|
The Long Way Home |
07.Nov.2011 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Venice is made up of many islands in the middle of a lagoon
linked together via a large network of boats and
bridges. The city layout has hardly changed in the last 500 years and is a maze of narrow winding streets,
crisscrossed by busy water ways linking all areas of the city.
The lack of pollution, noise and possible accidents from cars is an awesome experience which certainly makes the
city a magical place to visit and enjoy.
|
The crowning glory of Florence is the Basilica
of Saint Mary of the Flower dominating the city
skyline with the largest brick dome in the world designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The new
gothic cathedral
took a further 170 years to complete by various other architects.
In order to build a dome of this size it would usually need a large wooden support structure and
flying buttress, but Brunelleschi had other plans and they were the work of a genius.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The interior of the church
has a visually striking appearance with large black and white
(symbolic colours of Siena) marble columns and the floor is covered in a magnificent mosaic of
pictorial marble.
The central nave
has an upper cornice decorated with 172 heads of 15th century popes while the
various vaulted ceilings are painted in a gorgeous blue with golden stars, replacing previous
frescoes.
|
La Piazza del duomo
(Cathedral Square) consists of the Cathedral (duomo) at the center,
the Baptistery opposite the Cathedral front entrance and the world famous leaning tower
of Pisa at the back.
The medieval Cathedral
was started in 1064 by the architect Buschetto and designed in an
Romanesque architectural style. The leaning tower was started in 1173 and took 177 years
to complete in three stages due to the notorious sinking foundation problems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saint Peter Basilica is located inside of the
Vatican City and has the largest interior of any
Christian church in the world. In order to appreciate the scale of the
Basilica I left some of the
tourists at the bottom of the pictures.
The Basilica is one of the holiest places of
Christianity with the burial site of Saint Peter at the
focal point of a latin cross floor plan under a 30m pavilion-like structure called the Baldachin built
by Gianlorenzo Bernini.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the intersection of three roads springs forth the
Trevi Fountain.
An access point for the Acqua Vergine which was one of the ancient aqueducts that supplied water to Rome was damged by the
Goths in 538.
In 1732 Pope Clement XII organized a contest for the design of the
Trevi Fountain and after much arguing over who won
Nicola Salvi was assigned the commission, but the fountain was eventually completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762 due
to Salvi dying in 1751.
|
An architectural milestone, the Gesù
(mother church) was the first Jesuit Church to be built in Rome between 1568 and 1584
by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola and Giacomo della Porta.
The Baroque styled Gesù has no
narthex at the front of the church, a large extended nave for the congregation to worship, no side
aisle's and a short transept occupied by large altars. The silver lining of the
Gesù is the ceiling fresco
by Giovanni Battista Gaulli combining stucco statues blended with paint and shadows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The construction of the church of Saint Ignatius
of Loyola was started in 1626 by Pope Gregory XV and finally completed in 1650. The site originally belonged
to the Collegio Romano which was moved because it was over crowded and needed more space.
The Saint Ignatius is based on a latin cross
design with one nave, numerous side chapels and a fake cupola painted by Andrea Pozzo who also created the breathtaking
fresco that stretches across the nave ceiling.
|
Tucked away on the main shopping street of Via del Corso is the beautiful church
Santi Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso.
The church belongs to the Lombard community and is dedicated to Saint Ambrose of Milan and
Saint Charles Borromeo.
The Santi Ambrogio
is based on a Latin cross design (75m x 54m) with three naves, one splendid cupola (72m high) by
Pietro da Cortona, a large transept and an ambulatory housing the heart of Saint Charles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Basilica of Santa Maria above Minerva
started construction in 1280 by Dominicans monks with just a central nave and two aisles.
The church has a colourful history with Saint Catherine of Siena buried under the main altar while her head is
buried elsewhere.
The Santa Maria above Minerva
is an amazing example of mediaeval gothic architecture in Rome with a gorgeous ribbed vault
ceiling stretching the length of the nave and perfectly pointed arches separating the two aisles
on either side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In with the New |
01.June.2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
I have not been happy with my previous camera for sometime now and I have been planning to replace it with
something better. The previous camera could not cope with indoor situations well and the default
white balance was stupidly bright.
I asked a few work friends about what camera's they were using and after a demo of the latest canon
I decided this was the one for me. The price tag was more than I expected, but it gave me something
to save up for while I was planned for my next holiday.
|
I had always used the full range of my previous camera lens and was not familiar with the
idea of switchable lens, it seemed awkward to me. So I decided to buy a second
lens for long range shots because the default was only 18-55 which was no good for high up
detail on buildings.
After much frustration of switching lens and often missing moments because I had the wrong
lens attached I luckily found the perfect lens (18-135) while on holiday. Now I can have the
best of both worlds, close up and good mid range all in my package.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Turning Japanese |
01.Mar.2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scattered throughout Tokyo city center are small shrines offering a place of religious tranquility
to all passersby. Sadly the shrines are often surrounded on all sides by towering shapeless office blocks but
they are still a strong central focus for local people.
The shrines are integral to the city landscape and are clearly marked on all earthquake evacuation maps located
on most street corners. At christmas time the shrines are brightly decorated with good luck trinkets
and paper fortunes for the coming year.
|
This beautiful statue of the "Goddess of Sincerity" is located near the front entrance
of the prestigious department store
Mitsukoshi in the
Nihonbashi district next to the Nihonbashi bridge.
The goddess was built from 500 year old Japanese cypress 'Hinoki" and painted with clay
pigments and decorated with gold and platinum metal. The central figure represents
the cloud-swathed Goddess of Sincerity descending towards the earth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The International Forum was design by
world famous architect Rafael Viñoly in 1989
(was originally from Argentina) and construction of the building was completed in 1996.
Often regarded as one of the best modern cultural buildings in Tokyo, the site is split into 4 large
concert halls and a gorgeous glass and steel building with the roof shaped like the hull of a boat.
A beautiful building that is breathtaking inside because of the scale and space available to move
around in.
|
The Imperial Palace
is surrounded on all sides by a large moat and split into several areas
of private grounds occupied by the current Emperor and Empress, with a large public garden and various
exhibition buildings on the outskirts.
The famous Tokagakudo is
located in the public gardens to the west and was built to commemoration the 60th birthday of Empress Kojun. Outside
of the moat to the north is the old Imperial Guard building which
is currently an exhibition hall for local Japanese artists.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Due to America having issues with my travel visa and demanding I pay for another one, I ended up staying an extra
night in Japan. Luckily I found a nice hotel close by in Narita and I had an awesome time exploring a
Narita-san Shinshō-ji
Buddhist temple.
The winding streets were packed with vendors selling good luck charms and because of the new
year celebrations were also awash with a sea of people. Eventually we got to the temple and it was full
of ancient wood buildings and a huge three-storied pagoda
on top of a hill surrounded by a gorgeous park.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
)
)
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
