Slickrock and Shadow

Typical forest view along the Zanes Trail Val di Funes is a gorgeous location in northern Italy.  If you do a Google search you will know what I mean.  This is part of the Puez Odle National Park.  I was expecting a lot of tourists, hikers and other visitors when I came here.  To my surprise, it was completely deserted.  I seem to have the entire valley and mountains to myself.  To be fair, it had been raining/snowing recently and there was a little bit of a drizzle continuing. The Zanes Trail is advertised as a wheelchair accessible trail in the dolomites.  There are no stairs.  Some of the trail is packed with loose gravel, making it difficult for a wheeled vehicle to go through but possible.  Along the trail there are different signs indicating interesting facts about the wildlife and forest.   Old Cabin at the beginning of Zanes Trail Coming to the Valley from Bolzano would be difficult without some GPS instructions...

Bolzano Town Square To get a taste of German heritage without leaving Italy, just drive north until you reach Bolzano.  This town is unlike any other I have visited in Italy.  You can still find gelato but the pasta and pizza had been replaced with pretzels and sauerkraut!  (As an aside, I learned that Europeans have pretzels without mustard.  I've grown accustomed to spicy mustard with my pretzel and had to go without here.) The town square is definitely worth checking out.  It is named after a local Protestant hero by the name of Walther.  His square is called Waltherplatz.  Next to this bustling plaza is the beautiful Gothic church, several restaurants including gelato stands and more.  A good time to photograph is in the early morning or in the late evening when the sun hits the statues, mountains and church spires.

A Couple of Dinghy Boats Colorful boats are a perfect companion to the colorful houses in the Cinque Terre, Italy.  Here are a few photographs of them.  They each have their own name.  I discovered Elisa, Vittoria and Lia floating around together.  Every boat has a name and probably has a personality.  I did not spend enough time to learn about that.  I simply enjoyed their beautiful curves and buoyancy. Dry Dock Boat License Detail from Riomaggiore Red Boat in Vernazza Elisa, Vittoria and Lia

Italian Lovers Italy has a very romantic location.  The ocean, the sunlight and the warm water all bring out the romantic side in people.  I remember having a wonderful day in the Cinque Terre with my wife as we hiked from town to town 17 years ago.  When we returned for this trip with 3 children in tow, it was easy to see that the romantic setting remained the same. At the edge of the sea, at the breakwater of Riomaggiore, this couple was enjoying the wonderful setting.  They were quite oblivious to everyone else around them.  I thought it might make a romantic shot with them, the rocks and the ocean.  The wonderful sunlight reflecting off the waves highlights everything. 

Quiet Intersection of Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre Before crowds wake up, before the shops open, before sounds fill the alleyways, every city seems to have a quiet side.  I like to get up and wander around during this time to see the world without so many people.  Here in there, a shopkeeper was getting ready for the day.  For the most part, the alleyways for empty and silent. As a photographer I enjoyed exploring.  I had no map, no agenda.  I just wandered around, took my time and enjoyed whatever happened to cross my path.  Some street signs, hanging lanterns, umbrellas, parked bicycles and doors ajar caught my attention.  I hope you enjoy them. Monterosso al Mare is where I stayed during my 3 days in the Cinque Terre.  This is a wonderful town.  I stayed in the older part, more southern part.  There is a wonderful beach, wonderful old buildings and delicious pizza. Green door number 21 Shops before opening time. ...

Fishing Lesson in Vernazza Harbor I happened to be in the right place at the right time as I was hiking from town to town in the Cinque Terre, Italy.  An aging fisherman had a young child out in the boat.  They were going over different materials in the boat.  Then he got a net and wanted to show the child some things in the water.  Some smaller fish were swimming around underneath the boat.  I thought this was a very touching, personal scene amidst the touristic background.

Reclining Statue from Pisa's Camposanto Pisa's touristic powerhouse is the "field of miracles" headlined by the famous leaning tower.  this is an absolutely wonderful sight to see, both fun and architecturally fascinating.  The wonderful grassy fields surrounding the leaning Tower and Duomo invite fun loving people to sit down and enjoy the wonderful view.  People watching can be fantastic here. On a first visit here, it was very easy to not pay attention to the long rectangular building on the far left. That was a mistake.  On my 2nd visit, after more preparation and education, I had this building at the top of my list for Pisa.  Pisa's Camposanto (cemetery) was the location for famous citizens to be buried.  It also was painted with marvelous frescoes.  Many of these were damaged during World War II. You would think with ancient tombs and world-class frescoes, that would be enough for one location.  However the Camposanto offers even mo...