Early Morning in Venice

Venice is always full of persons, even in the first hours of the morning -those who lives and works there and has not too much time to look around; tourists that come with the first trains intended to see everything possible before they will leave the town in the evening, running for better and better places; those, finally, who comes with the cruise liners so numerous there. Many of them gather together in the large spaces of the S.Marc square.


«Утро на площади Святого Марка в Венеции...» на Яндекс.Фотках

Photos, photos, photos, photographs are in every direction you turn your head. The impression is that all the persons of this town are able to think only about taking their shots. It's not so but you see and hear the photocameras litteraly in every place you go there.

The air is so nice in the morning, in Venice. It seems the dust is hanging in the air in the afternoon on dry and warm days. Two symbols of the town, the Winged Lion with one paw on the book and  St. Todaro, killing the dragon, standing on the high columns, supervise the town. But beware to pass between these columns! Once, this area was used to kill the prisoners, and it's not good sign to pass there.


«Утро на площади Святого Марка в Венеции...» на Яндекс.Фотках
 
«Утро на площади Святого Марка в Венеции...» на Яндекс.Фотках

Costa Blanca, Spain

Why we like white buildings so much? Could you explain me this phenomena?

When you visit Capri, for example, you notice the white houses of this island. With different kinds of ornaments in ceramics and luxuriant nature, white walls are probably the best possible "background". Ohhh, they are protagonists of the island there. And I was sure Capri is the unique place in the world that we can call the island of white houses.

Many years passed, and finally I visited Capri once more. I was in Anacapri, the town that remained in my dreams as the white town. Something changed in this period and the town was not so white as I remembered it...

Similar effect create white trullis that you can find in many places if you visit Apulia. But really white is the White Town there. Ostuni. Completly white.

Well, in any case I thought, THOSE are the white towns.
My friend visited Costa Blanca in Spain and turned home fashinated by this white place. The houses are white there, too (first photo). But not this is the reason they call it the White Coast. This coast is literally white. Because it's formed by white stones! (second photo).


«Испанское побережье Коста Бланка» на Яндекс.Фотках


«Испанское побережье Коста Бланка» на Яндекс.Фотках

Capri, an Island of the Cliffs

Capri is one of the island of the gulf of Naples. It is situated not far from the mainland but the "normal" ferry needs more than an hour to reach it. There are quick ferries, too. Jetfoils. Those arrive in the port of Capri, Marina Grande, in about 30 minutes. But the slow ferries allow you to enjoy the view of all the gulf of Naples if the weather is good. You can see all the islands and the Sorrento coast with calm for more time (and save moneyof the tickets, too).

There are 2 towns on the island, Capri and Anacapri. In the port, take a bus and go in Anacapri where it's possible to visit not only one of the most beautiful villas of the world but the incredible cliffs and caves (there are about 5 or more visitable caves there where the sun thanks to the particular conditions of the exposion color the water in azurre or red or emerald etc)

Capri is very good for trekking. The pathes have different complexity and there are very easy ways and very complicated, too. In any case you will be rewarded with breathtaking views. In fact, all the views are breathtaking, there, I think.

But there are different possibilities: if you don't want to look down from the cliff, you can rent a boat and look at the island down-up. The round trip coasts abut 16 euros, I think.

Online shopping? Frugality

Frugality is the right word to describe the main idea of frugaldad.com, the site where you can find a very rich collection of coupons to save money in, practically, all kinds of shopping online: from cheap hotels and travels to shoes and food. Saving money when you navigate this site is as simple as a click on the category you are interested in. The only thing you have to remember: don't be carried away by this great quantity of possibilities.

Coupons and deals are real and are actually interesting ways to have more from our hardly earned money. In this period of crisis -and I would say crisises that follow one after other- the possibility to purchase two or more objects or goods with the same money makes the difference. And frugality can gift us those things we would maybe never consider if we would accept thoughtlessly the first prices we see in the shop.

There are many ways to find coupons for online shopping: you can see them in your newsletters, in advertising banners and dedicated sites. But you don't need to look for them in all those places. Just bookmark the page of FrugalDad and open it when you need to buy something next time.

We tend to explain everything from the position of benefits, today. Now, what is the main benefit of frugality? It's easy: frugality can simplify you your life. To have less bills and more money for your personal needs or needs of your family -isn't it the dream you have every day? And it means more joy and happiness since you can live without everyday stress. Make a list of all those unuseful things you have. Did you notice that we often have too many equal objects? 2-3 cells, for example.

Using coupons and deals seem not very important way to save money, but if you count the advantages you had with attention, you will notice that all together they build a significant part that influences your budget in positive sense. What can you do with these savings? You can use them not only to buy more goods that are necessary to you today. With this money, you can even create you personal fund for your retirement, for example.

There is not matter, what do you need that money for. In any case, those coupons and deals, the frugality and attention in the everyday expensions can help you to make your life better.

Madrid -the Most High-Altitude Capital in Europe

Madrid was the next city to visit in the list of one of my friends. She has a very good job: she can travel everywhere practically every month. So, this time it was Madrid. The city became a capital "recently", in 1561. Madrid is not only the highest but one of the most large cities in Europe (London and Berlin take the first places).
 
«Крыши Мадрида» на Яндекс.Фотках 

Here is the main square of Madrid.
If you think that this square is a little empty, you have to remember that this place was created for all kinds of events and shows. It was a place for corridas, for parades, for shows. Here were organized the fires for heretics: oncew, in 1680, 21 persons were burned on this place and the royal family assisted this executions for 12 hours.


«Центральная площадь Мадрида - Пласа Майор» на Яндекс.Фотках

Today, Madrid forgot public executions and it's a pleasant city with many nice places for persons of every age and interest. Ans a kind of paradise for tourists.


«Церковь Святого Иеронима у музея Прадо в Мадриде» на Яндекс.Фотках

Sud Italy -Winter Means Rain

Italy, as all European countries, was reached by a very cold cyclone about 2 weeks ago.

The problem for this normally warm in winter country is that it was not ready to stand such a situation with dignity. Since there are never similar problems here, people do not have special cars and other necessary equipment to take the snow away. And I think with horror about the next future when all the snow will melt, specially that in the mountains.

Sud Italy was less hit by this natural calamity (in other countries, it is called simply "winter"). We had only rains here, and those who lives in the mountains came down with the cars covered with 20 cm of snow for 2 or 3 days.



I had to guide a group of excursionists from Salerno to it's castel and had to learn the way before the excursion. Nobody of my friends knew how is possible to go out from the Old Town to the castel and I had to study the situation. That is why I had to pass some days in Salerno even if the rain did not stop even for a moment.



The day of the excursion seemed to begin good enough: the rain was drizzling, and it even stopped then...



I like excursions and I participate on them gladly. But not under the pouring rain, guys...
The association wrote me that the excursion is confirmated. Than, they did not come the next day. I contacted all the museums about our visit -and the group did not come... The 4 persons that reached us at the end wanted to go for the walk. And I had to show them all the itinerary except the castle.

I was completly wet after it. I could not warm myself for 2 days than. Never more I will consent to guide somebody if the weather is not good...

Stories of Salerno -S.Trophimena

This ugly building in Salerno is the church of S.Trophimena, the protector of Amalfitans. Yes, Amalfitans in Salerno.

The existance of this church, actually closed for the visitors but excavated by archeologists, confirms a story, told by Chronicon Salernitanum, a chronicle written in X century, about the Amalfitans that first have seen their town destroyed by the Longobards of Sicardo, their houses plundered, the body of their protector transported in Benevento, -and than they were transported in Salerno -to repopulate the town maybe.



 Later, after the death of Sicardo, the body of the Saint was given back to the Amalfitansand they, after a day when the rests of the Saint were celebrated in Salerno, was embarked on a boat and transportated in the cathedral dedicated to the Saint in Minori. Amalphitans turnd back in their town, too.

So, this church had to exist from the IX century. But it was built on the base of Roman buildings. And later, when the population of this quarter grew, they built a bigger new church using the old church as a crypt.

The Treasures of the Diocesan Museum of Salerno

Winter is not the best tme to visit Italy but the vacation can offer many interesting things to learn and to see. For exsample, if you visit Salerno in this period, you can enjoy the new exposition in the Diocesan Museum that is open from December.



The Diocesan Museum is not very big but it has some rarities.

First of all are the medieval avory altar pieces. Well, nobody knows, sincerely, what it is and even how the pieces of this puzzle were composed originally. But the 69 pieces work that represents scenes from New and Old Testament is the only so complete collection in the world.



The second rarity are the pages of the Exultet -a "book" of images used to show to the believers what is the priest telling during the Mass. The persons did not understand latin and they used these pictures to make them participate consciously.

The next interesting object exposed in the diocesan Museum is the cross of Robert Guiscard. I'm not very sure that this cross is effectively the property of Robert Guiscard, the Normann Conquirer of Salerno but the artifact is very special in any case.

Is it Venice?

These are the photos of my friend that lives in... oh no, not in Venice!
In SPb!
St. Petersburg. There are not so many cities that provoke so great love in the hearts of so many persons. SPb is a city that steals your heart. Forever.
If you want to visit Russia, think about SPb. Yes, you are right, I'm the part of that very nourished group of persons that believe SPb is the most beautiful place in the world.

On these photos is the outpost of SPb, Kronstadt. It's a town of sailors. If you visit SPb in summer (and I hope, you have this possibility), you can buy a ferry excursion that will visit Kronstadt. It's an excellent way to relax -a ferry.


«Форты Кронштадта» на Яндекс.Фотках

 
«По воде вокруг города Кронштадта» на Яндекс.Фотках

 This temple is built for the sailors that died in the fights against the enemies of the homeland. It's dome is visible from all the parts of the gulf.

 
«Морской собор в Кронштадте» на Яндекс.Фотках

Bathing Before Christmas

I want to precise that it's about orthodox Christmas and it means about Jan.6/ 7. My friend went in Siberia for a short vacation and found an interesting place in one of the towns they visited: a bath with hot mineral water. They say, the inhabitants of Siberia are very healthy because they like "banja" -Russian bath. After they take the bath, they go out anf swimm in the rivers or rub themselves with snow. That show the photos here. 


«Покровом снежным, бело-синим вокруг окутала зима...» на Яндекс.Фотках

«Жаркая банька» на Яндекс.Фотках

 But it's the first time I hear that there are such pools with hot mineral water used to enjoy the cold winter. My friend told me, she caught cold before the vacation but after this bath everything passed.
 

«Купание пред Рождеством...» на Яндекс.Фотках