If It's Tuesday: Rock Graffiti in Cinque Terre

Rock Graffiti

I haven't posted an 'If It's Tuesday' post for some time.. Probably as every post is Tuesday since I returned from my trip.. Hope you aren't getting bored with all this travel?  Today I thought I'd bring you more on Cinque Terre and the links I promised .. 

Like many seaside towns in Italy,  the land in Cinque Terre rises sharply from the sea.. Steep rocky formations, worn and carved by the hands of time..  Some sand beaches can be found.. [see last post].. but residents and tourists don't seem to mind sunbathing on the rocky platforms surrounding these tiny villages and the blue blue mediterranean... A little rock art if you will..

The hands of time though didn't carve these expressions of love.. Tourists wishing to leave their mark and sentiments of eternal devotion do so by carving or painting their 'lovings' on the cliff walls.. .. Rock Graffiti peppers the trails that lead in and out of the villages.. and I was taken with these few...

Sadly though.. extreme weather has left a new mark on the villages.. As mentioned in my last post, the region was severely damaged by devastating floods and landslides.. Residents have been left without homes and businesses and much help is needed to cleanup and restore the losses.. 

In my search for a charity collecting on their behalf, I found a blog owned by an American expat living in the area.. Kate at 'Little Paradiso' ... She is posting updates on the situation and also has useful information for how to donate via the Italian Red Cross.. Rather than repeat it here.. I'll send you her way and you can see first hand what has been going on ......

Have A Great Week 

And please pop over and see Kate's blog

more

SEA The World

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Original Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

Shots taken at Cinque Terre, Italy,  August 2011

Cinque Terre: Devastating Flash Flooding

Beauty Lost

Since putting this post up I have heard the sad news that there were flash floods in the Liguria region of Italy just over a week ago..  Devastating damage has occurred to much of the region and the villages of Cinque Terre.. The worst hit being Vernazzo and Monterosso. Here I was celebrating spring finally returning to Sydney.. and little did I know that this heritage listed beauty has suffered irreparable damage in recent days...

Still at a loss to know what to say.. Other than my heart goes out to all that live here and all that make their living in this most beautiful part of the world.. I am so grateful that I managed to visit here this trip.. It was only a few hours.. but the beauty will remain with me always.. I have visited Italy twice before and always regretted not making it there.. So this time I visited Cinque Terre as part of a day trip on my recent Mediterranean cruise.. The tour guide we had this day was a gem [my memory is foggy and I can't recall her name right now] .. A beautiful local girl who was able to impart to us .. not just the facts... but also infuse the day with her love of the area.. To see it through her eyes.. I hope she is well and her home is safe.. 

Here in Australia we felt the cruel hand of flooding not that many months ago with the devastating floods in Queensland.. I know all Aussies affected or not, appreciated the help from locals and those further afield.. Perhaps we too can help Cinque Terre.. I will look into what reputable organizations are taking donations and update this post [or my blog] accordingly. Meanwhile say a little prayer for those affected..  These residents have lost their homes and livelihood and the world has lost a place of immeasurable beauty.. Let's hope the loss is only temporary.

Thinking of Those Affected

Apologies to those who already commented prior to my knowledge of this devastation and subsequent update to the post. Thanks to Sharon for letting me know.

more
SEA The World

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Original Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

Shots taken at Cinque Terre, Italy,  August 2011

Piazza Navona: The Beautiful & Bizarre

My favourite place in Rome.. Where the bizarre is beautiful and the beautiful is bizarre!! And the first place I visited when arriving.. After 16 years I was hoping I had not romanticized the memory, but sure enough Piazza Navona was still as beautiful and crazy as I remembered it.. One had to look past the annoying hawkers who seem to have multiplied exponentially since last time I was there, but underneath the layer of tourists and hawkers.. there she still was with all her beauty... My favourite statues still frozen in some awkward stance as if caught in the act of running amok.. 

I tried to get back each day when possible.. usually my last stop before dinner and returning to my hotel.. On this particular day it had been 39c.. and everyone was melting and exhausted .. Even the statues seemed to have had enough of the relentless heat and were inviting all to join them in their cool aqua waters. It was tempting!! I nearly jumped in!

Thanks For Indulging The Wacky

In The last Post

IMAGE SOURCE & CREDITS:

ALL Text, Original Photography & Artwork [copyright beingRuby©]

Shots taken at Piazza Navona, Rome, August 2011