A Dog Day

A semi-wild dog of Pompeii


An interesting feature of ancient Pompeii is that it is currently inhabited by a fair number of rather friendly wild dogs. They do seem to be cared for by the staff, as the dogs don't look to be undernourished at all.

Venus

Venus in a Half-Shell


This is a fresco found in a small Roman Villa in Pompeii. I somehow suspect the awkward-looking leg pointing upward was not painted by the original artist. Looking at it, it was probably added either by another, less talented artist, or by an occupant of the villa, who might have been bothered by not being able to see all of Venus' appendages.

Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius, with Pompeii in the forground

I don't have a lot of pictures from Naples. I'll just say I don't need to visit the place again. Pompeii, however, is different. the modern town built around Pompeii is quite pleasant. I'd stay there instead of Naples.

While Ostia Antica is more impressive in ambiance, Pompeii is nevertheless a required stop in a trip to Italy. While the place is crowded with tourists, and some areas roped off, the preservation of the ruins needs to be seen to be believed.

Roman Piazza

a Roman Piazza (AKA scooter parking lot)


I Always had the image of Piazzas in Rome as being an open pedestrian space centred around a fountain. This is indeed the case for some piazzas, but most are litte more than parking lots, primarily for the millions and millions of scooters that buzz around the city. The photo above is a very typical scene in Rome.

Philosophy

Raphael peeking out from a corner of Philosophy (School of Athens)


For me, this is one of the most entertaining little bits of Renaissance art I have seen. on a wall in the Vatican museums, sits a large fresco depicting in the centre Aristotle and Plato. The two philosophers divide the work. On either side are dozens of notable philosophers, thinkers, and inovators who are depicted as being adherents to either the Platonic or Aristotlean line of thought. In a corner of Plato's side, Raphael painted himself, cheekily hobnobbing with a rather auspicious crowd.

Ostia Antica

Kathryn at Ostia Antica


For me, one place I ABSOLUTELY had to see while in Rome was Ostia Antica. located about 30 km west of Rome, this used to be the primary outlet to the Mediterranean for ancient Rome. In its heyday it was the second-largest city in the Empire, with virtually all goods not being transported overland to Rome passing through Ostia. Now it is a huge, uninhabited ruin, covering a number of square miles. Entrance was only 4 euro, and while I had high expectations before going, the place left me awe-struck. There we saw the necropolis, taverns, toilets(!), fish markets, people's insulae(apartments), mosaics, temples, and the theatre seen in this photo.

Titus' Arch

Titus' Triumphal Arch, the Roman Forum behind

The ancient Roman Forum is essential viewing in Rome. It was pretty crowded, but it didn't detract from the experience of wandering around what was the centre of the Roman world.

Termini

In Rome's Termini train station

Termini is the primary train station and a centre point for the city's Metro system of subways. It's also the home of what I believe is the largest shopping mall in the city. By Canadian standards the shopping centre is relatively small, with only 120-odd small stores. Italians do their shopping primarily from small businesses along the streets, or in community markets. There's very few chain stores.

The Streets Of London

Essential information on the streets of London


Being used to cars driving on the right-hand side of the road, I was discombobulated by the left-handedness of English drivers. Fortunately, the streets had these orientation markers at almost every crosswalk we came across.

An Extraordinary Hunk Of Rock

The Rosetta Stone




This hunk of rock absolutely floored me when I saw it. By the time we went to the British Museum, we already had spent 2 nights in London. Yet I was still getting acclimatised with the jet-lag, and sort of getting used to the idea I'm in a different country. It didn't entirely occur to me yet that I was in the process of taking a trip I've dreamed of taking for many, many years.

Then I saw this, and it fully occured to me that after seeing the Rosetta Stone in photographs, and reading about it many times, here I am, standing in front of the thing. Of course, a whole lot of other people were standing in front of it, preventing a full-frontal photo, so this is what I was able to get.

Big Ben

Big Ben

On The Ponte Vecchio

Kathryn on the Ponte Vecchio


Built in 1345, the Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence.

Kathryn and I went to spend our honeymoon in Italy. The day following our wedding, we flew first to London, where we spent a few days, then to Rome where we stayed about a week, Naples for two nights (mostly to see Pompeii), to Florence for another week, then a last night in Rome before flying home. It was great. It was also the first time either of us travelled outside of North America. Since our anniversary is coming up on July 2, it's appropriate that I post some pictures from our time in Europe over the next few days.

Florence's Duomo

The Duomo at sunset


I took this photo standing atop a building that had a nice view of the Duomo (cathedral) in Florence, Italy. The construction of which started in 1296, and took about 170 years to complete. The big dome was designed by Brunelleschi in 1419. It likely served as inspiration for Michaelangelo in his design of the dome that sits atop St Peter's Basilica in Rome. The smaller dome you see is above the Baptistry, said to be the oldest building in Florence. Originally built in 1059, it has been much altered over the centuries.

It's been quite hot in Vancouver this past week. Yesterday evening it was 32 degrees Celsius in the shade. It's been reminding me a lot of Italy. I've been especially thinking about Florence. It's a great little city, relatively quiet, since there's no cars allowed in much of the city centre. The past little while I've been entertaining the idea of spending 1-3 months there in either the spring, or fall. I don't think it's really doable anytime soon, but it's a nice daydream.

A View From SFU

A partial view of downtown from SFU

A Rose At SFU

Another Rose from the SFU Rose Garden


Sunday was the start of a hot spell, reaching 30 degrees Celsius. We went to Simon Fraser University (SFU), which sits atop Burnaby Mountain. There's a small park there, which does not attract a lot of people that has a great view of the city below. There's also a rose garden. I've been taking a fair bit of rose, and flower photos lately. No particular reason for it, really.

A Bug's View

A bug's-eye view of a small weed

A Rose in the SFU Rose Garden

The Big W

The Woodward's W

So on Thursday they finally took down the Woodward's W. Woodward's used to be a major department store chain in western Canada, especially in BC. This big W sat atop what used to be their flagship store in the Downtown East Side. Erected in 1958, for better and for worse it's been a city landmark even since Woodward's was shut down in 1993. On the one hand it's the last bit remaining of what was once a very successful Vancouver business, but then it became a glaring reminder of the urban decay going on in the Downtown East Side.

anyhow, here's a little history of the company:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodwards

A Rose in Stanley Park

Kathryn in Black and White

A Rose in the UBC Rose Garden

Kathryn in the UBC Rose Garden

A Little Leaf

A small leaf on a cement wall

Work

Ah, work. I'm at work right now typing this. Lately it's been a strange alternation of being crazy busy to being crazy slow. Monday normally is insanely busy with not quite enough working hours to do everything I need to do. By contrast a Thursday like today is mind-bogglingly slow. I spend a good part of the day trying to find things to do, even if it's little more than a make-work project.

I was looking at some stock-photography websites today, and I have to say I think a lot of my own photo collection is better than what I see people trying to sell. Mind you I think I have a collection of good, half-decent pictures running in the dozens, maybe 200-300, where some of the photographers have 3000+.

The moving thing is off for now. We'll likely still move at some point, just not for a good 2-4 months, at least. More room would be nice, but I'm not disappointed, since I really like the area where we live now.

I had booked 2 weeks off work for the beginning of July, but it was only put there to hold the vacation days since I didn't know when I wanted to take them. I deceided to keep the 1 week as a vacation. I really feel I need a reasonable amount of time to just chill right about now.

I think I'll post some pictures either today, or in the next couple days...

Kathryn last week

Kathryn

Fun With Glass

I see you!

Moving Maybe

So we're thinking of moving in the next couple months. Kathryn will be going to school full-time next year, so we're looking at someplace closer. Closer to her school also means closer to my work, so it'll be less commuting for both of us.

We've lived in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver for over 2 1/2 years, now. I'll miss it quite a bit. I think I'll miss it most for the simple reason that this is the first place Kathryn and I have lived in together. It's where we lived when we got engaged, and later got married.

On the other hand, it's a long way from where Kathryn will be going to school, and our current apartment is relatively expensive. For the price we're now paying for a 600 square foot 1 bedroom apartment, we could get a 1000 square foot 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in Burnaby or New Westminster...