I know that I promised not to talk about degradation and tourism anymore.  Yet here I am.

Or rather, here they are.

In case I didn’t mention, or even hint at it, I realize that Venice is not the only place on earth which experiences rogue tourists.  I hope I didn’t give the impression that I thought Venice was unique in suffering this scourge.  I merely wanted to say, “It’s happening here, it needs to stop.”

However, reverence for truth compels me to widen the picture, in part because the wild things in this case do not make my heart sing, and they’re Italians.

What they got up to in Barcelona trumps anything I can offer in the way of gobsmacking madness.  I don’t defend them in any way, I just want to say two small things:

First, bodies like theirs cry out to be exhibited (though not fully frontally).  I know that’s a stupid thing to say, I just wanted to acknowledge all those hours they put in at the gym, and whatever supplements they take.

Second, how could anybody manage to run around a city naked for THREE HOURS?  I can understand totally why the photographer followed them around the entire time (though someone could reasonably ask why he didn’t stop them, while he’s so busy complaining about tourists) — they’re just as cute as little buttons.

But what finally brought them to a stop?  Did they run out of gas?  Hit a cold front?  Suddenly realize they had nowhere to put their money and passports?  Or did the photographer finally tell them he had enough pictures, so they could get dressed?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/21/naked-italians-protests-drunken-tourists-barcelona