Friday, September 29, 2006
Chapfensee near Mels, Switzerland
Chapfensee is an idyllic spot above Mels, close to Sargans. The road that leds towards that lake is really narrow, but still there always seems a way out in case a different car driver had the same idea but the opposite direction. But it is worth taking that adventure as the lake is a pleasant jewel of nature , there is a small path that leads around the lake and also a chance to go to the sight-spot where you have a beautiful view over the Swiss mountains towards Sargans. At the end of the walk you can enjoy a cup of coffee or some ice-cream at a small snack bar at the end of the lake
Monday, September 25, 2006
Carrara, Tuscany
Here you can see the "marble-mountains" in Carrara, where the world's most qualitive marble has been gained for many decades..The bus took us to the top of the mountains where you could see how they work quite closely, next to it is a nice souvenir shop where lots of thinks made out of marble are available.
Carrara Marble, Tuscany
Carrara, an impressive place.
The minerals of the Carrara marble are among the most known italian minerals. What characterize these minerals is the perfection of the shape of the crystals, the incredible trasparence and sharpness. Among the best minerals we have fantastic quartz crystals, perfectly shaped. The beauty of these minerals is highlighted also by the white marble matrix that increases and amplifies the colors and the shape of the minerals. . HistoryThe Carrara marble quarries have been exploited since more than 2000 years. Carrara marble is very famous for the statuary quality, used by all the most famous sculpturers in the world ( Michelangelo, Canova, etc.). The first peak of extractive activity was in the roman period, during the imperial age the demand for Carrara marble rose since it became the most requested building stone for public buildings. Since then Carrara was a synonymous of marble and its marble was requested worldwide for buildings, statues, objects, etc. Till now, about about one million tons of Carrara marble are quarried each year GeologyFrom the geological point of view the area belongs to the autoctonous part of the tuscanian appennines. The Apuane area is a "tectonic window", in which the alloctonous ligurid terrains are not present and the original basement of the area outcrops. In particular The apuan marble formation is lowermost jurassic in age and is composed of limestones having a typical saccaroidal texture due to metamorphic recrystallisation.The colour is usually white but may contain variable gray banding in places. The most pure limestones fully recristallised are very famous as "statuario" marble. Most of the monuments and the masterpieces of the world art are sculptured in this marble. Two tectonic phases are recognizable in the Apuane area : the last one consisted in a low grade matamorphic folding, in which the cavities and fissures where there are the main cristallisations of the carrara marble formed. How to reach the research areaTo reach the research area is extremely simple: arriving at Carrara, in noth Tuscany, all the quarry area is well visible. Almost three hundred of little or large quarries are present in Carrara area.The most important for crystallisations are Fantiscritti quarry,La Facciata quarry and Fossa degli angeli, where is possible to find some interesting minerals. Since the extractive activity is not so much developed nowadays , the possibility of some good finding is relatively low... anyway, something is still foundable, depending on the luck. MineralsThe crystals are foundable in the cavities, normally not opened, but recognizable due to the larger grain size of the crystals of the matrix, to a different colour of the rock or to the presence of coarse grained calcite. The presence of these characteristics is detrimental for the quality of the marble, sol normally the blocks where is possible to find the minerals and the cavities are spoilages of the extractive activity. The characteristic of the Carrara minerals id due to the white marble matrix and to the small quantities of accessory minerals. The crystals are well developed isolated crystals rather than confused aggregates.Over than 70 species have been described from the Apuane mineralogy. Most of the minerals are of very small dimension ( few mm ) but absolutely perfect . The contrast with the white matrix, then gives an absolute evidence to these minerals.One of the most famous mineral is wurtzite , a variety of sphalerite sphalerite in a lot of different colors, from yellow, to honey, to green, red and brown. Probably among the most famous crystals are the quartz crystals, very perfect. The crystals are very transparent and always colorless. Perfectly double terminated crystals are not rare, The crystals generally show perfectly flat and shiny faces: this is the reason of the uncommon brightness of Carrara quartz crystals. Dolomite, in very brilliant crystals, with the typical brightness Calcite, in nice and well formed crystals, generally rhomboedronsGypsum, in white to transparent crystals of nice shapeFluorite, generally in absolutely transparent cubes, passing to whitePirite crystals in very shinig and brilliant cubesSulphur in perfect and brilliant transparent crystalsAlbite in nice crystals, generally tabular .
My favorite chessboards
The minerals of the Carrara marble are among the most known italian minerals. What characterize these minerals is the perfection of the shape of the crystals, the incredible trasparence and sharpness. Among the best minerals we have fantastic quartz crystals, perfectly shaped. The beauty of these minerals is highlighted also by the white marble matrix that increases and amplifies the colors and the shape of the minerals. . HistoryThe Carrara marble quarries have been exploited since more than 2000 years. Carrara marble is very famous for the statuary quality, used by all the most famous sculpturers in the world ( Michelangelo, Canova, etc.). The first peak of extractive activity was in the roman period, during the imperial age the demand for Carrara marble rose since it became the most requested building stone for public buildings. Since then Carrara was a synonymous of marble and its marble was requested worldwide for buildings, statues, objects, etc. Till now, about about one million tons of Carrara marble are quarried each year GeologyFrom the geological point of view the area belongs to the autoctonous part of the tuscanian appennines. The Apuane area is a "tectonic window", in which the alloctonous ligurid terrains are not present and the original basement of the area outcrops. In particular The apuan marble formation is lowermost jurassic in age and is composed of limestones having a typical saccaroidal texture due to metamorphic recrystallisation.The colour is usually white but may contain variable gray banding in places. The most pure limestones fully recristallised are very famous as "statuario" marble. Most of the monuments and the masterpieces of the world art are sculptured in this marble. Two tectonic phases are recognizable in the Apuane area : the last one consisted in a low grade matamorphic folding, in which the cavities and fissures where there are the main cristallisations of the carrara marble formed. How to reach the research areaTo reach the research area is extremely simple: arriving at Carrara, in noth Tuscany, all the quarry area is well visible. Almost three hundred of little or large quarries are present in Carrara area.The most important for crystallisations are Fantiscritti quarry,La Facciata quarry and Fossa degli angeli, where is possible to find some interesting minerals. Since the extractive activity is not so much developed nowadays , the possibility of some good finding is relatively low... anyway, something is still foundable, depending on the luck. MineralsThe crystals are foundable in the cavities, normally not opened, but recognizable due to the larger grain size of the crystals of the matrix, to a different colour of the rock or to the presence of coarse grained calcite. The presence of these characteristics is detrimental for the quality of the marble, sol normally the blocks where is possible to find the minerals and the cavities are spoilages of the extractive activity. The characteristic of the Carrara minerals id due to the white marble matrix and to the small quantities of accessory minerals. The crystals are well developed isolated crystals rather than confused aggregates.Over than 70 species have been described from the Apuane mineralogy. Most of the minerals are of very small dimension ( few mm ) but absolutely perfect . The contrast with the white matrix, then gives an absolute evidence to these minerals.One of the most famous mineral is wurtzite , a variety of sphalerite sphalerite in a lot of different colors, from yellow, to honey, to green, red and brown. Probably among the most famous crystals are the quartz crystals, very perfect. The crystals are very transparent and always colorless. Perfectly double terminated crystals are not rare, The crystals generally show perfectly flat and shiny faces: this is the reason of the uncommon brightness of Carrara quartz crystals. Dolomite, in very brilliant crystals, with the typical brightness Calcite, in nice and well formed crystals, generally rhomboedronsGypsum, in white to transparent crystals of nice shapeFluorite, generally in absolutely transparent cubes, passing to whitePirite crystals in very shinig and brilliant cubesSulphur in perfect and brilliant transparent crystalsAlbite in nice crystals, generally tabular .
My favorite chessboards
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Genoa (Genova)
Genoa was also part of our short trip to Italy.
The origins of Genoa go back to pre-Roman age. In the year 205 B.C. it was then destroyed by them and rebuilt from the hill of S. Maria di Castello, the main point to control the sea harbour. After barbaric and saracenic invasions it reorganized its fleet and participated to the Crusades setting up colonies all over the Mediterranean sea. In the year 1162 it became an indipendent town and took possess of the 2 Rivieras. Successfully winnings along the sea made Genoa a wealthy and magnificent city. After the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus and the loss of the colonies the town struggled mainly on land for its possessions all along Liguria. The Republic was annexed to France in 1805 and after 1814 Genoa and Liguria became united under the Kingdom of Sardinia. The town was then on the front line, - with men like Garibaldi and Mazzini - to fight for the unification of Italy. Genoa had with its harbour and the inland an important role during the 2nd World War. History and the human events during the course of centuries left ineffaceable marks on Genoa. The city boasts an architectural, artistic, and cultural wealth of exceptional amplitude and value. It merges the singolar quality of its medieval nuclei with the industriousness of the port and different other activities and offering landscapes and natural panoramas of unsurpassed beauty. The Ligurians, ancestors of the Genoise people were here before the Romans. They where living from the land near the now Tuscany border, all through the actual Liguria and down to France. Genoa was one of the 4 ancient Sea Republics. Its power was so strong to arrive to lend money and ships even to the English crown. Part of the English flag (one of the crosses) is the Genoa flag, remembering ancient treaties regarding the use of our flag on ships in order to avoid conflicts with other nations as they were all frightened by the Genoa Ships. With the Industrial Revolution Genoa was for a long time one of the three major industrial cities in Italy. Genoa's harbour is the biggest in Italy and, alternatively by the years, the most important in the whole Mediterranenean area. Nowadays with the 2000 jubilee year Genoa is also one of the most important passage ways. For this occasion many old beautiful churches and buildings have been restored to allow all the interested tourists and modern pilgrims to know ancient and modern uses together with very interesting historical, religious and social aspetcs. The town - after its history - boasts today an architectural, artistic, cultural wealth and different other activities offering landscapes and natural panoramas together with the tipical regional cousine in many cases with historical and classical very interesting dishes wich recipes that dated back to ancient times but still very famous nowadays.
The origins of Genoa go back to pre-Roman age. In the year 205 B.C. it was then destroyed by them and rebuilt from the hill of S. Maria di Castello, the main point to control the sea harbour. After barbaric and saracenic invasions it reorganized its fleet and participated to the Crusades setting up colonies all over the Mediterranean sea. In the year 1162 it became an indipendent town and took possess of the 2 Rivieras. Successfully winnings along the sea made Genoa a wealthy and magnificent city. After the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus and the loss of the colonies the town struggled mainly on land for its possessions all along Liguria. The Republic was annexed to France in 1805 and after 1814 Genoa and Liguria became united under the Kingdom of Sardinia. The town was then on the front line, - with men like Garibaldi and Mazzini - to fight for the unification of Italy. Genoa had with its harbour and the inland an important role during the 2nd World War. History and the human events during the course of centuries left ineffaceable marks on Genoa. The city boasts an architectural, artistic, and cultural wealth of exceptional amplitude and value. It merges the singolar quality of its medieval nuclei with the industriousness of the port and different other activities and offering landscapes and natural panoramas of unsurpassed beauty. The Ligurians, ancestors of the Genoise people were here before the Romans. They where living from the land near the now Tuscany border, all through the actual Liguria and down to France. Genoa was one of the 4 ancient Sea Republics. Its power was so strong to arrive to lend money and ships even to the English crown. Part of the English flag (one of the crosses) is the Genoa flag, remembering ancient treaties regarding the use of our flag on ships in order to avoid conflicts with other nations as they were all frightened by the Genoa Ships. With the Industrial Revolution Genoa was for a long time one of the three major industrial cities in Italy. Genoa's harbour is the biggest in Italy and, alternatively by the years, the most important in the whole Mediterranenean area. Nowadays with the 2000 jubilee year Genoa is also one of the most important passage ways. For this occasion many old beautiful churches and buildings have been restored to allow all the interested tourists and modern pilgrims to know ancient and modern uses together with very interesting historical, religious and social aspetcs. The town - after its history - boasts today an architectural, artistic, cultural wealth and different other activities offering landscapes and natural panoramas together with the tipical regional cousine in many cases with historical and classical very interesting dishes wich recipes that dated back to ancient times but still very famous nowadays.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Italian market
The variety of fruit and vegetables on Italian markets is great..
The most expensive bottle of wine I have ever seen in real life..
The most expensive bottle of wine I have ever seen in real life..
Monday, September 18, 2006
Cinque Terre 6
The hiking trip took us from the sea all the way up at the rocks, through the vineyards with an overwhelming view.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Cinque Terre 4
Sometimes it even seems unreal, like out of a book, so full of charm and perfectly set into scene by sunlight..Cinque Terre in Italy is a fascinating destination..
Cinque Terre 2
Five miles of rocky coast in eastern Liguria, two promontories lie at each extremity, thousands of kilometres of dry walling, cultivated into vineyards, five southerly villages castled up on spurs of stone or disposed in clusters of very small inlets. These are the co-ordinates of the Cinque Terre (Five lands). Recognized finally as a National Park in 1999 and UNESCO protected territory since 1997 as a system of naturalistic environmental interest. This zone is characterized by the presence of precipitous slopes which have been cultivated into vineyards by means of fatiguing system of terracing the only evidence of transformation operated by the laborious human activity on the territory. The suggestive type of coastal projections on the sea with sheer cliffs that often overtake the verticality alternated with bays, winding paths and enchanting small beaches between cliffs with a profound back drop, a rich variety of ichthyic (fishing) all of which make this district an authentic natural "opera of art". 
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