Monday, August 31, 2015

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

Scali delle Cantine, Livorno
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.
Scali delle Cantine, Livorno
Via Castelli, Livorno
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.
Scali del Pontino, Via Castelli, Livorno
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

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)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Island Princess

A few more minutes of our port in the early morning: for the previous installments please check the links below.
Cruise ship Island Princess, IMO 9230402, port of Livorno
At 7:04 AM the 294-meter “Island Princess” is the third cruise ship entering the port in less than an hour.
Cruise ship Island Princess, IMO 9230402, port of Livorno
Tug Fratelli Neri, IMO 9393125, port of Livorno
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

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

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Via del Lavoro

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

Friday, August 28, 2015

Hearts and Tops

A few more “leftovers” from Effetto Venezia 2015, probably the last ones.
Effetto Venezia, Livorno
The same craftsman who makes these wooden hearts ...
Effetto Venezia, Livorno
Effetto Venezia, Livorno
... displays this impressive assortment of spinning tops. 

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

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

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Ragno TSJ 30

Ragno TSJ 30/C, Scali Saffi, Livorno
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.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

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.
Tug Fratelli Neri, IMO 9393125, port of Livorno
The tug “Fratelli Neri” at 6:54 AM.
Ro-ro cargo MN Pelican, IMO 9170999, port of Livorno
The ro-ro cargo “MN Pelican” at 6:57 AM.
Tug Alfredo Neri,  IMO 9207106, port of Livorno
Pilot boat LI 10066, port of Livorno
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

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

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Monday, August 24, 2015

The Most Holy Trinity

Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Borgo dei Cappuccini, Livorno
The “chiesa della Santissima Trinità” (church of the Most Holy Trinity) in “Borgo dei Cappuccini”.
Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Borgo dei Cappuccini, Livorno
Sundial, Borgo dei Cappuccini, Livorno
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)

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Oceana

A few more minutes of our port in the early morning: for the previous installments please check the links below.
Cruise ship Oceana, IMO 9169550, port of Livorno
At 6:30 AM comes the 261-meter “Oceana”, a cruise ship built in 2000 at the Monfalcone shipyard by Fincantieri.
Cruise ship Oceana, IMO 9169550, port of Livorno
Tug Fratelli Neri, IMO 9393125, port of Livorno
At 6:32 AM the “Oceana” is inside the port and the tug “Fratelli Neri” is ready to assist.
Cruise ship Oceana, IMO 9169550, port of Livorno
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

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

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Lion Heads

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

See also: Anno 1858
Search labels: corner

Friday, August 21, 2015

Mangiafuoco

Mangiafuoco, Effetto Venezia, Livorno
Some “leftovers” from Effetto Venezia 2015: this guy looks like Mangiafuoco ...
Effetto Venezia, Livorno
Effetto Venezia, Livorno
... but I can't really explain the rest of the props. 

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

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

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Kebabbe

Kebabbe, Via Roma, Livorno
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)

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

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.
Cruise ship Norwegian Epic, IMO 9410569, port of Livorno
At 6:19 AM the 329-meter “Norwegian Epic”, the world's fifth cruise ship by gross tonnage, enters the port.
Cruise ship Norwegian Epic, IMO 9410569, port of Livorno
Cruise ship Norwegian Epic, IMO 9410569, port of Livorno
At 6:20 AM one of the pilot boats was sailing along and at 6:23 AM the ships slowly passes by my position.
Cruise ship Norwegian Epic, IMO 9410569, port of Livorno
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

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

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Dying Agave

Agave, Borgo San Jacopo, Livorno
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

Monday, August 17, 2015

Beyond the Pinetina

Grassland, Viale della Libertà, Livorno
Between “La Pinetina” and the next buildings lies a scrawny meadow with sparse trees, dotted by strange structures, properly defaced.
Grassland, Viale della Libertà, Livorno
Building with solar panels, Via Zambelli, Livorno
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

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Mega Andrea

Here is the second part of our series on the morning traffic in our port. You can find the first post here.
Ferry Mega Andrea, IMO 8306498, port of Livorno
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.
Ferry Mega Andrea, IMO 8306498, port of Livorno
Ferry Mega Andrea, IMO 8306498, port of Livorno
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

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

Friday, August 14, 2015

From Miramare to the Blue Shed

Miramare seen from the sea, Antignano, Livorno
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]
Grand Hotel Palazzo, Pancaldi and Piazza Matteotti high rise seen from the sea, Livorno
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]
Scoglio della Regina, Livorno
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

Thursday, August 13, 2015

The Road to Damascus

Paul on the road to Damascus, Via Marradi, Livorno
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)

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Atlantide II

As promised last Saturday, here is the first part of my early morning watch at the entrance of the port.
Fishing boat Atlantide II, port of Livorno
At 5:51 AM the fishing boat “Atlantide II” is the first vessel I saw entering the port.
Ferry Moby Wonder, IMO 9214367, port of Livorno
Bunker tanker Giglio, IMO 9365207, port of Livorno
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

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

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Cat of July

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

Search labels: cat

Monday, August 10, 2015

Livorno Air Show 2015

Frecce Tricolori, Livorno Air Show 2015
In the rehearsal the smoke trails of the Aermacchi MB-339 of the “Frecce Tricolori” were mostly white: not today...
Frecce Tricolori, Livorno Air Show 2015
AgustaWestland HH/AW139, Livorno Air Show 2015
On the right an AgustaWestland HH/AW139 (Hospital Helicopter).
Eurofighter Typhoon, Livorno Air Show 2015
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)