Istanbul

A 4-days trip to Istanbul introduced me to this magical City.

a bright sunday

Last saturday some friends came to Bologna and we spent the all week end together. We spent time downtown, from one bar to another, strolling down the streets ready for Christmas.
Sunday we have a lunch at my place. I cooked all sunday morning and they enjoyed all.
They left in the late afternoon. It was snowing: it was the first time this season.
The atmosphere was so nice that I started with Christmas decorations. A little bit too early, I know, but I felt in that way.
Here some some pictures I took before friends arrived...

cold

Sunday is going to finish and I'm blue and cold.
Maybe because it has been a too long afternoon alone. Maybe because it's raining since I woke up. Maybe as I'm not having funny evenings recently...
I found some pictures I took at the end of September while I was going to Assisi. It was an happy day (at least at that moment) that finished in a bad way...so I was not sure to publish them. But I guess it could be a kind of cathartic cure for my soul. So I'm sharing them, and I'll try to loose myself driving my first car (actually it was a red FIAT500), walking between the cypress'lines (there's a firm over there) and flying...not only with my head in the clouds.

late

Too much time passed since I last wrote here.
It was still summer, now it's fall, weather is changing, days are shorter and in the morning I'm cold riding my bike.
I was too busy, I really didn't feel like share my mind...maybe I was simply lazy.
But I still had to post about last day at the sea, on a September warm day.
And after a beautiful day a stunning sunset taken while I was coming back home.

a promenade

Last days of August Bologna looks empty. People was still on Holyday, Students of the Alma Mater Studiorum are still at theyr own home.
One afternoon out from the office I guessed it was the right time to take care of my beloved town and discover again how many beautyful corners I can share with you.
I'm going to do it more often, hope it won't be boring.
And...wellcome September.

Trentino

I had a beautyful WE in Trentino (North Itlay). Wonderful places, good food, excellent wines (I bought so mutch bottles: I couldn't resist) nice peoples.
I only could ask for a little more sun on Saturday, but...none is perfect!

already half august?

Yes...already half August has passed by. I spent the 15th with parents that rented a little home in the country south of Bologna, close to the Appennini mountains.
We had our traditional bq, lots of meat, good wine, and everything that makes me think that NOTHING is better than Mom's kitchen!
Between lunch and dinner I had a promenade (so I tested my new Camera) from the garden untill the small tipical village close to my parent's home.



Ii was a sunny, not too warm, very nice day.

Ile de beauté

Ok, time is right...more than 3 weeks since I finished my summer vacation. I'm still having a period of strong work (damn! Everybody was out there just waiting for me? None's on Holyday?) but I finally found the time to tell You how good has been my Holyday in Corsica.
I spent in Corsica two weeks, the warmest in Bologna people told me, simply perfect there. I reached the island with the ferry service from Livorno, in Toscana. During the travel I sew dolphins playing in the boat wake: amazing. But...they has not been the only animals I met: this puppy was luckiest than me as I could not find a deck-chair free!
I arrived in Bastia and I drove untill Portovecchio as I already visited Corsica (...16 years ago) and I didn't like that the east coast. I stopped close to Palombaggia beach 3 days. This place is beautifull. I was in the southest beach, as Palombaggia has different beaches, each one maybe more beautiful than the oterhs, but too may people for my taste. So I reached Bonifacio.
The old town...is over the white cliff, in contrast the sea is as blue as you can see here. And right in front You can see Sardegna Island as here they are really close. Bonifacio deserves a visit during the day and during the night too. It's a very old town, and the atmosphere is nice both in the Citadelle and in the old port.
The view from the cliffs is magic:
Around Bonifacio there are some stunning beaches whit white sand and blue water. Like the "Stagnoulo" I'm showing here...with this nice goat I met during my promenade. Actually I love laying on the beach, sun bathing like a Lizard...but I more often walked and took a bath in the cristal water.

From Bonifacio I moved to Sartene, one of the more tipical town in Corsica. Sartene houses are made by granite, so the town is pale grey. I had a good time there, in a bar on the main square, having an apero before (good) dinner. And I even met easy inhabitants!
From the town I captured this sunset, with the sea between the hills.
Close to Sartene is the village of Tizzano, where I spent some days: here part of the beach, in a very calm morning...don't You feel like having a swim? I did it, of course. And i'd like to do it right now!
Near are some beaches, some of them almost deserted, not the one I put here, the "silver" beach, a small corner of paradise...
As I have to see more and more, I left this part of the Island and I reached Piana, on the Route of the Calanches. Here the sunset from the street to the nice Arone beach, with the sun behind Capurossu. So romantic, isn't it?
Even during the day I found that the landscape was beautiful; I can't remember how many times I said: I could stay here days and days...but I had only a short time and so mutch I wanted to see!
Les calanches for instance, one of the stunning place I've seen so far, from the street and from the see too.

And here You are Capurossu sea, where I swam in this blue warm water...
This is Porto, the genovese tower that look after the natural harbour, surrounded by woods that reach the clear water.
...and the beaches near Porto...
Next stop was the Calvi area. I discovered that was too touristic for my taste, but the places are beautiful, mainly the small villages of the Balagne. This is Aregno, and his beach on the background.
This is a small church in Sant'Antonino, another charming village made of this warm stone...
like Pigna...
...where I guess living is sweeter (now...not only 40 years ago) than in my town: here a corner of the village.
I wonder how nice could be having a breakfast on this terrace...or a dinner when the sun in slowly going to sleep.
In Corbara, that is hidden from the sea to avoid Pirates, I spent an evening. Here it is only a few seconds before it was completly dark.
On the coast of Calvi, even if too crowded, there are some beaches that can really leave You breathless, like Bodri one: don't you love the colour of water and the Olive tree in front?
My last days I spent on the northest part of the Island, what they call the finger. A finger between Corsica and Liguria in Italy. The finger is greener than the rest of Corsica, and villages here are often smaller and nicer. This is Nonza famous for the black beach. I didn't stop here...only because I could not find a parking place!!! But it was a pity as the village is so charming and panoramic. Maybe next time I'll be here I'll stay longer in the finger.
But I could stop in Pinu, lovable so small village: only few very old homes and churches. Here You are the Marina, with the tower, the curch, the small cemetary and the microscopic port.
...one other tower...more a villa right now (argh...so gorgeous).
Here you are: me, simply happy and easy in the sunset, after my pastis in Centuri, while looking for a restaurant for the dinner (actually I choosed the right one this time).
...just in face of me the sun behind the houses of the village.
And than I spent all my last day at Barcaggio, one of the most beautiful beach of the finger. I was not alone. Even someone other thought staying here is seewt: here they are coming...
...resting...
...while i was enjoying the water (I missed it!!!!)...
...and, in the after noon, they left the beach for the pastrie.
So It arrived the time to leave Corsica. As You can see I love cats...and here I found so many lovely ones, like this one in a small garden of the Citadelle of Bastia.
In Bastia I began my vacation, here, of course, I finished it.
While waiting for the Ferry I let the sun of Corsica give me some more colour...
...as it was already sunday afternoon and on monday I returned to my Job.