Sunday, September 21, 2008

2007-10-11-016_1_1 London Hyde Park Fog

I'm often asked about London's Fogs by people who live outside the British Isles. 'Peasoupers' or 'London Particulars", thick fogs described by Charles Dickens and Conan Doyle, used to occur frequently, and were due to pollution. These fhick fogs were also the origin of the colours exploited by Turner, Whistler, and Monet, in the paintings they made of London in the nineteenth Century. In December 1952 'The Great Smog of London' occurred, this was an exceptionally thick, polluted atmospheric fog that caused an estimated 4000 deaths. Following this a series of Clean Air acts were passed, these banned the use of coal in London and other cities. The result has been that fogs are now rare in London, we have only a few days of fog in a year, and it's very exceptional for it to last all day. We had some thick mist in Hyde Park at the beginning of October (it cleared soon after sunrise), however, I took some photos of the fog over the Serpentine.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Athens - Acropolis: Parthenon (West Side)

The Parthenon (ancient Greek: Παρθενών) was a temple of Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the Acropolis of Athens. An octostyle, peripteral Doric temple with Ionic architectural features, it is the most famous surviving building of ancient Greece, and has been praised as the finest achievement of Greek architecture and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments.

The Parthenon was built at the initiative of Pericles under the general supervision of the sculptor Phidias, who also had charge of the sculptural decoration. The architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates. Construction began in 447 BC, and the building was substantially completed by 438 BC, when the chryselephantine gold and ivory statue of Athena Parthenos, from which the name is derived, was sculpted by Pheidias and dedicated and the decoration of the Doric metopes on the frieze above the exterior colonnade, and of the Ionic frieze around the upper portion of the walls of the cella were completed. Modest construction continued until the beginning of the Peloponnesian War in 432 BC. Some of the financial accounts for the Parthenon survive and show that the largest single expense was transporting the stone from Mount Pentelicus, about 16 kilometers from Athens, to the Acropolis. The funds were partly drawn from the treasury of the Delian League, which was moved from the Panhellenic sanctuary at Delos to the Acropolis in 454 BC.

In the 6th century AD the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin; after the Turkish conquest, it was converted into a mosque. In 1687 AD, a Turkish ammunition dump inside the building was ignited by a Venetian cannonball; the resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures. In the 19th century AD, Lord Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures and took them to England. These sculptures, now known as the Elgin Marbles or Parthenon Marbles, are on display in the British Museum. An ongoing dispute concerns whether the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece.

Measured at the top step, the dimensions of the base of the Parthenon are 69.5 meters by 30.9 meters (228.0 x 101.4 ft). The cella was 29.8 meters long by 19.2 meters wide (97.8 x 63.0 ft), with internal Doric colonnades in two tiers, structurally necessary to support the roof. On the exterior, the Doric columns measure 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) in diameter and are 10.4 meters (34.1 ft) high. The corner columns are slightly larger in diameter. The stylobate, the platform on which the columns stand, has an upward curvature towards its center of 60 millimeters (2.36 in) on the east and west ends, and of 110 millimeters (4.33 in) on the sides. Entasis refers to the slight swelling of the columns as they rise, to counter the optical effect of looking up at the temple. The effect of these subtle curves is to make the temple appear more symmetrical than it actually is. Some of the dimensions form the golden rectangle expressing the golden ratio, praised by Pythagoras in the previous century. The roof was covered with large overlapping marble tiles known as imbrices and tegulae.

The ninety-two metopes were carved in high relief, a practice employed until then only in treasuries. Their design is attributed to the sculptor Kalamis. The metopes of the east side of the Parthenon, above the main entrance, depict the Gigantomachy . The metopes of the west end show Amazonomachy. The metopes of the south side (with the exception of the somewhat problematic metopes 13-20, now lost) show the Thessalian Centauromachy (battle of the Lapiths aided by Theseus against the half-man, half-horse Centaurs). On the north side of the Parthenon the metopes are poorly preserved, but the subject seems to be the sack of Troy.

The most characteristic feature in the architecture and decoration of the temple is the Ionic frieze running around the exterior walls of the cella. Carved in bas-relief, it most likely depicts an idealized version of the Panathenaic procession from the Dipylon Gate in the Kerameikos to the Acropolis. In this procession held every 4 years, Athenians and foreigners were participating to honour the goddess Athena offering sacrifices and a new peplos (dress woven by selected noble Athenian girls called ergastines). The entire frieze was carved in situ and it is dated in 442-438 BC.

The richness of the Parthenon's decoration is unique for a classical Greek temple. It is, however, in agreement with the function of the temple as a Treasury. In the opisthodomus (the back room of the cella) were stored the monetary contributions of the Delian Alliance of which Athens was the leading member.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Temple of Olympian Zeus - Athens

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympeion (in Greek Ναός του Ολυμπίου Διός or Naos tou Olimpiou Dios), is an ancient temple, now in ruins, in the centre of Athens. Although begun in the 6th century BC, it was not completed until the reign of the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods it was the largest temple in Greece.

The temple is located about 500 m south-east of the Acropolis, and about 700 m south of the centre of modern Athens, Syntagma Square. Its foundations were laid on the site of an earlier temple by the tyrant Pisistratus in 515 BC, but the work was abandoned when Pisistratus's son, Hippias, was overthrown in 510 BC.

During the years of Greek democracy, the temple was left unfinished, apparently because the Greeks of the classical period thought it hubristic to build on such a scale. In the Politics Aristotle cited the temple as an example of how tyrannies engaged the populace in great works for the state and left them no time, energy or means to rebel.


The Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens: the most substantial surviving part of the temple.The work was resumed in the 3rd century BC, during the period of Macedonian domination of Greece, under the patronage of the Hellenistic king Antiochus IV of Syria, who hired the Roman architect Cossutius to design the largest temple in the known world. When Antoichus died in 164 BC the work was delayed again.

In 86 BC, after Greek cities were brought under Roman rule, the general Sulla took two columns from the unfinished temple to Rome to adorn the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. These columns influenced the development of the Corinthian style in Rome.

In the 2nd century AD, the temple was taken up again by Hadrian, a great admirer of Greek culture, who finally brought it to completion in 129 (some sources say 131).

The temple was built of marble from Mount Pentelus, and measured 96 metres along its sides and 40 metres along its eastern and western faces. It consisted of 104 Corinthian columns, each 17 meters high, of which 48 stood in triple rows under the pediments and 56 in double rows at the sides. Only 15 of these columns remain standing today. A 16th column was blown down during a gale in 1852 and is still lying where it fell.


The Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens: one of the columns, showing the typical Corinthian capital. In the background, the Acropolis topped by the Parthenon.Hadrian dedicated the temple to Zeus (known to the Romans as Jupiter), the king of the gods. He erected a giant gold and ivory status of Zeus in the cella, and placed an equally large one of himself next to it. Nothing remains of these or anything else from the interior of the temple. It is not known when the building was destroyed but, like many large buildings in Greece, it was probably brought down by an earthquake during the mediaeval period, and the bulk of its ruins taken away for building materials.

The temple was excavated in 1889-1896 by Francis Penrose of the British School in Athens (who also played a leading role in the restoration of the Parthenon), in 1922 by the German archaeologist Gabriel Welter and in the 1960s by Greek archaeologists led by Ioannes Travlos. The temple, along with the surrounding ruins of other ancient structures, is a historical precinct administered by Ephorate of Antiquites of the Greek Interior Ministry. It is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome

Santa Maria sopra Minerva is a basilica church in Rome. The church, located in the Campus Martius region, is considered the only Gothic church in Rome, and is the city's principal Dominican church.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Milano in Bianco e Nero


Milano in Bianco e Nero, originally uploaded by AlessandroDM.

Milano - Il Duomo


Milano - Il Duomo, originally uploaded by G.hostbuster.

Il Duomo di Milano, monumento simbolo del capoluogo lombardo, è dedicato a Santa Maria Nascente ed è situato nell'omonima piazza nel centro della città. È una tra le più celebri e complesse costruzioni gotiche del mondo.

Dove ora vi è il Duomo prima sorgevano l'antichissima cattedrale di Santa Maria Maggiore e la Basilica di Santa Tecla, la più grande tra le due.

Il Duomo fu costruito per volere dell'arcivescovo Antonio da Saluzzo e del signore di Milano Gian Galeazzo Visconti. Nel 1418 fu consacrato l'altare maggiore, da papa Martino V.

Nel 1400 a Filippino degli Organi e Giorgio degli Organi successero Marco Solari e Giovanni Solari da Carona, nel XV secolo Giovanni Antonio Amadeo costruttore del tiburio, Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono ed Pellegrino Tibaldi finché nel 1572 San Carlo Borromeo consacrò la chiesa anche se la costruzione non era ancora terminata.

Nel XV secolo si avvicendarono Martino Bassi, Francesco Maria Richino, Lelio Buzzi e Carlo Buzzi, i Quadrio. Nel XVIII secolo fu costruita la guglia maggiore sulla quale fu innalzata la Madonnina dorata.

Nel 1813 la facciata venne completata, quasi cinquecento anni dopo la posa della prima pietra, su istanza di Napoleone, che qui volle essere incoronato re d'Italia.

Per tutto il XIX secolo furono completate le guglie, tutte le decorazioni architettoniche ed installato il portone centrale in bronzo, autore Ludovico Pogliaghi: fra gli scultori che vi lavorarono nei primi anni dell'Ottocento, si può ricordare Luigi Acquisti.

Nel corso della seconda guerra mondiale la Madonnina venne coperta da stracci, onde evitare che i riflessi di luce sulla sua superficie dorata potessero venire usati come punto di riferimento per i bombardieri alleati in volo sulla città. Nel secondo dopoguerra, a seguito dei danni subiti dai bombardamenti aerei, il Duomo fu restaurato in gran parte e le restanti porte di legno furono sostituite con altre di bronzo ad opera degli scultori Arrigo Minerbi, Giannino Castiglioni e Luciano Minguzzi.

La manutenzione della cattedrale è affidata alla Veneranda fabbrica del Duomo i cui interventi sono continui tanto da far nascere il detto milanese di "Fabrica del Domm" per tutti quei lavori che non hanno mai termine.

London Calling


London Calling, originally uploaded by Princess Valium.

"What, I have often asked myself, really constitutes the charm of London, that something about London which satisfies you as only Rome does, that queer, disturbing vision of bridges, spires, towers, and crowded streets which comes to you at moments when you are far away and brings with it so much pain as pleasure?
"The answer is to be found in history. Behind everything in London is something else, and behind that, is something else still; and so on through the centuries, so that London as we see her is only the latest manifestation of other Londons, and to love her is to plunge into ancestor-worship.
"London is a place where millions of people have been living and dying for a very long time on the same plot of earth, drenching it with their blood, glorifying it with their nobility or degrading it with their villany, pulling it down and building it up, generation after generation, yet never destroying the vision of an earlier day."

I'm the Pope? (Rome)


I'm the Pope? (Rome), originally uploaded by Giampaolo Macorig.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Pride of London


Pride of London, originally uploaded by BombDog.

The mighty St Pauls from the Tate Modern. Wren's masterpiece is simply awesome - inside and out.
shot with Canon EOS 20D.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Athens' lights from Lycabettus hill

There are two hills in around the center of the city i live, Athens Greece. This is one of these two, called Lycabettus hill. There is a very small orthodox church and this is the bell tower. At the same direction is the parliament and rock of Acropolis.

Athens

Odeon

Athens

Theatre

Thursday, July 3, 2008

St. Peters - Rome


St. Peters - Rome, originally uploaded by T.SC.

The dome of St. Peters in Rome with the baldachin by Bernini beneath. Shot with Ilford Delta 3200
The dome of St. Peters is a building which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome. Agrippa's Pantheon was destroyed along with other buildings in a huge fire in 80 AD; the current building dates from about 125 AD, during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, as date-stamps on the bricks reveal.

It was totally reconstructed with the text of the original inscription added to the new facade, a common practice in Hadrian's rebuilding projects all over Rome. Hadrian was a cosmopolitan emperor who traveled widely in the east and was a great admirer of Greek culture. He seems to have intended the Pantheon, a temple to all the gods, to be a kind of ecumenical or syncretist gesture to the subjects of the Roman Empire who did not worship the old gods of Rome, or who (as was increasingly the case) worshipped them under other names. How the building was actually used is not known.

It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. Although the identity of the Pantheon's primary architect remains uncertain, it is largely assigned to Apollodorus of Damascus. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Christian church.

Visiting it was difficult because of it's free access all day, making it impossible to stand freely in some spots and to take pictures. So ... we attended mass on Sunday morning.
With only a few other devouts we had the chance to stand in this two thousand years remarkable piece of architecture and listen to the ceremony in Italian. The rain was pouring through the dome's roof hole, but it was still a great moment. Yes I did follow the mass appropriatly and my camera was stored away. I took this picture just after mass and just before it was impossible to stand anywhere because of the frantic tourists clicking away.

Since the Renaissance the Pantheon has been used as a tomb. Among those buried there are the painters Raphael and Annibale Caracci, the architect Baldassare Peruzzi. Also buried there are two kings of Italy: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, as well as Umberto's Queen, Margherita. Although Italy has been a republic since 1946, volunteer members of Italian monarchist organisations maintain a vigil over the royal tombs in the Pantheon

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Fontaine des Quatre Parties du Monde, Paris

Paris, c'est feerique le soir.....tout simplement dit.... Et si-dessous vous trouverez des liens qui vous dirigerons a plusieurs sites interessants au sujet de ce parc merveilleux et de cette fontaine si romantique.

(Loose translation of the name: "Fountain of the Four Corners of the Earth"....)
After an afternoon of taking photos of historic cafes in the Montparnasse district and walking back to the Seine the long way, it was a wonderful surprise to turn the corner and come upon this beautiful refreshing sight at the south end of Jardin du Luxembourg known as Jardin Marco Polo. The park was already closed as it was during winter hours. In a quiet spot where only the occasional jogger ran by, I set up my tripod. It was a pleasure spending an hour or so here, listening to the splashing of the water, and enjoying the dazzling light shining on the statues. They are a collaboration of four different artists. Here is some great information about this wonderful park in the Latin Quarter of Paris.

Notre Dame, Paris


Notre Dame, Paris, originally uploaded by Rita Crane Photography.

Une balade le long des quais sur la rive gauche, un jour tout gris, brumeux, et une des plus belles cathedrales de France. Il y a des visiteurs que l'on peut voir, l'un desquels fait un geste vers la facade de la cathedrale. Ceux-ci nous donnent une bonne idee de la grandeur de cet edifice extraordinaire.

The beauty of Notre Dame in Paris shines through even on this wintry day with its overcast soft sky. I was walking along the banks of the Seine and there she was, all her fine ancient details still with us after all these years! Notre Dame was built on the site of other churches and temples.

1160. Bishop Maurice de Sully (named Bishop of Paris), orders the original cathedral to be demolished.
1163. Cornerstone laid for Notre Dame de Paris - construction begins
1182. Apse and choir completed.
1196. Nave completed. Bishop de Sully dies.
1200. Work begins on Western Façade.
1225. Western Façade completed.
1250. Western Towers and North Rose Window completed
1250–1345. Remaining elements completed

Jeanne D'Arc at the Sacre Coeur, Paris

Montmartre is the tallest hill in Paris, and after the Eiffel Tower it is the tallest place in Paris. The statue of Joan of Arc - standing gallantly in front of the glowing basilica - contrasted beautifully against the twilight sky where I could see her from afar. She makes the photo for me, bringing a human touch to the grandeur. If Joan of Arc were alive today she would be leading us all to understand the importance of climate change.She would have been on the front lines of this issue, I am sure of it. Even though I am American, for some reason Joan of Arc is a powerful inspiration to me. Here she is, in front of the magnificent Sacre Coeur, overlooking one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Quand j'ai fait cette photo je ne savais pas que la statue equestrienne etait Jeanne D'Arc, une de mes heroines, mais lorsque j'ai recherche' sur l'internet, j'ai ete heureusement surprise de l'apprendre. Si elle etait toujours avec nous je suis persuade' qu'elle nous guiderait au sujet de notre peril contemporain, le changement du temps, et qu'elle serait la premiere a nous inspirer a changer nos habitudes pour que nos enfants et leurs enfants ne souffrent pas trop.

Paris by night.-


Paris by night.-, originally uploaded by ancama_99.

Paris de noche

Musée du Louvre. París


Musée du Louvre. París, originally uploaded by ancama_99.

Paris, l'amour...


Paris, l'amour..., originally uploaded by Payuta Louro.

Muchas veces una imagen vale más que mil palabras...
Esta es una de ellas.
No os voy a decir quien son estos dos porque perdería su encanto.
Solo os diré que el trípode se me caía cada dos por tres ;-)

Silhouettes on Paris.-


Silhouettes on Paris.-, originally uploaded by ancama_99.

Notre Dame at Twilight, Paris

Notre Dame is one of my favorite places of Paris. When I lived there years ago I used to go inside to sit down and enjoy the cool darkness and the quiet. Recently when I visit Paris, I still visit Notre Dame at least once, to go listen to the soprano singing vespers and just to Be there. It has nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with the amazing beauty of this structure, and the energy there that has grown over the centuries as people of all faiths and walks of life have gone inside to connect with something ineffable but tangible, and greater than themselves. Just a fantastic space!! And if you have a chance to be there around 5:30 or 6:00 PM sit down and wait for the soprano to come sing solo accompanied by the organ, and let the sound wash through you. It is exquisitely beautiful....although I don't understand the Latin words, the feeling is so very very sincere and moving. Wondrous!

Little secret for those of you who love to find the golden treasures from the angels: look for the little chapel of La Vierge de Lourdes. It's inside along the north wall, near the entrance. Stay there a long while very quietly and watch the candles and the statue, and see what happens. Millions have prayed there. It is a mindspace of gossamer energy that soaks your soul in radiance. It knocked my socks off. And I left the cathedral with eyes of Wonder.

[Tout simplement dit, j'adore Notre Dame. Un de mes lieux preferes a Paris, j'y retourne chaque fois que j'ai l'occasion de visiter Paris. Et la derniere fois que j'y etais, je me suis trouvee devant la chapelle de la Vierge de Lourdes, tout tranquilement pendant longtemps. Le passe' - le present - et le future s'effondraient ensemble .... le temps passait et le temps ne passait pas. Dificile de m'arracher de cette orbe d'energie bienfaisante. Quand je suis sortie de la Cathdrale, je me suis sentie changee. Dans notre age de materialism regie par la Raison, il est heureusement toujours possible d'etre touche' par les Anges. Ils sont tres tres pres. On doit simplement laisse' la porte ouverte.]

Winter Afternoon along the Quais, Paris

This brisk winter afternoon in Paris, I was very much excited to take some pictures because it had rained and my favorite conditions were showing up. The low lying winter haze of the last 9 days that had prevented me taking the pictures I had hoped for, was finally over. I had extended my visit to Paris -- changed train reservations and hotel arrangements to stay an extra day in the hopes that there would be beautiful rainclouds and light. I was not disappointed: after visiting the Musee D'Orsay at midday, I came out onto the quai to a fabulous sky!! Slowly making my way towards Notre Dame I shot an entire set. The sun, being low in the west created a rosy golden wonderfulness, throwing winter shadows on the wall. The magic time of day was here!

1. View in large if you like.

2. I've already posted some images from this very same afternoon and sunset: Henri IV, Winter Dusk, Winter Sunset at Quai De Conti, and After the Storm, Quai des Orfevres. (All in my France set). All taken within about three hours of one another. This was the first one....and a few more coming soon.

note: Nadine: you asked about the lens. for this shot I was using my Fuji Finepix S7000 6.2 megapixel camera whose lens is a 35 mm equivalent (35 mm - 210 mm range). I am currently using only a CANON EOS 20D with two lenses: a wide angle (28 - 88 mm equivalent) and zoom (45 - 215 mm equivalent with image stabilizer feature for tricky exposures.)

[J'etais a Paris deja depuis neuf jours sans avoir eu l'atmosphere que j'attendais pour mes images, car l'hiver nous avait donne que des ciels couverts. Donc, avec l'esperance qu'un orage qui devais arrive pendant la nuit allait bien se produir, j'ai change mon itineraire pour pouvoir rester a Paris encore une journee. Je n'ai pas ete decue. En sortant du Musee D'Orsay j'etais heureuse de decouvrir un ciel emouvant et une lumiere de fin de journee splendide. Vous aurez deja peut-etre vu mes autres photos de cet apres-midi: Le Henri IV, Le Quai de Conti au coucher du soleil, Le Quai des Orfevres, et La Vue du Louvre et le Pont des Arts au crepuscule. Je posterai d'autres dans cette serie, en les ajoutant a celles de Paris dans mon set de France.]

Rue du Temple, Paris

Red Lanterns on Rue du Temple!! One more reason to love Paris and France: a country that has accepted diverse cultures for centuries. How delightful to discover this scene as I was wandering around the Marais, on Chinese New Year 2007. I had come to Paris to photograph historic cafes for a series I am working on, and was crossing through the Marais looking for motifs. I wasn't expecting this: Ancient China meets Rue du Temple in Paris!! My dear, lovely, fascinating Paris.....you are full of surprises!

Des lanternes rouges qui formaient une guirlande le long de la Rue du Temple......Quelle belle petite surprise! C'etait la nouvelle annee chinoise, il y a un an, et je me baladais dans le quartier du Marais, etant venue a Paris pour photographier des cafes historiques pour une serie. Je ne m'attendais pas du tout a cette scene si feerique! C'etait comme si la France avait encore une fois ouvert ses bras genereux: aujourd'hui c'etait une ancienne civilization qu'elle acceuillait.

Il etait tard, la nuit tombait, donc pas beaucoup de lumiere, mais les petites boules rouges contrastaient joliment avec les murs gris le long de la rue et j''ai fait de mon mieux pour les capturer sans troipieds.

Pont Marie at Night, Paris

The Pont Marie, named after the 17th century engineer who designed it, is one of the oldest bridges of Paris, completed in 1635 and connecting the Ile St Louis to the right bank. Here's a fantastic old etching of a view very near to the exact spot from which I took the photo of Pont Marie.
There were originally meant to be statues in the niches and there were houses lining the bridge, like on many of the bridges of Old Europe. The following links are a great resource on the bridges of Paris with old postcards and etchings showing the changes they went through as Paris grew and evolved. Very fun if you like history!



"C'est l'ingénieur Christophe Marie qui donnera son nom à l'édifice, composé de cinq arcades d'environ quatre mètres de portée chacune et reposant sur des piles à charpente de bois. L'une de ces arcades enjambe la berge. D'une longueur de 92 mètres, le pont, conçu en dos d'âne, est d'une largeur de 22 mètres, exceptionnelle pour l'époque. Il supportait une double rangée de maisons qui seront détruites en 1786. Le dégel provoquera l'effondrement de 2 arcades entraînant dans leur chute 22 maisons en 1658. Cette partie sera reconstruite sans habitation. Les pentes du dos d'âne seront adoucies lors de la rénovation du pont de 1851. Le pont est d'architecture classique avec une décoration de style Renaissance. Des niches vides encadrées ornent les tympans qui surmontent les piles massives. Elles ne recevront jamais les statues qui devaient y séjourner."

DSC00879 - Rue de Rivoli (Paris)

Rue de Rivoli (Paris)

This is a very unusual view, from the top of the nearby Saint-Jacques Tower (off-limit, no trespassing and permanently closed to the public). The photo was taken at night using long exposure.

Glimpse of the Marais, Paris

Glimpse of the Marais, Paris

The notes on the image explain a lot about this photo that shows one of the most ancient houses in Paris. This is a snapshot taken with my first little digital camera, an Olympus Camedia.
My ninth "Postcard from Paris" showing what for many years was said to be the oldest house in Paris still standing in its entirety. It turns out that it dates to 1641 rather than the 1200's as once was thought and the oldest house, dating to the 1300's is actually around the corner. (I didn't get a picture of that one but you can see it at the link below.) While walking around these old streets I love imagining what the entire neighborhood looked like centuries ago. Of course it would have just been a dirt road, and later cobbled. All of Paris looked like this, except for the palaces, churches, and mansions sprinkled among the working peoples' five story narrow 'apartments'. They had no running water or sewage.

Encore une "Carte Postale de Paris"! Celle-ci, faite avec ma petite Olympus Camedia il y a 5 ans. Il y a plusieurs maisons anciennes a Paris dont on dit qu'elles sont les plus anciennes. Celle-ci dans le Marais en est une. Mais on dit sur Wikipedia "On a longtemps pensé que la maison du n°3 était la plus vieille maison de Paris et qu'elle datait de 1300, alors qu'elle date de 1644 comme on le découvrit en 1979. En fait sauf nouvelle surprise, la plus ancienne maison de Paris se trouve non loin de là, rue de Montmorency (1407)." Interessant d'imaginer Paris d'autrefois quand on regarde ce vieux batiment...et ses alentours qui a l'epoque etaient la campagne avec des champs, des potagers, et vergers. Avant les rues il y avaient des petits chemins partout, juste assez large pour admettre des chevaux avec leurs chariots.

Notre Dame, Paris, France


Notre Dame, Paris, France, originally uploaded by jgarber.

Notre Dame de Paris, perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world, sits on Île de la Cité in downtown Paris.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Crescent moon


Crescent moon, originally uploaded by *Anik & David*.

Façade du Casino de Monte Carlo

Monaco-ville, French Riviera

Monaco-ville, French Riviera

The Principality of Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco), more commonly known as Monaco, is a constitutional monarchy and city-state in Western Europe located along the French Riviera between the Mediterranean Sea and France. It is one of six microstates located in Europe.

Monaco is the world's most densely populated country and second-smallest independent nation; with a population of just 32,410 and an area of 1.96 square kilometers (485 acres), Monaco is the world's smallest French-speaking sovereignty.

Opéra de Monaco


Opéra de Monaco, originally uploaded by *Anik & David*.

Monaco


Monaco, originally uploaded by Salvatore88.

Monaco - vista dell'autostrada

Looking over Monaco


Looking over Monaco, originally uploaded by Miss Aniela.

Many eco-roofs in Monaco


Many eco-roofs in Monaco, originally uploaded by Bēn.

A green roof or eco-roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. The term "green roof" may also be used to indicate roofs that utilize some form of "green" technology, such as solar panels or a photovoltaic module. Green roofs are also referred to as eco-roofs, vegetated roofs and living roofs

Monaco Ville on the Rocks!


Monaco Ville on the Rocks!, originally uploaded by Bēn.

Monaco-Ville is the original fortified town of Monaco. The Palais Princier (Prince's Palace), Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the Oceanographic Museum are located in this quarter. Monaco-Ville, also known locally as "le rocher" or "the rock". Some of the city walls still remain and is situated on a rocky promontory that extends into the Mediterranean Sea.


Monaco-Ville of Monaco-stad is de oude vestingstad van Monaco. De oude naam voor Monaco-Ville is Monoecus. De wijk telt 1151 inwoners. Men zou kunnen beweren dat Monaco-Ville de hoofdstad is van het prinsdom. Monaco-Ville is een van de zes wijken van Monaco en staat ook wel bekend als le rocher oftewel de rots. Deze naam heeft de wijk te danken aan het feit dat ze gelegen is op een 65 meter hoge rotsformatie die de Middellandse Zee insteekt. Monaco-Ville heeft nog steeds het karakter van een dorp vanwege de smalle straatjes. Het Prinselijk Paleis, de kathedraal en het Musée Océanographique de Monaco zijn hier gevestigd.

Formula 1 Grand Prix, Monaco, Sunday Race

28.05.2006 Monte Carlo, Monaco,
Michael Schumacher (GER), Scuderia Ferrari overtakes Kimi Raikkonen (FIN), R‰ikkˆnen, McLaren Mercedes - Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 7, Monaco Grand Prix, Sunday Race

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Italy travel: Venice, Doge's Palace outside

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Deoge Palace, Venice

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Museos Vaticanos (Roma)


Museos Vaticanos (Roma), originally uploaded by Kaptah.

Colosseum, Revisited


Colosseum, Revisited, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.

Fontana di Trevi at night


Fontana di Trevi at night, originally uploaded by pedro_qtc.

Roma. Ponte Cestio


Roma. Ponte Cestio, originally uploaded by Scatti di memoria.

Santa Elena


Santa Elena, originally uploaded by J.Salmoral.

This photo was taken last summer in San Pietro de Vaticano (Rome).

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Impressions of Venice


Impressions of Venice, originally uploaded by tygerlyl.

Doge Palace Colonnade, Venice ~ dedicated to dgjean

What can one say about the inspiring quality of Venice? This photo was taken before sunrise on a chilly March morning, and "La Serenissima" was still asleep for the most part.

A Boatman & His Dog Cruising Along in the Cannaregio Sestiere, Venice

Here we are along the Rio della Misericordia, a main thoroughfare in this neighborhood. It was a quiet winter morning...
Qui siamo lungo Rio della Misericordia, uno dei canali principali n questo vicinato.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Roma. Interior del Coliseo.


Roma. Interior del Coliseo., originally uploaded by josemazcona.

El Coliseo, originalmente llamado Anfiteatro Flavio, es un gran edificio situado en el centro de la ciudad de Roma, capital de Italia. En la antigüedad poseía un aforo para 50.000 espectadores, con ochenta filas de gradas. Los que estaban cerca de arena eran el Emperador y los senadores, y a medida que se ascendía se situaban los estratos inferiores de la sociedad.

En el Coliseo tenían lugar luchas de gladiadores y espectáculos públicos. Se construyó justo al Este del Foro Romano, y las obras empezaron entre el 70 d.C. y el 72 d.C, bajo mandato del emperador Vespasiano. El anfiteatro, que era el más grande jamás construido en el Imperio Romano, se completó en el 80 dC por Tito, y fue modificado durante el reinado de Domiciano.

El Coliseo se usó durante casi 500 años, celebrándose los últimos juegos de la historia en el siglo VI, bastante más tarde de la tradicional fecha de la caída del Imperio Romano en el 476 dC. Así como las peleas de gladiadores, muchos otros espectáculos públicos tenían lugar aquí, como naumaquias, caza de animales, ejecuciones, recreaciones de famosas batallas, y obras de teatro basadas en la mitología clásica.

El edificio dejó de ser usado para estos propósitos en la Alta Edad Media. Más tarde, fue reutilizado como refugio, fábrica, sede de una orden religiosa, fortaleza, cantera y santuario cristiano.

Aunque la estructura está seriamente dañada debido a los terremotos y los picapedreros, el Coliseo siempre ha sido visto como un ícono de la Roma Imperial y es uno de los ejemplos mejor conservados de la arquitectura romana.

Es una de las atracciones turísticas más populares de la moderna Roma y aún está muy ligado a la Iglesia Católica Romana, por lo que el Papa encabeza el viacrucis hasta el anfiteatro cada Viernes Santo.

El día 7/7/2007 el Coliseo de Roma fue nombrada como una de las ganadoras en la lista de las Siete Maravillas del Mundo Moderno.

in English:

The Coliseo, originally call Flavio Amphitheatre, is a great located building in center of the city of Rome, capital of Italy. In the antiquity it owned a gauging for 50,000 spectators, with eighty rows of launching slips. Those that was near sand were the Emperor and the senators, and as it was promoted they located the layers inferiors of the society. In the Coliseo they took place fights of gladiators and spectacles public. It was constructed right to the East of the Roman Forum, and the works began between the 70 d.C and the 72 d.C, under mandate of Vespasiano emperor. The amphitheatre, that was greatest never constructed in the Roman Empire, was completed in the 80 dC by Tito, and was modified during the reign of Domiciano. The Coliseo was used during almost 500 years, having been celebrated the last games of history in the century I SAW, enough later than the traditional date of the fall of the Roman Empire in the 476 dC. As well as the fights of gladiators, many other spectacles public took place here, like naumaquias, animal hunting, executions, recreations of famous battles, and plays based on classic mythology. The building stopped being used for these intentions in the High Average Age. Later, it was reused like refuge, factory, it soothes of a religious order, strength, quarry and Christian sanctuary. Although the structure seriously is damaged due to earthquakes and the stonemasons, the Coliseo always has been seen as an icon of Imperial Rome and is one of the examples better conserved of the Roman architecture. She is one of the more popular tourist attractions of the modern Rome and still very he is bound to the Roman Catholic Church, reason why the Pope heads viacrucis until the amphitheatre each Good Friday. Day 7/7/2007 the Coliseo of Rome was named like one of the winners in the list of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.