Divided Italy celebrates 150 years of unity

Italy celebrated yesterday (17 March) the 150th anniversary of its unification. But the country has never been so divided, with separatist forces gaining ground in the north and south alike. Anniversary celebrations took place all over Italy. The government decided to call a national holiday to mark the special occasion.

Separatist movements are gaining ground and the government itself is dominated by a party (Lega Nord) which began its political life by explicitly calling for the secession of the wealthier north from the rest of the country.

Lega Nord's anti-national stance was blatantly confirmed during yesterday's celebrations. In addition to four ministers, just one of the right-wing party's 85 MPs was present at a solemn ceremony in the packed Italian Parliament in Rome.

A gallery of pictures is here

Proterra

It is one of my favourite songs from Celtic band Runrig. The story is a universal one, as the elements of land and sea are pivotal for the survival of maritime civilizations. Probably of all kind of Civilization. It is the struggle of our Mother Earth subjected by greedy choices of few to all sort of damages and crimes.

The title is a made up word, from the Latin, meaning 'for the land.' It was taken from the motto on the Macdonald Clan crest - Per Mare, Per Terras - By Sea, By Land. The crest shows a severed arm holding a cross. The legend or myth of the crest origin became the subject of the song. In the story, two sons of the chief were given the opportunity to become his heir, and to take the title of Lord of the Isles. The Isles being virgin territory that would be claimed, to become the start of a new clan dynasty. The decision rested on a rowing race between the two sons and their respective oarsmen. The victor would be the one to first touch the new land. The galleys rowed neck and neck until close to the shore, when one brother drew ahead and was about to claim his prize. Before he touched the land, the other brother, seeing the race slip away from him, drew his sword, severed off his own arm and threw it onto the land first. He then became the eventual victor.

This legend within the album is a piece of symbolism for the importance and the struggle that the Celtic peoples have experienced from the dawn of history to the present day for the ownership of, and their survival on the land on which they live.

As I was saying the story in my view is universal and is the struggle we are facing every day no matter if are earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters after such tragedies we tend to ask ourselves "This is such a tragedy... God doesn't exist...". Of course some good-doer, no matter from which side will promptly come up with something made up claiming that not only does God exist, but he is trying to show us something through these natural disasters. In reality God on Friday 11th was too busy doing something else and had no time to look down to the poor people of Japan!

The Venice Carnival Photo Book

My  photo book  "Carnival in Venice 2011" is out, it is about 40 pages and more than 50 photographs. You can take a look at the preview of few pages

http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=2036633

The Venice Carnival - Photographs by Marco Secchi

Every year Venice celebrates Carnival, which lasts for two weeks and ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, so today was the final day! Compared to last year, the last day of this year's Venice carnival is estimated to have witnessed a rise in tourist numbers. The combined figures offered by Venice police and hotel operators suggest that as many as 160,000 tourists were in Venice for the annual carnival's closing Sunday.

It has been a very busy and intense 2 weeks, but with lots of fun as well and hundreds of pictures.

Venice Carnival Fever

On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February, the “Festa Veneziana” (Venetian Festival) took place in Venice.The prologue to the Carnival – to be held this year from 26 February to 8 March – is dedicated to the people of Venice. Over the weekend, several of the city’s rowing associations made their way through the city’s famous canals.

The festivities ended with the “Volo della Pantegana” (the flight of the rat), a parody of the flight of the angel, which traditionally opens the Carnival.

More pictures of Venice Carnival check under Images

Vorticists in Venice

A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him. (Ezra Pound)

The Vorticism group began with the Rebel Art Centre which Wyndham Lewis and others established after disagreeing with Omega Workshops founder Roger Fry, and has roots in the Bloomsbury Group, Cubism, and Futurism. Lewis himself saw Vorticism as an independent alternative to Cubism, Futurism and Expressionism.

Though the style grew out of Cubism, it is more closely related to Futurism in its embrace of dynamism, the machine age and all things modern (cf. Cubo-Futurism). However, Vorticism diverged from Futurism in the way it tried to capture movement in an image. In a Vorticist painting modern life is shown as an array of bold lines and harsh colours drawing the viewer's eye into the centre of the canvas.

The name Vorticism was given to the movement by Ezra Pound in 1913, although Lewis, usually seen as the central figure in the movement, had been producing paintings in the same style for a year or so previously.

Pictures from today opening of the Venice Exhibition

600

Eight letters

This is all that matters now And that was all that happened anyhow You can look back but don't stare Maybe I can love you out of there

And when I went away what I forgot to say Was all I had to say: Eight letters, three words, one meaning

And outside forces didn't make it easy So I thought I'd go before you leave me Self-preservation was no explanation for anything

(Gary Barlow)

Vaporino

When you walk in the winter fog, there seems to be no division between water and embankment, life and death, love and hate. You feel that you can walk through walls, through sky, through time.

My Venice is the Venice of winter, the Venice of Cannaregio, the Venice of fog. Walking down the Fte Nove  in la nebbia, wearing rubber boots against the high water, it is hard to tell where terra firma leaves off and sky and water begin. The city seems to hang in the air like a mirage. Sounds bounce off the waters and deceive you with their closeness or farness. Figures appear and disappear around corners. The past beckons. It is quite possible to believe that it can take you and never give you back.

Related articles

• The peaceful pleasures of Venice in winter (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Venice Frittelle - Venezia Fritole

frittele of St Giuseppe, pastry typical of mar...

Image via

Wikipedia

Frittelle...Fritoe, or fritters, are the most famous dolci or sweets of  Venice during the Carnival Season.

Frittelle begin showing up in pastry shops, Cafes and  bakeries, mid Januaryand  during the weeks leading up to il Carnevale di Venezia. When Carnival is over, frittelle disappear from the store windows almost as quickly as tourists in masks.

Frittelle come in a variety of styles, both filled and unfilled, the available choices usually include:

Frittelle veneziane. No filling, but with raisins and pine nuts mixed into the fairly heavy dough. After frying, the frittelle are rolled in granulated sugar.

Frittelle con crema chantilly. Filled with a light vanilla-flavored pastry cream and rolled in granulated sugar.

Frittelle con cioccolata. Filled with a mild chocolate-flavored pastry cream and rolled in granulated sugar.

Frittelle con zabaione. Filled with a Marsala-flavored pastry cream and rolled in granulated sugar.

The most famous and renowned places were to get the Frittelle and my vote

• Pasticceria Tonolo: Contrada San pantalon in Dorsoduro 10/10
• Pasticceria Didovitch: Campo Santa Marina     8/10
• Pasticceria Bonifacio Calle degli Albanesi San Marco 9/10
• Panifico Fornareto Calle del Forner Cannaregio  8/10
• Coffe Pasticceria Pitteri Strada Nuova Cannaregio  9/10 but poor Cappuccino!
• Dal Mas  Cannaregio Rio Terà Lista de Spagna, 150  8/10
• Rosa Salva  (6/10)

The worst Frittelle (IMHO Majer (San Giacomo dell'Orio) : just one word Terrible!!!

This year prices are around 1.10 and 1.30 Euro each  but I have seen also a few outrageous 1.80

Venice Photo Tour

During your Photo Tour of Venice your professional photographic guide will point out details invisible to the untrained eye and reveal the best vantage-points on your chosen route. Learn to tell a story through images, take great shots of iconic monuments and capture atmospheric images off the beaten track.

Venice Photo Walk

So bring your walking shoes and be prepared to discover the mysteries of the city. Bring your camera and learn how to have more fun with your camera.

• Discover parts of Venice less traveled by tourists. • Hear interesting tales and stories • Take better photos • Turn your photos into exciting stories. • Have fun !

Let a Creative Italian Photographer walk you through the city of Venice in an unforgettable Photo Walk capturing real candid moments of your stay in beautiful pictures. Enjoy a relaxed vacation and bring home remarkable pictures of your visit.

Touring Venice can be a very exciting experience, but it can also be quite an adventure if you are unsure of which places to visit and how. Language barrier may also represent a curious obstacle but it can also be frustrating. We offer innovative and unforgettable Photographic Toursto welcome you in the most fascinating and romanitc place in the world. Experience Venice through the eyes of a native Italian Professional Photographer. He will guide you in an exclusive tour through the most interesting Venice landmarks and monuments.

All city excursions are exclusively custom-made to fit your needs. You can explore the sites whichever way you like and at your own pace.

Walking around Venice together with a professional photographer is an enlighten experience. He will show you all the tricks of the game but it is also a fun and new way to visit a city like Venice. You will be able to visit, see, experience and tour places, situations, people that would be otherwise difficult to come across. The Photo Tours will take you through off-the-beaten tracks to the most important monuments and landmarks. You will avoid the tourist pedestrian highways and will take more secluded, intimate and truly Italian passageways. Let it be romantic, creative, fun and friendly, the astounding imagery will do the rest. We will show you the right places to eat, where true Italian dwell and the hidden beauties of the wonderful city.

• Tripadvisor Venice Photo Walk with Marco Secchi rated "excellent" by travelers
• Venice Photo Tours website

Stop dreaming, Start flying

Paradise and Hell panels by Hieronymus Bosch on display in the Tribuna room at Palazzo Grimani on January 10, 2011 in Venice, Italy. The  exhibition will stay open until 20th March 2011

Hieronymus Bosch born Jeroen Anthoniszoon van Aken c. 1450 – August 9, 1516 was an Early Netherlandish painter. His work is known for its use of fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious concepts and narratives

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Ephiphany

Regata della Befana with Arzana'

La Befana vien di notteCon le scarpe tutte rotteCol cappello alla romanaViva, Viva La Befana!

Understood

Image via

Wikipedia

In cases where every thing is understood, and measured, and reduced to rule, love is out of the question.William Godwin

William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was a British journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism.

Related articles

• The Conservative Anarchist (lewrockwell.com)
• Utilitarianism: What The Heck is It? (socyberty.com)
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Old wood

If gondolas are the most famous boat in Venice, they are not the only one. All kind of crafts go tirelessly all over town. A large part of them are made out of modern materials, but many old and classical wooden hulls are still in use.

Related articles

• The peaceful pleasures of Venice in winter (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Venice in Winter (travel.nytimes.com)

Driftwood

Everything is open Nothing is set in stone

.....

You're driftwood floating underwater Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces Just driftwood, hollow and of no use Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you

.....

So I'm sorry that you've turned to driftwood But you've been drifting for a long, long time

The Video by Travis is here

Christmas in Venice

Father Christmas wearing boots to cope with seasonal high water walks along Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice.

The Christmas of most of the old Italian writers as well as  Dickens and even  Hollywood movies is all about family, friendship, compassion and goodwill for all , it is about the “Christmas Spirit”  that  stands for core religious values. On the other side The Christmas that you see every day is about demanding or try to sell expensive gifts, selfishness, eat as much as you can, getting drunk.

I hope you belong to the first category but whatever you choose a Merry Christmas to all my Catholic friends!

A usage of one of my images in Vanity Fair Italy

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• The spirit of Christmas... (thewayoftheweb.net)
• Christmas Spirit -- it's what you make it (scottpaterson.org)
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A way of life

Acqua Alta or the high tide in Venice is a way of life and people live with it....but few things  still surprise me!

Here a grocer from St Erasmo sells his vegetables in Murano during the high tide.

Photo Galleries  1 and 2

Related articles

• The peaceful pleasures of Venice in winter (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Mamma Mia! Venice Is Under Water! (perezhilton.com)

The Glass Alchemist

Elena a glass artist in Murano blows glass next to a glass furnace on December 18, 2010 in Venice, Italy. There are only few female glass artists is Italy and they face continuous challenges in a traditionally male dominated field.

There are not many people (and things!) that I admire and that I could watch for hours while they work, without losing concentration after few seconds. I have seen them all...and often better.  Elena is an exception, seeing her at work with glass is unreal....

Elena Rosso Website

The snow has landed

On the Venice Lagoon between the white snow, the dark green of the water and heavy sky

Some of the images have been used by MSNBC photoblog

Love Conquers All

While searching for traces of the Templars,  I  found today in Venice the following inscription at La Maddalena church "Amor Vincit Omnia"