Here is Chloe with a couple of Italian soldiers who were much more enthusiastic about having their photo taken than the Roman cop. This was at a rest stop on the way to Roma.
Nosferatu
8 months ago
Showing posts with label europephotos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label europephotos. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Second in a series of two...
...that was supposed to be more, but we kept chickening out.
Here is Chloe with a couple of Italian soldiers who were much more enthusiastic about having their photo taken than the Roman cop. This was at a rest stop on the way to Roma.
Here is Chloe with a couple of Italian soldiers who were much more enthusiastic about having their photo taken than the Roman cop. This was at a rest stop on the way to Roma.
Foto dall'elicottero
At long last, photos from our helicopter tour of the Dolomites.
Ready for flight
Lift off!
Far horizons
Frosting
Look closely! (click to enlarge)
Nice digs
Patterns
Yes, we were that close
Is that you, God?
Back on the ground
Ready for flight
Lift off!
Far horizons
Frosting
Look closely! (click to enlarge)
Nice digs
Patterns
Yes, we were that close
Is that you, God?
Back on the ground
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Thursday 13
 It's the Little Differences |
| Italia 1. This is a "Narrow Road" sign:  2. And this is a narrow road:  3. These are parking spaces:   4. Bathrooms are tiled floor to ceiling and bidets are standard equipment. 5. The drive-through at McDonald's is called the McDrive. I kid you not. 6. This is a high place for tourists to visit:  7. Graffiti is everywhere (and some of it is damned cool):  8. The doors are unique:  Ireland 9. The fish in Fish and Chips has skin. And sometimes tails. 10. This is a high place for tourists to visit:  11. Emos are gas stations (and they are frequented by tractors):  12. Sheep are everywhere (and some of them are damned cute, even if they do urinate while we're taking their picture):  13. The doors are unique:  Happy Thursday! |
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
QE2
One fine day in Ireland, we drove down to County Cork to the town of Cobh (pronounced "cove"). Our purpose in going was to see the town that rescued the Lusitania survivors and waved good-bye to the Titanic. But we were in for a wonderful surprise! The Queen Elizabeth 2 came into port while we were there, and the entire population of tourists and residents came out to greet her. We all stood at the waterfront railings waving like fools and being waved at by the equally excited fools at the railings on deck.
"It's just a cruise ship!" MJ sneered.
Kids!
For me, it was eerie and inspiring. The QE2 is of the Cunard line, so there we were in a town which is effectively a cemetery and memorial for many of those who died on one of Cunard's most famous ships, watching abig giant humongous ship sail in that had "CUNARD" proudly painted on its side. It felt like we were jinxing the ship somehow, but as far as I know, she hasn't sunk between then and now.
I'll resist my newborn impulse to take a cruise and try to keep it that way. (Can't you just see the headlines? "Queen Elizabeth 2 sinks in hurricane Veronica")
"It's just a cruise ship!" MJ sneered.
Kids!
For me, it was eerie and inspiring. The QE2 is of the Cunard line, so there we were in a town which is effectively a cemetery and memorial for many of those who died on one of Cunard's most famous ships, watching a
I'll resist my newborn impulse to take a cruise and try to keep it that way. (Can't you just see the headlines? "Queen Elizabeth 2 sinks in hurricane Veronica")
In the meantime
MJ has posted some Europe photos on her 365 blog. Here are some blurbs to accompany them.
Ireland (Tip: right-click these links and then click Open in New Window)
Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Burren, County Clare - This is a grave in the Burren that predates the pyramids at Giza. It was pouring rain the day we explored the Burren, with a rather crisp wind tugging at our jackets and freezing our noses. For me, none of this detracted from the beauty of the place. It is rugged, dramatic, simultaneously lush and barren.
The Burren, County Clare - The crevices between these stepping stones go down at least a couple of feet. There's a whole world down there: grasses, ivy, flowers, spider webs, etc. Fascinating. Evidently this vegetation would overrun the stones if not for the steady cropping of the cattle in the area.
The beach at Dooega, Achill Island, County Mayo (3 photos) - The McManamans, half of Frank's half-Irish heritage, hail from this village on Achill (pronounced "ackle") Island. They were hardy stock, I think. It is a spectacularly beautiful place, with lush grazing lands, barren hills, towering cliffs, lovely beaches, and sweeping views of a few dotted islands in the huge Atlantic. But the settlements there reminded us so much of limpets, clinging to the island rather than really being settled on it.
There are sheep everywhere. In the fields, alongside the road, in the road, in the abandoned cabins. At one point, I got out of the car to run over the edge of a (seeming) cliff and down the hidden green slope beyond into definite sheep territory. They were unconcerned with my presence.
The roads on Achill are lined with the de rigeur hedges, but here the hedges are almost entirely made up of 8-foot tall fuscia bushes, which were all in bloom. Gorgeous!
Graveyard, Ardmore, County Waterford (2 photos) - One of many stunning grave markers. The second photo is the road outside the graveyard, with the gate we used to enter the grounds on the left.
Our Irish cows, Whitechurch, County Wexford - This is the field that we could see from the windows of our cottage. It was so quiet there, and so very dark at night. It provided just the peace and quiet we needed after our busy second week in Italia.
The cottage was kind of neat, kind of funky. It's an old converted granary, and our hosts, Patricia and Roger, and their family lived there first, so it was a project house, with a lot of the renovations done piecemeal. The attic room, where MJ slept, has two twin beds tucked under the sloped roof and a tiny little en suite bath. Our room was on the "first" floor (second floor to my fellow Americans), with a TV/sitting area, the big window where we could watch the cows and the sunset, and our mock-canopy bed. Everything else—entry, kitchen and family room, Chloe's tiny little single bedroom, and the main bath—is on the ground floor. The cottage has a separate driveway and parking lot, so we had nice separation from the main house and the other cottages; we didn't see other people unless we wanted to. You can see photos here and here.
One day, I took a walk down the road a ways. I took a random turn from narrow road to really narrow road, crested a hill, and encounted a cow. Somewhat concerned because all the other cows were behind fences, I wandered back to a nearby farm where the farmer was working on a piece of machinery that this city girl is helpless to identify. His dog saw me coming first, went gaga at the prospect of a visitor, and didn't even seem to mind that I couldn't pet him; he led me on down the road with great enthusiasm. "Excuse me," I said hesitantly to the farmer. "There's a cow loose on the road over there. Is that usual around here?" He smiled a little. "It's pretty usual," he said. "Sixteen of 'em went by a little bit ago." He did a quick headcount in his own field, just to be sure, but explained that one of his neighbors is not very careful about closing gates.
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare - It's pronounced ma-her, in case you were wondering, not "more". Now you know.
The Burren again
Hook Head, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford (2 photos) - This was one of my favorite spots. There were gale force winds blowing, so we got tossed around in an exhilarating fashion as soon as we stepped out of the car. In fact, I found one place where the wind was sort of scooped by the terrain so it would hold me up when I leaned into it. Loved it!
I don't know why the second photo looks so calm. Don't let it fool you.
Tintern Abbey, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford - And cow.
Graveyard and St. Declan's Tower, Ardmore, County Waterford - Ardmore was on my must-see list because it is featured in one of Nora Roberts' Irish trilogies. This graveyard did not disappoint. Lovely, historic, mystical, chilly despite the sun. We expected to see Carrick, Prince of Faeries, appear at any moment. And it's on a hill with territorial views of the village, bay, and cliffs.
The headstones there are fascinating. Many of them include the name of the house where the deceased lived. One of the most ornate was a four-sided monument that had the man's name on one side and his two wives' (both of whom he survived) names each on another side. And we saw one stone for an IRA soldier who died in the troubles, circa 1921.
The adjacent church (not pictured) is roofless now but still interesting from an architectural perspective. For instance, there are some fascinating Romanesque carvings on one side: http://www.inmagine.com/dp034/dp1824984-photo But perhaps the most interesting thing is that the locals have begun burying their dead inside the church. Some of the graves are marked with huge horizontal slabs, including a couple that are placed in the center aisle to unfortunately resemble big lengths of sidewalk.
On the way to Ardmore, we toured through Dungarvan. This was on Chloe's must-see list. It is mentioned in the trilogy in a bit of fanciful local color ("the pub roof blew clear to Dungarvan"), and it caught her imagination. We actually found Dungarvan prettier in an overall sense than Ardmore. I could easily spend our next Irish trip "stationed" there.
Italia
Torbole, Lago di Garda - Shopping day!
The lakeside garden of that building I can't identify, Malcesine, Lago di Garda - Chloe
The lakehouse and views therefrom, Lago di Garda (4 photos) - Chloe again, the church, just one of many sailboats, the tiled roofs below us
Trento
Near their apartment - Chiara walking Cora
Downtown (2 photos) - Typically beautiful scenery
ItalFly hangar, Trento airport (2 photos) - Our helicopter waits. Just one of the many planes Frank lusted over inside.
A view from the helicopter - I have many more of these. It was so gorgeous up there!
The Roma and Venezia ones seem pretty self-explanatory.
Ireland (Tip: right-click these links and then click Open in New Window)
Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Burren, County Clare - This is a grave in the Burren that predates the pyramids at Giza. It was pouring rain the day we explored the Burren, with a rather crisp wind tugging at our jackets and freezing our noses. For me, none of this detracted from the beauty of the place. It is rugged, dramatic, simultaneously lush and barren.
The Burren, County Clare - The crevices between these stepping stones go down at least a couple of feet. There's a whole world down there: grasses, ivy, flowers, spider webs, etc. Fascinating. Evidently this vegetation would overrun the stones if not for the steady cropping of the cattle in the area.
The beach at Dooega, Achill Island, County Mayo (3 photos) - The McManamans, half of Frank's half-Irish heritage, hail from this village on Achill (pronounced "ackle") Island. They were hardy stock, I think. It is a spectacularly beautiful place, with lush grazing lands, barren hills, towering cliffs, lovely beaches, and sweeping views of a few dotted islands in the huge Atlantic. But the settlements there reminded us so much of limpets, clinging to the island rather than really being settled on it.
There are sheep everywhere. In the fields, alongside the road, in the road, in the abandoned cabins. At one point, I got out of the car to run over the edge of a (seeming) cliff and down the hidden green slope beyond into definite sheep territory. They were unconcerned with my presence.
The roads on Achill are lined with the de rigeur hedges, but here the hedges are almost entirely made up of 8-foot tall fuscia bushes, which were all in bloom. Gorgeous!
Graveyard, Ardmore, County Waterford (2 photos) - One of many stunning grave markers. The second photo is the road outside the graveyard, with the gate we used to enter the grounds on the left.
Our Irish cows, Whitechurch, County Wexford - This is the field that we could see from the windows of our cottage. It was so quiet there, and so very dark at night. It provided just the peace and quiet we needed after our busy second week in Italia.
The cottage was kind of neat, kind of funky. It's an old converted granary, and our hosts, Patricia and Roger, and their family lived there first, so it was a project house, with a lot of the renovations done piecemeal. The attic room, where MJ slept, has two twin beds tucked under the sloped roof and a tiny little en suite bath. Our room was on the "first" floor (second floor to my fellow Americans), with a TV/sitting area, the big window where we could watch the cows and the sunset, and our mock-canopy bed. Everything else—entry, kitchen and family room, Chloe's tiny little single bedroom, and the main bath—is on the ground floor. The cottage has a separate driveway and parking lot, so we had nice separation from the main house and the other cottages; we didn't see other people unless we wanted to. You can see photos here and here.
One day, I took a walk down the road a ways. I took a random turn from narrow road to really narrow road, crested a hill, and encounted a cow. Somewhat concerned because all the other cows were behind fences, I wandered back to a nearby farm where the farmer was working on a piece of machinery that this city girl is helpless to identify. His dog saw me coming first, went gaga at the prospect of a visitor, and didn't even seem to mind that I couldn't pet him; he led me on down the road with great enthusiasm. "Excuse me," I said hesitantly to the farmer. "There's a cow loose on the road over there. Is that usual around here?" He smiled a little. "It's pretty usual," he said. "Sixteen of 'em went by a little bit ago." He did a quick headcount in his own field, just to be sure, but explained that one of his neighbors is not very careful about closing gates.
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare - It's pronounced ma-her, in case you were wondering, not "more". Now you know.
The Burren again
Hook Head, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford (2 photos) - This was one of my favorite spots. There were gale force winds blowing, so we got tossed around in an exhilarating fashion as soon as we stepped out of the car. In fact, I found one place where the wind was sort of scooped by the terrain so it would hold me up when I leaned into it. Loved it!
I don't know why the second photo looks so calm. Don't let it fool you.
Tintern Abbey, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford - And cow.
Graveyard and St. Declan's Tower, Ardmore, County Waterford - Ardmore was on my must-see list because it is featured in one of Nora Roberts' Irish trilogies. This graveyard did not disappoint. Lovely, historic, mystical, chilly despite the sun. We expected to see Carrick, Prince of Faeries, appear at any moment. And it's on a hill with territorial views of the village, bay, and cliffs.
The headstones there are fascinating. Many of them include the name of the house where the deceased lived. One of the most ornate was a four-sided monument that had the man's name on one side and his two wives' (both of whom he survived) names each on another side. And we saw one stone for an IRA soldier who died in the troubles, circa 1921.
The adjacent church (not pictured) is roofless now but still interesting from an architectural perspective. For instance, there are some fascinating Romanesque carvings on one side: http://www.inmagine.com/dp034/dp1824984-photo But perhaps the most interesting thing is that the locals have begun burying their dead inside the church. Some of the graves are marked with huge horizontal slabs, including a couple that are placed in the center aisle to unfortunately resemble big lengths of sidewalk.
On the way to Ardmore, we toured through Dungarvan. This was on Chloe's must-see list. It is mentioned in the trilogy in a bit of fanciful local color ("the pub roof blew clear to Dungarvan"), and it caught her imagination. We actually found Dungarvan prettier in an overall sense than Ardmore. I could easily spend our next Irish trip "stationed" there.
Italia
Torbole, Lago di Garda - Shopping day!
The lakeside garden of that building I can't identify, Malcesine, Lago di Garda - Chloe
The lakehouse and views therefrom, Lago di Garda (4 photos) - Chloe again, the church, just one of many sailboats, the tiled roofs below us
Trento
Near their apartment - Chiara walking Cora
Downtown (2 photos) - Typically beautiful scenery
ItalFly hangar, Trento airport (2 photos) - Our helicopter waits. Just one of the many planes Frank lusted over inside.
A view from the helicopter - I have many more of these. It was so gorgeous up there!
The Roma and Venezia ones seem pretty self-explanatory.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Malcesine photos
The waterfront
Just our favorite car park, but this photo gives an idea of the drama of the shoreline all along the lake
My namesake ship. (Shonna, do you guys know what "siora" means? Or is it just a name?)
I actually don't know what this building is/was, but this is the ceiling in the interior...
...and this is in the lakefront garden outside.
Afternoon spritzes (a traditional, slightly bitter afternoon refreshment)
Just our favorite car park, but this photo gives an idea of the drama of the shoreline all along the lake
My namesake ship. (Shonna, do you guys know what "siora" means? Or is it just a name?)
I actually don't know what this building is/was, but this is the ceiling in the interior...
...and this is in the lakefront garden outside.
Afternoon spritzes (a traditional, slightly bitter afternoon refreshment)
Lake house photos
The Inimitable Chiara
One of our lizard friends
Nighttime views
The Maiers do laundry the European way
One of our lizard friends
Nighttime views
The Maiers do laundry the European way
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Roma
Gianguido, Gloria, Chiara, and some random tourist in front of the Colosseum.
Me and my girls and some random tourist in front of Constantine's Arch adjacent to the Colosseum. The cobblestones you can see in this shot are called "San Pietrini," little St. Peters. Some of the roads around the Colosseum are still paved with these.
Chloe and the cop. You can't tell by looking at him, but he did agree to this photo. This is near the Spanish Steps.
Party at the Spanish Steps. Click to enlarge (but it won't help much).
Family photo (and a couple of goofy faces) in front of La Fontana di Trevi. This area was packed with people even in the pouring rain.
Me and my girls and some random tourist in front of Constantine's Arch adjacent to the Colosseum. The cobblestones you can see in this shot are called "San Pietrini," little St. Peters. Some of the roads around the Colosseum are still paved with these.
Chloe and the cop. You can't tell by looking at him, but he did agree to this photo. This is near the Spanish Steps.
Party at the Spanish Steps. Click to enlarge (but it won't help much).
Family photo (and a couple of goofy faces) in front of La Fontana di Trevi. This area was packed with people even in the pouring rain.
Trento
A random building in Chiara's "boring" town. Click the image to see the details.
I can't remember if this is a church or part of the university. Anyway, it's gorgeous.
MJ's birthday party. Gloria, Max, Chloe, MJ, and Chiara.
I can't remember if this is a church or part of the university. Anyway, it's gorgeous.
MJ's birthday party. Gloria, Max, Chloe, MJ, and Chiara.
Lago di Garda
This was our view from the lake house. Don't you feel sorry for us?
Chiara and Gloria:
Beauties by the (chilly) pool. Note that Chiara is wearing her Zenmomma art, the chocolate lollipop purse, which she just loves.
Chiara and Gloria:
Beauties by the (chilly) pool. Note that Chiara is wearing her Zenmomma art, the chocolate lollipop purse, which she just loves.
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