Venice is a city of onlookers, voyeurs and gawkers—most of whom are just visiting. However, it's probably no surprise that the locals are no less interested in who's in town.

Larger version here: Peeking Out From Within

One of the best parts of wandering around a place like Soave, Verona, Italy, is that there seems to be no end of winding side streets and partially hidden walkways, as well as a few paths lost to rubble and time. This particular one was certainly in fine shape, the stone slippery from hundreds of years of foot travel and slightly overgrown but in the most intentional way. 

Larger version here: Shade from the Midday Sun

A fish out of water? No, sir. Josh Clark, a fellow traveller on our trip to the Venice, Italy, area last year was just taking it all in and standing out by doing nothing more than being himself. There's nothing like being comfortable in your own skin, as well as being true to yourself ... and your wardrobe.

Larger version here: Urban Cowboy

Piazza San Pietro, or Saint Peter's Square, in Rome is a fascinating place. One of the single most visited places in history, it's undoubtedly one of the most photographed as well. It's nearly impossible to get a shot that doesn't have throngs of visitors (unless you're working for the Vatican, of course, and then it's just a matter of making it happen), but I felt lucky to have found an angle of my own. That Egyptian Obelisk in the center is massive, and the scale is thrown way off by the angle ... it's 25.5 meters tall! The smoothness of the cobblestones betrays the shear number of feet that have trod those simple stones; they are nearly glass smooth to the touch. It's a place that must be visited to be understood, and in all likelihood, it's a place that demands multiple visits if one is to truly understand its impact on the world.

They will see us waving from such great heights 
"Come down now" they'll say 
But everything looks perfect from far away
"Come down now" but we'll stay 

-The Postal Service

Larger version available here: Such Great Heights

The best part of a place like Venice is that even the most mundane item carries an oddly more significant weight in or near the canals. 

Larger version here: In Case of Rain

The Istituto Agrario San Michele all'Adige in Italy, a stunning region of Italy to visit.

Larger version here: The Hills are Alive

Working on a better solution for panoramic viewing, so hopefully there will be an update with a version you can really dive into.

The Campanile di San Marco on the Piazza San Marco in Venezia, Italia. Getting a shot of anything in this square that isn't loaded with tourists during the day is nearly impossible, and if you get in nice and close on the larger version, you can see throngs hanging out of the tower windows, but still, you can imagine it empty, can't you?

Sorry for the delay in posting. Technical difficulties cut me off from posting yesterday, so you get a double-header, in effect, for today. Enjoy!

Larger version here: The Lurking Storm

I'm not going to lie, the canals of Venice are pretty spectacular. Now, I realize it's a gigantic floating tourist trap these days, at least between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or so. However, there's obviously something there of real value for that many millions of people to visit each year. It's not a fabricated environment in the sense of an amusement park (although, it is, of course, completely fabricated on what is really not even land at all), despite being co-opted for the sake of tourism, which ultimately pays all the bills for the fine residents of this sinking city. Is a cheesy/iconic gondola ride worth the 20 Euro? Probably. Especially on the off season when you actually get views of empty canals and a few moments of calm and quiet. 

Larger version here: Afloat Upon the Ages

I'm fascinated a wealth of topics and ideas—as those around me suffering through a winding, geeky conversation can attest—two of which happen to be ancient civilizations and the incredible ability of the Internet to tell me where I've been when I've failed to take decent notes.

Take this place, for example.

This is the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the old Roman Forum. Now, the trick with this is, I knew generally where we were (right down the block from the Colosseum in the old city) in Rome. I could even tell you who was standing next to me (Kristen and Sheena). That's about it. I could walk you there, if we stood in that area, sure. However, I hadn't the faintest idea what this building was nor had I the foresight to take even the slightest interest in documenting the location ("heck, I took a picture, right?"). I didn't even remember that this was in the Roman Forum, for that matter.

So, I start on Google maps, zoom in to the Colosseum easily enough, and then "walk" my way down the street to the corner where this building is, recognize it on the map itself, find a few surrounding quickly identifiable landmarks, do another search for Roman Forum landmark maps, and *boom* goes the dynamite.

This isn't the first time nor do I expect it to be the last where I find myself on a semi-wild goose chase down the halls of the Internet for proper nouns. It's actually challenging and fun, especially in European cities. I take better notes, now, but at least I know when I'm unable to get the details, the friendly, nerdy Web has my back.

Larger version here: A Long Memory

Want more information? Check the reference below for links to both the worst sportscast in history (from whence the phrase, "boom goes the dynamite" originates) and the Wiki article on this cool temple.

The wive caves at the Istituto Agrario San Michele all'Adige in Italy are astounding and beautiful, even for a non-wine drinker like me.

Larger Version Here: Drink Deep the Draught of Ages