The march of the students

Today, all over Italy, thousands of students, teachers and school workers marched to protest changes to Italy's school system. Berlusconi's centre-right governament supported the changes that will be cutting billions of euros from primary school, research, university and school in general.
I took this photo this morning in Piazza Erbe. There were hundreds and hundreds of students marching and shouting their statements against the newly launched changes. A lorry leaded the march, loaded with big music speakers that played very good instrumental music and right after the lorry, students, teachers, supporters, took the microphone and spoke their ideas.

I liked the mood and the energy of the parade, which was paceful and rich of contents.

Porta Borsari

Almost every day I walk under these arches and I hardly notice it. Now that I am handling this photo I take a closer look and realize how special this construction is.

It was built in the first century AD over a pre-existing gate dated first century b.C. The Via Postumia (ancient highroad built in 148 b.C., it ran from Genoa and in Cremona it spread in two branches: one ran to Aquileia - Venice and the other ran north to the Brenner Pass, through Verona) passed through this gate!
The gate's current name derives from the guard soldiers which were paid the fee to enter in the town (Latin bursarii).

I have heard that during the terrible flood of 1882 the water reached such a high level that the rescue boats couldn't make it through the arches!

Today I was honoured to receive the Kreativ Blogger award from Nobu of Funabashi Daily Phone Photo



Thank you so much Nobu, I am happy to have received the award from someone I admire and whom I consider a source of inspiration.
My duty now is to list 6 things that make me happy and 6 blogs worth of this award.

These are six things that make me happy:

1 My family, especially my little daughter
2 Meeting people, knowing their stories
3 Natural beauty, wildlife
4 Reading
5 Taking photos
6 Thunderstorms

6 blogs worthy

1 Cavite Daily Photo by Stephen
2 Menton Daily Photo
3 Sari (Iran) Daily Photo by Danial
4 Santa Fe Daily Photo
5 Lost in Sicilia
6 Sidney Meanderings

Colours

The sky is low and grey, I can smell the rain coming. I walk out of the historical centre leaving the town brick wall on my back. I reach Via Valverde: no medieval buildings, no roman remains, no tourists. Just two rows of lovely leafy trees, pastel coloured houses, a few shops.

I stop and take some photos, adjusting the manual mode in order to get the right pale green and yellow of the leaves. No way, I don't do a great job, I rely on your immagination!

Ponte Scaligero

This is one of my favourite buildings of Verona, Ponte di Castelvecchio, also known as Ponte Scaligero.
It was built in three years, most likely in 1354-1356, by Cangrande II della Scala (hence the name Scaligero) to grant him a safe way of escape from the annexed castle in the event of a rebellion of the population against his tyrannic rule. The bridge was totally destroyed by the retreating German troops on April 25, 1945. A faithful reconstruction begun in 1949 and was finished in 1951.
I like the three arches and their different size. I often pass on this bridge coming from the town centre (on the right) to take my daughter to a little park that's just at the other side of the bridge. Click here to see my previous post featuring the bridge, the one about the two girls who skipped school!

San Fermo

This beautiful church is very close to where we live. It has a complex architecture and a stunning brick work. Here is a short excerpet from the Associazione Chiese Vive Verona web site:

Between 1065 and 1143 the Benedictine monks realized a great project. They built two Romanesque churches: the lower church to keep the relics, the upper to be used for religious functions. In 1261 the complex was handed over to the Franciscans, who transformed the upper church into its present form.

Whenever I pass I am captured by the artistic work. I look at the lower rows of terracotta bricks and think about the hand who placed it there, "the builder"that actually put one brick after another, a man that existed centuries ago, that had a family and a life, a medieval life, surely not an easy one.

Have you read "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett?

The Pink... Arena

Pink, it's my new obsession,
Pink, is not even a question
Pink, are the lips of your lover
Pink, is the colour of passion
(...)
Pink it was love at first sight..." -

Pink by Steve Tyler of Aerosmiths

Today, Rob of Trieste Daily Photo honoured me with

Friends award!!!
Thank you!


Now is my pleasure to give this award to 5 other bloggers of my choice:

1. New York Daily Photo by Ming
2. Funabashi Daily Cell Phone Photo
3. Salem Oregon Daily Photo
4. New York Portraits
5. Gliwice Daily Photo
   

And... is your turn to give the award to five other bloggers according to following rules:
1. Only five people are allowed
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award

Gastronomia Stella

This is one of the few Gastronomia left in the heart of the town. A Gastronomia is a "heavenly" shop where you can find all sorts of specialties. You may choose olives from Liguria, mozzarelle from Campania, sicilian oregano or cherry tomatoes, tuscan cheeses, cakes from Siena or chocolates from Piemonte, special pasta from Naples, etc.
There are also international gourmet products, like caviar or escargots. Their home made pasta (ravioli, tortellini) is the best (you can see it on the left) as well as all the freshly made fish specialties. And the salumi (ham, salami etc), mmhh, their choice is really top quality!

What about your town's Gastronomia specialties?