Pisa e il resto della Toscana

Arezzo antiques market

2012-02-13T20:17:00.000+01:00

The antiques fair in Arezzo is traditionally held on the first Sunday of every month.

Crespignano

2012-02-13T12:30:00.000+01:00

The villa

The garden

The fountain

Tower in the artificial lake

The tower of Crespignano and
in the background, the tower of Caprona

No more snow

2012-02-12T18:44:00.000+01:00

Caprona

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Snow

2012-02-12T18:02:00.000+01:00

A little snow in Pisa. Not much.

The moon

2012-01-21T21:41:00.000+01:00

After the rain

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Kaki Persimmon

2011-12-27T21:47:00.000+01:00

The sky over Pisa

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Cribs

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San Giuseppe

Sant'Anna

Saints

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Trees in piazza Santa Caterina

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After the sunset

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Schiacciata and vegetables

2011-11-18T23:29:00.001+01:00

Bread from a bakery near Galileo's birthplace. To be exact, it's "schiacciata" (ski-atchata), a salty bread with olive oil. Delicious! Sometimes schiacciata with more ingredients: olives or onions, potatoes... whatever

Special vegetables from the vegetables shop in via San Francesco.

Muscari bulbs

The flood (1966)

2011-11-07T09:59:00.000+01:00

The flood of the river Arno in Pisa. 4 November 1966.

La Venezia

2011-09-13T21:59:00.002+01:00

I don't remember which travel guide claims that Livorno is not very interesting. But it is of course not true and the travel guide in question is just unreliable. Livorno has a fascinating history, a very nice historical city centre and the wittiest people in Italy.

The ideal town

Livorno was defined as an "ideal town" during the Italian Renaissance. Today, it reveals its history through the structure of its neighbourhoods, crossed by canals and surrounded by fortified town walls, through the tangle of its streets, which embroider the town's Venice district, and through the Medici Port characteristically overlooked by towers and fortresses leading to the town centre. Designed by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti at the end of the 16th century, Livorno underwent a period of great town planning expansion at the end of the 17th century. Near the defensive pile of the Old Fortress, a new fortress, together with the town-walls and the system of navigable canals, was then built.

Tolerance

In the late 1580s, Ferdinando I of Tuscany declared Livorno a porto Franco, which meant that the goods traded here were duty free. The Leggi Livornine were laws in force between 1590 and 1603. These laws helped the trading activities of the merchant, freedom of religion and amnesty for some penance. Thanks to these laws, Livorno became a cosmopolitan city and one of the most important ports of the entire Mediterranean area. Many foreigners moved to Livorno; Armenians, Dutch, English, Greeks and Jews were among those who relocated to live and trade. Much later, during the 18th century, some Moriscos (Muslim Spaniards forcibly converted to Catholicism) also moved to Livorno from Spain.

Communism

The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno.

Anti-fascists

Sandro Pertini, partisan and president of the Italian Republic from 1978 to 1985, was jailed here during fascist time.

Sense of humour

Il Vernacoliere is an Italian monthly satirical magazine based in Livorno, Tuscany, founded in 1982 by editor-director Mario Cardinali. Il Vernacoliere is well known for its popular, raw, heavily irreverent political and social satire, written in the dialect of Livorno or, at the very least, with a distinctive Tuscanian tinge. The magazine features satirical articles, comics, and an editorial note (in standard Italian), with the occasional addition of opinion pieces. Amongst Italian magazines, Il Vernacoliere is notable for having no advertising, covering all its expenses with the sale of the journal and of the associated gadgets.

The storage room

2011-09-12T00:39:00.000+01:00

What can you find in the storage room of a church?

Tomatoes, figs, zucchini

2011-09-10T12:37:00.000+01:00

Pesce fresco

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Shops and restaurants in Piazza delle Vettovaglie.

Le sette volte

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Monti Pisani

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Slant

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Shades of blue

2011-07-29T18:40:00.002+01:00

Sailing in Castiglione.

To rub or not to rub?

2011-06-19T10:30:00.001+01:00

What the hell, I'll rub.

Te deum

2011-06-19T00:29:00.009+01:00

Here he is, Saint Ranieri, in a cloud of incense. He was the son of a rich merchant and shipowner, like many Pisans of his time (XII century). As a youth, he was a traveling minstrel, Wikipedia says. I had never heard this before (like the bells of the leaning tower) but I like the idea.

Then, he decided to give away his wealth and live in poverty, while traveling in the Holy Land. He's the patron saint of Pisa and travelers. Pisa has many travelers-saints. He died in Pisa in 1160, after having performed many miracles, as any respectable saint should do.
Now he has right to two Carabinieri in high uniform as bodyguards.

Singing in Latin in a 900 years old cathedral, with treasures of Cimabue and Giovanni Pisano. Just beautiful.

The audience was enraptured.

Something else I had never seen before: two old ladies (flash and bones, not marble ones) sitting on the pedestal of the absolute masterpiece of Italian Gothic sculpture, the pulpit of Giovanni Pisano. The lions did not scare them.

The knights

2011-06-18T23:59:00.005+01:00

Two lady-knights of Saint Stephen.

The bell tower

2011-06-18T23:38:00.001+01:00

I don't think I had ever heard the bells of the leaning tower before today. Well, thanks to the procession of San Ranieri today I did.

Pink and blue

2011-06-18T14:51:00.000+01:00

Senatus Popolusque Pisanus

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And the Medici coat of arms. Comune di Pisa.

The gecko and the zoom

2011-06-17T11:09:00.004+01:00

or, another view of the luminara.

Luminara

2011-06-17T10:10:00.003+01:00

Candles,

fireworks,

sweets,

lanterns,

and people, a lot of people.

Italian constitutional referendum, 1946

2011-06-02T17:59:00.001+01:00

Until 1946, Italy was a kingdom ruled by the House of Savoy. The Italian constitutional referendum took place on June 2, 1946.

12,718,641 Italians voted for the Republic; 10,718,502 voted for monarchy.

In Pisa, the Republic had 30,896 votes, monarchy 12,487

The leaning tower is not straight

2011-05-17T23:44:00.000+01:00

Official video of the Regione Toscana for the International Day Against Homophobia.

Buonissimo!

2011-04-28T11:22:00.001+01:00

The best meal in the last 10 years.

Primo: zuppa toscana con porcini.

Secondo: fried cod with pappa al pomodoro.

Absolutely delicious, absolutely Tuscan, only 20€. The restaurant is called "Le repubbliche marinare" and it's located in Vicolo Ricciardi 8. I had been there many times, and it's generally good. This time is was better than ever.

"Divino!"

Vicoli

2011-04-27T23:08:00.005+01:00

In a restaurant in this vicolo I had one of the best meals of the last 10 years...

In the North of Tuscany...

2011-04-24T22:13:00.007+01:00

... one hour from Pisa, mountains are made of marble, people don't speak Tuscan and streets are named after anarchists.

And you can eat the best lardo in Italy.

The most famous lardo is from the Tuscan hamlet of Colonnata, where lardo has been made since Roman times. Colonnata is a frazione of the larger city of Carrara; Colonnata is itself a site where Carrara marble is mined and, traditionally, lardo is cured for months in basins made of this local marble. Lardo di Colonnata is now included in the Ark of Taste catalogue of heritage foods as well as enjoying IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status. (Wikipedia dixit)

Mountains are made of marble

2011-04-24T21:35:00.009+01:00

In Carrara.

The scent of Pisa

2011-04-23T17:51:00.003+01:00

A friend of a friend, Marco Malvaldi, writes detective stories with a special Pisan touch: the university, students, grumpy and wise "nonni" (grandfathers), bikes and sense of humour. As far as I know, only in Italian (Il gioco delle tre carte) or German (Im Schatten der Pineta: Ein Toskana-Krimi).

Teatro Rossi

2011-03-28T22:11:00.013+01:00

A small theatre, built in the 18th century and abandoned many years ago (1966). Named after the actor Ernesto Rossi. It is usually closed. It was open March 27th thanks to the FAI.

Some ancient decoration outside the theatre.

Some modern ones.

Read more about Teatro Rossi

Sans Plans in Paris | In Which We Are Torta Lesson

2011-03-27T00:28:00.000+01:00

Sans Plans in Paris | In Which We Are Torta Lesson

One of the famed local delicacies of Pisa is torta co’ bischeri, a tart of pastry, chocolate, pinenuts and candied fruit. The filling, though delicious, is quite heavy and, well, filling! These days in Pisa, it is not always easy to find one, they’re not really something you can get everywhere. So we were very excited when we passed by a little pasticceria and saw they had torte co’ bischeri for sale:

So we purchased one, posthaste! It was nicely wrapped up in a brown paper package tied up with string… hmm, perhaps this shall become one of my favourite things. Yes, I suppose that was a little obvious. But you try coming up with clichés at the drop of a hat. Oh leave me alone. Onward!

A rustic Italian package just crying to be opened up and eaten in onesitting. But what terrible delights are really contained within?

There is much debate about what the ‘bischeri’ in torta co’ bischeri means. Signora Can-guru believes that it refers to the pinenuts sprinkled on top. I would hate to argue with a real Italian mamma. But other internet experts believe it refers to the pastry horns or strips laid over the top of said pie. Bischeri is also commonly used to refer to a stupid or naive person. What do stupid people have to do with this pie, I hear you ask?

There are pastry objects, pine nuts, and possibly stupid people atop this pie. Which is it?!

Read more: Sans Plans in Paris | In Which We Are Torta Lesson

S. Stefano

2011-03-03T22:01:00.000+01:00

58.36 metri (100 braccia pisane)

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Angle of slant: 3.99 m from the vertical.
Weight: 14,453 metric tons (of marble)
Height: short side: 55.86 metres, high side: 56.70

More? There's an official Opera del Duomo site and a podcast

And then?

2011-01-07T19:13:00.003+01:00

Parco degli sport

2011-01-07T10:59:00.002+01:00

Tennis with style.

Old ladies and furs

2011-01-06T18:47:00.003+01:00

no fur - red hair.

I never saw so many furs.

Torretta springs

2011-01-02T19:10:00.002+01:00

Terme Tettuccio

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Tettuccio 2

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Tettuccio springs

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Details

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Tettuccio hot springs, in Montecatini Terme.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T20:58:00.003+01:00

The frame shop.

The lizards don't shine any more

2010-11-24T01:25:00.004+01:00

For centuries (?) people have rubbed them for good luck. As a kid, every time my grandfather was in Pisa, we went there for the rubbing ceremony.
Now, there's a protective grid, and the two "lucertoline" don't shine anymore. They don't bring good luck to the World or just a little fun to kids and grandparents.

I had forgotten my shadow

2010-11-21T20:26:00.002+01:00

and sparse clouds.

Tirrenia in Winter.

More people holding up the leaning tower

2010-11-20T16:22:00.001+01:00

Unexpectedly in via Santa Maria

2010-11-20T02:16:00.002+01:00

Il patino

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Shadows

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in Tirrenia.

Yummy

2010-11-14T10:59:00.001+01:00

Tuscan cheese

Sicilian cannoli and cassate. From the open air food market in Banchi.

Mediterranean sea

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in winter

Treasure hunting

2010-11-13T18:53:00.002+01:00

at the open air market

Golden light

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Through the window

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The sky above Via Santa Maria

The beach in Tirrenia

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Pisa

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blue sky in November!

Ex- voto (6)

2010-11-06T01:59:00.001+01:00

Ex-voto from Montenero (5)

2010-11-05T01:42:00.002+01:00

San Silvestro

2010-10-31T22:31:00.002+01:00

The set of buildings called the Compendio or Complesso di San Silvestro is located in an irregularly-shaped, tree-lined square near the Arno River. It was probably founded in 1118, when the Pisan Archbishop Pietro Moriconi gave the church and monastery connected to it to the Benedictine Monks of Montecassino , who remained there until 1270.

The Romanesque church, which can just barely be made out in the apse and bell tower, was decorated with many ceramic basins. In 1331 the buildings were given to the nuns of San Domenico from the nearby convent of Santa Croce in Fossabanda; they restored the church for the first time. The changes carried out in the 17 th and 18 th centuries were more substantial : In 1609 the church was divided into two parts in order to create a choir or internal room for the nuns; during the 18 th century the façade was completely redone, the architrave (now kept at the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo) with the histories of Constantine and Silvestro removed, and statues added. The church was deconsecrated and used as a workshop for the restoration of art.

The 14 th -century convent connected to the church has been used in various ways over the centuries. In 1782 the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopoldo, transformed the monastery into a conservatory for the daughters of nobles ; at the beginning of the 19 th century it became property of the Order of the Salesians. Still in the 19 th century it was the seat of the Scuola Normale, then became a reformatory for minors and then a student residence . (from the site of Scuola Normale)

The monument to the anarchist Franco Serantini, killed by the police in 1972.

And now, finally restaured!

Le piagge

2010-10-30T10:55:00.001+01:00

A walk along the river Arno, on the way to the new SMS museum.

Lungarno

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Palazzo Lanfranchi.

Underground exhibit at Giardino Scotto

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An espresso in piazza delle vettovaglie

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Italian way.

Roundabout

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in the Giardino Scotto.

Lungarno in a cloudy day

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from Palazzo Lanfranchi.

Pisans at SMS

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A place for art, for kids, for history, for everybody, for concerts, for fun.

Anne Frank exhibit at SMS

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Munari at SMS

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and scouts visiting the exhibit.

SMS

2010-10-19T23:07:00.002+01:00

There's a brand new museum in Pisa: SMS. (San Michele degli Scalzi).

In the restaured cloister of San Michele.

Autumn leaves (in the Giardino Scotto)

2010-10-18T21:27:00.000+01:00

(Autumn leaves in the) Giardino Scotto

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After the rain

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the sky is blue. 19 degrees. Much warmer under the sun.

Massa Marittima

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San Cerbone

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Pieve di San Giovanni Battista

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I always thought that the belfry was bizarre... and in fact its upper part was built in the XX century, on top of one of the towers of the fortress.

The XVI century church. It seems that before being a church, the room was used as an arms depot!

The relics of William of Maleval (or William the Great), an hermit who died near Castiglione in 1157.

Between Rosignano and Vada

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The soda-white sand of Rosignano

Bocca d'Arno

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San Piero a Grado

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The legend says that the church was built in the spot where Saint Peter disembarked... and the frescoes by Deodato Orlandi (early 14th century) depict the life of Saint Peter.

The current construction begun in the 10th century and was renovated in the late 11th-early 12th centuries. It has no façade but has apses on both sides.

The exterior is decorated by ceramic basins coming from Maiorca, Sicily or the Islamic world (the originals are in the Museo di San Matteo).

When Pisa was bombed

2010-08-31T23:03:00.001+01:00

31 August 1943.

And then the British army came. And an Indian soldier used to give white bread to my grandma, saying it was for my father, not for her. Because my father looked like his son.

The castle of Castiglione

2010-07-24T14:03:00.001+01:00

Birdwatching in the Diaccia Botrona

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The bridge of casa Ximenes

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Casa Ximenes and Diaccia Botrona

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Casa Ximenes (XVIII century). My grandmother told me that there was a stair and each step produced a note, but there's no sign of it...

The natural reserve Diaccia Botrona, with the swamp and Casa Ximenes, as seen from Castiglione castle.

Birdwatching in Diaccia Botrona.

Sunflowers from the train

2010-07-14T13:03:00.001+01:00

To the seaside

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"Di là dal ponte" beaches seen from my window.

Summer in Castiglione.

Sailing.

Capezzolo e Rocchette.

Ex-voto from Montenero (4)

2010-07-04T21:53:00.000+01:00

Ex-voto from Montenero (3)

2010-07-03T00:41:00.002+01:00

Ex-voto from Montenero (2)

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Ouch!

Ex voto from Montenero

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"Ite missa est"

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Biancheria

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Winter colors

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