Princimar Truth

It was the last day of 2014: the 274-meter oil tanker “Princimar Truth” had already left the port, still escorted by two tugs, and a pilot boat was coming along

The two pilots on board had to climb down to their boat using a Jacob's ladder for the lower part of their descent.

External links: Jacob's ladder (Wikipedia)
Search labels: pilot - tug

Versione italiana

Befana

Today is the feast of the Epiphany and we have found a real “Befana” for you in Montenero!

External links: Befana - Epiphany (Wikipedia)
See also: Montenero

Versione italiana

Marble Bench

Our “Benches of Livorno” may not be the seminal work we touted, but it is useful to show you the new benches in Piazza Grande before their installation. Sadly, the new pavement already shows traces of used chewing gum spots, one of the many “plagues” that afflict our city.

See also: Benches of Livorno - A New Piazza Grande? - Works around the Cathedral

Versione italiana

Livorno's Lungomare

Our “lungomare” is completely wrong: you have to walk on the side of a heavily trafficked Viale Italia while the seafront, beyond some green, is occupied by a crowded parking. Cars on their way to the parking obviously cross your waking path almost continuously, as do the ones coming back to the street.

It was a nice arrangment when there were only horses and buggies, it is a folly with cars, bus and scooters speeding along the boulevard. The funny thing is that the whole place was renewed a few years ago, but the sea air was left to the parked cars while the promenade still enjoys the emissions of the passing vehicles.

Before the advent of the Republic in 1946, Viale Italia was called Viale Regina Margherita in honor of the Queen Margherita of Savoy, the one made world-wide famous by the pizza. The boulevard has always been Livorno's promenade as shown in these postcards (1917 top, 1927 bottom).

(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

Search labels: postcard
See also: Flying over Livorno

Versione italiana

Sunset over the Avvisatore

“Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of a sunset. Sunsets are quite old-fashioned. They belong to the time when Turner was the last note in art. To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on. Yesterday evening Mrs. Arundel insisted on my going to the window, and looking at the glorious sky, as she called it. She is one of those absurdly pretty Philistines to whom one can deny nothing. And what was it? It was simply a very second-rate Turner, a Turner of a bad period, with all the painter's worst faults exaggerated and overemphasised.”

(Oscar Wilde, The Decay of Lying, 1889)

See also: Pink Sky - Easter Eve - The Looming Tower
External links: The Decay of Lying: Truth or Fallacy? (The Victorian Web)

Versione italiana

Two Fools

Scali Cerere: “2 folli non fanno uno sano, ma sanno tenersi la mano” (2 fools doesn't make one wise, but they can hold their hands).

Search labels: graffiti

Versione italiana

Theme Day: Best of 2014

My real favorite would have been “Mediterranean”, but I posted it only a few days ago and, furthermore, it is an old 2012 photo. Then, my choice is this picture taken at “Effetto Venezia”, the more recent of a “from behind” series.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Happy New Year to All of You!

See also: Theme Day: Best of 2009 - Theme Day: Best of 2010 - Theme Day: Best of 2013
Search labels: from behind - Effetto Venezia

Versione italiana