#funicolare

[bergsmotiv]

Lugano con salita funicolare San Salvatore

[illneverbeapassenger]

Gradini del Petraio, Napoli. 31/01/23

[andazzi]

(via Herzog & de Meuron – a f a s i a)

[thesingletraveller]

Dining Atop Tuscany: Montecatini Alto

Montecatini Terme is primarily a spa town in Tuscany that’s close to Florence (accessible by car or easy train ride). The town itself is a peaceful place to spend some time, and if you’re looking for fantastic dining options, the town has that option whether you want to stay within the city or rise above it and dine in the higher part of Montecatini. Just a short walk from the city centre is the…

[gennarocapodanno]

Napoli, funicolare di Chiaia: riaprirà l’a no prossimo, al termine delle prove in corso e dopo il rilascio del nulla osta dell’Ansfisa

Il 1º gennaio prossimo inizia il 28esimo mese di chiusura Funicolare di Chiaia: riapre l’anno prossimo             ” Oramai è ufficiale la funicolare di Chiaia non riaprirà né per Natale e neppure per Capodanno. Se ne riparla nel 2025 “. A confermare la brutta notizia è Gennaro Capodanno, ingegnere, presidente del Comitato Valori collinari, già presidente della Circoscrizione Vomero, da lustri…

[pier-carlo-universe]

La Basilica di Superga: Un Capolavoro Barocco con Vista su Torino e le Alpi

La Basilica di Superga, simbolo spirituale e storico della città di Torino, incanta con la sua bellezza architettonica e la posizione panoramica ai piedi delle Alpi.

La Basilica di Superga, simbolo spirituale e storico della città di Torino, incanta con la sua bellezza architettonica e la posizione panoramica ai piedi delle Alpi. La Basilica di Superga, situata a pochi chilometri dal centro di Torino, è una delle attrazioni più iconiche e affascinanti del capoluogo piemontese. Questo capolavoro dell’architettura barocca fu progettato dall’architetto Filippo…

[misscamomilla]

#Sacro Monte di Varese tra cielo e terra #patrimonio dell'UNESCO #la via delle cappelle #la funicolare #lago di varese

[achillepievorace]

Turchia 2024

23 giugno

Mattinata trascorsa tra spiaggia e piscina, a recuperare le forze.

Nel tardo pomeriggio io e Masha ci avventuriamo verso Alanya, percorrendo i circa 3 chilometri e mezzo di lungomare, attraversando dei bellissimi parchi popolati da graziosissimi gattini e prendendo, poi, la funicolare per il castello, dopo aver rinunciato a visitare i vecchi cantieri navali (shipyard).

Lí , tramite comode passerelle di legno, visitiamo la moschea, la cisterna e la fortezza. Tutto molto bello, soprattutto il panorama.

[tuttalamiavitarb]

Volendo continuare a narrarvi di luoghi magnifici, infestati dagli abitanti che li popolano, oggi vi parlerò di

Salisburgo

Le cose per cui è famosa Salisburgo nel mondo sono, in ordine di fama.

il tempo di merda .

Siamo arrivati ieri sera che parava novembre, stamani ore 10 facevano 28 gradi, ore 17,30 scacciati da un temporale che ci ha preso letteralmente a calci nel culo.

Mozart.

Nel loro totale disinteresse per il denaro, gli austriaci hanno ridotto il genio dei geni, l uomo che ha dato il via alla musica, a una foto sulla versione cacosa di un cioccolatino.

Il castello

Che ora si paga 18 euri, se usi la funicolare oppure 17,60 se te la fai a piedi, un po' caruccio ma perlomeno ci sono molte cose da vedere.

Il festival

Nel quale il salisburghese dimostra a pieno come gli stiano sul cazzo:

Quelli di Vienna che si sucano tutti i soldi ma Salisburgo è più bella

Tutti gli stranieri compresi i tedeschi tranne i bavaresi, perché arrivano con le loro Mercedes del cazzo a fare i fenomeni , poi se ne tornano in mezzo alla nebbia.

Speciale menzione va per gli italiani, ci adorano, quando urliamo, quando fumiamo fuori dagli spazi consentiti, dite che siete italiani e vi si apriranno strade magnifiche, al ristorante vi chiederanno la carta di credito prima di ordinare, così solo per garanzia, ma sorridendo! Oppure se chiedete indicazioni per strada vi guarderanno con quegli occhioni che si riservano alle carovane di zingari.

Però Salisburgo è molto bella

[bergsmotiv]

Monte San Salvatore

Lugano 912 m s. m.

Drahtseilbahn - Funicolare

[travelingue]

Naples (5): On the benefits of being bombed

The story so far: after 36 hours in the heart of Naples, we still hadn't found the smart side of the city.

In the nomenclature I had devised, we'd seen plenty of Nablus and were looking for Neapolis.

We went on our quest by public transport.  Metro trains in Naples definitely belong to Nablus.

But when we got off at Municipio, after just two stops, there was a change of scene.

What caught our eye was not so much the sleek design – modernism tends to age quickly – as the medieval fortifications embedded within the station.

This, an information panel explained, was part of the "Aragonese citadel" built by the Spanish warlord who wrested the Kingdom of Naples from some French big cheese in the 1440s.

This section of the fortress was revealed during excavations for the metro line.

We emerged into a square dominated by a fountain (pictured at the top). The water feature representing Neptune, Wikipedia informed me, was erected around 1600.  Neapolis indeed!

A short distance away was a shopping gallery that puts any Milanese arcade in the shade.

The Galleria Umberto I was built in the 1890s.  I later found out that it lies within Naples' World Heritage site, along with the crumbling historic centre.

I can't help but think that Unesco honoured the Centro Storico because they had to, but recognised this gallery because they WANTED to.

Our morning walk was growing more Neapolitan by the minute. We strolled up Via Toledo, a salubrious shopping thoroughfare.

A funicular terminal led invitingly to elegant heights to our right.  But we had not exhausted these parts, so we pressed on and made a mental note of the funicolare for later.

Further up we found two churches facing each other.  The Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo, the local Jesuit headquarters, is frankly a dog's dinner.

Built around 1750, the church takes Baroque extravagance to ridiculous heights.  Behind the bizarrely spiky façade lies this interior.

Still, Gesù Nuovo is worth checking out, if only to contrast it with the church next door.

The entrance of Basicila di Santa Chiara may not look like much but inside, soaring splendour awaits.  To appreciate its magnificence, a bit of history is in order.

The church was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style.  It was dedicated to Chiara of Assisi, who had founded a monastic order a century earlier (more on this remarkable saint below).

The basilica and the adjoining monastery form the Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara.

In the 18th century, the complex was regarded as too boring and redecorated in the Baroque style.  It remained in this gaudy form until World War II, as this 1920s picture attests.

Terrible, I know.  Those rococo vandals did worse damage than the modern graffiti artists, who desecrated only the outside of the church.

But help came in 1943, in the explosive form of allied bombers.  After the RAF raids on Naples, the basilica looked like this.

Following the war, the city council met to discuss reconstruction.

"We need to rebuild the original church," the mayor said. "Hear, hear." "Wait a minute," one communist councillor objected. "We can't afford gilded wood and marble.  People are starving!" "Who's speaking of gold?" the mayor said.  "It would be an insult to Santa Chiara, who made a vow of poverty." "But you said you wanted the rebuild the original!" "Yes: the Gothic original."

There were gasps around the chamber.  But the mayor carried the day with communist support, in an early instance of compromesso storico.

The result is this masterpiece:

The stained glass windows, in particular, are stunning.

On the bottom left is a representation of Santa Chiara, whose remarkable story is told on a panel.

She was born in 1194 to a noble family.  At the age of 18 she told her parents she had met an extraordinary young man called Giovanni.

"I need to know about this guy before you marry him," the father said. "There is no question of a marriage.  I want to follow him.  He has dedicated his life to those less fortunate than us." "That's what they all say."

Hoping to break down parental resistance, Chiara invited Giovanni for a chat at the family home in Assisi.

"So you want to feed the hungry, eh?" the father said. "Yes." "My daughter says you come from a good family." "My parents are wealthy merchants." "Hmm," the father muttered.  "Those rich kids are often the worst."

It was not going well for Chiara.

"Francis," she cried. "Tell them you've renounced your family's fortune." "I kind of did," the young man whispered.

The father startled.

"Did she call you Francis? I thought your name was Giovanni." "To care for the destitute I go by the alias of Francis. It's my brand." "WWWWait...  Are you telling me you are Francis of Assisi?" "You could call me that." "Jesus Christ!" "Giuseppe!" the mother exclaimed. "I mean bloody hell.  Ortolana: this is Saint Francis of Assisi!" "Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  I haven't been canonised yet." "Why didn't you say so?" the father said. "Well I don't go around like: ‘Guys, do you realise you're talking to Francis of Assisi?' That's just not my style."

So Chiara followed Francis, founded the Poor Clares order and spent the rest of her life feeding the hungry.  

Leaving the basilica, we felt peckish ourselves.  We assumed we'd get a quality lunch on the heights and took a bus going up to Capodimonte.

Previous entries on Naples:

1. Ryanair 2. Neapolis or Nablus? 3. Daylight robbery 4. Sybaritic afternoon

[andazzi]

(via Atelier Bugio – a f a s i a)

[notiziariofinanziario]

Oggi è in arrivo anche a Milano uno sciopero generale di tutti i settori pubblici e privati. Maggiormente a rischio nel capoluogo lombardo saranno metropolitane, tram, bus e in generale tutti i mezzi Atm, che ha annunciato che la protesta in città potrebbe avere conseguenze dalle 8:45 alle 15 e dopo le 18. A seguito dell’ordinanza del ministro Matteo Salvini l'agitazione del settore dei trasporti è stata però ridotta a 4 ore, e quindi potrebbe riguardare solo la fascia mattutina che va dalle 9 alle 13 circa. Lo sciopero è stato indetto dai sindacati Cgil, Cisl, Cub Trasporti e Sgb per protestare contro la manovra economica del governo Meloni, definita come "la peggiore degli ultimi 30 anni". Gli ultimi aggiornamenti sullo sciopero a Milano: M3 chiusa dopo le 9 Aggiornamento ore 9: a Milano chiude la metro gialla M3. Tutte le altre linee restano aperte. Sciopero generale a Milano, chi si ferma e chi no il 29 novembre A partecipare allo stato di agitazione non saranno solo i dipendenti del trasporto pubblico locale, aereo e marittimo. Il segretario generale della Uil Scuola Rua (Ricerca, università e alta formazione musicale), Giuseppe D’Aprile, ha confermato infatti la Ma non solo. Ci sarà anche il comparto sanitario, come dichiarato da Andrea Filippi, segretario nazionale Fp Cgil medici, veterinari e dirigenti Ssn e Roberto Bonfili, coordinatore nazionale Uil medici e veterinari: “Medici dirigenti e convenzionati della medicina generale, specialisti ambulatoriali, veterinari psicologi, biologi, chimici, fisici, farmacisti e dirigenti delle professioni sanitarie parteciperanno allo sciopero generale del 29 novembre contro la peggiore legge di bilancio degli ultimi 30 anni, che taglia risorse a personale e servizi per lasciare il campo libero al profitto ed al privato���. Braccia incrociate anche per il personale delle autostrade, del trasporto marittimo e del settore aereo: Ita Airways ha intanto pubblicato una lista dei voli cancellati. Alla protesta dovrebbero inoltre aderire anche i dipendenti dell'Inps, oltre al personale del ministero della Giustizia. Gli orari di bus, metro e tram Atm a Milano il 29 novembre Come riportato sul sito dell'azienda del trasporto pubblico milanese, i lavoratori Atm incroceranno le braccia con fasce orarie di garanzia per permettere a chi viaggia sui mezzi pubblici di avere una copertura minima. "Venerdì 29 novembre, a seguito dell’ordinanza del Ministero dei Trasporti, lo sciopero generale proclamato da alcuni sindacati è stato ridotto a 4 ore", è il comunicato di Atm. "Lo sciopero potrebbe avere conseguenze sul servizio delle linee ATM e della funicolare Como-Brunate dalle 9 alle 13″. Trenord non aderisce allo sciopero generale "Venerdì 29 novembre è previsto uno sciopero Generale proclamato dai sindacati CGIL e UIL che interessa anche il trasporto pubblico locale al quale potrebbe aderire esclusivamente il personale del gestore dell’infrastruttura FER", fa sapere Trenord, che non aderisce allo sciopero nazionale. "Potrebbero essere interessati i treni circolanti esclusivamente su rete FERROVIENORD Milano Cadorna – Canzo/Asso,Milano Cadorna – Como Lago,Milano Cadorna – Novara Nord,Milano Cadorna – Laveno/Varese,S3 Milano Cadorna – Saronno,S4 Milano Cadorna – Camnago L. Brescia/Iseo – Edolo. Coinvolti anche i collegamenti aeroportuali Milano Cadorna/Milano Centrale/Milano Porta Garibaldi – Malpensa Aeroporto e S50 Malpensa Aeroporto – Bellinzona". Non sono coinvolti i treni circolanti unicamente sulla rete ferroviaria RFI, ma saranno possibili ripercussioni sulle seguenti linee a gestione mista: si tratta dei passanti ferroviari S1 Saronno – Milano Passante – Lodi; S2 Milano Rogoredo – Seveso; S9 Saronno – Seregno – Milano – Albairate; S12 Cormano – Milano Bovisa – Melegnano; S13 Melegnano/Milano Bovisa – Pavia. Le motivazioni dello sciopero a Milano il 29 novembre Le sigle sindacali hanno organizzato per l'occasione anche manifestazioni territoriali. Il corteo di Milano partirà ad esempio alle 9.30 da piazza Fontana, dove verrà deposta una corona in memoria di Licia e Giuseppe Pinelli. L'obiettivo, come si legge sul sito della Cgil, è quello di “chiedere di cambiare la manovra di bilancio, considerata del tutto inadeguata a risolvere i problemi del paese, e per rivendicare l'aumento del potere d'acquisto di salari e pensioni e il finanziamento di sanità, istruzione, servizi pubblici e politiche industriali”. Read the full article

[traipseartist]

October 13th - "Capri shirt. To go with my Capri pants?"

Naples in the daylight was a bit different than its Judge-Dredd-but-make-it-The-Madonna from the previous evening.

The old quarter (Antico Centrale) of Naples is a labyrinth and if you were from this city center as a child, I can see why NYC might have felt like rolling fields of freedom. Rose and I woke early to set out and find some pastry, determined to walk the city before hopping a boat to Capri later that day.

We left our flat with many elusive locks and began our journey into the medieval maze. Walking for a couple of hours led us to tight corners with towering Duomos, cafe and tobacco stands busting from every crack, cobblestones with gaps that surely sucked you straight to hell, teeming tourists, and trash.

The grey and creeping nature of the city enthralled me. I imagined a near millennia ago when they began to found the city and how sewage must have choked these alleys and made the towering height of some of these buildings even more claustrophobic. In a way I loved its filth, Rose was less charmed (and understandably so).

After consuming a delicious cappuccino (maybe the best I've ever had?) from two Italian men with noses that could break records and a sfogliatella (possibly the worst I've ever had?*) that was more dreaded to the roof of the mouth than your average bowl of Captain Crunch, we decided that perhaps hopping a boat a little earlier to Capri and getting lunch on the island was not the worst plan.

*it's worth noting this was a Sunday, and Naples being a very Catholic city was actually more functional than I expected it to be--but many of the pasticcerias and panaderias I had scoped out were shuttered for the holy day. Perhaps returning is in order!

After a 50 minute ferry ride from the porto, we arrived in Capri. This part of Italy feels like its long functioned to strictly serve tourists and so navigating the signs in a half dozen languages and buying tickets to ride the funicolare to the top was surprisingly a smooth endeavor despite this being a whole-ass island with, presumably, a local or two on it somewhere.

We walked about the tourist-ridden open air market precariously perched on the ledge of this mountain bursting from the Mediterranean and finally found a comfortable seat at Ristorante Panoramico, well signed but off the beaten path of lemon-themed trinkets and vats of olive oil and gelato for sale.

A quiet lunch looking down the hill towards Napoli was a deep exhale from the chaos building up to the moment: jumbling through the crowded Antico Centrale, weaving between crazy drivers leaning on their horns down to the port, the scramble to buy ferry tickets on the dock and the long lines on and off the boat to a very packed Capri had me feeling a bit like we were being railroaded on a very interesting but not at all calming or unique experience. Being able to take in the view, drink the espumante, and catch up with Rose over a Caprese salad was worth the build up.

After a generous and slow lunch, we perused the map of Capri to try and make some decisions. Our ferry back wasnt until 6:45pm, and we had four and a half hours at our disposal. Upon casual exploration, I came upon the old but precious home of Axel Munthe that had now been turned into a museum open to the public. I hadn't a clue who this Swedish physician and memoirist was, but as a filthy voyeur and a certified nebby neighbor, I love to walk through other people's very fancy abodes. Especially if they're old, ornate, or historical.

Google Maps advised a 30 minute walk from the restaurant and Rose and I, never afraid of a few steps to add to the count, set off to visit the Villa da Munthe.

The little back paths of Capri (towards Antecapri) are where the true character of the island lies. These paved footpaths are barely wide enough to accommodate a very well equipped Vespa, but lead to many beautiful hillside homes and hamlets that were a very interesting contrast to the commercial mall of shops we were dumped into upon departing the cable car up the mountain.

While walking the foot paths, Rose pointed many hundred feet up the cliff face to a highway wrapping the mountain and a very decrepit looking stone stairwell that lead above and below it. "Are those people on that all the way up there? Damn! You wouldn't find me doing that today."

Little did we know that in about ten minutes time, yes, actually, you would find us doing that today. Our tranquil walk was soon punctuated with HUNDREDS OF STAIRS.

Sweating through our cute tourist island-wear, we climbed 800 feet in less than half a mile, switching back and forth and passing people coming down from the top with looks of pity on their face--each time realizing we had so much further to go.

I prayed for Axel Munthe's ghost to come and lift us to the top, or at least bring us some stracciatella and alas, he never came. We pushed on, fantasizing about when we wouldn't have to set eyes on another stair before us.

Some 20 minutes of fighting for our lives and our quadriceps later, Villa de San Michel, Axel Munthe's renovated home (and once the abode of likely some member of the clergy being just on the edge of a crumbling chapel also on the property) was there before us.

We jogged past to acquire gelato and water and then worked our way in only 30 minutes before the museum's closing.

I feel like the oddity was well worth the climb but my damp body might have been pressed to agree at the time. Antecapri and the shops surrounding the house had the same dull touristic clang to them, but it was nice to rest on the cold marble benches and survey the busy port of Capri from on high.

We eventually began to work our way back down to the port directly, making it to the bottom of the mountain in time for an Aperol Spritz and a bit of dallying around a now-quieter Capritown before our ferry chariot returned to bring us back landside.

A not so terrible day, indeed.

[gennarocapodanno]

Napoli, funicolare di Chiaia: arriva la conferma, non riaprirà per la fine dell’anno! A Capodanno “festeggeremo” col botto l’inizio del 27esimo mese di chiusura!

Come volevasi dimostrare. Manca ancora il nulla osta dell’Ansfisa Funicolare di Chiaia ancora chiusa             ” Il 20 dicembre 2024 era la data, annunciata e pubblicata su alcuni organi d’informazione, per la riapertura della funicolare di Chiaia, dopo “appena”  810 giorni da quando, il 1° ottobre del 2022, i treni si erano fermati. In verità, i lavori per la revisione ventennale dovevano…