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The Italians seem to be a bit more realistic about glory and how it works. In Turin they have this monument to some
battle or other, and while the victorious (ie those that reap the benefits) are stationed on top in victorious pose, round the back
is the bloke that didn't make it. The one that fell. Crushed in the process of making the victory. Only there is only one of him. Methinks
there would be more.... |
Meanwhile, down the road is a bloke who sleeps just like us sheep - outside. I don't know why he chooses to do that when most of
the humans sleep in nice comfy beds.Maybe it is a tradition in his family? |
I often wondered where the end of the line lies. Now I know. It is in Turin. |
 While we were in Turin, I nipped into the church where they had this white cloth hanging up. It had a few stains on it, so it must have been an old rag of some sort. Anyway, I just nipped a small piece off - do you think anyone will mind? And I had myself a coat made! Hey, hey, hey, Italian fashion! |
 This is the top view.Do you like it? |
A car that accommodates the height-challenged! And cute too. There should be more of them.Go to top of page |
I hung around this balcony in Verona for a while and yelled out, "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" But noone came. Then I asked about
what name one should give a rose and what it would smell like, but someone answered in Italian and I didn't understand them, so it
seems that it does matter what you call it.Can you see me? |
Ahh, the Grande Canale, Venice. None of that automobile noise and confusion. Just gently lapping waters, albeit a
little too high at high tide, but nice otherwise.This is me on the Rialto Bridge and you can see where the marble has been worn smooth by the caress of human hands over the centuries. That Michaelangelo could get his marbles that smooth! |
 It is no wonder that Venice is sinking, it is mostly
made from marble, and that must be very heavy. If only they had used the lightweight timbers we now use to make houses! And not just
the houses, whole streets of marble. And not just one level but sometimes five or six. Oh, well.
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 Ouch! Never trust a mail slot. I was just having
a peek inside to see if the living room was flooded or not.
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 This bloke looked like he was packing to leave. Had his
camel all laden. Must be worried about the flooding. The camel reckoned that they weren't going very far though as he had been laden for
about 500 years already and they hadn't moved yet. And anyway, they were still 3 metres above the high water mark.
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 Some of those old builders must have been
very clever. To build a spiral staircase from marble like this. Still, after climbing five floors, I know why even more clever builders
invented the elevator!Still, if the floodwaters rise, you just keep moving up a floor! That should keep this place useful for another 500 years at least. |
 Inside the Basilica San Marco in Campo San Marco, it is a very old and a very spectacular church.All of the inside walls and ceilings were covered with fantastic mosaics, mostly with a gold motif. Nearly all surfaces were covered, and if you really wanted to study it you had to do two things. Stay there for a long time. And get down on the floor on your back so as to see them all properly. However, since there were a lot of tourists, we were all given the sheep treatment - filing in one door, do one round of the shop and file out the exit - so there wasn't much time. (Not that I am one to complain about receiving the sheep treatment!) And the disadvantage of lying on your back the better to see the ceilings is that you can't see the floor! And it is covered in fantastic marble designs just using different coloured marbles. The designs and colours were numerous and various and covered the whole floor. Never mind that it was very uneven from subsidence, it was very beautiful. |
 Some of these names sound familiar....But when I pressed the buzzers, there was no answer. I don't know what that means. Maybe they weren't home? |
 Breakfast in Venice. Capuccino. Croissant. What more
could a sheep ask for?Go to top of page |
We called into the shop in a place called Florence (the Gallery Accademia) and there was one of Mick's creations! He said his name was
Dave. But, mate, Dave had nothin' on! And it was a cool day too.Soon fixed that - lent him a pair of my woollen undies. Did the trick real nice. A bit of Aussie fashion - just to show them Italians! Go to top of page |
 They reckon you have to rub the snout of this fellow as a promise that you will return to Florence. Well, let me tell you,
I am not going anywhere near those tusks! I just rubbed him on the foot, I'm sure that will do the trick. |
 This place was offering me number 14 on the Italian football team, but I have other things to do before I settle down
seriously to a life of pleasure. |
 Italians know how to build cars! This must
be one of the earliest sunroofs!Can you see me? |
 This bloke is set for war. I asked him where his horse was, since so many of the statury soldiers seem to have one, but he
wouldn't say. But I would say that his horse objected to carrying all those cannonballs around. I would too.(His sword can't be very sharp, or he wouldn't be holding it in his hand like that - maybe it's a dummy, but I wasn't going to ask him that!) |
 Graffiti.It sounds like an Italian word. So why do they get so upset about it? And why did they give me the job of cleaning it up? |
 We passed this
place where I thought pizza came from, but it was Pisa. The builders in Pisa aren't too good, there was this tower that was leaning a
bit. I did my best to straigten it but people kept stopping me! Apparently they like it that way!Italians! |
 It may not have been in Pisa, but it was a true Italian Pizza in
Torino and delicious! |
 Mind you, the chef thought he was going to have lamb on the menu, but I
managed to appeal to his Italian roots by pointing out that lamb is not found on real pizza.Not today anyway! |
 Fighting, fighting, fighting. It is all some people think about! I tried
to get them to stop, but they wouldn't listen to me. |
 If it isn't swords it's guns. I had a go at putting his aim off, but
he reckoned he didn't know what a pacifist is. |
 Another horse race. Beats me why they are so keen to get near the
sharp edges of other people's swords, especially the horses. Although they reckon they have no choice. |
 Not very often I get to stand on
the head of a bull, so took the chance in Torino. Nice lamp posts.Go to top of page |
 And after a gelato a day, one final one before leaving Italy. |
 And that last cup of real capuccino.Bye Italy! |
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