
A threat will rise.
More Devilish than Spectre.
More evil than Quantum.

Their express purpose. To stop the Brits getting across the channel, to attend the Euro 2010 party.

BAA will strike over the Bank Holiday.

Will there be tears of dispair?
OR
Will there be tears of joy?

[Major Tallon]

This Summer.
A threat will rise.
More Devilish than Spectre.
More evil than Quantum.

Their express purpose. To stop the Brits getting across the channel, to attend the Euro 2010 party.

BAA will strike over the Bank Holiday.

Will there be tears of dispair?
OR
Will there be tears of joy?

Here's hoping things work out. It would be great to get together with you. As forecast, my potential problem has gone away, so it's time to get really excited. A week to go!

[Major Tallon]

Anyone considering using some free time in Venice to look up some book Bond sites might wish to consider some of these. I've included a key to literary sources: R = Risico; FRWL = From Russia, With Love; DIF = Death Is Forever.

1) Marco Polo Airport. Gardner tells us that the baggage area resembles a very large Victorian waiting room, with a lot of wood and big old-fashioned windows, leading off towards a dark area where launches to the hotels await (DIF).
2) Railway station (FRWL; R).
3) Piazzale Roma, reached via the Rio Nuove (across from the railway station) (DIF)
4) Campo San Silvestro, reached via the Rialto Bridge; the rear wall of Weisen's lair forms one part of the square (DIF)
5) The Bridge of Sighs (DIF)
6) Eateries on St. Mark's Square: Florian's and the Quadri ®
7) Bond hugs the wall opposite the Doge's Palace and turns into St. Mark's Square (DIF)
8) The Zecca (treasury); on Grand Canal (DIF)
9) The Gritti Palace Hotel ®
10) The Hotel Cipriani (DIF)
11) Take the vaporetto to the Lido and walk to the Alberoni Beach (Fleming puts the distance at a half mile; looks more like five miles to me) ®

And, of course, we've got a wonderful itinerary of film locations to visit. See you there!

[Jeff007]

Great list Major Tallion!

Only a few short days left!!!!!

[Professor Dent]

Nice list, Major. I've tucked a printout of this info right behind my On The Tracks Of 007 copies.

[Jeff007]

I believe our man orlandobond should be on the ground in Station VE Venice as of now. Not long for the main body to touch down.

[volante]

Have a great trip guys - See you in Paris:)

[Jeff007]

Almost packed. One more night on the town and than off to the airport tomorrow!

[Professor Dent]

Taking a short break from packing. The countdown until departure is less than 24 hours away. Next stop - Station VE Venice!

[Jeff007]

Waiting in the airport on route to Venice!

[Jeff007]

Mods how about a main page update for this since many CBn'ers are traveling across the world to meet up!

[Major Tallon]

I'm just back, after another marathon trans-Atlantic flight, but before I do anything else, I have to thank Richard and Leslie Skillman for putting together this amazing trip. As I said during the journey, most Bond travels feature a half-dozen or so Bond locations. On this trip, we were seeing a half-dozen per day, sometimes a half-dozen per morning. It was truly the Bond trip of a lifetime, with Bond tourism, Bond discussions, Bond discoveries, and time spent with one of the finest group of friends a Bond fan could want to know.

I'm sure there'll be lots more about this in the coming days, but for now -- cheers, everybody!

[volante]

I'm just back, after another marathon trans-Atlantic flight, but before I do anything else, I have to thank Richard and Leslie Skillman for putting together this amazing trip. As I said during the journey, most Bond travels feature a half-dozen or so Bond locations. On this trip, we were seeing a half-dozen per day, sometimes a half-dozen per morning. It was truly the Bond trip of a lifetime, with Bond tourism, Bond discussions, Bond discoveries, and time spent with one of the finest group of friends a Bond fan could want to know.

I'm sure there'll be lots more about this in the coming days, but for now -- cheers, everybody!

[orlandobond]

Thank you Major, Domino and I arrived late last night and are in the process of debriefing. This was an incredible two weeks - From Venice to Cortina to Como to Locarno to Furka Pass to Piz Gloria to Bern to Geneva to Paris to Chantilly to Vicomte---we somehow acheived 110% of our itinerary along with the Bond Lifestyle! This was all possible by you all, who came ready to Bond- and our wonderful guest stars who enriched the locations.
Thank you again for joining us...we will have photos and a CBn summary shortly

[Professor Dent]

This was absolutely the trip of a lifetime. I've been sorting through an enormous amount of photos for about five hours so far today. It's hard to narrow down almost two weeks of fun into just a handful of photos. I was great to meet up with old friends & also make a lot of new friends along the way. Many thanks to Richard & Leslie for all the hard work in putting together a fantastic trip. Look for photos from some incredible Bond locations in the coming days.

[Major Tallon]

While we were walking in Mr. Mendel's footsteps at the Villa Balbianello, a question arose as to whether Bond's exchange with Mendel as to whether he'd brought any chocolates was scripted or an ad lib. According to the second revised script of December 20, 2006, the exchange was scripted.

[orlandobond]

While we were walking in Mr. Mendel's footsteps at the Villa Balbianello, a question arose as to whether Bond's exchange with Mendel as to whether he'd brought any chocolates was scripted or an ad lib. According to the second revised script of December 20, 2006, the exchange was scripted.

Well done, Talon, then we can assume that Craig's response to the Mendel giggle is acted, or a take where Craig finds the actor's giggle humorous and looks off camera to the crew and Campbell elected to use this take- in any event, a wonderful small bit of interplay in the film.

[orlandobond]

While we were walking in Mr. Mendel's footsteps at the Villa Balbianello, a question arose as to whether Bond's exchange with Mendel as to whether he'd brought any chocolates was scripted or an ad lib. According to the second revised script of December 20, 2006, the exchange was scripted.

Well done, Talon, then we can assume that Craig's response to the Mendel giggle is acted, or a take where Craig finds the actor's giggle humorous and looks off camera to the crew and Campbell elected to use this take- in any event, a wonderful small bit of interplay in the film.

[Double-0-7]

Ah, the Villa Balbianello. Definitely one of the most beautiful pieces of property used in a Bond film. And considering the myriad of locations used over the last 4 decades, that is saying something!

[Major Tallon]

Orlandobond has posted a detailed debrief of this trip, including photos and video, at http://wwww.themepartypeople.com/site. The site is well worth a visit, as you can share in the experience of this amazing trip.

Edited by Major Tallon, 14 September 2010 - 12:11 AM.

[Major Tallon]

Today, after much delay, I'm posting a selection of photos from Operation: Euro2010(07). This is by no means a complete set, or even a grouping. Instead, I'm going to "focus" on locations from the Bond stories, though I'll obviously include some movie locales as well. The photos can be viewed at http://home.comcast.net/~majortallon/ Just click on the photos to enlarge them.

To start with, the top row features the "Moonraker" clock, just too photogenic to pass up. Then there are two of the literary Bond's favorite watering holes in Venice, the Quadri and Florian's, located opposite each other on St. Mark's Square. There's also the square itself, viewed from Bond's vantage point in Death Is Forever, when he hugs the wall opposite the Doge's Palace and turns into the square.

In "Risico," Bond stays at the Gritti Palace Hotel, and I've supplied a view of that, although the front of the hotel is under renovation. Next come two views of the Rialto Bridge, described in Gardner's Death Is Forever. Gardner has Bond rent a car in the Piazzale Roma, which also happens to be a large bus depot.

For the first two photos in the bottom row, the emphasis shifts to the film version of "Casino Royale." The first photo shows the location on the Grand Canal where the sinking villa was found, except that the central building wasn't photogenice enough, so the producers removed it digitally and substituted the building found in the second photo, from another area on the canal, which was then morphed into the other location. It also was used as the basis for the sinking models constructed in the tank at Pinewood.

For the last two photos in the bottom row, we're back to "Risico" and a couple of views of Harry's Bar.

There will be more photos from time to time, but I wanted to post these to give an impression primarily of the book Bond locations that we discovered on our first couple of days.

Edited by Major Tallon, 14 September 2010 - 12:40 AM.

[Double-0-7]

Today, after much delay, I'm posting a selection of photos from Operation: Euro2010(07). This is by no means a complete set, or even a grouping. Instead, I'm going to "focus" on locations from the Bond stories, though I'll obviously include some movie locales as well. The photos can be viewed at http://home.comcast.net/~majortallon/ Just click on the photos to enlarge them.

To start with, the top row features the "Moonraker" clock, just too photogenic to pass up. Then there are two of the literary Bond's favorite watering holes in Venice, the Quadri and Florian's, located opposite each other on St. Mark's Square. There's also the square itself, viewed from Bond's vantage point in Death Is Forever, when he hugs the wall opposite the Doge's Palace and turns into the square.

In "Risico," Bond stays at the Gritti Palace Hotel, and I've supplied a view of that, although the front of the hotel is under renovation. Next come two views of the Rialto Bridge, described in Gardner's Death Is Forever. Gardner has Bond rent a car in the Piazzale Roma, which also happens to be a large bus depot.

For the first two photos in the bottom row, the emphasis shifts to the film version of "Casino Royale." The first photo shows the location on the Grand Canal where the sinking villa was found, except that the central building wasn't photogenice enough, so the producers removed it digitally and substituted the building found in the second photo, from another area on the canal, which was then morphed into the other location. It also was used as the basis for the sinking models constructed in the tank at Pinewood.

For the last two photos in the bottom row, we're back to "Risico" and a couple of views of Harry's Bar.

There will be more photos from time to time, but I wanted to post these to give an impression primarily of the book Bond locations that we discovered on our first couple of days.

Nice photos, Major. The ones of Florian's and Harry's reminds me how good the drinks were in those two fine establishments.

I wish I was with you when you tracked down the Gritti, that looks more colorful than our very nice digs at the Spendid.

[Major Tallon]

I'm painfully slow at adding more photos, but this time I bring updated views of your intrepid CBn team in central Cortina (where Melina purchased her crossbow), at the Olympic ski jump, enjoying Piz Gloria, and finishing off in Paris, plus a group shot of the entire tour group from Craig's recuperation site at Villa Balbianello on Lake Como. You can see the photos at http://home.comcast.net/~majortallon/ So here's the CBn team:

Double-0-7
Jeff007
Major Tallon
Orlandobond
Professor Dent
Sofa king
Volante

More photos to come!

Edited by Major Tallon, 18 September 2010 - 10:10 PM.