Feb
10
Maniago, Italy
February 10, 2008
The annual Carnevale di Maniago had as its theme this year The Sea. The parade and festivities were delayed one week this year due to drenching rains. So - horror of horrors - Carnevale in Maniago was held smack in the middle of Lent this year. Didn’t seem to prevent anyone from indulging heavily on the day!
Dec
28
Pula, Croatia
December 28, 2007
The Colosseum in Pula, on the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, is one of the best-preserved of the ancient Roman world. An interesting exhibit beneath the colosseum shows artifacts relating to ancient Roman olive oil production - this region of modern-day Croatia was famous throughout the ancient world for its fine olive oil.
The Coloseum is still used today for concerts and outdoor cinema in summer time.
Dec
28
Rovinj, Croatia
December 28, 2007
Fishman attending to his nets after a chilly morning out at sea.
Like all Istrian coastal towns, the harbour is jam-packed with hundreds of dodgy-looking little fishing boats of one kind or another.
Dec
27
Rovinj, Croatia
December 27, 2007
In the tangle of cobblestone streets in Rovinj.
Rovinj is known as Rovigo in Italian, and is an enormously picturesque town built on a peninsula (originally an island) that juts out into the Adriatic Sea. It rivals Dubrovnik in beauty, if not in size. The 19th Century author Jules Verne lived here for a short time.
Today, Rovinj sees a sizeable tourism (mainly from Germany, Austria and Italy) during the peak summer months, but is tranquil the rest of the year. A small bus group of octogenarian Italians was staying at our hotel, and they danced to nostalgic tunes in the lobby bar well into the night.
Dec
27
Porec, Croatia
December 27, 2007
Modernity comes to Porec.
Porec, known as Parenzo in Italian, is a quaint little town of mostly Venetian appearance, but of much more ancient origins, dating back at least 2,000 years. Today, it is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site.
The seaside restaurants here are superb - may I suggest Sv. Nikola?
Dec
27
Porec, Croatia
December 27, 2007
“Rosetta Stone”: a wall covered in graffiti on an abandoned waterfront villa in Porec, Croatia (on the Istrian peninsula).
Nov
27
Venezia, Italy
November 27, 2007
The pigeon chaser, Piazza San Marco. This was Aleksi’s first time in Venice, which is a very difficult place to take small children, on account of the million and one steps up & down little bridges that one has to cross.
Happily, the birdseed-sellers have now been banned from operating in Piazza San Marco as of the end of January, 2008. No bird feeding = less pigeons. Although the feeding and chasing of pigeons has become one of the main travel-cliché activities for the vast majority of tourists who cannot afford to pay €20 for a cup of coffee in one of the square’s cafés instead, the acidic droppings of these birds causes immense damage to the marble buildings and statues.
Even if the birds were not so damaging, pigeons are just plain nasty - rats with wings, if you ask me. Besides, that, there are a great many unscrupulous and outrageously expensive restaurants in Venice which I am sure would gladly serve up conveniently-captured “mystery bird” in lieu of “chicken” in a plate of pollo arrosto.
Nov
27
Venezia, Italy
November 27, 2007
Piazza San Marco, Venezia
Aqua alta, or “high water” - in other words, high tide - causes water to gurgle up through the drains in the square - typically just enough to form a series of small ponds, but sometimes bringing water that is knee-deep.
Jun
3
Pradis, Italy
June 3, 2007
Pradis is the source of a popular local brand of mineral water. They always write “naturally effervescent” on mineral water bottles. Here we are at the source, lapping up the pre-bottled water like a clan of cavemen. I can tell you that there are no bubbles in it. The naturally effervescent bit must be added later.
Apr
12
Udine, Italy
April 12, 2007
Udine is the capital of the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region. Its name is probably a corruption of “Odin”, the Norse/Germanic god, reflecting Udine’s distant past.