Amazing beaches in Corsica

This picture hardly does justice to the spectacular sights one might find in Corsica. I have only been there twice, but each time I left feeling that I just didn't get to see enough. There aren't many museums or tourist attractions other than the mostly unruined nature, but this is enough to hold anyone's interest. From the flat, wide beaches with finer sand on the East Coast to the jagged calanches that drop into the sea from great heights on the West Coast, everything in between is equally amazing and worth seeing. There is just something about the light, especially at sunset that makes Corsica different than any other place I've been. The colors are already amazing during the day, but as the sun sets, it adds those warm tones and that makes Corsica unique. Not to add the sunbathing cows that roam freely around the island....

Tags: Corsica, Bonifacio, beach, photo, travel, France, calanques, vacation, sunset

Me on the beach in Bonifacio, Corsica

Here's a picture of one of my first and only days on the beach this summer. It was a hard summer, with my grandfather passing away in early August. I spent the last few weeks relaxing before it was back to school for me (I just started a masters in education after 5 years of being out of school, so I'm trying to figure out how to be a student again).

This picture was taken on the southernmost tip of Corsica, near Bonifacio, in a beautiful national park. The sand, which is mostly tiny shells, is not the finest of sands. That was ok with me because it doesn't get stuck all over wet skin and it was a lot of fun looking for miniature in tact shells.


Tags: travel, Corsica, Bonifacio, beach, photo, Laura, France, shells, vacation, sand

Hudson Valley, NY

Hudson Valley, NY

I grew up in a little town near the Hudson River, so the scenery was never special to me. I am trying to figure out if it is really pretty or not. When I looked at the pictures I took on my drive yesterday I was surprised by how similar this was to the Italian coastline where I live (near Santa Margherita Ligure). The Hudson River never ceases to surprise me with its remarkable beatuy on some days and noteworth ugliness on others. When the sun is out and the colors are radiant, it looks like a postcard, but on days when the sky is gray and the water is a murky brown, it is utterly depressing.

Tags: travel, home, Hudson Valley, upstate NY, river, Rockland, photo, NY, Hudson River, boat

House on wheels in upstate NY

It is hard to see in this photo due to the darkness under the house, but if you look closely you will see that yes, it is on wheels. I suppose they had to lift it off its foundation to replace rotting wood or something else underneath. All of the wood that was lying around underneath was cracked and in a terrible state. I'm not sure if this is something that happens frequently, but I have certainly never seen it before! We were just taking a drive on country roads and we looked to the left and saw this house hanging out on top of huge wheels.
Tags: travel, home, construction, upstate NY, house, strange, photo, NY

My sister before the prom

Well, this isn't technicaly a "travel photo", although I did have to travel to take the photo. I haven't lived at home since I went away to college almost 10 years ago, so every time I go home it is a little strange. There is always some new shopping area or new development that has popped up. Actually, the first few times I went home after living in Italy, I had some difficulties speaking English. Those first few years most of my friends were Italian, so I didn't have much of a chance to speak to native English speakers. Since I was an English teacher my first year, I was so used to speaking slowly, pronouncing each word perfectly, and using sentence structures and vocabulary that were not too complex. Then I started working for an IT research group and I spoke less and less English. When I was back in the US looking for a job a few years ago, someone actually asked me if I had permission to work in the US (?!). They actually thought I was a foreigner that had lived in the US for many years. Usually it takes a few days and I'm back on track with a not so perfect English so nobody mistakes me for a foreigner anymore.

Back to the prom photo - I can't believe my little sister is old enough to go to the prom! She is so much younger than me, it never seemed like she would grow up!!
Tags: prom, senior prom, sister, travel, home, foreigner, speak English

Reflections on Prudential Center, Boston

I love taking pictures of reflections of buildings in buildings, but the Prudential Center in Boston offers more possibilities than most. Its clean, simple design provides a perfect background that does not complicate the photo. An added bonus is the fact that you can get a great shot from so many angles - there's something interesting on every side!

Tags: prudential center, boston, photo, boston, massachusetts, masachusetts, reflection, church, architecture architettura

Wine & pollen in Tuscany

Last week I went to the Tuscan countryside (just south of Siena, around Montepulciano and Montalcino). As soon as I got out of the car to get a coffee I started sneezing in continuation, and didn't stop for the next few days. The lady at the cash register said something about the kind of pollen in a Tuscan accent, which I did not understand at all. Apparently she was saying "acacia", but it was pronounced something like "ahasha". I never knew I had allergies before coming to Italy, but this was the worst! At times I felt like crying and scratching my face. The highlight of the trip (aside from the great dinner we had in Montalcino, which is famous for their red wine) was when we stopped at a great winery to get some wine we had bought by chance last year at a local products market in Pienza. We were buying some "Vino Nobile di Montepulciano", which is another famous wine from that area, and the lady in the store suggested trying this kind which was very similar but not famous yet and thus half the price. It was great! So we called the producer on our way to Pienza and went to get some wine directy from him this time. He was extremely kind and friendly, and we ended up chatting with him for over an hour. First, he insisted on meeting us in town so we wouldn't get lost on the country roads. He told us all about how he got into making wine, and then he even gave us another bottle which wasn't on sale anymore because he had practically run out of 2003 but wanted us to try it.

Tags: wine, pollen, tuscany, montepulciano, vino, Pienza, vino nobile di montepulciano, montalcino, brunello di montalcino, countryside

Other people's cats

I love to take pictures of random cats that I see around. Someday I'd like to make a full 12 month calendar with my best cat photographs.

I have a lot of calendar prints in my online store, but as soon as I get time I will put together a few theme calendars (Italy, cats, etc.) with my best photographs.

Egypt - target for terrorism

Temple in Luxor Egypt.

Yesterday I talked to one of my friends, who had just gotten back from Egypt. I asked her if she had been during the latest suicide attacks. Why is Egypt such a hotspot for suicide bombings? The Middle East Times calls Egypt a "a key regional mediator", so that might have something to do with it. There are also many foreign tourists that go to the Red Sea and take cruises on the Nile River. Egypt is such a wonderful, magical place. I highly recommend a vacation there for anyone willing to brave the possible threat to tourists.