Reflections of travel

Good morning!

Taking a small break from poking around my recent Italy photos.  As usual, I took entirely too many. 

Below are various photos I've taken of reflections - sometimes on purpose, sometimes a happy accident.

This first one, taken in Venice, is my all time, most viewed, most-tumblred photo ever.  Tumblr via my Flickr page.  If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  At least some of the tumblr folks link back to my own page.  Sigh.  It was taken with a (now old) P&S Canon.  For all the nice equipment I have now, this one is my most popular.  Go figure.

Below, Florence in winter.  Also taken with the same tiny P&S.

OK, now this below is not Italy, in fact it's Algonkian Park in Virginia.

More Italy, more Venice...  I think I have Italy on the brain...

Waterfowl in Annecy:

Me, reflected in a Harley, in Assisi (Italy):

One of my favorite reflections.  Tulips in Keukenhof.

Changing of the Guard:

More Venice.  Maybe it's Venice I have on the brain...

More Venice:

And more Venice.  Yes, there is a reflection, it's in the shiny glossy gorgeous black wood:

Sunglasses.  Beach glass.  Wrought iron balcony.  Lake Como (Lenno).

Bruges:

More Venice (yes, that is a reflection):

Annecy:

Meadowlark Gardens in Virginia:

Amsterdam:

Last but not least, a grand piano in the huge sitting room of the Hotel Excelsior in Naples.  It was not far from the window and you could see the monument outside very clearly on the sleek glossy black wood of the piano.

Capri: an early morning stroll on Via Krupp

Good morning!

This set of photos was taken early one morning in May.  It was the morning I had to catch the ferry back to the mainland to continue on with the Amalfi Coast portion of my trip.  I had exactly one hour for one last exploration from the time I walked out of the hotel after breakfast until I walked back in to collect my personal items and head to the funicular to take me down to the harbor.  The hotel porter had already taken my luggage that morning.  Off I went.

At this point I hadn't even heard of Via Krupp.  My destination was going to be the Giardini di Augusto to see if it was open.  They are a five minute walk from the hotel and I admired the views of them from the hotel balcony each morning. 

During my stroll I saw the village kitty whom I had petted the night before.  I wandered down the lane towards the gardens and saw that they were 20 minutes from opening.  The path continued past the entrance, through an archway, and once I crossed through the archway look what I saw!

(Yes I think that is probably my hand and camera.  I left it in because it made me giggle).

Via Krupp, all pictured below, was built at the dawn of the 20th century by German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp.  According to Wiki (take that for what it's worth) it was a path he built between his hotel the Grand Hotel Quisisana and the Marina Piccola where he apparently had a marine biology center.  I also just learned that he did not enjoy his path for very long, sadly, he committed suicide in 1902.  A reminder that we all carry burdens, many of them unseen. 

What I did know, at that moment in time, is that I was almost alone but for a few other walkers coming the other direction from Marina Piccola, the weather was crisp, clear and just perfect, the sun wasn't very high in the sky, the waves were crashing below and the seagulls were keening as they circled.  I walked down its loop-di-loop path about 2/3 of the way to the bottom and just watched and listened (while I took these photos).  Had I known about this path before the morning I was leaving I would have walked all the way to Marina Piccola.

How many delights can such a small island hold?  What else will I find on my next visit?

These last two were actually taken from the Gardens of Augustus. 

Capri: a pleasant stroll to lunch below the Faraglioni

Good morning

Another round of photos from my recent trip to a beautiful part of Italy.  My first time to Capri - three nights which really should have been doubled.  Another visit is necessary.

After a morning spent visiting the very top of the island (Monte Solaro, reached from chairlift from Anacapri), I had lunch at the very bottom of the island - at the base of the Faraglioni.  These are some photos from my stroll and lunch at Da Luigi ai Faraglioni.

Starting down the hill:

Fontellina Beach:

Da Luigi:

A villa overlooking the Faraglioni:

Another villa overlooking the Faraglioni.  I think I want to live here.

Tada!

Wandering around after my meal:

Ahhhhhhh...  bliss!

What a fabulous day.  If I were stuck in the movie Groundhog Day, THIS would be one of the days I'd like to repeat. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Colors and textures: Herculaneum

Good morning and welcome back to my sorely neglected blog.  Has it really been five months since I last posted anything here? 

I am not even remotely organized yet, and am merely picking through my photos randomly instead of logically.  These few caught my eye this morning.  I can't even tell you precisely where inside Herculanuem I took them although with a bit of googling I could sort it out (and may come back later to do so).

So for now, just enjoy a little color and texture this morning.  And I'd love it if you came back occasionally, I plan to post more regularly now that I have a fresh crop of photos to add!

Xmas in Paris, IV

OK, technically not Paris.  This is inside Reims cathedral.  But it was during my trip to Paris over the hols.

Xmas in Paris, III

I had never been to the roof of Galeries Lafayette.  I plan to go many times - the views are stunning.

Here is a photo from one foggy morning.

Xmas in Paris, II

The Pantheon, in the 5th arrondissement.  My favorite hotel, Hotel des Grands Hommes, is directly across the street.  On this day there was a huge, loud demonstration going on - directly behind me as I took this picture.  Looks pretty tranquil here though, huh?