Pasta....

 

Where would you find find such nicely colored pasta other than in Italy.....  

In Tuscany we would pass a lot of shops and stalls selling pasta in the most fantastic colors and forms. 

 

 

Together with these colorful tomatoes....

And some olive oil....













And fragrant herbs....

And while you are selecting recipes or start the cooking... have some prosciutto with a small glass of  prosecco.  (You see it is definitely a pro-thing.)  Although the hairy legs.... 

And don't forget the bottle of Chianty.

Lucca train station

Of course Tuscany is known for a lot of things. Art, culture, history, wine.... name it! Not for its trains or stations.....  But being all day emerged in this culture, art and history doesn't stop me looking at trains and tracks and cables, wires, pylons....

The weather is hot. The air vibrates in the distance.

Later in the morning, the rush hour gone, the train station is almost empty...

A quiet scene. Weeds grow between the tracks. This would be a nice picture to make a jigsaw puzzle.

Containers pass slowly. Maersk, P&O..... Probably going to the harbour of Livorno.

And there is the train from Pisa. Bit of graffiti.... Maybe not so new or comfortable, but very cheap! (Certainly when you consider the parking fees.)

The express train on the other platform flies by... a different class altogether.

Only seconds later the nice sleepy atmosphere is restored. Now we really should go back to visit some more museums. Or maybe have a nice glass of Chianti.......

The freetown on the ramparts

Christiania "the Freetown" in Copenhagen (Denmark) is amply described on the Internet. In 1989 a special "Christiania Law" regulated its unique status.

Where everywhere in Denmark you see the red flag with the white cross, here in Christiania they have their own flag: Three yellow dots on red.

To most of the people it is known as a free place where it is more or less easy the get (soft) drugs. Maybe there are darker sides to this place, but it is also about, playfulness, being "green" and close to the earth and keeping this safe for the children. A space to live in a different way.

While walking along the ramparts of Christianshavn you see amazing buildings, colorful structures and creations, lots of flowers. Look at the pictures and see for your self.

2014

2010

2014

2010

I loved these next two colorful scenes, but I didn't find them this year. Both pictures were taken in 2010.

A toilet!

And yes, it is a carfree zone!

Copenhagen reflections....

It is a bright day in Copenhagen. That's when reflections are at their best! Either windows or water... when you start looking reflections are everywhere. To take the right pictures the angle is extremely important. The other thing is.... how to keep yourself out of the picture (you need long arms).

These windows are in the Nyhavn; the place to have lunch in Copenhagen. The difference is that the windows are on the shadow side and the restaurants and cafe's are on the sunny side of the harbor.

As the buildings of the Nyhavn have bright colors the reflections are very "happy".

These windows are in the inner city. Houses there often date back to Medieval times.

But the most brilliant reflections in Copenhagen you find at the "Black Diamond" The building that houses the Royal Library.It looks almost like a beach! People sunbathing in deckchairs.

Reflecting left and right, up and down and front to back .....

But to be completely upside down, you have to be in Tivoli. No I don't dare to go into these machines where you go spiraling or hanging upside down.... Or I think even worse, experience a free fall.

Yes they have amazing modern buildings in Copenhagen (like the "Black Diamond"). This facade with different windows does makes you think of Christiania. You see what I mean by right angle....  (Well I tried...)

And then this building. The offices of Maersk, the largest container shipping company of the world. Rigid rows of windows, reflecting the blue skies. It sure is different.... but a bit to much of the "Brave New World" (Aldous Huxley) feeling for me.

Although this picture of a Royal scenery was taken at the Opera, a huge building on the waterfront across from the Amalienborg Palace. This Opera was a gift from Maersk to the Danish people.

I know; there is so much more to tell more about Copenhagen.... But first lets have a beer (yes of course: Carlsberg!!) in the sun looking at the reflections in the Nyhavn.