Just Cohabiting

The usual sign says “Oggi sposi” (Just married), but this one states “Oggi coinquilini” (Just cohabiting)...

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Celebrity Solstice

Passengers watching from the balconies while the “Celebrity Solstice” is leaving the port of Livorno.On her side, the distinctive Celebrity Cruises X logo, which is the Greek letter chi for Chandris.The 315-meter cruise ship is making a quite steep turn just outside the entrance of the port, to clear the “Vegliaia” seawall.

See also: Liberty of the Seas
External links: Celebrity Solstice - Celebrity Cruises - chi - Chandris Line (Wikipedia)

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Coppa Risi'atori 2012

There were times when the right to unload an incoming vessel went to the first local longshoremen who showed up alongside the ship, before entering the port. The “prize” obviously went to the crew with the strongest rowers, and that was only the beginning of their hard work. They rowed toward the ships in almost every weather and were therefore called “risi'atori” or “risicatori”, which means risk-takers.
The “Coppa Risi'atori” celebrates every year the strenght of these men who rowed not for leisure, but to make a hard living. The race starts from the Meloria islet, about 5 km outside the port of Livorno, with the finish line in the “Darsena Nuova” of the “Porto Mediceo”.The crew of the “Venezia” was so ahead of the other boats that some of the rowers were able to raise their hands well before of the end of the race.The rowers and their support team celebrating in the waters of the “Darsena Nuova”.It is probably not a case that their “cantina” is on the “Erta dei Risicatori” (Risk Takers Slope).

See also: Coppa Risi'atori - Beyond the Second - The Old “Cantina” - The Anchors of Venice
External links: Meloria (Wikipedia)

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Photos of the Painted School

A photo exhibit on The Painted School will open today (5 PM) at the B. Arte Gallery in via Sardi.The images will show us the making of the murals, their authors at work and the finished school.Yes, some of the pictures on display are ours...

See also: The Painted School

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From Livorno to New Zealand

A friend of mine just told me of this funny passage about a group of Livornese workers in New Zealand in the 1870s.

In the 1870s Premier Julius Vogel extended immigration assistance to southern Europeans. The government hoped to boost the growing nation with settlement, public works and forest clearing. Most of the 230 town workers who responded to the lure of free passage came from Leghorn (Livorno) in Tuscany. They arrived between 1875 and 1876, unprepared and unsuited for the hard labour that awaited them. The first group began work on the Featherston railway, but were dismissed within a month because of disputes. The government promptly stopped assisting Italian immigrants, claiming: ‘they have proved utterly unfit for the work of colonisation’.

From: “Italians - Immigration 1860–1880” by Tessa Copland, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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Republic's Birthday

Today is the “Festa della Repubblica” (Republic Day): in 1946, on June 2nd, Italians choose the republic over the monarchy with a referendum.

(The Navy flag of the sailship “Italia”, picture taken last April)

See also: June 2nd - Republic Day - Italia
External links: Festa della Repubblica

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Theme Day: Tranquility

Early Sunday afternoon in “Piazza della Vittoria”.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

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