tramonto polare

Ferry on Lake Storsjön, Östersund ~ county of Jämtland

Sweden was dreamy. The few hours of daylight provided astonishing skies and breathtaking sunsets. This image of the ferry gliding back and forth along the narrow liquid channel carved out of the solid frozen lake was taken a few days ago at 3 pm. I was standing in the middle of the "ice road" on a thick glacial surface, shuddering not from the -22°C (-7.6°F) outside temperature, but from the fear of hearing a creak beneath my frozen toes.

It was a wonderful experience and lots of fun, but it's good to be back home.

graffiti

Bold lettering

Roma Every Day is taking a short break. I will be away on an assignment in Sweden for two weeks. During that time, you could go visit my other blogs Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino and Forchettine, and feel free to dig through the archives.

Ciao!

fontana dei cavalli marini

Circles and sea horses

How many fountains are there in Rome? A million dollar-question. No other city in the world, I believe, can compete in number of fountains with the Eternal City. Percy Bysshe Shelley–(1792–1822) English poet, and leading figure of the romantic movement famed for his radical political views–observed that, "The fountains alone justify a journey to Rome."
Water and the myriad fountains from which it spills are part of Rome's artistic and cultural heritage and have always been one of the city's prominent characteristics.

The Fontana dei Cavalli Marini, 'fountain of the sea horses,' was designed in 1791 by Cristoforo Unterberger, some say built by Luigi Salimei, others by Vincenzo Pacetti.
It stands in the middle of a round plaza, surrounded by trees and a pedestrian walkway at the Via Pinciana main entrance of Villa Borghese.

My son likes to throw pebbles in the fountain's wide basin, and watch the sun play with the circular ripples in the water.

For more Watery Wednesday images from around the world, click here.

spille

Vintage jewellery

Antiques' fairs, flea markets, vintage bijoux, second hand stores... I love to browse them lazily, find that perfect and unique piece, spend time bargaining and enjoying the beautiful displays. Look at these precious brooches, aren't they pretty? Can you guess which one is my favorite?

Thought this would be a good addition to Ruby Tuesday ~ Check it out

manichini in vetrina

Window shopping

How forlorn and dreamy-eyed these two mannequins look. Perhaps they're wishing they could be outside, each doing their own thing in the busy street, instead of standing together in the same sad window.

uve e forme

Sideways

I love this place. The winelist by the counter, where patrons can savor the delicious samples of vegetarian dishes, specialty cheeses and fine vintage wines, is chalked on an old control-tower air traffic board. The staff is very kind and the food is delightful. But the best part of this meal was the company, my kindergarten teacher of 40 years ago. Thank you, Internet!

For more Sunday in my City images click HERE

valle dei cani

Winter morning

The vast and beautiful valley that faces the Rome Conservation Zoo in Villa Borghese is appropriately nicknamed 'Dog Heaven,' and it is an area exclusively entitled for dog play, where Fido can run free off the leash and socialize with fellow canines. Brave dog-less park-goers venture here too, but at their own risk: the grass is very well fertilized...

See more You Capture | Winter theme images here

porta di roma

Clearance sale

I arrived at the mall early this morning. Lots of space and quiet. The shops started lifting thier automated rolling shutters around 9:45 and it was a very unusual feeling to be virtually alone in that big open space. I took advantage of the 20 minutes I had before the store opened and grabbed some photos.
By 10:15 as the barbaric hordes were arriving, I pulled out of the parking lot with my 12 wine glasses and some pictures in my memory card.

anatre

Female mallards gossipping

The surface of the pond looks oleaginous, yet very reflective. I played with desaturation here, but the monochrome hues of the birds helped to obtain this aged look.

For more watery pictures from around the world, please visit Watery Wednesday

mercato ortofrutticolo

Marketplace back door

My camera and I took a walk in a less notorious part of the city today. The Quartiere Africano owes its name only to urban layout, not ethnic tissue. The names of the many avenues, boulevards and streets of this particular district are of borrowed from countries and cities of Africa. This specific covered neighborhood market occupies an entire block between Via Dire Daua, Viale Libia and Largo Somalia.

The colorful stalls and busy agora vibe provided plenty material for my photos. Plus I managed to shop for fresh produce and groceries at very affordable prices. Today is a good day.

sottopasso

Lungotevere in Augusta

Riding home in my stepfather's car yesterday I grabbed this moving shot in one of the tunnels along the river. The warm interior lights and cold exterior diffusion provided an interesting contrast. Photoshop couldn't have done any better.

tombino

Rome manhole cover

S.P.Q.R. stands for the Latin phrase, Senatus PopulusQue Romanus, "The Senate and the People of Rome" referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic.
S.P.Q.R. is the motto of the city of Rome and appears in the city's coat of arms, as well as on many of the city's civic buildings, manhole covers, drinking fountains and municipal establishments.

fango

reflections in the mud

It has been raining so much that the river Tiber has reached alert levels. When the water exceeds the containing walls, substantial areas of the city become vulnerable to the river's occasional transgressions.
Last year around the holiday season, Rome feared the Tiber would burst its banks after days of rain and thunderstorms. The mayor declared a state of emergency after severe storms flooded underpasses, disrupted train and flight services and killed one person.
Hopefully this year this won't happen.

suburra

Rione I

The Suburra is the modern Italian name for a neighborhood of Rome, also known as Rione Monti; it is Rome's oldest district, a patchwork of ancient Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and other architectural styles that cover 2,500 years of history. In Antiquity, the Suburra was a dangerous, seedy lower class area that was also notorious as a red-light district. There were however also dwellings of more distinguished families, and this is shown by the fact that Julius Caesar was born here.
La Suburra lies in the dip between the southern end of the Viminale and the western end of the Esquiline hill, the Quirinale and the Colle Oppio.

trastevere

Snail mail, graffiti & espresso machines

Trastevere is one of Rome's most popular neighborhoods. It is a place of winsome contradictions, social strata and strong local identity. Everything about Trastevere contributes to its charm. The unique character of this neighborhood has attracted all kinds of artists, foreign expats, students and travelers. Trastevere's Medieval architecture and the snaking, narrow and irregular cobbled streets weave an intricate web on the map, but purposely losing one's direction is the best way to discover places one might never find otherwise.

I have often dreamt of moving to Trastevere.

presepe al cioccolato

Sweet nativity

This gourmet deli store always lures passers by with its window display. This year the new food specialty is a chocolate cake in the shape of a Christmas tree, decorated with a sugar-sculpted nativity scene, complete with Three Kings. Were it not for its spiritual connotation, it could be labeled as luxuriously self-indulgent.

Happy Epiphany!

la rotonda

**

Pantheon, 126 A.D.

Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's coffered, concrete dome is still the world's largest unreinforced cupola. From this angle, it's invisible! The best way to see it is from the inside...

**This photo was taken a few days ago. I am posting it today because I am homebound with a migraine and the rain is not inviting me out to shoot pictures. Technically, it's cheating–I know.

caldarroste

...roasting on an open fire

I love chestnuts. The smell of roasted castagne pretty much defines winter for me. Roadside vendors like these sell them wrapped in paper cones, but I like to nibble mine as I pick them out of my coat pockets, burning my fingers. Caldarroste, as they are called here, are delicious enjoyed best along a nice glass of vino rosso!

gusto!

Sunday brunch

our table was number 93

The brunch buffet at this popular Roman hangout is always a busy one. You pile your plate with all sorts of goodies, and then it gets weighed. You pay according to how much you serve yourself, and coffee & juice are included in the price. In the evenings, the place turns into a aperitivo bar/restaurant and groups play live music.

For more worldwide Sunday images visit Unknown Mami

promesse

Mobile snacks

Typically overdecorated yet cheerless roadside junk food trucks like this one commonly promise very very cold drinks and hot pizza, but traditionally carry exactly the opposite, and–however uninviting–the goods sell for exorbitant prices. Despite my best intentions, on hot summer days, when the Roman heat is unforgiving, I often fold and buy a bottle of very very lukewarm water.

MMX

Auld Langs Syne

It's 2010, and this lovely gentleman is playing the old familiar tune on his tenor sax. Auguri!