Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

A photo of Scali delle Cantine taken from the Fortezza Nuova. I am testing my new camera, a Canon PowerShot SX60 HS, with the zoom at its widest focal length, which should be the equivalent of a 21 mm.
On the left a max zoom (equivalent to a 1365 mm) detail of the above view. At the same focal length, the ladies in the right photo are sitting in front of the house in the middle of the photo below and more than 200 meters away.

A view of Scali del Pontino and Via Castelli, again with the equivalent of a 21 mm.

Three Years of PowerShots - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

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See also: Fortezza Nuova - Scali delle Cantine - Reflected - Pastel Colors - Dogs on the Roof - Two Dogs and a Gull
External links: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS (Wikipedia)

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Island Princess

A few more minutes of our port in the early morning: for the previous installments please check the links below.

At 7:04 AM the 294-meter “Island Princess” is the third cruise ship entering the port in less than an hour.
At 7:13 AM a boat of the “ormeggiatori” (mooring crew) is behind the “Island Princess”. At 7:21 AM the tug “Fratelli Neri” is busy again, this time with the “Eurocargo Genova”.

Before Dawn - Atlantide II - Mega Andrea - Norwegian Epic - Oceana - Tugs - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: Fratelli Neri
External links: MS Island Princess
Search labels: cruise ship - tug

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Via del Lavoro

A “Madonna” is a representation of Mary, either alone or with her child Jesus. This one is in Via del Lavoro.

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Hearts and Tops

A few more “leftovers” from Effetto Venezia 2015, probably the last ones.

The same craftsman who makes these wooden hearts ...

... displays this impressive assortment of spinning tops. 

Effetto Venezia 2015 - Luminarium Miracoco - Playing for Change 2015 - Mangiafuoco

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See also: Effetto Venezia
External links: Top (Wikipedia)
Search labels: Effetto Venezia

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Ragno TSJ 30

This strange beast spent most of the summer around my apartment building: “ragno” means spider in Italian, and it seems a quite good name for the thing.

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Tugs

Yesterday a terrible accident happened inside the floating dry dock: a beam supporting the research vessel “Urania” collapsed and the ship leaned on one side, injuring several workers and killing one.

We keep going with our port in the early morning: for the previous installments please check the links below.

The tug “Fratelli Neri” at 6:54 AM.

The ro-ro cargo “MN Pelican” at 6:57 AM.
The tug “Alfredo Neri” at 6:58 AM and a pilot boat at 6:59 AM.

Before Dawn - Atlantide II - Mega Andrea - Norwegian Epic - Oceana - Island Princess - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: A Longer Urania - Fratelli Neri - Alfredo Neri
External links: Roll-on/roll-off (Wikipedia) - Neri Group (Official site)
Search labels: tug

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Cat of August

Black cat in the shadow of a pine tree, Fortezza Nuova.

Search labels: cat
See also: Fortezza Nuova

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The Most Holy Trinity

The “chiesa della Santissima Trinità” (church of the Most Holy Trinity) in “Borgo dei Cappuccini”.
The symbol of the Franciscan Order on the gates of the church. This 1982 sundial celebrates the six centuries of the presence of the Order in Livorno. By the way, if adjusted for DST, the time was right.

(Photos taken last April)

See also: Santissima Trinità - Cappuccini
External links: Franciscan (Wikipedia)

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Oceana

A few more minutes of our port in the early morning: for the previous installments please check the links below.

At 6:30 AM comes the 261-meter “Oceana”, a cruise ship built in 2000 at the Monfalcone shipyard by Fincantieri.
At 6:32 AM the “Oceana” is inside the port and the tug “Fratelli Neri” is ready to assist.

At 6:37 AM a passenger of the cruise ship is looking outside...

Before Dawn - Atlantide II - Mega Andrea - Norwegian Epic - Tugs - Island Princess - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: Fratelli Neri
External links: MV Oceana (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship - tug

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Lion Heads

An unusual view of the beautiful balcony of the corner building between Via Marradi and Via Roma.

See also: Anno 1858
Search labels: corner

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Mangiafuoco

Some “leftovers” from Effetto Venezia 2015: this guy looks like Mangiafuoco ...

... but I can't really explain the rest of the props. 

Effetto Venezia 2015 - Luminarium Miracoco - Playing for Change 2015 - Hearts and Tops

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External links: Mangiafuoco (Wikipedia)
See also: Effetto Venezia
Search labels: Effetto Venezia

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Kebabbe

The addition of an epenthetic vowel at the end of foreign words is typical of Italians and it is often emphasized in stereotypes of the Italian accent in English. In Livorno it is easy to hear loanwords pronounced like these: sport-e, film-e, and even stop-pe or SUV-ve. This also works with other languages and the owner of this place went for the local pronunciation with “Kebabbe”.

External links: Epenthesis - Loanword (Wikipedia)

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Norwegian Epic

After the first and the second part, one more quarter of an hour in the life of the port of Livorno at dawn.

At 6:19 AM the 329-meter “Norwegian Epic”, the world's fifth cruise ship by gross tonnage, enters the port.
At 6:20 AM one of the pilot boats was sailing along and at 6:23 AM the ships slowly passes by my position.

At 6:35 AM the tug “Fratelli Neri” assists the “Norwegian Epic” during the mooring process.

Before Dawn - Atlantide II - Mega Andrea - Oceana - Tugs - Island Princess - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: MS Norwegian Epic - Fratelli Neri
External links: Norwegian Epic (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship - tug

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The Dying Agave

Near the end of its life the agave sends up a tall, branched stalk, laden with yellow blossoms, that may reach a total height of up to 9 meters.

Search labels: plant - flower

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Beyond the Pinetina

Between “La Pinetina” and the next buildings lies a scrawny meadow with sparse trees, dotted by strange structures, properly defaced.
At least one of these structures is clearly of alien origin: even our avid taggers stay away from it. In background we can see a couple of clean-lined buildings behind an impressive array of solar panels.

See also: La Pinetina

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Mega Andrea

Here is the second part of our series on the morning traffic in our port. You can find the first post here.

At 6:08 AM another ferry comes from Sardinia: the “Mega Andrea”. Still outside the breakwater we can already see the cruise ship “Norwegian Epic”, our next entry.
This ferry was built in 1986 by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland as “Wellamo” for the Silja Line. In 1992 she became “Silja Festival” and since last April entered service for Corsica Ferries as “Mega Andrea”. Her sister ship, the “Mega Smeralda”, has been in service since June 2008.

Before Dawn - Atlantide II - Norwegian Epic - Oceana - Tugs - Island Princess - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: MS Norwegian Epic - Mega Smeralda
External links: MS Silja Festival - Corsica Ferries Sardinia Ferries (Wikipedia)
Search labels: ferry

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Saint Julia's Bell Tower

The half-hidden bell tower of the church of Saint Julia. (Photo taken last June)

See also: Saint Julia - Church of Saint Julia - Inside Santa Giulia

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From Miramare to the Blue Shed

Coming north along the rocky coast we reach Miramare, where the urban part of Livorno begins with the quarter of Antignano. Up on the hill we can see the ruins of Ciano's mausoleum. [Photo by Maurizio]

Further north, a view from the sea of the Grand Hotel Palazzo with the Pancaldi sea resort in foreground and the high rise of Piazza Matteotti in background. [Photo by Maurizio]

The refurbished complex of the “Scoglio della Regina” and the eyesore of the big blue shed. [Photo by Maurizio]

See also: The Castle's Jetty - The Calignaia Bridge - Boccale & Calafuria - Walk... on Water
- Miramare - Ciano's Mausoleum - Hotel Palazzo - Piazza Matteotti - Almost Finished - The Big Blue Shed

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The Road to Damascus

I found this relief in the hall of a building in Via Marradi. It probably represents the conversion of Paul the Apostle on the road to Damascus.

External links: Conversion of Paul the Apostle (Wikipedia)

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Atlantide II

As promised last Saturday, here is the first part of my early morning watch at the entrance of the port.

At 5:51 AM the fishing boat “Atlantide II” is the first vessel I saw entering the port.
At 5:53 AM the ferry “Moby Wonder” arrives from Olbia, Sardinia. At 5:58 AM the bunker tanker “Giglio” enters the action, ready to refuel ferries and other ships. The sun rises today at 5:58 AM, but it is still behind the hills.

Before Dawn - Mega Andrea - Norwegian Epic - Oceana - Tugs - Island Princess - The Rower
- The Red Fishing Boat - MSC Diego

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See also: Moby Wonder - Feeding a Ferry
Search labels: ferry - Moby

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Cat of July

A bit late, but here is the “winner” cat for last month...

Search labels: cat

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Livorno Air Show 2015

In the rehearsal the smoke trails of the Aermacchi MB-339 of the “Frecce Tricolori” were mostly white: not today...
On the right an AgustaWestland HH/AW139 (Hospital Helicopter).

An Eurofighter Typhoon: the nearest group of these fighters is based in Grosseto.

See also: Frecce Tricolori
External links: Frecce Tricolori - Aermacchi MB-339 - AgustaWestland AW139 - Eurofighter Typhoon (Wikipedia) - Livorno Air Show 2015 (Airholic.it, in Italian)

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