Port of Civitavecchia on a sunny Wednesday

 

I noticed that big boats and yachts that docks in Civitavecchia's port have the opportunity to enjoy the Fort Michelangelo. It was built in 1535 on the harbour, exactly on the site of Roman buildings. The blue superyacht I saw this morning on this sunny Wednesday has a British flag.

This morning I also saw two three-wheeled vehicles. 

This type of three-wheeled cargo veiches is also so popular in South Asia, mainly India and Bangla Desh. It was firstly manufactured in Italy more than 75 years ago.

Have a nice Wednesday, and enjoy the rest of this week :-)

different colours of the water

We had a particularly cloudy days here in Italy, as the sky was full of clouds last week. It wasn't ideal for a trip to the beach. 

On the contrary, today is a sunny Sunday and water is translucent. We can see through it.

On this sunny Sunday I have seen two police officers while they were travelling by jet skis. I didn't expect police officers to do that.

Have a nice Sunday :-) 

The mysterious split mountain

The picture below shows the split mountain in Gaeta, South Italy. It is located in a protected natural park. According to local stories, God was so distraught at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that He made the earth shake and let out a lightning bolt, which created three big cracks in this mountain.

I've just seen a very unusual vehicle in the middle of the town: it's a blue three wheeler with a black pirate flag and a surfboard on is top .

Happy Wednesday :-) 

T. Schmalz's statue in Vatican square

In 2019 Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor, created a new sculpure on the theme of immigrants and refugees. This artwork, which is dedicated to trafficking victims, was set up in Vatican square. And it is still there. 

This week I took a picture of this epic sculpture which shows a crowd of migrants upon a boat headed towards new places, new countries, and sometimes new continents.  

Timothy Schmalz's statue will be a permanent fixture in Vatican square.

Have a nice weekend! 

Colours of May

Just two pictures taken this morning on a sunny Saturday, that show the main colour of May: blue sky and blue sea.

... and green grass

Despite the epidemic still continues to spread steadily, mainly in Eastern Asia, and Ukraine-Russia war has triggered an arms race in Eastern Europe, many tourists from other continents come back to visit Italy.

May is one of the best months of the year to enjoy historical beauties and landmarks arould the world, as weather conditions are never to hot and never to cold

Have a nice weekend!

Trevignano

 

Yesterday I went to a small village in Central Italy, 50 kilometers North from Rome. The insoles technician works there, in Trevignano. In his workshop, which is located in that small village, he makes many types of insoles and appropriate footwears according to the problem of people's feet.

I bought there a pair of new insoles. The absorbing layer no the top of the entire insole enhances both the wearing comfort and the functionality.

After I had got the new insoles, I continued to visit that typical old village.     

Have a nice weekend!

Island of Ischia's thermal waters

Yesterday I came back from the Island of Ischia. The weather was never too hot and never too cold, so I went walking and running through the island every day. The picture below was taken at 06:00 a.m. while I was running slowly close to the water. 

I also enjoyed saltwater pool, freschwater pool, Turkish baths and sauna. Many German people were enjoying there the beneficial properties of Ischia's thermal waters, modified and enriched in the earth's wonderful underground laboratory. For decades rain seeps deep into the soil,  flowing through fissures  of  vulcanic  rocks, until they form aquifers inside layers of soil.  Here,  the water acquires its particular characteristics and high temperature coming in contact with magmatic bodies that lie in the heart of the isle.

In the alleys of the historical centers of Ischia it's possible to find old small buildings with their typical mediterranean architercture. Like many other placea around the world, Ischia's Mayor is letting restaurants and coffees set up tables in streets and alleys to easy virus restrictions.

Olives are still too small. They will be ready in six months. 

The bad thing is about the public lines. I was sorry to see an American girl who was fined by police officers: although she had a ticket it wasn't stamped! Maybe the girl forgot to stamp her ticket or she didn't know she have to stamp the ticket. The problem also was that the driver didn't say anything during the journey, although he noticed the girl didn't know the rule. In addition, the men who sold her the ticket didn't say anything about the fact that the ticket stamp machine was on the bus.

Tomorrow, 1st of May, occurs the International workers' day. 

Have a nice weekend! 

Walking through Tolfa, on a rainy morning

Today, on a rainy Friday, I went to the small town of Tolfa, which is located in the hills (70 km North from Rome). I went there with a friend of mine, as he was looking for a small house there in Tolfa. He would like to run a "Room & Breakfast" accomodation for tourists there in the village of Tolfa.

Paving with cobblestones allows a road to be heavily used, as it prevents the build-up of ruts often found in dirt roads.

That's the entrance of the small house for sale ("vende" in Italian language). 

We have noticed that many tourists, mainly from Norther Europe, enjoy visiting that old village and its alleys all year long. Many of them from Norway have also bought same of those typical old houses.

Small white fig fruits are already on the trees ... I hope Spring's rain will not destroy them

Happy weekend to all the blogging community :-)

Tourists back to Italy

 

Yesterday I was glad while I was walking through Rome's streets and squares, as I saw many tourists coming back to Italy once again. Despite the war in East Europe and the pandemic, which is going to an end (I hope so), tourists are already here in order to enjoy Italy and its art, its architecture, its cookery and wine. I also enjoyed a dinner togheter followed by a walking tour: night lights make Coliseum one of the most spectacular Rome's landmark.  

I had pizza at dinner in Rome. Never seen before such a large pizza: it was larger than its white ceramic plate :-) 

The bad news is that the more tourists the more air pollution, due to the fact that they mainly travel by cruise ship. 

Meanwhile, crude oil and gas' prices still continue to rise in many European countries. Consequently, food, drink and clothes prices are increasing too. For example, the picture below shows that price per Kilogram of broccoli rose to € 2.38 ($ 2.62) this month in Rome and its surroundings. Last year we used to pay those veggies less than € 1.50.

Today it's a cloudy Sunday! ... And it is not possible to organize sailing boat trips.

Have a nice Sunday! 

Banana tree

This morning I had another interesting run. After 20 minutes warm-up I began to increase the speed slightly, and while I was running along the coast I saw some banana trees.  These trees are just decorative and do not bear fruit. 

I know that after the Mayor had planted  those tropical trees three years ago, he was criticised because these trees are very expensive. In addition, they have nothing to do with the Mediterrean area and the 42nd parallel North. Most people who live here say the Mayor should plant Mediterranean shrub and olive trees on the urban green spaces.

I also saw other (expensive) tropical trees like this one here below. I don't know its name.

The picture below shows the narrowest alley I have ever seen. I saw it yesterday, in Tolfa, a small village located in the hills.

I do hope Russian & Ukrainian talks will make "significant progress" soon.

Have a nice weekend!

Aerobic zone benefits

 

When I took the picture above I wasn't enjoying the fine sands in the Caribbean or a biodiverse island of the Palwan archipelago.  I took that image this morning while I was running close to the water on the way back from the port. I noticed that those trees (I mean the low ones) are the only palms native to Europe, as that tree is known as Mediterranean dwarf palm. I think we have to respect the character of the place. It is important for the need of urban and place identity, which is a blend of physical heritage and geographical context.  

This morning a couple of tourists from Spain asked me an information while I was running through the port. I quickly noticed they were looking for the cruise ships terminal to Barcelona, and it was too easy to give them the right information, as they both could understand English language. The ship they were looking for wasn't there, so I explained that they had to take the bus. 

The problem was that they continued to ask me other information about the Barcelona pier, the ferry terminal, self-catering accomodation with free WiFi, and so on. Consequently, I had no choice but to tell them that I couldn't speak anymore because I was running. Although I spoke in a respectful way, they said they didn't like my behaviour. I didn't answered, and tryed to stay calm. So I decided to continue my run through the port.

A few minutes before I met the two Spanish tourists I had reached my aerobic zone benefits, as I was doing sustained running effort. That's the reason why I couldn't give them other information. Not to mention that they had already got the main information about how to reach the ships terminal to Barcelona.  

Have a nice weekend!

Through the port

This moring the weather wasn't as frigid as two days ago, so I went running along the coast and past the city port. I was so glad to see Spain's tourists who were visiting the castle, despite the epidemic hasn't gone to an end, and Russia's war in Ukraine enters a third week.

With regards to the war in East Europe, the rising in fuel price to all-time highs has caused many fishing boats  to stop going up to sea.

Several fishermen and vendors, also in other countries such as Japan and Vietnam, have been talking about the continued increase in oil price. Consequently, I am afraid fish prices will climb soon.

I hope things will be better soon!

Spiderweb

This morning the waitress, who works at the pub in my neighborhood, decided to paint a spiderweb on the milk surface of my coffee. I don't know why :-) I didn't ask her anything about its meaning, as she simply said the two colours were made with chocolate and caramel (respectively, brown and orange). 

Maybe the spiderweb means a mess. The world is in a mess due to the fact that the US, the UK, and some EU countries now try to buy time and finance Ukraine's defence system. They are still getting weapons into Ukraine from all corners of the world. As a result, Ukraine territory will become a de facto NATO-Russia battleground ... I hope I haven't bored you with my thoughts about the war in East Europe. Anyway, the good news is that Ukraine plans to hold a third round of talks this weekend.

The picture below, which I took this morning while I was running, shows a decoration on a old building. I noticed that more than two centuries ago the palace was built with the same red bricks as we see in London, NY State, and other places in North Europe.

 Have a nice weekend!