The “Sardinia Regina” is leaving the “Porto Mediceo” escorted by a pilot boat. I like the shape of this ferry because it is like a scaled-down version of an old-fashioned cruise ship. She was built as “Visby” for a Swedish owner in 1972 at the Jozo Lozovina-Mosor Shipyard in Trogir, Croatia (Yugoslavia then). In the 1980s she was back in the Mediterranean, soon joined by her sister ship, the “Corsica Victoria”.
An interesting brick vault in “Via dell'Uffizio dei Grani”. The building, probably one of the oldest in Livorno, is still undergoing a quite long restoration process. (Picture taken in May 2009)
A procession in “piazza Grande” celebrating the protection of Saint Mary in occasion of an earthquake that hit Livorno on January 27, 1742. The act of devotion became even more significant because the same day, just before 4 PM, an earthquake shook northern Italy and tremors were felt in Livorno for about 15 seconds.
We have a new talentless scribbler in town: his name is Bladder, or Plodder... who cares? You won't believe that he is doing this... out of protest! Take a number, Blubber!
The “Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata” (Church of the Most Holy Annunciation) in “Via della Madonna” is also known as “Chiesa dei Greci Uniti” (United Greeks Church).
The whole building is actually undergoing a thorough process of restoration: here we can clearly see the contrast between the part of the facade already cleaned and the rest.
Clotheslines outside the windows are making a comeback. This unsightly practice goes against a specific local ordinance, but it is widely tolerated.
Ferdinando I de' Medici, looking at the sea, is thinking: “I am tired of the mainland, I need a break on the islands”.
This thing is called Evos and it is a “playstructure” made by Landscape Structures of Delano, Minnesota. It had a rough start when it was installed in “Villa Fabbricotti” a couple of years ago, but is seems that everything is fine now.
A phone booth in “Largo del Duomo”, abandoned and without telephone. “Pizza in piazza”, on the awning, is an alliteration meaning pizza in the square.
The water of the canal shows an abstract reflection of some of my favorite windows.
These have been quite busy days for the Coast Guard...
The balustrade surrounding the “Pancaldi Acquaviva” sea resort is interrupted by a grate to keep away acrobatic intruders.
“Scali San Cosimo” and the “San Benedetto” bridge seen from “Scali degli Olandesi”.
A van of the Aquarium of Genoa parked at the Aquarium of Livorno. Something fishy is going on here...
Not far from the well, an elegant building in “Via Calzabigi” with an interesting variety of balconies.
Bicycle with the seat covered by a blue shopper and rusty chain cover, hanging by an aquamarine flexible lock over the stairwell of an underground parking.
The “Grand Hotel Palazzo” seen from the “Terrazza Mascagni”.
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, looking a his son Leopold on the other side of “Piazza della Repubblica”, is thinking: “If you get one more ticket, I am going to take his keys of the car!”
“Caffè Palcoscenico” (Stage Café) is just outside the “Teatro Goldoni”, on the namesake square. It is hosted in the former Rimediotti fire station, now used as an ancillary building for the theater.
It has been several months after the last significant collapse, but something has changed around the Dutch Chirch. The temporary barriers has been replaced by a fence shielded by concrete blocks. The street remains closed and the church building untouched.
December 31st: we were wearing wool hats and scarves, but this brave guy was going for a plunge from the jetty of the “Terrazza Mascagni”.
One of the new planters in “Piazza Attias”, decorated with a narrow slice of “La torre rossa” (The Red Tower) by the Livornese painter Giovanni Fattori. The reproduction was wisely placed against the similarly red-themed pizzeria “Rosso Pomodoro” (Tomato Red) and even the color of the shutter in background carefully matches the blue of the painting.
