Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Moby Freedom

Moby Freedom ferry, IMO 9214379, LivornoThe “Moby Freedom”, one of the sister ships of the “Moby Wonder”, usually operates on the same route linking Livorno with Olbia, in Sardinia. This ferry was also built in 2001 by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, in South Korea.Moby Freedom ferry, IMO 9214379, LivornoAs usual Moby Lines ferries are painted with Looney Tunes liveries. In the rush to the finishing line we can see: Wile E. Coyote, Bugs Bunny, Taz, Tweety, Sylvester and Daffy Duck.

Search labels: Moby - ferry

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Mission Statement

Bus stop signs with pictures of local landmarks, LivornoATL (Azienda Trasporti Livornese), our public transport operator, has just installed several new bus stop signs illustrated with some of the landmarks of Livorno. Looking for something more about this, I found instead their quite emphatic mission statement:

ATL, public transport Company in Livorno, guarantees all citizens access to the services and facilities (bus and car), regardless of nationality, gender, ethnicity, language, religion, political opinion, wealth, social or physical conditions.
(Sorry, nothing about the pursuit of happiness...)

The English is theirs and you can find more of it following this link. In fact, the last time I took a bus I wasn't asked about my political opinions, there were foreign nationals on board, several women, a guy with a cough and even a nun. Few of them used the ticket machine, but probably they had... “subscriptions”.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Peppers and Eggplants

Red and yellow peppers, eggplants, LivornoSunday morning: peppers and eggplants in “Via Magenta”.

See also: Hot Peppers

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Piazza Poerio

Piazza Poerio, old postcard, Livorno“Piazza Carlo Poerio” was set out around 1850 when the course of the “Fosso Reale” was straightened out along with the demolition of the fortifications surrounding the old city center. The square disappeared in 1893 when the Antonio Benci elementary school was built. The “Chiesa degli Olandesi” (Dutch Church), on the right, was built between 1862 and 1864.Benci elementary school, Dutch church, scali degli Olandesi from Bing map, LivornoA recent image of the area in a bird's-eye view from Bing Maps. The old postcard is another interesting find in the collection of Antonio Cantelli.

Search labels: Dutch church - postcard
See also: Abandoned Church - Scali degli Olandesi - Chiesa degli Olandesi - Sad Preview - A lecture - Finale - A Ray of Hope - Falling to Pieces - Flying Rats - Another Collapse - Fenced Off - Piazza Poerio - The Places I Love - A Few More Votes - Rose Window - Second Place?
External links: Temple of the Dutch German Congregation (Wikipedia)
Facebook Group: “Salviamo la chiesa degli Olandesi a Livorno” (Save the Dutch church in Livorno)

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Love and Chocolate

Valentine Day kitsch chocolate, LivornoNow that Valentine's Day is safely behind us, we can poke some fun at these love messages on molded chocolate. From left to right: “Il mio cuore corre da te” (My heart is running to you), “Sei la mia sinfonia” (You are my symphony), “Sei la mia perla” (You are my pearl), “Per la mia principessa” (For my princess).

Friday, February 24, 2012

Wheelless Wheeler

Wheelless bicycle chained to a pole, LivornoKneeling in sorrow, but still trying to get on the road anyway...

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Corsica Victoria

Corsica Victoria ferry, IMO 7305253, LivornoThe “Corsica Victoria” was launched in 1973 as “Gotland” for the Swedish Stena Line, one of the world's largest ferry operators. In the 1980s the ferry was back in the Mediterranean and now links Livorno with Golfo Aranci (Olbia), in Sardinia.Corsica Victoria ferry, IMO 7305253, LivornoShe was built at the Jozo Lozovina-Mosor Shipyard in Trogir, Croatia (Yugoslavia then), like her almost identical sister ship, the “Sardinia Regina
Can you see anything strange in the first picture? (The wake at the bow: the ship is moving fast backwards)

See also: Sardinia ReginaSearch labels: ferry

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

Via Edda Fagni

Office building, via Edda Fagni, LivornoA detail of an office building in “Via Edda Fagni”, in the “Porta a mare” (Gate to the Sea) area.Yellow daisies, via Edda Fagni, LivornoA gentler and more natural tone at street level...

See also: Porta a mare - The Two Towers

Sunday, February 19, 2012

In Presence of the King

Doctoring official photographs to erase disgraced leaders was a common practice during the years of the Soviet Union. Well before, some resourceful Livornese of the early 1900 managed to be even more creative than that.Vintage postcard, Le acque della salute, LivornoIn this old postcard the Count of Turin is visiting the renowned spa of Livorno “Acque della Salute” (Waters of Health). I don't know if the King himself was in town then, but he surely wasn't in this photo.Vintage fake postcard, Le acque della salute, LivornoSomebody fixed this in the second photo, crudely pasting another image of His Majesty in the middle of the existing group. Both versions of the postcard were circulated.
(Digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

Search labels: spa - postcard
External links: Count of Turin - Vittorio Emanuele III (Wikipedia)

Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Lost Patrol

Giant table football in a canal, LivornoOK, this is not a patrol, but after six months they are still there abandoned in a canal. It seems that nobody thought to dismantle this giant table football at the end of last year's “Effetto Venezia”.

See also: Baby-foot géant

Friday, February 17, 2012

A Lazy Dragon

Dragon-shaped ironwork, via Roma, LivornoAn iron dragon lazily leaning against a wall in “Via Roma”.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Scooter Art

Lone scooter wheel, with perforated brake disc, lost against a wall with graffiti, LivornoLone scooter wheel, with perforated brake disc, lost against a wall of words.

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Moby Wonder

Moby Wonder ferry, IMO 9214367, LivornoThe “Moby Wonder” usually links Livorno with Olbia, in Sardinia. It is a 175m cruiseferry, which is a kind of ship combining some features of a cruise ship with a ferry. The boat was built in 2001 in South Korea by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, the second largest shipbuilder in the world.Moby Wonder ferry, IMO 9214367, Livorno Moby Lines is known for its liveries featuring Looney Tunes characters: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Taz, Wile E. Coyote, Tweety and Sylvester are neatly framed on the sides of this ferry.

Search labels: Moby - ferry

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day themed window display, Gaia Scienza bookstore, Livorno” bookstoreA Valentine's Day themed window display at the “Gaia Scienza” (The Gay Science) bookstore.San Valentino, Valentine's Day heart, clothes store window, LivornoThe window of a trendy clothes store in “Via Ricasoli”.

See also: I Love You - I Valentini
External links: Gaia Scienza Bookstore (In Italian)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Three Doors

Three doors, inner court of a building in via Roma, Livorno“There you will find three doors...” The inner court of a building in “Via Roma”.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Slow Motion

Turtles, fountain of Villa Mimbelli, Livorno“You are so slow!” - Turtles abandoned by their previous owners in the basin of the fountain of the park of “Villa Mimbelli”. (Picture taken in October 2011)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Mysterious Monogram

Wrought iron initials, LivornoWrought iron initials on a gate in “Via Borsi”. Maybe the monogram is not so mysterious, but what letters do you recognize?

See also: Wrought Iron Initials

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Moby Baby

Moby Baby ferry, IMO 6606026, LivornoThe “Moby Baby” usually links Piombino with Portoferraio, on the island of Elba. The ferry was built at the Öresundsvarvet yard in Landskrona, Sweden, and launched in 1966 as “Svea Drott”.

Search labels: Moby - ferry

Monday, February 6, 2012

After the Snow

Piles of snow in piazza Grande, LivornoSunday morning: piles of snow in “Piazza Grande” ...Pile of snow in largo del Duomo, Livorno... and in “Largo del Duomo”.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Gone with the Wind?

Town Hall bell tower, missing weather vane, LivornoWhere is the weather vane that, until some time ago, proudly stood atop the bell tower of our Town Hall?Town Hall bell tower, detail of missing weather vane, LivornoHas it gone with the wind? (The same picture enlarged)

No, It Is Still There!
(Updated at 3:00 PM)
Town Hall bell tower, weather vane, LivornoThe weather vane is still there, defying the wind. The top picture was taken at a deceiving angle.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Natural Bicycle Art

Bicycle art under the snow, LivornoMother Nature, an amazing and unpredictable artist, organized a temporary exhibition of bicycle art in Livorno. Sadly, these works, wrongly called by incompetent critics “Icicle Art”, are now irreparably damaged and lost forever.

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

Friday, February 3, 2012

A View with Snow

Park of Villa Letizia under the snow, Livorno
[Photos by Stefano B]
My friend Stefano took these picture in “Villa Letizia” the day last Wednesday. The first one is an almost black and white composition from the park of the villa.View from Villa Letizia, LivornoA view toward south from the roof of the villa: we can see the coastline as far as Antignano.View from Villa Letizia, LivornoThe snow covers the marina of Ardenza and the sea resorts.View from Villa Letizia, LivornoThe “Federico Caprilli” racetrack white with snow and in background the Naval Academy.

See also: Villa Letizia - From the Roof - Federico Caprilli

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Giorni della merla

An Italian legend says that the last three days of January are the coldest of the year and are called the “giorni della merla” (literally: days of the hen blackbird). Different versions of the story say that the “merla” was a bird, a cannon or even a noblewoman. Sometimes the days are stretched until the first of February, but if this period is very cold, spring will come soon and it will be warm.Scali delle Cantine seen from piazza della Repubblica under the snow, LivornoScali delle Cantine” seen from “Piazza della Repubblica”.Piazza Garibaldi under the snow, LivornoThe monument to Garibaldi, in his namesake square, is surrounde by the snow.The Capitana bastion of the Fortezza Vecchia under the snow, LivornoThe “Capitana” bastion of the “Fortezza Vecchia”.Monument to Leopold II of Tuscany and church of San Benedetto in piazza XX Settembre, LivornoMonument to Leopold II of Tuscany and church of “San Benedetto” in “Piazza XX Settembre”.Snow in piazza della Repubblica, LivornoPiazza della Repubblica” in the early afternoon.

See also: Snowfall (2010)

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Snowman

Display snowman with a cap, shop window, via Magenta, LivornoA display snowman in a shop window in via Magenta, but it is snowing real snow over Livorno...Snowman, piazza della Repubblica, LivornoA minor update with a real snowman in “Piazza della Repubblica”...Frosted bicycle, piazza del Municipio, Livorno... and a frosted bike in “Piazza del Municipio”.