Friday, April 16, 2010

Urban Blight

Nobody has bombed this building and it is not in some faraway industrial zone on the outskirts of Livorno. This collapsed roof is at a stone's throw from “Via Grande”.This could pass for an installation of contemporary art, but it is only an abandoned bike on the “Scali Manzoni”. The weeds on the sidewalk are healthier than most of the grass in our parks.
The vegetation along the “Canale dei Navicelli” is overwhelming.In some of our canals it is not unusual to spot a long sunken boat.

22 comments:

tapirgal said...

It seems that Livorno needs a gardener. It was a fun post to read, though, and your pix show us some very real parts of the town!

Lowell said...

Wow...I had no idea. Everything I've seen of Livorno looked so nice and inviting. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, though, as all cities have problems. Your title says it all!

Kaori said...

Your second photo looks like it could be in a museum! That is definately art. But the poor sunken boat...oh dear.

brattcat said...

that top shot looks like the beginnings of a black hole. please don't let yourself get sucked in, v.p.

Luis Gomez said...

It is kind of fun to do this exercise of photographing the "ugly" things. We see them everyday.

Dina said...

You certainly made your point.

I guess when such things fail to draw our attention, a bigger problem begins.

The examples make great photos, though!

Tash said...

Aw, Livorno's seedy side. You make it look really nice! I love the old-art installation-like bike.
My grandmother's apartment in Pula had a hole in the roof and the rain water would just pour into the kitchen (toward the end of her days)...she and my aunt had the money to get it fixed, they just didn't trust anyone (and maybe rightfully so) to get it fixed and not to rip them off. Pretty sad.

Babzy.B said...

a very interesting serie !

Cezar and Léia said...

It's a pity, so sad to see things in this way. I hope noone was hurt,I mean about that roof.
Have a great weekend,
hugs
Léia

Wolynski said...

So now you tell us, after we've all made our travel plans.

B SQUARED said...

Urban blight!

Small City Scenes said...

Well thanks so much for the inspiring tour. Yipes!!! MB

Lois said...

This is too bad!

Unknown said...

A stone throw? How big was it??? :-) Great shots! It seems we both have decided to post some decay today.

Saretta said...

We have much worse in Molfetta! Don't feel so bad. :-)

cieldequimper said...

I like your trash posts but I fail to understand why we let it happen...

VP said...

@ JM - I just realized that I used the worst possible phrase...

Rob Siemann said...

I actually really like the bike!

VP said...

@ Rob & Mandy - We were just thinking to put a plaque nearby with a fancy title...

Ilse said...

Well Livorno "urban blight" is much better looking & less offensive to the eye than our urban blight in Boston.

Stefan Jansson said...

The rusty old bike counts as art in my book.

Gunn said...

Gosh!