Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Odoardo Amoretti

Tanker Odoardo Amoretti, IMO 9361031, Livorno
The 140-meter “Odoardo Amoretti” is an oil and chemical tanker.

Monday, March 30, 2015

The Busts in the Council

City Council Chamber, Town Hall, Livorno
Eight busts of famous Livornesi are hosted in niches along three walls of the City Council Chamber. The room goes back to the years after World War I and was not originally part of Town Hall proper. It was connected to the main building through a footbridge with a view and was completely refurbished in 1994. Until then the room was facing south, toward the side without busts.
Bust of Enrico Mayer, Town Hall, Livorno
Bust of Angelica Palli, Town Hall, Livorno
Enrico Mayer (1802-1877)
Pedagogist and writer
Angelica Palli (1798-1875)
Writer
Bust of Carlo Bini, Town Hall, Livorno
Bust of Enrico Pollastrini, Town Hall, Livorno
Carlo Bini (1806-1842)
Writer and patriot
Enrico Pollastrini (1817-1876)
Painter
Bust of Giuseppe Orosi, Town Hall, Livorno
Bust of Francesco Bonaini, Town Hall, Livorno
Giuseppe Orosi (1816-1875)
Chemist
Francesco Bonaini (1806-1874)
Philologist and palaeographist
Bust of Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi, Town Hall, Livorno
Bust of Vincenzo Malenchini, Town Hall, Livorno
Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi (1804-1873)
Politician and writer
Vincenzo Malenchini (1813-1881)
Soldier and politician

See also: Town Hall - Footbridge with a View - City Council
External links: Enrico Pollastrini - Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi (Wikipedia)

Sunday, March 29, 2015

La Darsena Vecchia

Fortezza Vecchia, Livorno
The Fortezza Vecchia beyond the water of the Old Harbor, also called Pamiglione. From the left we see the bastion of Canaviglia, with the Palazzo di Francesco on top, the Molo del Soccorso and the imposing Mastio di Matilde.
Vintage postcard, Fortezza Vecchia, Livorno
Part of the same view in a 1900 postcard.
(Postcard digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also: Fortezza Vecchia - Canaviglia - Palazzo di Francesco - Molo del Soccorso - Mastio di Matilde - Pamiglione - Old Harbor
Search labels: postcard - Fortezza Vecchia

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Toxic Cloud

Toxic cloud, via Gherardi Del Testa, Livorno
We already had a fire a couple of years ago, this time it was a toxic cloud of sorts which chased us away from our apartment last Sunday night. Firefighters searched the building and then the neighborhood until midnight, while an ambulance was ready for the worst. Eventually, we all went to sleep in our beds and nobody was seriously hurt.

See also: Theme Day: My Street

Friday, March 27, 2015

Road Victims

Ghost bike, road victims, Via della Cinta Esterna, Livorno
A ‘ghost bike’ in Via della Cinta Esterna, a memorial dedicated to road victims.

See also: Ghost Bike - Destroyed Ghost Bike
External links: Ghost bike (Wikipedia)

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Via della Bassata

Unusual building, Via della Bassata, Livorno
An unusual building, at least for our standards, in Via della Bassata.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Ortensia II

Grab dredger Ortensia II, IMO 8664931, port of Livorno
In view of the next regional elections in May, hundreds of millions of euro (which nobody has) are being promised to transform Livorno in the first port of the known Universe. Meanwhile, the dredge “Ortensia II” keeps excavating the entrance channel to the port: an absolutely necessary work, planned years ago, and long overdue.

See also: CREI I

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The Cats of March

Cat, Scali delle Pietre, Livorno
A cold and rainy Sunday for these two cats on Scali delle Pietre.
Cat, Scali delle Pietre, Livorno
Cats, Scali delle Pietre, Livorno
Their only refuge was the small entrance hall of a bank, open for the ATM.
(Pictures taken last February)

Search labels: cat

Monday, March 23, 2015

From the Bridge

Training session of the Venezia crew, Porto Mediceo, Livorno
The crew of “Venezia” seen from the swing bridge during a training session on Sunday morning.

See also: Swing Bridge - From the Swing Bridge
Search labels: rowing

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Walk... on Water

There was a time when, mostly on Monday, I posted four or five photos following an itinerary, a story or a pretext. It ended because I exhausted almost every possible route and there was not much to photograph anymore. The last one was in June of the past year, but something changed yesterday...
Maurizio Barzacchi, Fosso Reale, Livorno
It doesn't happen every day that a friend comes to pick you up with a boat just by your home: here comes Maurizio in the Fosso Reale on his boat.
Under San Benedetto bridge, Fosso Reale, Livorno
A few tens of meters past my personal landing, we were already passing under the San Benedetto Bridge.
Under Piazza della Repubblica, Fosso Reale, Livorno
For the first time I was able to cross the whole lenght of Piazza della Repubblica without worrying about speeding cars and scooters. The police boat in the basin of the Fortezza Nuova wasn't waiting for us.
La Bodeguita seen from the canal, Livorno
Our friend cieldequimper will probably recognize this place...
Fortezza Vecchia and the new bridge, Livorno
Soon we were passing the new bridge, here with the Fortezza Vecchia in background, and ready to enter the port. But that is another story...

See also: Maurizio - San Benedetto Bridge - Piazza della Repubblica - Fortezza Nuova - La Bodeguita - The New Bridge - Fortezza Vecchia - Cantina of Maurizio and Luciano
More Walks

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Officially Spring

Succulent plant, Via Magenta, Livorno
A succulent may be not the best sign of spring, but I liked this one... I saw it in a wall pot in Via Magenta.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Paint and Vespucci

Model of the Amerigo Vespucci, Corso Mazzini, Livorno
A simplified model of the “Amerigo Vespucci” on display in a shop window in Corso Mazzini.

See also: Amerigo Vespucci
Search labels: Amerigo Vespucci

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Missing Building

Corner of Corso Amedeo with Via del Collegio, Livorno
In this block, the building on the corner of Corso Amedeo with Via del Collegio is practically missing...

Search labels: corner

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Mega Smeralda & Gaz Victory

Ferry Mega Smeralda IMO 8306486, LPG gas carrier Gaz Victory IMO 9458171, Livorno
The ferry “Mega Smeralda” and the LPG gas carrier “Gaz Victory” seen from Montenero.

See also: Mega Smeralda
External links: MS Mega Smeralda (Wikipedia)
Search labels: ferry

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Gull in Flight

Flying gull, Porto Mediceo, Livorno
Gull in flight over the waters of the Porto Mediceo.

Search labels: gull

Monday, March 16, 2015

A Diabolical Endeavour

“Errare humanum est, perseverare autem diabolicum”
(To err is human, but to persist is diabolical)

Bike sharing station, Piazza Cavour, Livorno
It took more than two years and a change of Administration, but at last even our local daily has acknowledged on its front page that our bike sharing system is a disaster and a waste of public money.
Bike sharing station, Largo Fattori, Livorno
It was also easily foreseeable to anyone who has lived in Livorno even for only a few months: here public property is enthusiastically vandalized and any kind of bicycle is systematically stolen, with absolute impunity.

See also: Five-Thousand-Euro Bicycles - Waste of Money - Bike Sharing
External links: Poche, rotte e sconnesse: il “bike sharing” è a terra (Il Tirreno, in Italian)

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Via della Torre

Viale Italia, via Pacinotti, Ardenza, Livorno
On the corner of Viale Italia and Via Pacinotti we can see an old gazebo inside the garden of a villa. The place faces the Rotonda of Ardenza, a round grove of pine trees by the sea.
Vintage postcard, Via della Torre, Tower Street, Ardenza, Livorno
A similar view, from the first years of the last century.
Vintage postcard, Via della Torre, Tower Street, Ardenza, Livorno
The same place in 1933: Via della Torre (Tower Street) was the old name of Via Pacinotti.

(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also: Via Pacinotti
Search labels: postcard

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Friday, March 13, 2015

Via Roma 69

Belforte bookstore, Via Roma, Livorno
Just a few more shots about the ambience of the new premises of the Belforte bookstore in via Roma.
Belforte bookstore, Via Roma, Livorno
Belforte bookstore, Via Roma, Livorno
Speaking of distances from Livorno, Rome and Santiago de Compostela seem quite right, Jerusalem should be much nearer than that, but we are probably speaking of pilgrimage routes. We also have a ‘disinformation desk’ which is a glass top resting on four piles of books.

See also: Belforte Bookstore - Pedestrian Zone - Belforte - Belforte, via Roma

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Alaska of Georgetown

Alaska of Georgetown, IMO 8982228, port of Livorno
The 43-meter motor yacht “Alaska of Georgetown” was built in 2004 by Shipworks Brisbane, in Australia. You (and nine guests) can charter her for 120.000-150.000 Euro per week, depending by the season.
(Picture taken last octobrer)

External links: Shipworks Brisbane (Website) - Alaska of Georgetown (Ultimate Charters)
Search labels: yacht

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

The Grasshopper

Grasshopper, Via del Porticciolo, Livorno
I took this picture at work: we had a guest on a window sill. My friend Stefano says that it should be an Anacridium aegyptium, but this time even he is not so sure...

External links: Anacridium aegyptium (Wikipedia)

Monday, March 9, 2015

Choccolandia 2015

Choccolandia, Piazza Cavour, Livorno
Choccolandia” is back, with its fantastic display of hypercaloric temptations.
Choccolandia, Piazza Cavour, Livorno
Choccolandia, Piazza Cavour, Livorno
Orange peels and figs in dark chocolate, small cannoli with coconut and Nutella.
Choccolandia, Piazza Cavour, Livorno
Black cherry, coconut, coffee and lemon truffles.

See also: Choccolandia - Sicily in Tuscany - Hardware - Art & Ciocc - Choccolandia 2014

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Via del Cedro

Dogana d'acqua new building, Via del Cedro, Livorno
The project around the Dogana d'acqua goes beyond encasing the rebuilt structure in glass: another completely new building is taking form on its right: here is the Via del Cedro (Citron Street) facade.
Dogana d'acqua new building, Via del Cedro, Livorno
One of the strangest things about this wing of the complex is that they will soon re-dig a large water basin just in front of it. The basin was once part of the Canale dei Navicelli and was interred when the waterway fell in disuse.

See also: New and Old - Glass Panes - PIUSS - Scali Cerere Footbridge - Customs on the Water - Dogana d'acqua - Canale dei Navicelli - Leopoldine Walls
External links: Canale dei Navicelli (Wikipedia)

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Apuan Alps

North-east view from Montenero, Livorno
This is one of a few photos I shot from the panoramic terrace in Montenero, where we can see the northeast part of Livorno. About in the middle, from left to right, you can see the yellow cranes of the cargo port, the wooded area of Tombolo and, just above it, Marina di Pisa, at the mouth of the Arno river. Far away the imposing Apuan Alps.

See also: Montenero
External links: Apuan Alps (Wikipedia)

Friday, March 6, 2015

The Interview

Interview at sea, port of Livorno
The rower in front of the camera is the president of the Palio Marinaro and he is being interviewed by a TV crew in the Porto Mediceo.