This is a view of the famous Duomo dome taken from Giotto's famous bell tower. If you go to Florence, you might considered climbing to the top of this tower, though if you are out of shape, claustrophobic or acrophobic, it may not be your thing.Here's yet another view of the dome from a blog entry I posted a while ago called "The Impossible Dome."
Another World (But Not So Different)
Sailboats live in a different world when they are moored on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, which is where this photo was taken. The water is clearer and colder in summer than Lake Oahe. And, of course, boats at the Spring Creek Marina don't have snow capped mountains looking down on them. Otherwise, this is a familiar scene to me: beautiful boats waiting dutifully for their skippers to take them out for a sail.
Room For All the Gods
in Architecture, Europe, Travel
This is the Pantheon in Rome and was built about 2000 years ago. The name means "to all the gods" and the structure was built by people who worshipped a multitude of gods and spirits. Much later in its history, the Pantheon became a Christian church but today it is a tourist attraction and a burial place.* And, if you ask me, it is an architectural marvel - even after 2000 years.If it looks amazing today, imagine walking into this space when it was decorated with statues of Roman deities and with the coffered dome covered in brilliant gold leaf. There is no doubt that this is my favorite ancient building. And, in case you are wanting to see more, I have a previous post in this blog extolling the Pantheon. Finally, if you like to make comparisons, check out this spectacular Chicago structure and discuss.*Italian Kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I; the Great Renaissance artist Raphael (also a Ninja Turtle)
Toilet Twitter
in Architecture, Europe, Travel
Today's social tools, like facebook and Twitter, help keep people in touch with each other in ways that are sometimes astounding. But people of our time might be equally astounded to learn how ancients kept in touch. Of course they chatted along the streets, in the bars and in the public meeting places, just as we do.But they also chatted in the public rest rooms. Talk about the weather and politics would have gone hand in hand with performing basic body functions. Men and women, rich and poor and old and young would have sat cheek to cheek (sorry, but I had to use that expression) in bathrooms much like this.Where are we in this photo? This is the well-preserved Roman city of Ephesus, where the apostle Paul lived and worked. Ephesus is in modern day Turkey and was a stop on our 10 day cruise of the Greek islands. My students are good natured about posing on the ancient toilets. But they were a bit embarrassed. I hope that making this moment public doesn't further embarass them.Incidentally, this blog post goes out to my first block world history class, whom I am teaching about blogging and RSS feeds. The first person in that class to post a response to this blog gets to take the iPad home for a day or two!
It's Not a Ferris Wheel
The London Eye may well be one of those metal things that are built for special occasions and then end up being iconic - such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Space Needle in Seattle. The good thing about the London Eye is that if you take a ride in it, you get a great view of all of the other London icons, though if I had it to do over again, I think I'd like to go up around sunset.
He Lost His Head!
Yesterday we were inside of the Notre Dame cathedral and today we have stepped outside and are looking at the west facade. More specifically we are looking at carvings next to one of the three sets of doors into the cathedral.The man holding his head is St. Denis. He became a saint in part because the miracle he performed was to be martyred by being beheaded, then to reach down and pick up his head and walk 6 miles north of Paris, preaching the whole way. He finally died. And they built a basillica to honor him. Not bad for a day's work.In researching this post I learned a new word: cephalophore. A cephalophore is someone who carries his/her own head. Try working that into your casual conversation today!
Bokeh
According to my Mac's built-in dictionary, bokeh is "the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens." I've said it before about my Canon 50mm 1.2 and I'll say it again: this lens gives good bokeh.This photo was taken in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France. My wife doesn't like it when I take photos of votives but I like having the chance to play with bokeh (and fire).
Three Tourists and One Local
He has a gun, a big hat, a red uniform and isn't smiling. The three girls have cameras and casual clothes. So guest who the tourists are.Incidentally, I'm not sure if the soldier is a Beefeater or not. I also don't know what he's guarding. Perhaps an important door? Or maybe he's just a tourist attraction. Kind of like the giant tortoises at Reptile Gardens?
08-28-10 Open Shutters
in Travel
When I say, "Venetian," do you think of Las Vegas or of Italy? In the case of these open shutters, you should think of Venice, Italy. One clue is the benign decay you see in the masonry around the windows. Though I've never been to the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, I'm guessing it's not falling apart. Or sinking.
Filitosa - Corsica
in Travel
Filitosa is a historic site on the French island of Corsica. It was discovered in the 1940s and was determined to be a late neolithic settlement occupied from sometime around 3300 BC to 1500 BC. The stone columns in this photo are called menhirs and are thought to have been constructed to ward off enemies through magic.The day Deb and I visited Filitosa, which covers several acres and includes the quarry where the many structures and menhirs originated, we had the place to ourselves. We were certainly off the beaten path.One thing that strikes me about places like Filitosa is that it was inhabited for 1800 years. The town I live in has been inhabited for 125 years - less than 1/100 of Filitosa. I sometimes wonder what archaeologists will find in our location 1700 years from now. We have a clock tower. Will that survive? If it does, will they know what it was for? Magic?
We Begin Again!
Students return to the classroom in Watertown today and I can't wait to meet my sophomores. The girls in this photo aren't expressing exuberance for their return to school, however. This photo was taken of the 2005 homecoming parade. And, as seniors, they were pretty excited about that.Incidentally, if you are curious about the other blog entry for today, which I think shows up as a "Protected" entry, it is something I am doing for my world history students. So it is just for them. Sorry. I may share the final product with you if it turns out OK. :-)
Skeletons
Create a short story that describes what you think happened in the photo. Like detectives do when they study crime scenes, you need to study the photo very closely.