Friday, July 16, 2010

estate

{in the city}



In the summer Italians leave the city, headed for vacationland. This year sandal and sunhat season came blazing sooner and warmer than ever. Rome once used to be wonderfully breezy. But that was before huge constructed behemoths in the suburbs totally blocked the sweet evening "Ponentino" westerly wind that come 6 pm, would descend from the hills every day, to bring Romans a little relief.

As the summer progresses, more and more people will leave the city. So streets will slowly begin to empty out, traffic diluted. Apartment buildings will be silent, mailboxes stuffed to full capacity. The warm hum and exhaust of air conditioning engines will finally be switched off. Business will shut down, and many restaurants and shops will hang the familiar "Chiuso per Ferie" (closed for the holidays) sign. Crowded airless busses and subways will be a distant memory. And, finally, in mid August–peak vacation season–the city will be a livable and actually fresher paradise again.

In the meantime, July is hotter than Hades.

15 comments:

  1. :) I know exactly what you mean and even though it is less stressful to go to work or just to hang out in the Eternal City during the months of ferie, living the empty city always gets me nostalgic... I prefer the crowd, I know, nonsense, but to catch myself on a thought that everyone else is at the beach, enjoying their vacation and relaxing is somehow frustrating:)

    PS! love your pictures;)

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  2. Your environment is calming down as ours becomes more hectic with the Romans and other arriving for the holidays. 36C in the shade here today!

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  3. The opposite occurs here on the west coast: we live for these sunny days and cool breezes. So do the tourists coming over from the hot valleys.
    I'll remember to visit Italy in the spring or in the fall.

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  4. Cool photo!

    My Bridal Veil Falls is actually in Telluride, Colorado, not Yosemite. I have a lot of photos of it if you are interested. It's the highest free falling waterfall in Colorado at 365 feet.

    Have a great weekend!

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  5. It's hot here too but, thankfully, it is still dry. The dreaded humidity of late summer will soon be with us though :(

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  6. Sending you memories of a mild Carmel breeze scented with sage and salt air..!

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  7. July is hotter than Hades here in the Philadelphia area as well. We had the hottest June on record since 1943 according to the weather folks here, so our summer started a little earlier than usual too.

    We are luckily a short drive to the Atlantic and head there on the weekends for some respite. Hope you get a break from the heat as well, Eleonora. Enjoy your weekend all.

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  8. bella foto!

    it has flare ... so had you taken a picture of crap on the street ... id still love it =D

    the composition is quite perfect as well though .

    xoxoxoxoxo

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  9. It is too hot! You are right! When will you be escaping the city?

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  10. I'd swap Italian heat for Middle Eastern heat any day!! ;0)

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  11. Summertime
    And the livin' is easy...

    but hot. But still better than below freezing in the winter.

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  12. It's hotter than Hades in NY, too. Ugh! Will you be going away in August, too. Or enjoy the peace and quiet of the city when others are away?

    Paz

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  13. Summertime, and the living is easy...

    and hot.

    But it's better than sub-freezing temperatures of the winter.

    (The firewall at work stops my comments, but I've been here almost every day!)

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  14. I'd like to be a little hot right now... it's winter here and even though our winter is mild, i'd like to be a little hot right now:)

    great photos as always Lola.

    I hope you are well and enjoying your summer.

    I often visit these days without commenting and I apologise for that. I've been busy with school holidays, finding a new home and a small street art project.

    take care
    be well
    love
    Robyn x

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  15. hee hee...
    This reminds «Louis» of how the French abandon their cities in the summer. Where does everyone go?
    Then there's the horrible traffic jams at the end of August when everyone returns...

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Grazie!
~Eleonora

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