Posts
9-21-2005... exodus
A real sense of danger was in the air. Every lane of every road and freeway heading away from the coast was jammed.
9-21-2005... Rita anxiety
The iHouston Chronicle/i conveys the city's mood...
9-22-2005... late-night Cannaregio
By the time we caught our breaths and headed back to the commercial areas of the isestiere/i, even the liveliest streets were slowing as shopkeepers began to extinguish their lights.
9-23-2005... Venezia to Firenze
The day begain with breakfast at the edge of the iCanali di Cannaregio/i -- smooth cappuccino sweet with the scent of hot ilatte/i and a typically Italian croissant filled with imarmellata/i.
9-23-2005... first glimpses of Firenze
My first impression of Florence was of total, vibrant chaos. As we emerged from the Santa Maria Novella station, the complex intersection was teeming with cars, Vespas, bicycles, pedestrians, ipolizie/i... and more Vespas.
9-23-2005... the shadows of greatness
The Galleria dell' Accademia houses the one thing I had to see in all of Firenze #8212; the statue of David. We entered the first gallery through an unadorned side entrance and were immediately arrested by the sight of the first work...
9-23-2005... approaching the transcendent
Visiting with David...
9-24-05... Mercato Centrale
The market is Firenze's hub for produce, meat and other ialimenti/i, and the aisles indoors and out were lively with Saturday afternoon crowds. Outside, the dry goods street market had the feel of a cinematic Mediterranean bazaar, with wheedling hawkers and overflowing …
9-23-05... life meets art
Where else in all the world can you choose among a dozen masterworks to rest against while reading a book on a perfect and still autumn evening?
9-23-05... wandering
Wandering the narrow streets, I fell in love...
9-23-05... the Duomo at dusk
The sun cast a golden sheen on the streets as we emerged from the itrattoria/i's vine-covered patio. Fortified by a light supper of ignocchi/i after the interlude with young King David, we headed southward in the general direction of the Duomo with no particular plan in mind.
10-24-05... done deal
After a blizzard of paperwork, the deal is closed...
10-30-05... renewal
I awoke to an unfamiliar splash of dappled light, streaming past leaves and blinds to warm my bleary eyes. Still-fresh linens #8212; soft-crisp and weighted with the light bulk of down #8212; were heaped over me. The effect was drawn-out luxury...
9-25-05... Arena di Verona
he stones felt old. And the place felt... dead. Even draped with the banners of upcoming operas and concerts, the connection with the people who built this powerful structure felt distant... they're indistinct now, ancients whose legacy touches everything, but long gone.
9-25-05... a Veronese evening
Night fell soon after our arrival, and the piazzi were bustling with the cafe culture of la vita Italiana.
9-26-05... Night and Day
We arrived in the dark of Monday night, and the calle leading from the Canal Grande to Venice's heart was a living flow...
11-11-05... celebration
Celebrating a milestone day....
11-8-05... civic duty
Casting a ballot on election day...
11-6-05... the walk
A glimpse into an unfolding journey...