Effetto Venezia 2014

Misfortunes never come alone and after the White Night we have the unsinkable Effetto Venzia for a week: a country fair with a very thin layer of culture badly sprayed on it. We all know that it is mostly about dining out al fresco, which is usually sticky hot. They even got some rain this year, which really breaks my heart...

Every show has its public: above in Piazza del Luogo Pio and below on Scali Rosciano.

See also: White Night 2014
Search labels: Effetto Venezia - from behind

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The Pilot Boat

The “Seven Seas Mariner” leaving the Porto Mediceo, while a pilot boat is ready to follow her to recover the pilot outside the port.

See also: Seven Seas Mariner
External links: Seven Seas Mariner - Regent Seven Seas Cruises - Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship - pilot

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Santa Caterina's Dome

The 19th-century frescoes by Cesare Maffei on the interior of the dome of the church of Santa Caterina.

See also: Santa Caterina - Inside Santa Caterina - The Window of Santa Caterina - St. Catherine's Bell Tower

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White Night 2014

“The White Night is that time when you are forced to live in a night of the zombies without the killings, but with most of the people around you even clumsier and less awake of the living dead. With scooters.”
In this case I am not ashamed to quote myself, I am absolutely convinced of the idiocy of an institutional encouragement to stay awake partying all night: that is one of the few things we are good at on our own...

In this night of folly we found haven at Tony's, where a group sang a repertoire of songs by the late singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André. They call themselves “Hotel Supramonte”, which is a nickname for the place where De André and his wife were kept when, in 1980, they were kidnapped for ransom by a gang of bandits in Sardinia. It is also the title of a track from his 1981 album, commonly know as “L'Indiano” (The Indian).

External links: Fabrizio De André - L'Indiano (The Indian) - Supramonte (Wikipedia)
See also: White Night - Tony's White Night

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Pegaso 2

“Pegaso 2” is the code name of one of the three HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Services) aircaft of the Regione Toscana. This one is based in Grosseto, while the other helicopters are based in Florence and Massa. This shot was taken from one of my windows, almost a kilometer away, while the AgustaWestland AW139 was landing on the helipad of our hospital.

See also: The Helipad
External links: AgustaWestland AW139 (Wikipedia)

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The Looming Tower

This is the place from where I take most of my pictures of the ships entering or leaving the port, this time I just trained the camera in the other direction, towards the tower of the Avvisatore Marittimo.

See also: Easter Eve

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Clet in Florence #2

More variations on a no-entry sign by Clet Abraham, still on his home turf in Florence. By the way, this afternoon we will be back in Livorno.

Via del Campidoglio, Via de' Brunelleschi

Piazza del Mercato Centrale

See also: Clet Abraham - On the Trail of Clet - Via dell'Olmo - Clet's Studio - Clet in Florence
External links: Thirty smile an hour zone: Cheeky artist changes road signs with stickers... (Daily Mail)
- The language of the street signs by Clet Abraham (Abitare)
Search labels: Clet Abraham

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At 1 P.M.

Early June, 1 P.M. walk at the Terrazza Mascagni.

See also: Terrazza Mascagni
Search labels: Terrazza Mascagni - from behind

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Gloria

The container ship “Gloria” (184 m) e and the cargo “HHL Lisbon” (166 m) at the roadstead in the waters of Antignano. (Photo taken last June)

The same container ship “Gloria” in the choppy sea in front of the Terrazza Mascagni, the same day that the “Violet Ace” got stuck entering the port.

See also: Terrazza Mascagni - Violet Ace

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Hooded Crow

A hooded crow on the meadow outside the Fortezza Nuova.

(Picture taken last May)

See also: Fortezza Nuova
Search labels: bird - Fortezza Nuova
External links: Hooded crow

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Largo del Duomo

The back of our Cathedral in Largo del Duomo. For a few years, before the Second World War, the apse was decorated by a monumental fountain.

See also: Duomo di Livorno - Around the Duomo - Fontana del Duomo - Inside the Cathedral - Most Blessed Sacrament Chapel - Marco Alessandro del Borro

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Durand de la Penne

During summer, the cadets of the Naval Academy of Livorno usually take part in an annual training cruise on the “Amerigo Vespucci”, but the old sailing ship is undergoing extraordinary maintenance works at the La Spezia Navy Yard. The destroyer “Luigi Durand de la Penne” took the cadets on board last July 14th and is sailing to Barcelona, Lisbon, London, Brest and Casablanca, to be back in Livorno on September 20th.

Our best wishes to our beloved “Amerigo Vespucci” for a quick and full recovery.

See also: Amerigo Vespucci
External links: Durand de la Penne-class destroyer (Wikipedia)
Search labels: Amerigo Vespucci

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A New Shopping Center

The new “Porta a Mare” shopping center opened last week. Shopkeepers of the nearby Borgo dei Cappuccini neighborhood are quite worried about the competition.

See also: Porta a Mare - Borgo Cappuccini - B Like Borgo

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To Paris

Time to fly away: we are leaving today and we will be for a few days in Paris.

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Bagni Tirreno

Late afternoon after a rainy day at the Bagni Tirreno (Tirreno sea resort), viale Italia.

See also: The End of Summer

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Club Med 2

A real lady of the sea does not leave her berth without the assistance of at least one tug, leaving azimuth thrusters and other weird contraptions to cruise ships in a hurry.

The “Club Med 2” has computer-operated sails and two electric motors, powered by four diesel generators. She was launched in 1992 at the Ateliers et chantiers du Havre, in Le Havre, France. Her sister ship, the “Club Med 1” was launched in 1989 and now sailing under the name of “Wind Surf”

The “Club Med 2” can carry up to 386 passengers with a crew of 214. She usually sails the waters of the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea in the summertime, and the Caribbean in the winter.

External links: Club Med 2 - Azimuth thruster - Azipod (Wikipedia)
See also: Wind Surf
Search labels: cruise ship - tug

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Via delle Bandiere

Two corner buildings in Via Ricasoli, which we have already seen separately. The street on the left is Via Sardi, named after a merchant who left his patrimony to the municipality. On the right we have Via delle Bandiere (Flags Street), which took its name from an old inn.

See also: Corner Buildings

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Two Archangels

St. Michael, the Archangel, a statue by the sculptor Giulio Guiggi on a holy water font of Santa Maria del Soccorso.

On the other font we can see St. Gabriel, the Archangel, in a sculpture by Vitaliano De Angelis.

See also: Santa Maria del Soccorso - A Cross within a Cross - The Nave - Three Altars

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Milan-Naples with One Euro

Gioacchino Magnani, from Viareggio, and Andrea Pagano, from Pisa, are two young videomakers who have begun a peculiar trip through Italy about two weeks ago. The idea is to travel from Milan to Naples with one euro, counting only on the generosity of the people they meet on the road. They are posting videos of their trip on The Red Box Video YouTube channel, with the later intention of making a documentary about their adventure. You can follow them with the hashtag #milanonapoliconuneuro.
We still do not know yet if they will pass through Livorno, but we wish them good luck anyway!

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Old Friends

Old friends on a bridge, Scali del Pontino. (Picture taken last May)

Search labels: from behind

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Violet Ace

On Wednesday afternoon the vehicle carrier “Violet Ace” got stuck entering the port.

Several tugboats flocked to free her, but their task wasn't made easier by the rough sea.

At last, the 185-meter ship was escorted into port: up to five tugs were involved in the rescue.

See also: Alfredo Neri - Piero Neri - Tito Neri
Search labels: tug

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Tiger at Night

Last April a Tiger store, a Danish chain of inexpensive homeware, opened in Via Cairoli.

External links: Tiger (Wikipedia)

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Kojima

The 115-meter “Kojima” (PL 21) is a training ship of the 海上保安庁 (Japan Coast Guard).

She was built in 1993 at the Maizuru yard in the Kyoto prefecture by the Hitachi Zosen Corporation.

The “Kojima” is the fourth vessel, the third bearing this name, used for on-board training of the cadets of the Japan Coast Guard Academy of Kure, in the Hiroshima prefecture.

External links: Japan Coast Guard - Japan Coast Guard Academy (Wikipedia)
- Kojima Again (Tugster: a waterblog) - Japan coast guard ship visiting Da Nang (Tuoi Tre News)

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Mascagni's Organ

Inside the church of San Benedetto we can still see the organ used by the young Pietro Mascagni to practice music. A plaque remembering this is set in the wall below the instrument.

Dio sapienza infinita Creatore delle divine armonie Rivelò in questa chiesa Il genio musicale di Pietro Mascagni Che giovinetto a quest'organo Trasse ispirazione e provò le sue prime melodie

(God infinite wisdom Creator of the celestial harmonies Revealed in this church The musical genius of Pietro Mascagni Who as a young man at this organ Was inspired and played his first melodies)

See also: San Benedetto
External links: Pietro Mascagni (Wikipedia)

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Palio Marinaro 2014

This year, for various reasons, I missed all the races of our rowing season. The Trofeo D'Alesio didn't take place and I was busy elsewhere during my absolute favorite: the Coppa Risi'atori. I was never a great fan of the Coppa Barontini, not easy to watch at night, and you can really enjoy the Palio Marinaro only if you can see it from a boat. By the way, they also canceled the silly Palio dell'Antenna, so our rowing season ended yesterday with the third victory in three races for the Venezia. (Picture taken last June)

See also: Palio Marinaro - Trofeo D'Alesio - Coppa Risi'atori - Without Trofeo D'Alesio
Search labels: rowing

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Piazza Carlo Alberto

Piazza Carlo Alberto in 1900 (now Piazza della Repubblica)

Piazza della Repubblica, last March

(Postcard digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also: Piazza della Repubblica - Livorno by Boat
Search labels: postcard

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Celebrating Summer

Summer is not really my thing: I dislike the hot weather, walking outdoor is rarely a pleasure and people get generally sillier. The next thing to a celebration is this morning view of a quite uncrowded Marina of Antignano, with cargo ships at the roadstead. This would have been my choice for this month's Theme Day.

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Works around the Cathedral

The area around the Cathedral has been closed for works related to a new Piazza Grande.

One of the upsides of this is that you can at least take all the pictures you want without people around.

See also: A New Piazza Grande? - Duomo di Livorno - Around the Duomo - Fontana del Duomo - Inside the Cathedral - Most Blessed Sacrament Chapel - Marco Alessandro del Borro

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Rowing in the Rain

On Sunday afternoon, during a walk inside the port, we found ourselves under a heavy downpour. Luckily we found shelter, but these rowers kept training even under the heavy rain.

See also: Moby Aki & Mega Express Two
Search labels: rowing

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Four Hours to Corsica

The “Corsica Marina Seconda” ferry leaves for Corsica: the crossing takes four hours.

See also: Corsica Marina Seconda - Leaving for Corsica
Search labels: ferry

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City Council

The first meeting of the new town council took place yesterday, with the oath of the new mayor, Filippo Nogarin. His party, the Five Stars Movement, has an absolute majority of 20 out of 32 seats.

The PD (Democratic Party) has 7 seats, “Buongiorno Livorno” has 3 seats. “Città Diversa”, a civic list, and “Forza Italia”, the only party representing the right, have one seat each.

Stella Sorgente, 32 years, was appointed deputy mayor. Her name in Italian means literally rising star.

Giovanna Cepparello, 46 years, one of the leaders of “Buongiorno Livorno”, was unanimously elected president of the assembly. She is the first female president of our city council.

See also: Five Stars Livorno? - A New Mayor

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