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Transforming with a Flip-Flop

Strange title above…I know, right? But, after looking below, you’ll see why I chose that title.

We were on the island of Murano. Murano is one of many islands in the Venetian lagoon…it is one of the closest and most active. Murano is the island where centuries ago, the glass foundries were exiled because of fire danger in the main part of Venice. So yes, we were on Murano to purchase Venetian blown glass. But, that’s another story.

The Snapshot

After lunch, we wandered a bit on our way to the vaporetto stop for our return to Venice proper. Here is what I saw and photographed along the way. It’s just an average snapshot…a bit skewed, with a whole lot of blah. But, I liked the potential for symetry.

Step 1

My plan was to work the potential symmetry into the final version of the photo. So, here is step 1, which is to duplicate the left side of the photo and to use it replace the right side of the photo, as you see here. This is the ‘flip-flop’ aspect of this transformation. Then there are those darned electrical conduits and hanging wires…poof, and they’re gone.

Step 2

Obviously, I don’t want a complete replacement where it is obvious that I just flipped one side to the other. So, I removed one of the planters at the right edge of the photo, removed a shadow, and removed the mailbox on the left wall. The flip-flop isn’t so obvious now.

Step 3

The partial windows at the top of the photo, just above the planter box, bother me. So, out they go! And its time to increase the mood of this rainy day afternoon. Darkening the photo helps here. And the arched window shutters were a bit blah, so I worked on them a bit, too.

Final Step

The final step was to provide a bit of lighting here and there to draw focus to the center of the photo. And, since pigeons are the most ubiquitous element of Venice (well, maybe its actually the water), I decided that they needed a bit of illumination, also.

Details

Speaking of those pigeons, here is a closer view. Oh, what a life to be out in the rain. They just seem to fluff up their feathers to get more insulation and then hunker down a bit to endure the afternoon shower.

And then there’s that plaque above the shuttered windows. A bird (perhaps a peacock?) attacking a rabbit…that’s the way I see it. What’s that about, anyway?

That’s it for today’s quick transformation. Tune in next week to see where we wind up in the adventure of Italy, Our Italy.

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Eat Here: Da Divo

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This hidden gem is in an out-of-the-way part of Siena, as you can see in the photo, below. If you can find Via Franciosa, look for number ‘25’. Making your way from the Piazza del Campo (at top left) to the Duomo (cathedral), you are almost there.

The red arrow marks the location of Da Divo

The unassuming entrance from the small street to Da Divo does not reveal what lies within…and below.

Scott suggests that it’s time to come in and eat

Da Divo is a most interesting restaurant. Its history is that it used to be an Etruscan dwelling or tomb. Going once again to a restaurant’s website, we see the description of their restaurant as “To dine in history of a suggestive and unique atmosphere, which goes from the Middle Ages to the Etruscans”. So, there you have it…right?

The Layout

After you enter through the street-level entrance of the restaurant, you will find three subterranean levels of the restaurant. In this photo, I am standing on the first subterranean level, with the entrance level to the top right. Down the steps to the left is the second subterranean level, and then further down (where the bare-bulb light glows) is the third subterranean level.

This is underground level two of Da Divo.

Photo taken from level 3, showing level 4

In this photo, you see the lowest, or third subterranean level, with couples enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

Dinner Time

OK, enough about the layout of the multi-level restaurant. Before we move to the food, it is time for that time-honored toast to friends, both present and absent…which includes you!

Here is a sampling of the good eats you find at Da Divo.

Cooked rice of risotto gathering up cheesy goodness

Here we had our first look at a unique way to make risotto. Normally, one will stir in Parmesan cheese when the rice is completely cooked. However, here at Da Divo, we see that the cooked rice is placed into a scooped out wheel of Parmesan cheese, gathering cheesy goodness as the rice is stirred. Man-oh-man…it was really yummy!

A Parting Glance

As we enjoyed our meal at Da Divo, I made the mistake of looking up. What I saw was the structural system that was holding up the roof. I would suggest that it has been doing its job for many, many years…so, don’t worry about the structural integrity as you dine. And, be sure to try the risotto.

The roof has been steadily sitting there for many years…not to worry

So, there you have one more meal in beautiful and tasty Italy. As you sit watching your risotto being stirred whilst it is in that scooped out wheel of Parmesan, look up at the face of the one doing the stirring…it just may be me!

Ciao for now,

Steve

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The Results Are In: Part 18

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The 13th International Color Awards results have been made known, and that is the subject of today’s article.

The International Color Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence in color photography. Awards were announced during the spring of 2020. In a field of over 7,000 entries from 79 countries, I am honored to have had a few of my photos recognized.

Four photos were Nominated (a limited number of photos selected for further consideration by the distinguished industry judges). And, two from that category made the Honorable Mention list. No out-and-out winners…but close!

You will note when looking at the photos below that they are not in any way related to Italy. Specifically, they are all related to my home state of Colorado…and more specifically to autumn in the Rockies…and then, even more specifically to autumn in the Rockies in the Ouray-Telluride area of southwest Colorado.

A bit of departure from photos of Italy, but I hope you enjoy them.

Honorable Mention

Long Abandoned —- Americana Category — ***Long Abandoned*** —- Americana Category

Zig Zag — Nature Category — ***Zig Zag*** — Nature Category

Nominated

Good Times in the Rockies — Wildlife Category — ***Good Times in the Rockies*** — Wildlife Category

Climate Change — Nature Category — ***Climate Change*** — Nature Category

Other Entries

Gone to Lower Pastures — Nature Category — ***Gone to Lower Pastures*** — Nature Category

Blue and Gold — Nature Category — ***Blue and Gold*** — Nature Category

On Golden Pond — Nature Category — ***On Golden Pond*** — Nature Category

Thanks for taking a look at a few of my non-Italy photos. We’ll be back to Italy next week.

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Venice's Frari

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What is a Frari, anyway? It’s strange that few of those who have been there and know what The Frari is, know of its true name. You will now be among those in the know.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, usually just called The Frari, is a church located in a campo in the San Polo district of Venice. It’s big. It’s old. It’s made of brick. And, it’s not very beautiful on the outside (it is of Franciscan lineage, after all)…but on the inside it’s magnificently ornamented.

How old is it? We know that in fourteen-hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…and that is the same year that the Frari was completed…after about a century of work.

Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari…aka The Frari

The church is dedicated to the assumption of Mary. A bit more on that later will explain why.

There are a good number of famous old dead people in the Frari. The interior is notable for many wall monuments to distinguished Venetians buried in the church, including a number of Doges (like a president of Venice) and the painter Titian.

Canova

Immediately upon entering the church, one such distinguished Venetian is Canova. He was famous for his marble sculptures. Thus, his burial chamber is a very large marble mausoleum of sorts. For a sense of scale, the doorway into the monument is lifesize.

Nice huh? But, a bit much, don’t you think? He probably gets more square footage than any other of the Venetian characters. And to think, only his heart is buried there! But then again, look at the detail in these hand-carved embellishments.

Not all is funeral in the Frari. These guys have been doing daily, back-breaking duty holding up that plinth for centuries. But, they seem to keep in good spirits.

A Recent Award Winning Photo

Here is a photo that was recently published in Black & White Magazine as a winner in the “2024 Single Image Contest” on page 92. This photo was taken in October, 2023.

God Rays at the Frari, Venice, Veneto, Italy, 2023

Lion of Saint Mark

Whilst in Venice, you are never far from the winged lion, which is the symbol for Gospel-author Mark. Most of Mark is buried in the Bascilica of Saint Mark, on none other than Piazza San Marco. More on Mark’s significance to Venetians at another time.

Choir Stalls

Dead center in the Frari are the choir stalls and organ of the church. The choir stalls are a magnificent bit of woodwork by Marco Cozzi. The wood carvings and marquetry of each of the stalls are exemplary.

Take a moment to contemplate the work that went into the forty-or-so stalls, as shown in the photos below. Again, there were no modern woodworking tools available to the craftsmen.

Titian’s Masterworks

Titian was an awesome Venetian artist. Though ‘Titian’ to you and me, his given name was ‘Tiziano Vecelli’. He was prolific in the early-16th century.

The Assumption of the Virgin is the centerpiece of the Frari. The ‘Assumption’ was the bodily taking up of Mary, the mother of Jesus, into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. Titian did his ethereal best in this depiction.

The setting for Titian’s masterpiece is dramatic, as seen in this photo.

Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin in the Frari — Titian’s *Assumption of the Virgin* in the Frari

In this detailed photo, you can see God welcoming Mary into the Heavenly realm, with assistance from cherubs and with an adoring crowd looking on.

Also by Titian, we find the Pesaro Madonna (aka Madonna di Ca' Pesaro). The painting was commissioned by Jacopo Pesaro, who was the Bishop of Cyprus, as well as the commander of the Papal fleet.

Frari_(Venice)_nave_left_-_Altar_of_Madona_di_Ca'Pesaro.jpg

Here’s the deal with commissioned paintings of that time: the artist was obligated to work the patron into the art work.

In this particular painting, Titian shows patron Jacopo kneeling to the left in a devotional pose. Saint Peter in blue is presenting Jacopo to Mary and the baby Jesus…note Peter’s ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ lying on the steps, tethered to Saint Peter.

Where does one find a divine face for the Virgin Mary? Titian actually used his wife as the model in this painting.

The five people kneeling at the bottom right below saint Francis of Assisi? Those are the Pesaro family members.

Giovanni Bellini’s Triptych

I have to say that Bellini is one of my favorite Italian artists. Besides his prosecco and peach bar-tending prowess, I just love the fine detail of his works. Below you see one of his finest, painted in 1488. This is Madonna and Child with Ss. Nicholas of Bari, Peter, Mark and Benedict, which is located in the Sacristy.

It’s a shame that the two angels did not get billing, too. They are very energetically playing their little hearts out on a mandolin and a flute.

Note the three-dimensionality of the figures in the painting. And the detail…one can almost read the Bible passage that Saint Benedict is holding. The alcove in which Mary and the baby Jesus are standing…it is actually a flat panel and not curved at all.

Bartolommeo Vivarini

Bartolommeo was also quite adept at the triptych, as we can see from two of his paintings that are housed within the Frari. Done in his unique colorful style, here is Madonna and Child with Saints.

And below is another of his colorful Frari paintings titled, ‘Saint Mark Enthroned’. I think you would agree that that’s a pretty fancy frame.

Frari_(Venice)_Cappella_Corner_-_Pala_di_San_Marco_by_Bartolomeo_Vivarini.jpg

A Golden Angel

I have no idea who fashioned this golden angel hanging from the ceiling of the Sacristy, but we liked it so much that we used it as our Christmas card photo several years ago.

Unknown

I have no idea who produced this set of marble carvings, but I like it/them.

Craig on the Steps of the Frari

Yes, that’s brother-in-law Craig once again. This time striking a pose under Barolomeo Bon’s ‘Virgin and St Francis’, which adorns one of the secondary entrances to the Frari.

Now you’ve visited the Frari…and you know the actual full name for this church. The photos are nice, but they just don’t do justice to the works of art that you’ll find inside this Venetian church. The best way to experience the Frari is to be there in person. Until next time…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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102 Blog Articles...But Who's Counting?

Index of Articles

That’s right…102! I had no idea that I had put out over 100 blog articles until I counted them this week. I’ve really been a bit chatty, haven’t I?!

I have enjoyed every minute in the production of these articles, mostly about my favorite place — Italy. ‘Why do you do this?’, you ask. Because I want you to be stimulated through my writing and photos to visit Italy yourself. And, as an added benefit, I get to travel voyeuristically along the way as I write and go through photos from great times gone by.

“I absolutely love doing this, and I certainly hope that you enjoy my blog articles, and that you find them helpful in some way”

Italy is a place with beautiful scenery highlighted by mountains, plains, coastlines and lakes…a prolific history of art and culture (I know that you’ve heard of Michelangelo and the Roman Empire)…vineyards and their wineries producing the world’s best wines, like Brunello…authentic (it has to be, right?) Italian food…and a loving, smiling, happy people.

Today, I thought I would give you of my ‘Top 10’ articles. I’ve categorized them into ‘Visiting a Particular Place’, ‘Experiences We’ve Enjoyed’ {that you would, too), and ‘Helpful Travel Tips”. These are my favorites because of memories of the times and places involved, be they humorous, joy-filled, frustrating, or whatever — or because I felt that they were particularly informative in preparation for your own upcoming Italy trip.

If one of the descriptions catches your eye, go ahead and link to the article so that you can enjoy a small slice of Italy, too.

[OK, I have a confession to make. There are actually 12 articles listed below…I just couldn’t pare it down to 10…sorry about that]

Each listing below has a clickable bolded heading that takes you to the original article.

Visiting A Particular Place

Stay Here, Eat Here, Drink Here: Banfi

A beautiful Tuscan day at the Banfi pool

This article lays out for you the full Banfi experience that you will just have to live through yourself one day. We’ve visited the Castello Banfi twice and found the experience to be absolutely wonderful. The tour of the Banfi winery is outstanding. And then there is the Castello Banfi itself…a must see, as well as a must stay. Dining? Yes, you have your choice of the informal La Taverna, as well as the fabulous La Sala dei Grappoli. The enoteca where you can taste and then purchase wine? The largest and most beautiful we’ve seen — and we’ve seen many. Published on May 24, 2016.

A Visit to Villa Cimbrone

The view along the walk from Ravello to Villa Cimbrone

If you will be visiting the Amalfi coast, with its breathtaking mountainous backdrop, you absolutely need to journey up those mountains to the the town of Ravello. It sits high above the town of Amalfi and has spectacular views from the Belvedere. The gardens are charming and there are several restaurants between the town and the Cimbrone Gardens from which to choose, like our selection, Il Flauto di Pan. Published June 7, 2016.

Renato Ratti Winery

Talk about a fabulous and unique winery and visit thereto! This Piemonte winery has been environmentally inserted into the side of the hill upon which the town of La Mora sits. Gravity provides an energy-saving way to transport the developing wine from vinification to storage. The grape of this Piemonte winery is the Nebbiolo and their top wine is Barolo, of course. Our tasting was of vintage Barolo wines going as far back as 1998, which gave us a personal and up-close education on a wine’s tannin, fruit and color over time. Published September 17, 2019.

Stay Here: Borgo San Felice

There is a beautiful place to stay and eat in the heart of Tuscany, and it is the Borgo San Felice. A friend had stayed here and highly recommended it…we are glad he did! The owners basically purchased a small Tuscan town and converted it into a marvelous resort hotel experience. From the ancient chapel to the modern swimming pool, we enjoyed it all during our two visits there. And the food of their Ristorante Poggio Rosso was delicious, whether at breakfast or dinner. Published January 12, 2016.

Stumbling Upon Something Magnificent

Just what was it that we stumbled upon? It was a church sitting high on a hillside overlooking Lago Lugano, just west of Lago di Como. Oh how dumbstruck we were when we opened the doors of the church of Albogasio Inferiore in the small, lakeside town of Albogasio-oria. They say that one can’t judge a book by its cover, and that goes too for churches. The inside has beautifully painted fresco walls and ceilings, as well as other gorgeous ornamentation. Published July 28, 2015.

Experiences We’ve Enjoyed

One Fine Day

The setting is the Amalfi Coast. The conveyance was a 38’ Itama boat, captained by a friendly Gian-Carlo. The day was wonderful. This is the quintessential way to see the Amalfi Coast — by boat. We cruised in luxury with prosecco in hand. We swam the White and Green Grottos. We dined waterside on the Isle of Capri. And every bit of this day was perfect. Published September 29, 2015.

Enjoying Italy-Bought Wine

It’s strange how certain things can trigger memories of the past. We had that experience one lazy day…and those memories were certainly fond ones. What was it that triggered these great memories? It was wine, of all things. It was a wine that we had tasted at lunch in Radda in Chianti and one that we subsequently purchased at a winery in Tuscany. The setting for this article is our living room…in front of a roaring fire…with good book in one hand and a good wine in the other. Published February 2, 2017.

Wild Goose Chase

I’ve chased a wild goose or two, and I’m sure that you have, too. This incident relates to the day we bought a nice wine, as discussed in the article just above. We were on our way to a highly praised dinner…as praised on Trip Advisor. What we found when we arrived at the very small hilltown of Poggio alla Croce was an unexpected mystery. We had a reservation that I had managed to pull off in Italian…at least I thought I had. Find out what happened and how our evening managed to end. Published February 2, 2016.

Your Romantic Gondola Ride

If you’ve been to Venice and you haven’t ridden in a gondola, then you haven’t really been to Venice. The ubiquitous gondola is the iconic symbol of Venice. Your gondola experience should be a romantic one. This means that there is a certain time for your ride…a time that is best for reasons more than just romance. And, as each time has its place, I give you a suggestion on the best place to start (and end) your ride. Published July 12, 2016.

Helpful Travel Tips

Getting There: Bellagio

Bellagio is undoubtedly the most charming town we have visited, and its important how you get there! It sits on the end of a peninsula on Lake Como. You can auto there, but the road is twisty-turny and you may arrive with a bit of fuzzy brain. You can arrive by train…kind of…at least you will be close, but will require a ferry ride from Varenna. And you can arrive by boat…but not just any boat. You definitely don’t want the hydrofoil. What you want is the slow boat from the town of Como. It’s a slow ride and it is absolutely beautiful. Published August 2, 2016.

Another Way Into Italy

Of course you can fly directly to Italy, but there is a way that you might find to be a lot more fun…and relaxing. Why not start your Italy adventure in Switzerland?! You start in Zurich and take one of three trains into Italy. That has been our favorite way because it is a fabulous way to overcome your jet lag…as well as seeing the beautiful Swiss countryside. Published July 30, 2019.

Please, Thank You, and Where's the Bathroom

Don't let the fear of not knowing the Italian language keep you from Italy. Our experience has shown that for most of the places that we go (i.e. not too far off the beaten path), English is well spoken. I do recommend the joy of giving Italian a try, as it’s kind of fun to order a light breakfast by saying, “Pane tostata con burro e marmellata di arance”. But for sure, don’t let the lack of parlando Italiano keep you from Italy. Published August 14, 2016.

Now you know what I know — that being that the above are my favorite article posts. Trust me when I say that it was super difficult to pare them down to those twelve.

I absolutely love doing this, and I certainly hope that you enjoy my blog articles, and that you find them helpful in some way. If a trip to Italy is in your future…and I certainly hope it is…then the article ‘A Trip to Italy in Your Future? Read On!’ is a guide to using the Index of Articles to help you plan for your trip.

And, I really would love to see you there in beautiful Italy! But, in the meantime…

Ciao for now,

Steve

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