Italian Adventures - 2003

My trip to Rome in 2003 was for 6 weeks to do equipment installation in three Sky Arrow aircraft for the Italian National Research Council. The aircraft will be flown around Mt. Vesuvius to monitor CO2 concentrations and help improve the lead-time for prediction of the next eruption of the volcano. Click here to read more about the Sky Arrow program.

Unusual view of Piza Looking Northeast from Narni

While I was there, I managed to sightsee a little bit and take some pictures of some of the landscapes around Rome, Florence, Piza, Naples, and some of the surrounding areas. The picture on the left is from Piza, but not of the leaning tower. It is a more picturesque view (I think) of the river that runs through the middle of town. This picture was made about 11:00 in the morning, looking toward the northeast. The picture on the right is from the village of Narni in Italy's Umbria region, about 50 km northeast of Rome. The view overlooks the valley to the east of town and the picture was made near dusk. Many thanks to Mauro, Maria, and Sylvia Cortellessa for their generous hospitality and for taking the time to show me around the Italian countryside. Thanks also go to Enrico Morandi of Tivoli, Italy for showing me around the private airport near Tivoli and for showing me his Trike aircraft.

Chianti Festival In Florence (September 27, 2003) Chianti Festival In Florence (September 27, 2003) View of Florence from the Piazzale Michaelangelo

The two images on the left were from the Chianti festival in Florence on Saturday, September 27, 2003 in the late afternoon. The pictures were made near the Galleria Degli Uffizi. In the first image to the left, the horse-drawn cart carrying many bottles of Chianti wine can be seen in the center of the picture. In the picture in the center, the elaborate costumes from the Chianti festival can be seen. The image on the right is an overview of the city of Florence taken from the Piazzale Michaelangelo, overlooking Florence from the East. Many thanks to Beniamino Gioli and his family for allowing me to stay with them for the weekend at their house in Florence.

Roman Forum in the late afternoon Roman Coliseum in the late afternoon Trevi Fountain

The picture to the left is of the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum, taken in the late afternoon. The picture was made without any special filters or camera settings, but the results were very dramatic. The picture in the middle is of the Roman Coliseum, also taken in the late afternoon. The lighting that day was impeccible and produced some very dramatic pictures. The picture to the right is of the Trevi Fountain, built by the sculptor Bernini. I followed tradition and tossed a coin into the fountain over my shoulder, thus ensuring my eventual return to Rome (or so the legend says!)!

Headless Statue - Ostia Antica Statue from St. Peter's Basilica

The picture on the left is of a headless statue in Ostia Antica. Ostia Antica is the ancient port city of Rome and is extremely well preserved for its age. The picture on the right is from inside St. Peters Basilica and shows one of the many statues contained within.


Photography NotesPhotography Notes: All images on this page were taken with a Hewlett-Packard Photosmart 318 digital camera at 640x480 resolution.