This was a short visit to the small town of Cicagna, near Genoa, in Italy. Here are some pics of the beautiful, quiet place. As you can see, there is always history around every corner and you can always find an ancient Roman trail...!
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One of the most fascinating things in Italy is to admire the "fake" architecture and hand painting of the façades, here's an example, I will be posting more pics on this just because I can't have enough of it! click to enlarge, it is worth it. .jpg)
Aren't they just precious paintings? If it was my home I would be covering the walls to avoid dust and to protect them from the elements, lol! This is another home, the white decoration around the window is -again- hand-painted, as are the little birds on top, don't let the beauty of it fool your eye! the surface is completely regular, just like in the prior picture (now I need all those pretty architectural names - which I don't know- to better describe all this, but I hope you get the picture) Click to enlarge. Alternatively, click here!%20(2).jpg)
The local church. I was told this is the typical construction of the Liguria churches: white Carrara marble and the local (more affordable) black stone..jpg)
This is across the street from the church. All windows closed because of the heat wave! .jpg)
And then I heard the story of one of the most famous Cicagna daughters: Rosa Maria Segale (1850-1941), better known as Sister Blandina, an Italian nun who moved to the US with her family at an early age and wrote of her life in the American west of the nineteenth century. Sister Blandina Maria Segale fought against great odds , including encounters with the renowned outlaw Billy The Kid. It is a fascinating story (I am a fan of such interesting women's biographies)! a short biography in pdf format can be found here
I love the photos of the old buildings in Europe - of course we have nothing like that in New zealand. I have been reading "The Passion of Artemisia" by Susan Vreeland - Artemisia Gentileschi an early woman painter lived in various Italian cities - Rome, Florence, Genoa, Venice, Naples - and now I find myself wanting to check the map and see where in Italy they all are.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Michele's today.
bella bella Italia! :) gorgeous. It is the atmosphere and your pictures sure captured the mood. I miss it.... we lived in Rome for 4 years... a long long time ago.
ReplyDeleteGirl, you gotta stop making us jealous like this... it ain't healthy. ;)
I loved the buildings with beautiful paintings on the sides. We saw a lot of that in Bavaria too.
ReplyDeleteHubby lived in a house in Berg with the most beautiful hunting scene.
I feel like I've been to Italy just looking at the photos and reading the descriptions.
ReplyDeleteHere from Michele
beautiful buildings. I love Italy. And your visitor in your vacation apartment, he's actually kind of cute, in a weird way. ;)
ReplyDeleteThose, I think, are trompe d oeil paintings. They are amazing, truly beautiful and technically challenging to exact. I love it that you can find them anywhere/everywhere in Italy! How neat!!
ReplyDeleteYou mean this structures are all fake? Just couldn't believe my eyes. They really look so real.
ReplyDeleteJust passing by to say hello and have a nice week ahead.
I love those [aintings on the walls, too! Really Beautiful...and the color of that Pink of the wall is so warm...
ReplyDeleteThe story of that woinderful Nun would make a good movie...In the days of "The Movie Studio" it would have been made already....! What an interesting woman.
How beautiful, mar darling - just gorgeous :-)
ReplyDeleteMade me smile in appreciation (and I'm not doing too much of *that* atm!)
And I love the cricket too!
cq
Terrific! I've been there - but a really really long time ago!
ReplyDeleteLBC
Welcome back! Sounds like a really nice trip. How interesting about Sister Blandina. I have to read about her encounter with Billy the Kidd!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it when you post pictures!!! Wodnerful!!!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Michele's..
ReplyDeleteMar.. the funny thing is... I visited Kristen, when I was supposed to visit you... went to her blog, found her raving about Venice and Italy, and shared my love of Venice with her... then came back, saw I should have visited you, and found your post about Italy!! Spooky!! lol
Loved your photos.
I have Venice photos posted in my photo blog, archives, last NOV. :)
~S
The painting on the buildings is called Trompe l'oeil French for "trick of the eye." It is one of my favorite forms of painting, it is amazing!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Enjoying seeing your trip!!
Thanks Leanne and Yellow Rose for the exact term! trompe l'oeil! it sounds just as beautiful as it is
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a PINK house... but it wouldn't work as well in the USA, sadly, John Mellencamp song notwithstanding.
ReplyDeletehow beautiful Mar! I love all of your pics. I want to go visit!!! One day maybe when we are closer.
ReplyDeleteThese buildings are so sweet and full of culture. I actually said "wow" outloud when I enlarged the picture and saw that it really was a painting. Just like you said. Gee, you are so smart! :)
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I hope to go there some day. I've been in France, Germany, Check Republic (by accident!) and Austria, but I want to see the south part of Europe.
ReplyDeleteMichele has sent me back again - I've found Genova on the map now.
ReplyDeleteWe are going to Italy in the fall and I cann't wait to take photos of my own to share. I love seeing them, Mar.
ReplyDeleteWow, great photos...I love old buildings. What charm. Thanks for the tour.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this all wonderful? WoW! Alas... all that wonderful painting just would NOT be the same on vinyl siding... ugh! THIS is why the Europeans outclass we Americans! Simple little things like this... I LOVE IT!!!
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