La Spezia - Me!

I really did have a wonderful time in Italy. On this particular evening, M, T and I were our wandering. Eventually we found a pub with seats outside and the tv tuned to the world cup. All is right with the world on nights like this.

Taken June 2010 - pub near the waterfront, La Spezia, Italy

La Spezia - Mosaics

Yes, I'm on a church kick. One of my favorite things to do is visit churches.

This mosaic was over the front door of an Orthodox church in La Spezia. As this church was never open when I passed by, I didn't get to see inside. A shame, but as I did get to see 6 churches during our 3 days in La Spezia, I think I did alright.

Taken June 2010 - Orthodox Church, La Spezia, Italy

La Spezia - Casting light...

The cathedral in La Spezia was probably the most unique church I have ever been in. It was obviously a catholic church, don't get me wrong... it was just different. Built in an in-the-round style, the focus was the centre alter. There were a couple of side chapels, and behind the reredos there were several icons. Each ceiling pillar had a roman numeral, I to XII for the stations of the cross. A very ordinary church save the whole in the round thing. It was obviously commissioned in the early 60's and completed within that decade. No doubt about it!

As preciously mentioned, the alter was in the centre of the church. Standing just infront of the alter and looking straight up to the ceiling around 10m above was a circular bit of stained glass. This shot is a detail of it. I can only imagine what golden light would shine down on the alter through this glass!

Taken June 2010 - Christ the King of Centuries Cathedral, La Spezia, Italy

La Spezia

Very interesting cathedral celing. I love looking up :)


Taken June 2010 - Chirst the King of Centuries Cathedral, La Spezia, Italy

La Spezia - 50's Deco-inspired theatre

Okay, so I'm strating to think it is more important for me to actually get some of these Italian pics up. Stories will follow if I have time...

Also, if you'd like to make up stories, I'd love to hear them :)

Taken June 2010 - Detail from outside wall of a local theatre, La Spezia, Italy

Genoa - best story ever

One of the afternoons I spent wandering around inside the old walled city, I found myself walking down a lane beside one of the basilicas. No really, I came out of the Annunciation to Mary Basilica, turned right and started walking down the lane. I found myself impressed that there were people still milling about the streets here as it was seista time. Then it dawned on me... I wasn't just walking down any lane, the people around me weren't just randomly out... no, no... I was walking past the front of a bordello.

Yup, in Italy, it's okay to sell business between 9-6. After dark, it's illegal, but during daylight what you can sell is allowed legally to be bought. There were three ladies who were dressed up as if to go clubbing, one at each end of the street and one at the middle where an ally connects. (I passed by this area again a day later and the three same women were still at their posts... no really.)

So, here I am, keeping a tourist-style I'm-looking-at-the-architecture-style walk, while inside my head I'm laughing at myself, while also trying not to look at any of the people. Oh my poor little brain... how you almost exploded!

Just as I reach the end of the lane, I slow to decide which way to turn. This is the point where Anna=fail. There was a fourth lady which I hadn't noticed sitting, I don't know where, who appeared out of the ether. I continued to look up and noticed the lovely sculpture above. And now is the point which I really really really wish I spoke Italian. This Madame decided to chat with me. I don't really know whether she was trying to sell her 'goods' to me, or if she was trying to tell me the details of the sculpture... I don't think I will ever know. All I could think was "Gahh! I don't know what you're talking about so I'm going to nod and smile and stare at the sculpture." This thought was followed quickly by "Get me outta here!"

I still to this day don't actually know what happened. I do however have a lovely picture of a nice bit of religious art and a brain that still goes 'pop' every time I think of that afternoon.

taken June 2010 - Side of a building, Genoa

Genoa - wave patterns?

Just a block away from the bestest foccia ever was this lovely little church. I'd wanted to see inside of it since the day we arrived. From the outside, it looked kind of like a memorial hall, or tiny concert hall. The domed roof and general style of the outside said to me that this was a lovely 18thc church.

Once inside, I could have sat here for hours! It was lovely and cool and clean and bright. I think it has been pretty much constantly loved at the same level since it was built... there's signs that it's been used, but basically there's no dust, and the tokens around the saints have been there for at least 100 years. What really caught my eye was the pattern in the ceiling. As the plaster work meant that the ceiling was perfectly rounded, these wave patterns are absolutely stunning. Also, after seeing sooooo many painted mural-style ceilings, to have something so decorated and yet so simple was lovely. I'd like to also note, that there were no artificial lights on while I visited. All of the light came in from lovely big third-storey windows and the while ceiling defused it perfectly.

Wikipedia link here

taken June 2010 - Church of San Torpete, Genoa

Genoa - Well, Well

Just outside the old gate to the old city (now named after Columbus), a beautiful medieval structure still stands. If you look at the column topper seen above, you can still see the carved angel. This column is one of the corner posts around a 5m by 12m open frame which seems to have been built around a well. It really is a lovely little park now, but I'm sure the practical nature of having a well within an easy distance of most of the upper part of the city caused this well to be highly decorated and highly protected.

taken June 2010 - just outside City gate, Genoa

Genoa - Lady in a bath tub

On the second story of most buildings in the old part of Genoa, there were icons of some fashion or other. Some of them were painted on, some were on a carved bit of stone and some were full sculptures. There seemed to be several favoured saints; George and Mary being the two I most easily recognised.

I'm not exactly certain which saint is pictured above. As there is no veil and she's holding some kind of urn, I know it's not the Virgin Mary (in any of her variety of roles). My guess would be Mary Magdalene, carrying the oil she will wash the feet of Jesus with. In any case, this picture shows the feature which one of my Category Widows referred to as 'the bathtub'. You'll notice that behind the sculpture there is a lovely concaved indent fashioned to best draw your attention to the saint on show... this indent is normally either left a clean stone or painted light blue. Yup, saints in bathtubs - Italian stylin' at it's finest!

taken June 2010 - Side of a residence... don't know who's though, Genoa

Genoa - Catedral's tower

Stripes... the Genovese love their stripes. Basically every church in this area has at least part of its building striped. I guess when marble and granite is so conveniently located in the surrounding area, stripes will happen.

As for the Catedral di San Lorenzo, it's all stripes all the time. Even the columns inside are striped. Other than that, the west door is incredible! Oh, and I got to see the local Bishop and Cardinal in procession on St George's day. Pure awesome. Oh yeah.

taken June 2010 - Cathedral de Lorenzo - detail of West Door

Milan - Milan Duomo

And here begins the fun of reliving my holidays in June. I hope you enjoy this as much as I know I will!

I'm not positive, but from what I can tell, Milan decided that Florence couldn't have the only Dome around and they build their own. (Yes, this is not a picture of a dome... very good.) The wall of the west door has an incredible collection of sculptures, as most west doors are want to do. The spires at the top were also lovely, and the shot above features a sample of these spires. Also, how cool is the moon? We could not have asked for a bluer sky or a more perfect day for wandering the streets of Milan. I also took this picture on the walk to see the church above.

taken June 2010 - Milan Duomo, Milan