Traveling Tuesdays

Welcome to Padua, where you can find beautiful
architecture (see?) and also beautiful men (I'm just sayin').
Took a day trip here from Venice to visit the restored Giotto
frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel.  You are absolutely not
allowed to take photos in there (in fact, you're barely
allowed to breathe; we had to wait in an airlocked
antechamber for 15 minutes before entering the chapel itself).
Anyway, no Giottos and no men, but this is pretty, isn't it?


[To see more Tuesday travels, visit Sandi's meme.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

I took this picture this past weekend, and a quick
look at my photo archives tells me that a year
ago I was snapping shots of the newly blooming
daffodils in mid-April.  Do you suppose
 they'll be popping up in February next year?


[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Passed by this restaurant on the way to see the
home of St. Catherine in Siena (through the
gateway just beyond). Loved the clever way the
tables were built to accommodate the sloping street
(and 20 minutes later there wasn't a seat to be had).


[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

Photo Hunt—"play"

6

They may be "playing" chess, but—
trust me—these men take it
very, very seriously. Actually, the
guy in the background in the middle?
I just realized that I've featured him before.


[To see more "playful" posts, visit Sandi's meme.] 

Make a Wish

There's a pool at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
(that's it below too, fronting the temple of Dendur,
which has been around in one place or another
since 15 B.C—more about that another day).
So why do people feel compelled to toss coins
into every container of water they come across?
This is not the Trevi Fountain, folks (though I
sincerely hope you got your wish if you made one).

To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Thursday Challenge — "food"

For this one, I was going to show a shot of the
cicchetti at my favorite wine bar in Venice—but
then I thought why not go where they go to get the
ingredients for their inventive snacks: the fabulous
Rialto Market. When you shop here the vendor picks your
produce for you, but not to worry—every piece of fruit,
fennel bulb, bean, tomato, and zucchini is pure perfection.


[To see more "food," visit the Thursday Challenge meme.]

abc wednesday —I is for "Intrepid"

This 69-year-old aircraft carrier had a distinguished 39-year
career before it became the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum.
The ship underwent a 2-year, $120 million renovation
in 2006–8 (but not before the Navy had to spend an additional,
unexpected $3 million to dredge 39,000 cubic yards
of muck so the ship could be moved—oops).
She's looking good now, and next month will become
the new home of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.


[To see more abc Wednesday, go here.]