Water clocks were used to mark a limited time interval. They above all marked the time of studying and of teaching, and were used by sailors to calculate the speed of a ship and by priests to limit the length of homilies. Well I have to say, an enormous water clock would have been an ideal ornament for the church wall where I used to go to church as a child because I don't remember any priest ever finishing a homily ON TIME. There was no respecting of a water clock, a salt timer or sand glasses, or even just respecting the plain old clock on the wall, certainly not when the homily was read anyway. At the dawn of civilization man learned to mark the passage of time by using natural clocks, like the Sun, ... read more

Salvatori and Michelangelo in Genoa. Michelangelo Buonarrotti is considered to be one of the greatest Renaissance artists. He is particularly famous for his painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in 1508. He is also famous for sculptures of heads of the biblical hero David, of which there are many copies around Florence especially. Just inside of Palazzo Ducale, located in Piazza De Ferrari in Genoa, there is part of Andrea Salvatori's exhibition which shows the head of David. Andrea Salvatori is a modern sculptor. In 2018 during a stay in Montelupo Fiorentino, which is a town famous for ceramics and located very near to Empoli, Salvatori made a few big heads of the David by Michelangelo, out of terracotta. The head in this exhibition is one of those heads, which are turned upside down, carved inside ... read more

Since returning to Italy, I've tried to fit in small moments of enjoyment and joy daily even though I've felt quite overwhelmed by the problems I've been trying to solve, which are constantly being made more uncertain by the pandemic. When I did these small but enjoyable things, I tried to use all of my senses to really enjoy them fully. Of course, with having to wear the mask all day long my sense of smell has often been severely compromised, but I used my other 4 senses, as far as I was able. Everyday I'm so grateful for being alive and I'm very happy about the fact that even though we are living through a pandemic with its many restrictions and consequences, I'm still free to live daily moments of happiness, as we all are ... read more

C'e un'area giochi per bambini all'ombra con giostra alle molle scivolo altalene e un tappeto elastico. Anche c'è una fontanella con acqua potabile e un gran prato. Estivo ci sono gli eventi organizzati e nelle sere d'estate il giardino più grande diventa sede di un cinema all'aperto. Anche c'e teatro e concerti. Anche ci sono belle descrizioni archeologiche e alcune sculture. NUOVE PAROLE ■area giochi = play area ■fontanella =fountain ■prato = lawn ■giostra alle molle = carousel with springs ■scivolo = slide ■altalene = swings ■un tappeto elastico = a trampoline ■sere d'estate = Summer evenings ■diventa sede di = becomes the seat of ... read more

La vecchia fortezza fu costruita nel 1468, presumibilmente su piani a cui collaborò anche Filippo Brunelleschi. In riva all’Arno nel XVI sec i fiorentini edificarono una roccaforte difensiva, la Fortezza Nuova. La costruzione voluta da Firenze e affidata ad Antonio e poi Giuliano da San Gallo si sviluppò come estensione del primo nucleo fortificato realizzato nel 1468. Ordinarono il ripristino e il potenziamento della piazza forte che fu dotata di una cinta di bastioni. La fortezza terminò il suo utilizzo per scopi militari dal XViii sec. Fu infine venduto dai Lorena a un armatore livornese, Domenico Scotto alla fine del 1700. La famiglia livornese Scottò construirono un corridoio coperto per passeggiate, iniziando la trasformazione in giardini. Il giardino pubblico fu realizzato nel XIX secolo all' interno della Cittadella Nuova. Oggi è un gran bel parco. NUOVE ... read more