Crazy Riders

It seems that Spring is finally back, after so many weeks of chilly and rainy weather. Time to take our bikes out from their dust in the basement and ride in the sun in pretty landscapes, admiring this pulsating nature. 

There's the Treasure of the Umag Riviera trail in Croatia that looks pretty surreal. It's like cycling in an open air museum, with all those enchanting pieces of landscapes that look like paintings. It should be interesting to capture them at dust and sunset, so to have a collection of vibrating colors from the same place. So far, I enjoyed them on a perfect cloudy May 1 afternoon. Look how stunning some views are!

The light of the day wasn't impossible, actually those clouds made the atmosphere more dramatic. Too bad I couldn't take my reflex with me but I'll definitely go again, I don't want to miss anything about this lovely corner of the earth, Istria. Recently the route of the former railroad Parenzana has been turned into a real attraction for hikers and bycicle riders. We will be busy enough to ride on its trails for the whole summer.

So I'll keep you posted about my next riding adventures. And happy cycling to the ones of you who share my same passion!

Diva Aurora

You know, watching colors of the Northern Lights is one of the things in my MUST-SEE list. I'm so eager that I could bear being out all night with -15°C or less to watch this natural phenomenon, leave alone trying to capture it with my camera.

Please enjoy what my friend Marco wrote about it. Aurora is in his list too.

The Myth and Science of the Aurora Borealis

Walking in the freezing-cold darkness of the Circum-Polar regions during mid-seasons, one is likely to be lucky enough as to witness a phenomenon of a stunning beauty, the Aurora Borealis (or Australis, according to whether it occurs in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere of the Earth).

Named after the roman Goddess of Dawn, Aurora, and sometimes referred to as “The Northern Lights”, this display of colourful lights has for centuries left even the most brilliant of scientists clueless as far as its origin was concerned: Galileo himself observed and reported the appearance of blue lights over the polar regions of Jupiter, but could not come up with a scientific explanation. On the other hand, the native inhabitants of the extreme northern regions of Canada, Europe and Russia, intrigued by the beauty of the Aurora, have always attributed a mythical sense to it and have, over the millennia, come up with legends whose beauty often matches that of the Aurora itself. According to the Vikings, the Northern Lights appeared when the Valkyries were out riding their horses, while other populations thought this phenomenon was due to a dance of the Gods of Dawn.

Many scientific hypotheses were proven wrong in the 19^th and early 20^th Century until, in 1925, scientists at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh determined that (as Tycho Brahe had pointed out some four centuries earlier without finding proof) the Aurora Borealis is indeed related to magnetism and, in particular, to its effect on the solar wind. This huge stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun is partially deflected from its path by the magnetic field of the Earth and a number of these ions is forced through the ionosphere, i.e. a layer of the high atmosphere very rich in gases that become bright and colourful when an electric current is applied to them (just as in any commercial fluorescent light). Indeed, the different colours that occur in the sky during an auroral display are determined by the chemical nature of the predominant gas in the ionosphere, with oxygen glowing red, nitrogen crimson and a mixture of the two giving the sky the most common yellowish-green colour.

As the origin of the Aurora lies in the ionosphere, that is between 60 km and 240 km above the sea-level, the impression that the lights can be so low as to touch the ground has to be regarded as a mere optical illusion, however beautiful. Auroral displays are most frequent in a thin region around the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, due to the particularly high intensity of the magnetic field of the Earth in the proximity of the Poles and its perpendicularity to the Earth’s surface. However, occasional occurrences have been reported as far South as Rome during periods of particularly intense solar activity. In the 16^th Century, in the dark ages of the Counter-Reformation and the Inquisition, a red Aurora appeared in the sky of the Papal City and caused major concern among its population.

A very intriguing phenomenon for photographers, the Northern Lights are most frequently seen in March and September-October in the freezing cold of the Norwegian, Siberian and Canadian countryside, as far away from artificial light as possible to avoid light pollution. Photographers and observers of the Aurora Borealis are therefore always warned against venturing into these areas on their own and groups have to bring powerful flashlights, firecrackers and sometimes even guns with blank rounds along in order to scare the occasional bear away and avoid potentially dangerous close-encounters. In any case, considering the awesome beauty of the Northern Lights, even someone most unwilling to take risks is likely to consider the possibility of defying the cold weather, the remoteness of the places and possibly an occasional bear or two in order to have a chance of admiring Aurora's Winter Waltz.
Marco Sinibaldi

So, what's on your Must-See List? I'm sure any of you out there can list at least 3 things. Though, when I asked my husband, he didn't know what to say. When inquired further, all he came up with was a  Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. And he was the one who suspiciously didn't like soccer when we started to date. Men! :)

Colors of the World

The event I missed last year in Rome, the fascinating photographic journey through the colors that tell about life on Earth, is something I'll regret for the rest of my life. 

Four colors in one exhibition to describe the contrasts between the present and the future of the world, the strength and the weakness of nature and animals, as well as humility, pride, pain and happiness of human beings.

RED 

Color of earth,  heart, blood, passion.

GREEN

Color of today and tomorrow, green of hope. And the color of nature, vegetation, existence itself.

WHITE

The pristine places affected by global warming, animals at risk for survival, innocence, purity.  

BLUE

Color of the water and sky, the seas and its "inhabitants" of joy and peace to exist.

All this illustrated by terrific shots of the greatest photographers who work and collaborate with international and national magazines.

See? These are the only moments when I complain about living in the East of Northern Italy. The fact taht Trieste is so far and badly connected to the rest of Italy is both a limit and a privilege. Dammit!

All pics taken from the National Geographic.

The Blogging Experience

I never fit in the New Year euphoria to make resolutions, try to change your life or attempt things that most of the time remain in the list. Not that I'm totally immune. In the past I made lists too but always staying away from balances. I believe we're here on this world trying to live at our best possible conditions, no matter what. I'm personally always here wearing my armor and battling life and that is sufficient to me. Because at the end of the day what counts more for me is being able to stand up on my own without fearing to look anyone in the face. Dignity is my priority. And I say this with a rotten heart since it's my dad's best teaching I got but in the worst lesson ever. He's a chronic liar and a compulsive gambler. I'm sure these two faults are strongly related, but well, you get the picture.

My little resolutions revolve around my hobbies. I want to finally end those photobooks, attempt to create my own portfolio different from the one in Flickr, translate my book in English. This is a huge task because it means lots of editing and cuts but I feel it must be done. I also want to (maintain my current weight and) take better photos. It's all up to me. I've got objective, realist goals. I can make it without stressing.

And of course I want this blog to go on. Last December, while organizing a rubrics section, I realized how it matured a lot through the months but it always concentrates on a few favorite subjects of mines. I'll leave it like that and maybe add a Digital Photography page as long as my skills will improve with the course I'm about to enroll in. The most important aspect of this blogging experience is that it helps me discover new people and facts. It's my personal way to nurture and improve my own culture.

I came across two important personalities last year, while researching here and there for my posts,  each of them unique in their own brilliant way and concentrated on helping peope during their memorable lives: George Whitman and Simon Wiesenthal. Whitman gave special privileges to writers. Proprietor of the legendary bookstore Shakespeare and Co. in Paris, he always put people, culture and books before money in what he defines his 'bussines of life'. Wiesenthal spent his life hunting nazi criminals instead, and gave justice to million of victims of the Holocaust. 

2012 started with another great discovery, the ritual of pignarul, a propitiatory bonfire set up in Northern East Italy villages on the night of January 5, before Epiphany day (January 6). It's the ancient tradition  of burning the old year away.

The main one is in Tarcento. Here people walk up Coja hill where a huge bonfire, Pignarûl Grant, or Great Bonfire, made of branches of pine, sheaves of corn, is lighted up by The Venerable Old Man (Vecchio Venerando) and is the signal for all the other minor bonfires around the area to be lit as well. 

While the fire burns people sing folk songs and try to figure out which way will the smoke go, a way to predict the fortunes of the region in the coming year: smoke blowing east predicts a year of abundance while smoke blowing west is a bad omen for the crops.

"Se il fum al va a soreli a mont, cjape il sac e va pal mont, se il fum invezit al va de bande di soreli jevât, cjape il sac e va al marcjât." Old saying in Friulan language that means "If the smoke goes west, take your bag and go for the world [emigrate in search of work], but if the smoke goes east, take your sack and go to the market.

We never knew which direction the wind went because it was far too windy and the bonfire lit was postponed for preventing to burn people and cause accidents. Too bad. But the visit to Tarcento was an occasion to watch the medieval parade and events that usually accompany the Pignarul moment, find out local crafts and enjoy some more cool markets and late Christmas atmosphere, before Epiphany arrives and takes all feasts away (it's on January 6 that we usually take down Christmas decorations.)

It was particularly lovely to admire the different dolls of our peculiar Befana. I loved this day and worried over many nights wondering if I'd find coal in my sock. Yes, because a limp of coal is what you got from our old lady if you'd been naughty. My sock was always filled with chocolates and candies instead, and a toy.  

Befana, fine and wise old crone,

Bless the doorway of my home, 

Watch as winter passes by, 

Come as maid when spring is nigh.

My daughter excitedly awaits the arrival of La Befana too.

After these years in the depth of this blogging process of mine, I'm still enthusiast about its growing prospects. I aim to produce higher quality posts and keep growing as a writer. And I hope you'll keep following me in this path. I'ts important to me because your views discipline me and push me to think.

A huge thank you again to my regular readers, then; a warm welcome to my new ones and many happy returns to the occasional folks out there. Thanks for being my daily thrill!

And so this is Christmas

One of the things I love about this area is that it gets beautiful at Christmas and that its lights aren't fake and artificial like in my native region. The city center is beautifully decorated, it hosts a number of kiosks that don't form a typical Christmas Market, but that adds a special aura to the Advent. 

I'm a market person, I love browsing here and there, smelling antiques and testing local food, buying occasional bargains and chatting with producers. Or, simply, people watching. You gotta love markets and their organized chaos, otherwise you don't appreciate the living experience you can get. You simply don't notice colors and beauty, because it's hidden. 

Christmas Markets are special then because they are genuine, yearly and merely there for the eyes and your nose. You don't go to a Christmas market to actually buy something, you attend to enjoy, to entertain yourself and hopefully to rediscover the magic of the season. 

A place like this is Ljubljana. I couldn't resist, I went twice this year, once with my family and some friends, the second time around with a friend who shares my same hobby, photography. We went close to capture the true spirit of it all, between chats, lots of warm drinks and some shopping. 

Please enjoy Ljubljana during the Advent then ...  

There were moments when I felt like straight into a fairy tale scenario. Then I looked around and spotted mysterious presences, but it was only the reflex of the decorationson the river. Wow!

"Double the Nikon, double the pleasure" between me and Valentina :)

I'm very looking forward to enjoying more adventures with her in the future. I'm a solitary person, I love to explore on my own, thus I'm so glad I eventually opened up to this beautiful soul. I'm curious to see how our friendship develops in 2012 now. Life was mean to me in terms of affects, but it has its unpredictable ways to please me with these late joys and softnes me a bit. I'm far too skeptical, I'm afraid. Thanks, baby: the world through our united lens united is more exciting! :)

PS: Yes, she's the one I interviewed in August, last year, that brilliant photographer. We became friends!

My slow return

And so, yeah, I haven't blogged much lately, I actually haven't penned off a serious post since December 13. Mentally I'm there, though, making notes to blog about and sometimes even sitting and starting and putting down something that never materializes. When it's like that, I let it flow, no pressure is necessary because I know that I'm alert even when I'm not writing. I'm just storing things. No needs to worry.

My archive is full of attempts at the minute and still I decided to come on line on the worst night ever, since I'm affected by this nasty stomach flu that devastated my two babies at home (both husband and daughter, if you're new to reading me) and started anew on me. That's Elda, that's me. Take me or leave me, thank you.

We managed to have an exciting and fresh Christmas, at least. We usually spend it abroad, me and my little beautiful family on the road, trying to be united despite all the odds that surrounds us. This December was the same. We hit Salzburg, which hosts a beautiful Market full of atmosphere, people, warm drinks and lights. 

And the city, oh the city in itself is glorious. I love Austria, it's a pretty charming country that once ruled Europe and that kept it liberal, cosmopolitan and assured rights for everyone. It was very cold but, well, warm clothes can do wonders and kept us walking around all the time :)

It was a nice way to end the old year. Who cares if then the new one debuted savagely and pissed us off. Important is to keep going and have less expectations. It'll eventually get better, I'm confident. Like I'll blog more and like life goes on. Happy 2012!

Off the beaten path

I'm not posting much these days, I'm aware and I'm sorry. Believe me if I say that my absence is worth, though, becase the weather is extremely pleasant. We had a sunny and vibrant week and this allowed me to be out and about nearly daily. I always took my camera with me during my mission to capture the autumn charm. I came up with a glorious album and I'm sharing some of my production here in forms of mini travelogues. 

I hiked so much that on Sunday afternoon, for the first time ever, jogging became natural when I attempted it. I must have been out of my mind but, I tell you what, surprisly enough, maybe because of all the previous hiking in the woods looking for the right light, corner, scenario and colors, it wasn't that bad. I managed to run for about 20 good minutes without running out of breath. I kept walking for one more hour afterwards. For the first time ever I was backpack free. I felt as free as a bird. Well, then I went back home, collpased and I nearly had to call an ambulance LOL But this is a detail, it's part of the joys of oldhood. Oh dear, I can't believe I'm approaching my glorious 40's!

source

Anyway, one of the loveliest hike I had was in the Sentiero Natura that goes from Miramare to Prosecco. It was the one that Princess Sisi used to climb when she vacationed in Trieste and now that I climbed it too, I know why. Sisi excercised for 2 hours a day everywhere she was. In some of her palaces she had gym tools installed so that she couldn't ruin her perfect shape. In Miramare Castle, when she visited her sister-in-law Charlotte (Archduke Maximilian von Habsburg's wife), she probably didn't need anything but walking off this path, which is a stone-strewn one. Very beautiful and with some lovely views, but difficult.

It starts at the little train station of Miramare. It was built in the 19th century to serve the castle and recently restoerd because, to my shock, I learned it was badly damaged by vandals a few decades ago. Inepness has no limits, really :( The restoring works surely ruined the ancient charm, but it's still okay and peculiar, a little nostalgic station off the coast, sunbathed by the most impressive sunsets daily.

I started to climb enthusiastically but as soon as I ended the first flight of stairs, a little obstacle came my way. What looks like a lovely, solitary cat observing the area in a probably lazy, contemplative moment was like pure terror to me. It was the horror replica of my massive childhood trauma, when a giant white cat blocked my way on my way to visit great-grandmother first, and attacked me later.

I stood paralyzed for a few minutes, forced myself to take a pic of him while waiting for his next move. I tell you what, I sat there waiting for him to disappear, I didn't dare to go on and if it weren't for a group of people descending from the path, I would have easily gone home and end my excursion there without even starting it. I'm so ridiculously afraid of cats!

Even watching this photo still gives me the creeps!

I eventually continued (actually ran!) my way up. The beauty of the path calmed me down and made me pause several times to take shots around.

Once the hardest stairway finshes, it's all about nature and vineyards up the hills, which are more charming if coloured by the fall season. There was even a little lake (Laghetto di Contovello) and a little church, recently renewed (Chiesetta di Madonna della Salvia), where Sisi stopped praying.

From the church I decided to take another path, the one that links Prosecco to Santa Croce, but I got lost somewhere in between and ended up down a few vineyards that have nothing to do with the beaten part. They allowed me to admire some gorgeous views over the coast and the castle that I couldn't have admired otherwise. Sometimes getting lost becomes interesting ...

Problem is I was tired rotten after so many hours hiking and there was nobody to ask for directions around. Just when I was starting to look like a desperate wanderer in the desert, on the verge of precipice, literally, on a very steep rocky path (and in those dramatic moments only thinking about how to save my camera in case I fell - to my defense I can say that I'm very careful since Alfie broke my lens this summer, but I know you won't believe me, I suppose everyone is starting to guess the photomanic I became, so I leave you guys the benefit of the doubt), I saw a camper. My oasis!

There was Alice's dentist inside, to my total amazement. She gave me directions on how to go home and continued her stretching training in the woods. Wow! What kept me going back was the idea of the big, fatty burger I had later. I was so very hungry and needed something junkie and caloric after all that stress that I kept imagining burgers. I must be sick rotten. But by this time you all know the freak I am, so you're all warned and will still continue reading about my adventures, right? :)