Switzerland | 28-29 July 1928

DATE July 28th
PLACE Lucern & Interloken
We had the morning free & then after lunch we started on the Gran Alpine tour. Going around Lake Lucern we started a general ascent through the wonderful Alps. We arrived at Interlaken in the mid afternoon & saw the Jungfrau in all its glory. Then that night we walked about the town.

ON THIS DAY
The Opening Ceremony of the 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was held in Amsterdam. When Queen Wilhemenia refused to attend, His His Royal Highness Prince Hendrik opened the Games instead. You can read more here.

DATE July 29th
PLACE Montreux, Switzerland
Leaving Interlaken early we started on a short voyage over the alps. We saw many beautiful views & then to climax it we saw Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva. We went to the Chateau d’Oex for lunch & then to Montreux then we went to the Chateau of Cantells [1] & saw that. It is the most beautiful Castle we have seen yet.

ON THIS DAY
Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon with synchronized sound, had its first test screening while only partially finished. The film would be officially released at Universal’s Colony Theatre in New York on 18 November. You can watch it in full here.

Vincent Price Travel Journal 1928 (reproduced courtesy of Peter Fuller)

EDITOR’S NOTES
[1] Vincent is more likely referring to Chillon Castle, an island castle that was home to the Counts of Savoy in the 12th-century located on the shore of Lake Geneva in the commune of Veytaux, at the eastern end of the lake, 3 km from Montreux, Switzerland. The castle was made famous by Lord Byron, who wrote the poem The Prisoner Of Chillon (1816) – his signature can be found inscribed on a stone wall in the dungeon – and is one of the settings in Henry James‘s novella Daisy Miller (1878).

[sic] Although Vincent misspells words in his journal, we have kept them as he wrote them.

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London, England | 17-18 July 1928

DATE July 17th 1928
PLACE London & environs
Today we went to Hampton Court & never in my life have I seen more beautiful gardens. They were perfect of the reign of Henry VIII.

Then we went to Windsor which is the most beautiful castle in the world. The paintings are exquisite one room of Rubens & one of Van Dyke The environs are beautiful too. We ate at the Kings Head Lunch room which was built in 1525 and is known as the haunted room. Visited Stokes Poges where Gray’s elegy was written.

DATE July 18th 1928
PLACE Shakespeare Country
Today to Shakespeare country and all the place near by. We saw Shakespeares birth place Anne Hathaway’s cottage & His final resting place. There were all very full of historic interest. Went to Warwick castle which is surrealy situated on a hill with long walls leading to it. Paintings are beautiful & very well chosen. This castle was built in the 14th century.

ON THIS DAY
José de León Toral assassinated Álvaro Obregón, president of Mexico.

Vincent Price Travel Journal 1928 – 17-18 July (reproduced courtesy of Peter Fuller)

Here’s a recital of Thomas Gray’s poem from Robert Nichol Audio Productions.

[sic] Although Vincent misspells words in his journal, we have kept them as he wrote them.