Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: Italy

The clouds are down on the mountains but it's wisteria time on the banks of Lake Como. HFF to everyone. Enjoy the weekend.

HWW to everyone. Enjoy the day!

In the UK you normally associate Roman remains with ruins or partially ruined buildings but since it was cleaned up the Pyramid by the Porta San Paolo in Rome looks like it was built last year! In fact the Pyramid of Caius Cestius was built in 12 BC which explains why the Aurelian Wall, itself built in 275 AD, abuts either side of it. An interesting fact about the pyramid is that it was built by Caius Cestius' freed slaves in his honour in 330 days. Proving the old proverb: One volunteer is worth ten pressed men. The Porta San Paolo on the right was one of the major gateways into imperial Rome through the city wall built by Emperor Aurelian and extended in the 5th century.

A street scene in the town of Francavilla di Sicilia in Northeast Sicily.

It may be a bit of a cliche but I couldn't resist the platform palm frond on the beautifully preserved railway station at Taormina- Giardini. Trenitalia E656-003 "Il Caimano" on a train for Rome via the railway ferry across the Straits of Messina had just arrived. The water columns on both ends of both platforms are dated 1927. The very pretty tourist town of Toarmina is located several hundreds of meters above this view to the right reached by cable car or very steep road.

An evening stroll along the lakeside at Como. The lights heading steeply up the mountainside are on the Como-Brunate funicular railway.

The cyclist. In the public gardens by lake Como. HFF. Have a great New Year's weekend and stay safe

In this year of lock-down let's return to a better time of no lock-down one year ago! Ham, cheese, salumi, mortadella, more cheese, more ham. The specialities of Bologna. A shop/cafe on Via Pescherie Vecchie

Sunrise over the Duomo in Como.

When we took the funicular from Como up to Brunate the sun was setting over the lake and Alps. Looking northwest Monte Rosa on the Swiss-Italian border is the highest peak left of centre. Brunate is located at a height of 2436 ft (715m) above sea level while Como is at 659 ft (201m).

Well the rain certainly stopped today! Perfect blue skies and a visit to the roof of the Duomo allowed this view of the snow-capped Alpine mountains.

Preserved FS Class 691 4 cylinder Pacific 691022 was one of the 33-strong class which were the fastest and most powerful locomotives on the Italian railway. They were rebuilds of the 1911-14 Class 690 carried out by Ferrovie dello Stato and Ernesto Breda between 1928 & 1934. 691.011 of the class held the Italian steam speed record, recorded between Verona and Padova, of 150 kilometres per hour)

A Macchi MC 205 V used by the Regia Aeronautica Militare Italiana during the Second World War.

Shadows in the night.

It did fill up later.....the Certe Notti in Milan