By:
On:
In: International Travel, Italy, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Locations, Sunsets
With: 0 Comments

Our first full day after arriving in Montalcino, we followed Robert’s advice and did a big circle around the Val d’Orcia, starting with a visit to the Sant’Antimo Abbey, then on to Bagno Vignoni and ending up in Pienza, another World Heritage Site and the hill-top town with the most iconic views of the Tuscan countryside.   We arrived in the early morning to a beautiful view of Sant’Antimo Abbey.   After a few minutes a bus arrived with a group of students, who enjoyed the grounds around the abbey.   We wandered around taking photos. Grima found a beautiful view of red Italian poppiesRead More →

By:
On:
In: International Travel, Italy, Landscape Photography, On the Street, People, Sunsets
With: 0 Comments

From Pisa we drove to the small town of Montalcino in Val d’Orcia Tuscany, part of a World Heritage Site for Humanity. Montalcino is named after an oak tree variety that once covered the mountainous area around the town. It’s also the center of over too producers of the famous Brunello di Montalcino wine. We stayed for three nights at the Palazzina Cesira (Via Soccorso Saloni, 2, 53024 Montalcino SI, Italy). The Cesira is a bed and breakfast run by Robert, an Italian/American and his wife, Lucilla. Lucilla was a little under the weather but we did enjoy the company of Robert, also an accomplishedRead More →

By:
On:
In: Beaches & Seascapes, International Travel, Italy, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Locations, Sunsets
With: 0 Comments

From Modena we headed to Cinque Terre (Five Lands, comprising Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore), representing five villages clinging to the mountain sides on the northwest coast of Italy. They say it’s the ‘poor man’s Almalfi Coast’. We found it quite wonderful, and an incredible workout as most every place is either up or down. We were there for a couple days and managed to see Marionola, Vernazza and Monterosso. Reaching any of the towns via car is problematic, so we stayed in La Spezia, an industrial town just down the cost and took the train to Cinque Terre each day.  Read More →

By:
On:
In: Burano, Italy, International Travel, Italy, Landscape, People, Sunsets, Water
With: 0 Comments

Burano is the second isle that we visited and is famous for fine lace and multi-colored houses. The island became known for lacemaking by needle in the 16th century that today would be prohibitively expensive. But the tradition of lacemaking continues with more modern methods, providing an enormous variety of beautiful lace products. The story about the multi-colored houses recounts that it was to help fishermen recognize home when returning from sea. Today house colors are regulated by the local government.   Leaving Murano in route to Burano   Burano is much further out from Venice than Murano – so much longer at sea. ButRead More →

By:
On:
In: Beaches & Seascapes, Flora & Fauna, Florida, Landscape Photography, Locations, RV Travel, Sunsets, U.S. Travel, Water
With: 0 Comments

On Long Key Gulf Blvd. near the Pinellas Byway sits the Loews Don CeSar Hotel, ‘The Pink Palace’. There’s a fascinating story about the hotel at http://archive.naplesnews.com/community/ghosts-in-the-pink-palace-ep-401425008-332399502.html – you ought to check it out. We happened upon the place while exploring the Long Key one evening. Was a beautiful end of day and marvelous “photographer’s” sunset.                 So, more to come. Love to hear what you have to say about our travels.Read More →

By:
On:
In: Cityscapes, Florida, RV Travel, Sunsets, U.S. Travel, Water
With: 0 Comments

We continue our exploration of the Tampa area, crossing over to Davis Islands, dotted with canals and views of downtown Tampa and sailboat harbors, plus some very impressive homes. We then cross the Hillsborough River to the University of Tampa to take a close look at the H.B. Plant Hall building on campus. It can be seen clearly from across the riverfront downtown Tampa, and is striking for its Moorish architecture. The building was constructed in 1891 as a luxury hotel railroad magnate Henry B. Plant. Today part of the building, a U.S. historical landmark, is used for university classes and part is a museumRead More →

By:
On:
In: Beaches & Seascapes, Florida, RV Travel, Sunsets, U.S. Travel, Water
With: 0 Comments

From our RV park it was about an hour’s drive to the gulf coast going across the Tampa Bay on hwy 60 into Clearwater and across Clearwater Memorial Causeway to Clearwater Beach, a distinctively touristy place. Had a bite to eat and then headed down Gulf Blvd. to see what we could see. Not a lot of places where you could just pull over and walk around, so we made it all the way to Indian Rocks Beach before we got out and explored.   Definitely not the large, sandy beaches we had been accustomed to along the Atlantic and back in California. This beachRead More →

By:
On:
In: Arizona, Landscape, New Mexico, Sunsets, U.S. Travel
With: 0 Comments

While driving I’m always looking, looking for that next image to capture. Of course, driving on freeways is one of the most frustrating experiences as most the time you’ll see something that, by the time you find an exit and return to the spot, if that’s even possible, the light has changed, the sky has changed, something has changed to remove the magic you saw driving by. That’s why I love to get off the freeway and try out the side roads and get lost a little. And sometimes, I love going right to a predetermined place to see what’s there.   Just past JosephRead More →