Buranians

Model ship builder : Burano, IT

I don't know what you call people from Burano. Buranians? Anyway--just a few random photos of a couple folks who were going about their daily life while the rest of us were being tourists. The guy at the top was working on a balsa wood model boat. It was a rather impressive piece. He wasn't all that impressed with me taking his photo, though.

Holding court : Burano, IT

We stopped for ice cream and water at a little bar/restaurant that was next door to a bakery. This woman reminded me of my late maternal grandmother. She watched people coming and going and a few stopped to talk with her. Eventually, I popped into her shop and bought a bag of Venetian cookies.

Lacemaker : Burano, IT

Burano is known for its lacemaking. This was the last photo I took. As we were heading back to the ferry, I glanced inside an open door and saw this woman making lace. I snapped a quick picture, said "Grazie", and she waved me off dismissively! Sort of like the boat builder, I think she was unimpressed.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Burano, Reflected

Beautiful Burano, reflected. : Burano, IT

Not much to say here. Just a few photos of Burano and the reflections that can be enjoyed in the canals around this island village. To see a few more photos of Burano, visit my Picasa Web Album, Colorful Life.

Laundry Reflections : Burano, IT

Vibrancy : Burano, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Colorful Burano

Obligatory Tourist Shot : Burano, IT

My favorite stop during our weekend in Venice was the island village of Burano. The brightly painted houses were such a contrast to the muted, soft tones of Venice and the drabness of Geneva. If we ever come back this way again, I think we'll stay on Burano and make a day trip to Venice.

Fresh Coat : Burano, IT

I loved stumbling on this bit of action. The sign on the door, which I did not photograph, seemed to indicate this is an artist's studio. What I especially love are all of the colors on the painter's ladder. Clearly, he has painted a number of houses in Burano.

Leaning Tower : Burano, IT

It may not be the tower in Pisa, but Burano's campanile definitely leans.


Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Murano

A Murano glassblower creates a vase : Murano, IT

On our last full day in Venice, we went to Murano and Burano. To get to the islands, you have to take a ferry. The ride to Murano is about 10 minutes and to Burano, another 40 minutes. Murano is known for its glassworks and Burano is known for its lace and colorful buildings.

Campanile in Venice's Piazza San Marco as seen from Murano

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

The Doge and his Boys...

Doge Francesco Foscari kneeling before the St. Mark's Lion

Just a few final pictures for Venice during the day. To see more photos from our trip to Venice, see my Picasa Web Album, Canals and Mosaics.

A couple of guys I saw hanging out above Piazzo San Marco : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Portals of Saint Mark's Basilica

North Portal / West Facade : Basilica San Marco : Venice, IT

The above mosaic depicts what the Basilica of Saint Mark probably looked like in the mid-13th century. The four bronze horses that are part of the facade are included the upper arches of the mosaic.

Central Portal / West Facade : Basilica San Marco : Venice, IT

The central portal featuring the ascension of Christ. Above that, the winged lion of Venice and the four bronzes horses.

East Portal / West Facade : Basilica San Marco : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Torre dell'Orologio

The Clock Tower on Saint Mark's Square : Venice, IT

The clock tower that graces Piazzo San Marco was started in the 1490s. Its Renaissance facade features a winged lion -- the mascot of Venice -- and the Virgin Mother and Child. In the circular facade are the symbols of the Zodiac. The clock is topped by a bell and two ringers. On Epiphany and Ascension, depictions of the three Wise Men, led by a trumpeter angel, emerge and bow before the Virgin. 

Detail of the Zodiac feature on the Clock Tower : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Tripod Envy: How It's Done

A tripod is always useful! : Venice, IT

Tiny little sidebar here. I've long wondered how photographers get those photos that seem to be shot from vantage points that are unavailable to your average photographer. Now I know the secret: a enormous tripod, a cable, and a computer. This guy was shooting in the direction of the Doge's Palace and the Adriatic in front of Saint Mark's Basilica. I had tripod envy.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013.

Piazza San Marco

The Piazza San Marco, Basilica San Marco, and the Campanile : Venice, IT

When you visit a place for just a couple of days, you're pretty limited in your ability to get to know a city and take photos that don't look like all of the other 745.3 bajillion people who have snapped the exact same photo. Unfortunately, there's very little that's unique about the top photo, expect the people who are in it and who are probably not in the 745.299 bajillion other photos that are out there. Still, it's evidence I was there, so there's that.

View of the Doge's Palace and the Adriatic from the Basilica San Marco : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Art and the Biennale

 Medusa : Venice, IT

The Arte Biennale is an every-other-year event in Venice. This year is the 55th Biennale and we glanced in on one of the exhibits featuring an artist from the Republic of Slovenia. The photo above is of a wood carving and modern interpretation of Medusa. It was actually in a gallery and probably not part of the Biennale, but it was a good kick off to then stumbling upon the exhibit featuring art from Slovenia.

Custom wallpaper and fabric in the exhibit for the Republic of Slovenia : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M. Kincaid, 6/2013

Knockers and Other Three-Dimensional Beauties

Brass knocker : Venice, IT

Two things I love finding when I travel are knockers and bas-reliefs. Venice is full of some really gorgeous door knockers, like the one above. My favorite find, though, was the bas-relief below. It was tucked into a dark little alley behind a gate and was kind of obscured by a large piece of machinery sticking out of the side of the building on its left. It took a bit of acrobatic maneuvering and cropping, both on camera and in post-production, to feature this bas-relief.

Venetian Family Portrait? : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Venetian Warmth

Parallel Parking : Venice, IT

Despite the bright sunlight bathing Venice, the streets and canals are narrow enough and the colors of the buildings are muted such that the light is soft and warm. Just a couple of photos to illustrate that.

Venetian Warmth : Venice, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013

Traffic in Venice

Gondolier : Venice, IT

We decided to take a last-minute trip to Venice before it is completely overrun with tourists, so we booked a B&B, threw the dog, our cameras, and a suitcase in the car, and headed over Mont Blanc to the Queen of the Adriatic Sea, Venezia.

We arrived late in the afternoon and I only snapped a few photos, none of which were that great. The next day, though, I caught this gondolier standing at the ready to ferry tourists and lovers around the canals.

After a disappointing lunch (never choose restaurants that are right on the canals), we walked all around Venice and while this isn't the greatest photo, I love the content. Gondoliers galore and the Campanile in Saint Mark's Square to boot!

Rush Hour Venezia Style

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 6/2013.

Homeward Bound

Maya (right) and her mother, Barbara (left), enjoying a picnic in the middle of a flood plain : 

Courmayeur, IT

Turin is about three hours from Ferney. The half-way point is the Mont Blanc Tunnel. On the Italian side of the tunnel, we stopped just before the tunnel in the town of Courmayeur for a picnic. The views of the Mont Blanc Massif were spectacular. Mont Blanc is 4,810 meters above sea level (15,780 feet ASL). Where we stopped in Courmayeur is about 1,380 meters (4,500 feet) ASL. More photos here.

Flume Dora Baltea / Dora Baltea River, which is fed by run-off from Mont Blanc, 

flows down through the Aosta Valley : Courmayeur, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

Lanzo Torinese

Village church : Lanzo Torinese, IT

During and after World War II, Maya's father was sent to boarding schools in Northern Italy. One of the towns he spent time in was Lanzo Torinese, about 30 km (19 miles) northwest of Turin. On our way back to Ferney, we made a slight diversion to visit this village. Just a couple of photos here. I forgot to take reference photos for the church and can't remember the name, but it was small and charming. To see additional photos of Lanzo, go here.

Church tower : Lanzo Torinese, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

14th Century Frescoes

Gorgeous 14th century frescoes : Church of Saint Dominic : Turin, IT

After visiting Our Lady of Consolation, we walked over to the Church of Saint Dominic. This little treasure of a church is home to Turin's oldest frescoes, dating back to the 14th century. Just a couple of photos here.

To see more photos from our weekend in Turin, go here.


Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

The Church of Our Lady of Consolation

 Inside il Santuario della Consolata : Turin, IT

Wandering the streets of Turin, we came across this church -- il Santuario della Consolata (Our Lady of Consolation). From the outside, it didn't look like much, but once we stepped inside? Boy, howdy! Baroque, anyone? But not just any Baroque. Piedmontese Baroque. It's not a very big church (despite being called a basilica), but it is quite ornate. Apparently, it's one of the oldest churches in Turin.

The high altar : il Santuario della Consolata : Turin, IT

There weren't a lot of lay people in the church at the time we visited, but we did notice a number of nuns in the sanctuary. Most of them were praying or in deep contemplation.

Entry : il Santuario della Consolata : Turin, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

Brunch and the Market

Sunday morning paper at the Circolo dei lettori : Turin, IT

One of our favorite places in Turin is a hide-away reading room called il Circolo dei lettori. People come here for special events and lectures, but mostly they gather here to read. Newspapers, real books, ebooks, iPads. Whatever can be read. During the week, there is a café/bar where you can get coffee and drinks. On Sundays, the Circolo serves brunch. So, that's where we went with Maya's parents and her father's cousins. I snapped a photo of a very distinguished looking Italian man reading the paper.

Happy apple man : Turin, IT

After brunch, we wandered through the farmer's market. This was the happiest man in the entire area. He was selling apples and was quite enthusiastic about them. He spoke a little English and he told me, he is "very happy to grow and sell apples." Can't get better than that, eh?

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

Po River

Rowing on the Po River : Turin, Italy 

Just a couple of shots of the Po River on a Sunday afternoon. We walked all over the city that day. By the time we reached the river, we were pretty tired. We stopped for a short rest and I snapped a few photos.

Together : Turin, Italy

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

Family Visit

Ivo Lucchitta, nephew to Marcella Lucchitta, wife of Ivo's uncle, the late Virgilio Lucchitta : Turin, IT

Maya's parents come to Europe every spring. This year, they visited us again and we all made a trip to Turin, Italy, to visit Ivo's uncle's widow. Marcella is well into her 90s now and lives in a home that houses four generations of her family. There's Marcella; her daughter, Marisa and husband Francesco; Marisa's daughter, Patricia and her husband, Luigi, and their children, Gabriele and Edouardo (Dodo).

Maya and Ivo looking through Gabriele's rock collection with Marcella and Dodo looking on : Turin, IT

Marcella was thrilled to see Ivo and they enjoyed a lovely visit. As is the custom in Italy, we were invited to stay for dinner and were treated to a fabulous spread of foods representing the Piemontese region of northern Italy. It was a most enjoyable visit. As always, Marcella's family made us feel welcome and comfortable.

Gabriele, Dodo, and their grandfather, Francesco : Turin, IT

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012