Photo a day - Stairmaster

Walk up these stairs to get from the Corniglia train station up to the town, and consider your workout done for the day! Train commuters here must have thighs of steel. Photo from April 2010.

Photo a day - A weight on his shoulders

Look beyond and above the fisherman to see the 1910 sculpture of Neptune in Monterosso, another of the Cinque Terre (five lands). The sculpture was partially damaged in World War II (the trident is gone), but it's still impressive at 14 meters high. Photo taken in April 2010.

Photo a day - Manarola harbor

Manarola is another of the Cinque Terre (five lands). It seems to have the same colorful house painting customs as the other four. Photo from April 2010.

Photo a day - Colorful harbor

Vernazza is another one of the Cinque Terre (five lands). It has a very pretty little harbor. Photo taken in April 2010.

Photo a day - Non-athletic sneakers

Check out this young lady's footwear. I'm guessing she won't be playing basketball in these sneakers with 3-inch heels. Ah, fashion. Photo taken in the Cinque Terre in April 2010.

Photo a day - Cornigila

We stayed in Corniglia, one of the Cinque Terre (five lands) on the Ligurian coast, in April 2010. The town is perched on a hilltop and partially down its side. It's filled with colorfully painted buildings, as are the other four lands (nearby towns). The Cinque Terre are joined to each other by footpaths, which are flat in some places and steep in others. It's a great place to walk or hike.

Photo a day - Shiny puffy

During the two years we spent in Italy, shiny puffy jackets were all the rage, especially among young people. City sidewalks were crowded with shiny parka wearers all winter long. The most popular colors were purple and black, fur trim optional. So many people wore them that they almost seemed like uniforms.

Photo a day - Burning art

As mentioned in yesterday's post, the sculptures of cartapesta (papier mâché) in the Lecce style are finished off by burning. Pictured above is an artist, working his magic with a hot iron. Photo from March 2010.

Photo a day (almost) - Cartapesta di Lecce

We really do try to post a photo a day, but we've been remiss the past few days. Sorry. Back to your reguarly scheduled blog post.

Artists in the southern city of Lecce specialize in papier mâché, which is called cartapesta in Italian. To create details such as fine lines, creases and curves, they actually burn away parts of the surface. The resulting works resemble carved wood. This elephant is an example. Photo taken in March 2010.

Photo a day - Image use approved?

Our president is popular in Europe. In Lecce we saw a fast-food place named after him. Photo taken in March 2010.

Photo a day - La Laurea

The young lady on the right just graduated. In Italy, when students graduate from college, they don't wear the graduation cap familiar to Americans. Instead, they wear a crown of laurel leaves. The degree they receive is called "La Laurea." Photo taken in March 2010.

Photo a day - Caesar was here

The Roman forum is a spectacular archaeological site, so evocative of ancient times. Amazing to think it became a cow pasture and dumping ground in the dark ages. If you haven't been there, go. Photo taken in May 2010.

Photo a day - Machinery & art, together

The city of Rome owns so much ancient art that it has run out of places in which to display it. To create an amazing showcase for these old and beautiful pieces, the city converted an old, unused power plant into an art museum. It's especially interesting because they did not remove the power plant equipment. It's all still there, surrounded by 2000+-year-old sculpture and mosaics. The place is called Centrale Montemartini, and I highly recommend a visit. Photo taken in March 2010.

Photo a day - fish or horn or both?

In March 2010, we visited Villa Farnese in Caprarola, outside of Rome. It was built in the 1500s in the Renaissance style, and in the back are formal gardens with a lot of sculpture. It's hard to tell what exactly is going on with this one, but it looks like the figure is blowing into a fish-shaped horn. Any other guesses?

Photo a day - Trulli

In the region of Puglia (the heel of the geographic boot that is Italy), there is a town famous for its distinctive architecture. The town is Alberobello, and its particular house is the trullo (trulli plural). The trulli are round, constructed without mortar, and topped with a cone. Photo taken in March 2010.

Photo a day - Cave of the Sibyl

Near Naples is are ancient Greek ruins in the modern day town of Cuma. This was the Greek settlement of Cumae, founded in the 8th century B.C. The photo shows the cave of the sibyl, a reknowned prophetess in ancient times. Photo taken in February 2010.

Photo a day - Via di Villa Giulia

To visit some friends, we frequently walked down this small, quiet street. Just out of camera range is a gap in the wall that reveals a soccer field where we often saw men playing in team uniforms, sometimes at night under bright lights.

Photo a day - the other Pisa

Most postcards and snapshots of Pisa feature the leaning tower, but there's more to the town than that. Here's a shot of Pisa's river, the Arno. Somewhere over on the right is a fancy chocolate shop. Photo taken in April 2010.

Photo a day - Trite and touristy

OK, so everyone who has ever been to Pisa has a photo like this. We couldn't resist it ourselves. Photo taken in April 2010.

Photo a day - Gladiators

April 25 is Liberation Day in Italy. It's a holiday commemorating the country's liberation from fascism toward the end of World War II. On Liberation Day 2010, a gladiatorial show was put on in one of the less central neighborhoods of Rome. The stars of the show were these men dressed as centurions. Also interesting and entertaining, though, were people dressed in togas and other ancient Roman garb, explaining how various tasks (weaving, stone carving, blacksmithing, and the making of medicines, for example) were performed in those days. The whole thing took place right next to some genuine 2000-year-old Roman ruins. Pretty cool.

Photo a day - Trend-setting Etruscans

These beads look a whole lot like the ones we saw, appreciated and bought in Ghana. However, they are pictured as displayed in Villa Giulia, a museum of Etruscan artifacts in Rome. Hmm. The Etruscans were around as far back as the 7th century BC, but similar looking beads are still being made today. Those Etruscans sure were trend setters.

Photo a day - Pork city

Pork products are immensely popular in Italy, and certain towns are known for the high quality of their pork and salumi. The porchetta (roast baby pork) of Nemi and some of its neighboring towns is very well regarded. This shop in Nemi probably reaps the benefits of that fine reputation. Photo taken in February 2010.

Photo a day - Medusa fountain

Drinking fountains abound in Italy, and many are beautiful. Here's one topped with a figure of Medusa. It's in Nemi, one of the towns outside of Rome collectively known as the Castelli Romani. We went there in February 2010.

Photo a day - Parco dei Mostri

Parco dei Mostri is a sculpture garden of monsters in Bomarzo. Photo taken in February 2010.

Photo a day - the Yellowstone of Italy?

Near Naples, there is an area of volcanic activity called Campi Flegrei. Solfatara di Pozzuoli is a dormant volcano there. You can walk around in its shallow crater to see and smell all the fumaroles and bubbling mud pots, which reminded us of Yellowstone National Park. Photo taken in February 2010.

Photo a day - Amalfi

This is the beach at Amalfi in February 2010.

Photo a day - the Tevere

Dusk falls on Rome's river, the Tevere, in December 2009.

Photo a day - looking out

Postcards usually show the outside of Rome's colosseum. Here's a shot from the inside, looking out. Photo taken in December 2009.

Photo a day - la notte a Venezia

Venice is beautiful both in the daytime and at night, even in November. (2009)

Photo a day - watch your step

One of the many narrow canals reflects the Venice sky in November 2009. Notice how one side appears to have a sidewalk, while a doorway on the other side opens straight onto the canal. Watch out for that first step -- it's a doozy!

Photo a day - cushy ride

Boats await their passengers in this quiet Venice canal. Photo from November 2009.

Photo a day - Gondolier on a break

The Photo a Day Series is back, at least for the moment.



Perhaps this gondolier is talking to his mamma about the menu for Sunday lunch. Photo taken in Venice in November 2009.

Photo a day series on hold

All of our belongings are in transit now, which means that for the moment, we don't have access to our computers and photos. Therefore we'll have to put the Photo a Day series on hold.

We're in Gig Harbor, WA for a bit. The weather is about 10 degrees cooler than in Rome and 20 degrees warmer than in Reykjavik.

Photo a day - Ferrara view

Looking out a diamond-shaped opening from the Castello Estense (dating from 1385), one can see the red umbrellas of the market and street scene on a rainy November 2009 morning in Ferrara.

Photo a day - Ferrara biking

Everyone bikes in Ferrara, even when it's dark and damp. Photo taken in November 2009.

Photo a day - Al Brindisi

Al Brindisi, in Ferrara, claims to be the oldest osteria in the world. Established in 1435, Titian was one of its customers, and Copernicus lived in the same building. We had dinner there in November 2009.

Photo a day - San Vitale

This is some detail from the botanical part of the mosaic design in the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. Photo from November 2009.

Photo a day - Arrivederci Roma!

Today we are leaving Rome to return to the US. We will miss this place terribly! Forgive the tourist photo.



Photo taken in April 2011.

Photo a day - Galla Placidia

During a trip to Ravenna, we visited the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, famous for its beautiful ceiling mosaics. This photo was taken in November 2009.

Photo a day - San Marino

In November 2009, we visited San Marino, a tiny country whose boundaries are entirely within Italy.

Photo a day - Bernini's angel

All along the Ponte Sant'Angelo, the bridge that goes across the Tiber (Tevere) River to Castel Sant'Angelo, are angel sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Here's one photographed in November 2009.

Photo a day - Tarquinia

Tarquinia was an Etruscan city dating back to the 7th century BC or so. One can tour its necropoli, which feature detailed frescoes in an impressive state of preservation. This fresco depicts a banquet. I like the leopards above.

Photo a day - Duomo demons

This photo was taken in the cathedral (duomo) of Florence in October 2009. We climbed the stairs to the top of the dome, which allowed us a close-up view of the ceiling and its amazing fresco. This detail cannot be seen from the floor of the church, probably to the great relief of the parishioners.

Photo a day - Monti Simbruini hike

This was taken during a hike in September 2009 somewhere near Jenne, Lazio in the Parco Regionale dell'Appennino Monti Simbruini.



Later this day, we were driving on a dirt road, came to a crossroads, and paused as we considered which way to go next. A complete stranger waved us over and invited us to join a picnic. It was the Raduno Nazionale di Mitsubishi Outlander, the annual gathering of a car club of Outlander SUV owners. Members came from all over Italy, and each of them brought a food specialty from his or her town. They happily shared their delicious offerings with us despite the fact that we were not even in a SUV, let alone an Outlander. This is one of our most wonderful memories of Italy.

Check it out - they included us in their video, calling us "L'Americano e la First Lady."

Photo a day - Lagonda

This picture was taken at the FIVA World Rally (Rome) in September 2009. If you look closely, you can see us in the photo.

Photo a day - Circo Massimo

This used to be my view at lunchtime (taken from the roof terrace of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization). It's the Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman race track and sporting field.

Photo a day - moo

We went hiking in Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso (Abruzzo) in September 2009 and came upon some healthy-looking grazers:

No time - photo a day series begins

We're getting ready to depart Rome and are finding less time to do things other than sort and pack belongings, so I've pre-posted a photo a day for the next little while. Hopefully this will hold over our faithful two, possibly as many as five, readers until we have time and internet access again.

The photo for today was taken at the Piero Taruffi Car Museum (in the town of Bagnoregio) in August 2009. As you might guess, it's a 1957 Spatz. Whaddaya mean, you never heard of it?

Morocco, part 9: Meknes and Volubilis

The last place we stayed in Morocco was the pleasant city of Meknes. We found a wonderful dar (small hotel) and got a beautifully decorated room.



Here's the view of a tower from the rooftop terrace...



...and the view looking down into the dar's courtyard.



Volubilis was a Roman city two thousand years ago. It still exists, but in ruins. It is well worth a visit if you happen to be in Morocco.

The arch below is dedicated to the Roman emperor Caracalla and his mother, Julia Domna.



Storks have made a home in Volubilis.



They seem comfortable atop the column.



Volubilis is famous for its many beautiful mosaics. Bacchus and Ariadne are in this one, although there's not much of Ariadne left.



I really liked this one, with animals and trees in the center and a series of intricate borders around them.



The mosaic below, in the House of Venus, depicts the goddess Diana bathing.



We visited on the perfect day, uncrowded, warm but not hot. The site is large enough to hold one's interest but not so huge as to be unmanageable.



Here's a view of the Decumanus Maxius, the ceremonial road.



Volubilis was one of the major highlights of our Morocco trip. From here we drove back to the Fes airport and flew back to Rome. Tip for those spending time in the Fes airport: bring reading material! There's no newsstand.