I am enough of a geek to have watched, live, the seminary last July 4th that announced the discovery of the Higgs Boson.
Sean Carrol wrote a book on the topic of the Higgs called The Particle at the End of the Universe. I downloaded the kindle version to my iPod.
Sean Carrol gave a talk at The Royal Institution explaining the Higgs.
Here is the Q & A for the talk.
The video below is the seminar of 4th July, 2012 announcing the very probable discovery of the Higgs.
Sean Carrol's description is a simplified one. In the video below Leonard Susskind gives a much more technical description:
Monday, February 18, 2013
Successful Predictions
Here is a talk given by Ray Pierrehumbert at the recent AGU conference.
Steve Easterbrook discusses the talk here. He summarises the talk as follows:
Ray’s talk spanned 120 years of research on climate change. The key message is that science is a long, slow process of discovery, in which theories (and their predictions) tend to emerge long before they can be tested. We often learn just as much from the predictions that turned out to be wrong as we do from those that were right. But successful predictions eventually form the body of knowledge that we can be sure about, not just because they were successful, but because they build up into a coherent explanation of multiple lines of evidence.
For a post explaining the multiple lines of evidence for global warming click here. This talk lists many successful predictions by climate scientists (and also some unsuccessful ones by contrarians) it also provides a useful summary of the development of climate science.
Steve Easterbrook discusses the talk here. He summarises the talk as follows:
Ray’s talk spanned 120 years of research on climate change. The key message is that science is a long, slow process of discovery, in which theories (and their predictions) tend to emerge long before they can be tested. We often learn just as much from the predictions that turned out to be wrong as we do from those that were right. But successful predictions eventually form the body of knowledge that we can be sure about, not just because they were successful, but because they build up into a coherent explanation of multiple lines of evidence.
For a post explaining the multiple lines of evidence for global warming click here. This talk lists many successful predictions by climate scientists (and also some unsuccessful ones by contrarians) it also provides a useful summary of the development of climate science.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Christmas Letter 2012
Hi all,
This year brought some sadness to our family, with the passing of Margaret’s Mother, Joyce, in September. Joyce was 93 years old, having been born into a very different era, within a year of the ending of World War I. She lived a long and fulfilled life, having brought up five children, and having cared for her often ill husband. She is greatly missed.
Stephen’s parents are still in care, at Colton Close Glenroy. Eric is doing well, and enjoying his life. Edna, as has been the case throughout her life, is struggling with health issues, but she keeps soldiering on. She amazes us with her determination and resilience.
Some of our grandchildren have achieved milestones this year.
The rest of our grandchildren continue on with their schooling and are often avid in the sporting field, including basketball, softball and horse riding.
Although Margaret often talks to her son on the phone, it is a delight to meet him in person. We will see him soon as he is coming to Australia for a few weeks soon after Christmas. In Italy we visited many famous cities including: Rome, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Venice, Assisi, Sorrento and Capri.
Here is a link to the first page of my posts on that tour.
One of the highlights of the trip was a gondola ride in Venice. Note Margaret is at the back left.
Margaret and I weren't the only members of our family to travel overseas this year. Mark and Beth holidayed in Fiji.
We are looking forward to March next year when we will complete our terms on the Village committees, which will give us more time for our personal activities including travel. We are currently planning a trip to France, Ireland, Scotland and England next year. The first event we have booked is a tour of the Somme battlefields. Stephen’s paternal grandfather was wounded at Villers-Bretonneux on 30th April 1918, so this trip is partly in memory of him. In October we plan to visit Albury for Probus Rendezvous, followed by a week at our timeshare in Bright.
An important milestone next year is Margaret’s 70th birthday. People at our age don’t always look forward to birthdays, but this one will be special. We will celebrate it in Preston (England), with Phil, Bev, Bronwyn, Hayley and Jeremy.
When we arrived at the Village, in late 2007, there was a great deal of work to be done to complete it. At times we despaired of it ever being completed. We are therefore very pleased that all of the housing has been finished and that only some minor roadwork is required for the Village finally to be declared complete. New people are coming in all the time and it is good to meet them.
Below are two photos taken from the end of our street about a year apart.
This year brought some sadness to our family, with the passing of Margaret’s Mother, Joyce, in September. Joyce was 93 years old, having been born into a very different era, within a year of the ending of World War I. She lived a long and fulfilled life, having brought up five children, and having cared for her often ill husband. She is greatly missed.
 |
Joyce with her 90th birthday cake |
Stephen’s parents are still in care, at Colton Close Glenroy. Eric is doing well, and enjoying his life. Edna, as has been the case throughout her life, is struggling with health issues, but she keeps soldiering on. She amazes us with her determination and resilience.
|
Here they are at the Wednesday morning sing along called "Band Practice". Sadly Edna has not been well enough to attend these events in the last few months |
Some of our grandchildren have achieved milestones this year.
| Our oldest grandson, Joshua, has completed year 12 and is looking for an apprenticeship, probably as a diesel mechanic.
He is also something of a muso as well. |
 |
| Our English grandson, Jeremy, has started Secondary School this year. | 
|
The rest of our grandchildren continue on with their schooling and are often avid in the sporting field, including basketball, softball and horse riding.
 |
 |
| We have been very busy this year, as both of us are active on committees in our Retirement Village and in our Probus Club, but we still found time for one overseas trip – to Italy. As often happens when we visit Europe, we met Philip (and Bev) in an exotic city – this time Rome.
|
 |
Although Margaret often talks to her son on the phone, it is a delight to meet him in person. We will see him soon as he is coming to Australia for a few weeks soon after Christmas. In Italy we visited many famous cities including: Rome, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Venice, Assisi, Sorrento and Capri.
Here is a link to the first page of my posts on that tour.
One of the highlights of the trip was a gondola ride in Venice. Note Margaret is at the back left.
Margaret and I weren't the only members of our family to travel overseas this year. Mark and Beth holidayed in Fiji.
We are looking forward to March next year when we will complete our terms on the Village committees, which will give us more time for our personal activities including travel. We are currently planning a trip to France, Ireland, Scotland and England next year. The first event we have booked is a tour of the Somme battlefields. Stephen’s paternal grandfather was wounded at Villers-Bretonneux on 30th April 1918, so this trip is partly in memory of him. In October we plan to visit Albury for Probus Rendezvous, followed by a week at our timeshare in Bright.
An important milestone next year is Margaret’s 70th birthday. People at our age don’t always look forward to birthdays, but this one will be special. We will celebrate it in Preston (England), with Phil, Bev, Bronwyn, Hayley and Jeremy.
When we arrived at the Village, in late 2007, there was a great deal of work to be done to complete it. At times we despaired of it ever being completed. We are therefore very pleased that all of the housing has been finished and that only some minor roadwork is required for the Village finally to be declared complete. New people are coming in all the time and it is good to meet them.
Below are two photos taken from the end of our street about a year apart.
 |
 |
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Climate Change: Lines of Evidence
Although some people and organisations in our political and media systems attempt to claim that there is significant disagreement amongst scientists about the reality and causes of climate change, this claim is simply not true. The reason why all of our peak science organisations support the science is that there are multiple lines of evidence supporting the consensus science.
Here is a link to a post on the same topic as this one that I produced in 2010.
The videos in this post were produced by one of the world's major science organisations - the American Academy of Science. A 36 page booklet that accompanies this video set can be downloaded here.
The first Video describes the project and makes the major point of the series:
The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), are responsible for most of the climate change currently being observed.
The second video demonstrates the evidence that the planet is warming, and describes the methods that scientists use to gather this evidence.
The third video describes how the "Greenhouse Effect" operates.
The fourth video describes evidence that the level of carbon dioxide is increasing and that the increase is from human activities.
The fifth video discusses the amount of warming to be expected and covers the important concepts of "forcing" and "feedback"
The sixth video provides evidence that the recent warming is not caused by changes in the output of the sun
Video seven discusses natural variations in climate and the attribution of the recent Climate Change to human factors
Here is a link to a post on the same topic as this one that I produced in 2010.
The videos in this post were produced by one of the world's major science organisations - the American Academy of Science. A 36 page booklet that accompanies this video set can be downloaded here.
The first Video describes the project and makes the major point of the series:
The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), are responsible for most of the climate change currently being observed.
The second video demonstrates the evidence that the planet is warming, and describes the methods that scientists use to gather this evidence.
The third video describes how the "Greenhouse Effect" operates.
The fourth video describes evidence that the level of carbon dioxide is increasing and that the increase is from human activities.
The fifth video discusses the amount of warming to be expected and covers the important concepts of "forcing" and "feedback"
The sixth video provides evidence that the recent warming is not caused by changes in the output of the sun
Video seven discusses natural variations in climate and the attribution of the recent Climate Change to human factors
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Italy Tour 2012
In May and June 2012 seven members of the Seaholme Probus Club toured Italy together.
The posts on the tour that are linked to on this page are my personal responses to the tour. Margaret and I have normally travelled on our own. On this tour it was great to travel with friends.
The map below shows the places that we visited. (Here are some notes on using the map. It is interactive. Clicking on a place holder will show the name of the location and usually a photograph, but the map will change location and move. There is an X at the top right of the location description box which can be used to close it. It is possible to move around the map by using the arrow keys at the top left. Zoom in and out using the plus and minus keys.)
View this map in a larger version
For a description of our stay at each of the following locations click on the name.
The posts on the tour that are linked to on this page are my personal responses to the tour. Margaret and I have normally travelled on our own. On this tour it was great to travel with friends.
The map below shows the places that we visited. (Here are some notes on using the map. It is interactive. Clicking on a place holder will show the name of the location and usually a photograph, but the map will change location and move. There is an X at the top right of the location description box which can be used to close it. It is possible to move around the map by using the arrow keys at the top left. Zoom in and out using the plus and minus keys.)
View this map in a larger version
For a description of our stay at each of the following locations click on the name.
Rome
|
Siena
|
Florence
|
Pisa and Milan
|
Lake Maggiore
|
Venice
|
Assisi
|
Sorrento and Capri
|
Pompei
|
Friday, October 5, 2012
Pompeii 2012
The final city we visited was destroyed by a volcanic explosion in AD 79 - Pompeii, of course.
There is some debate on the exact date as can be seen at this link.
The volcano - Mt Vesuvius - is only 8 km away from Pompeii and can be clearly seen from the city, as the video of the forum below demonstrates ...
If you are interested in the geology of Vesuvius follow this link.
At the time of the eruption, the town may have had some 20,000 inhabitants, and was located in an area in which Romans had their holiday villas. Prof. William Abbott explains, "At the time of the eruption, Pompeii had reached its high point in society as many Romans frequently visited Pompeii on vacations." It is the only ancient town of which the whole topographic structure is known precisely as it was, with no later modifications or additions. Due to the difficult terrain it was not distributed on a regular plan as most Roman towns but its streets are straight and laid out in a grid in the Roman tradition; they are laid with polygonal stones, and have houses and shops on both sides of the street.
Source.
Pompeii had many of the amenities found in Roman towns. There was a large ampitheatre and two smaller theatres, one of which is shown in the video ...
The walls on the entrance to the theatre had graffiti scratched on them - phallic boasting can be discerned in the photo below ...
(... in many ways the Romans were similar to us...)
The paved roads ...
... were lined with shops - including bakeries ...
... people did not live by "bread alone" sex was also for sale, and so we visited one of the brothels ...
... the beds did not look particularly comfortable ...
... but the speciality of the room was pictured above the doorway ...
Of particular (though possible ghoulish) interest are the bodies of people who were living in Pompeii at the time of the eruption. The residents were quickly killed and their bodies surrounded by the volcanic ash. Over time the bodies decomposed and left people shaped holes in the volcanic rock. Archaeologists have filled some of these body holes with plaster then removed the rock surrounding them, to reveal the bodies of the people ...
___________________________________________________
Here is a link to my pictures of Pompeii
After Pompeii we were driven by our incomparable driver back to the beginning of our tour - Rome.
After spending a final evening with our tour partners we all went our separate ways. Some were heading back home - as were Margaret and I - but our friends from Seaholome Probus club were heading to Paris (!!!) to start an Insight tour of the Country Roads of France. Although Margaret and I had never considered extending our tour, I admit to a pang of regret as we said goodbye to our friends as they headed to France.
There is some debate on the exact date as can be seen at this link.
The volcano - Mt Vesuvius - is only 8 km away from Pompeii and can be clearly seen from the city, as the video of the forum below demonstrates ...
If you are interested in the geology of Vesuvius follow this link.
At the time of the eruption, the town may have had some 20,000 inhabitants, and was located in an area in which Romans had their holiday villas. Prof. William Abbott explains, "At the time of the eruption, Pompeii had reached its high point in society as many Romans frequently visited Pompeii on vacations." It is the only ancient town of which the whole topographic structure is known precisely as it was, with no later modifications or additions. Due to the difficult terrain it was not distributed on a regular plan as most Roman towns but its streets are straight and laid out in a grid in the Roman tradition; they are laid with polygonal stones, and have houses and shops on both sides of the street.
Source.
Pompeii had many of the amenities found in Roman towns. There was a large ampitheatre and two smaller theatres, one of which is shown in the video ...
The walls on the entrance to the theatre had graffiti scratched on them - phallic boasting can be discerned in the photo below ...
(... in many ways the Romans were similar to us...)
The paved roads ...
... were lined with shops - including bakeries ...
... people did not live by "bread alone" sex was also for sale, and so we visited one of the brothels ...
... the beds did not look particularly comfortable ...
... but the speciality of the room was pictured above the doorway ...
___________________________________________________
Here is a link to my pictures of Pompeii
After Pompeii we were driven by our incomparable driver back to the beginning of our tour - Rome.
After spending a final evening with our tour partners we all went our separate ways. Some were heading back home - as were Margaret and I - but our friends from Seaholome Probus club were heading to Paris (!!!) to start an Insight tour of the Country Roads of France. Although Margaret and I had never considered extending our tour, I admit to a pang of regret as we said goodbye to our friends as they headed to France.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Sorrento and Capri 2012
The town of Sorrento is situated on a peninsular on the south side of the Bay of Naples.
As our bus drove along the winding, narrow road to Sorrento we had breathtaking views across the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius and Naples on the other shores.
As we neared the town we also had spectacular views over Sorrento ...
We spent some time walking the streets ...
... but the highlight was the visit to the Isle of Capri.
To reach the Capri ferry we had to descend the cliff to the harbour ...
... and find a comfortable place to wait for the ferry ...
After about 15 minutes of sailing we caught our first glimpse of the island ...
After a brief drive into Capri town we found this view ...
... and further rambling around the town resulted in these sights ...
We took a bus ride up a winding road to the island's other settlement Anacapri, located in the highest part of the island, at the foot of Monte Solaro ...
... where we had magnificent views over the island ...
... and here is the view that we found there ...
____________________________________________________________
Here is a link to my photos of Sorrento and Capri
____________________________________________________________
Our next destination was Pompeii.
As our bus drove along the winding, narrow road to Sorrento we had breathtaking views across the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius and Naples on the other shores.
As we neared the town we also had spectacular views over Sorrento ...
We spent some time walking the streets ...
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
To reach the Capri ferry we had to descend the cliff to the harbour ...
... and find a comfortable place to wait for the ferry ...
 |
... here are six of us from Seaholme Probus waiting, resting, conversing and texting - the seventh member was taking the photo ... |
After about 15 minutes of sailing we caught our first glimpse of the island ...
After a brief drive into Capri town we found this view ...
... and further rambling around the town resulted in these sights ...
 |
 |
We took a bus ride up a winding road to the island's other settlement Anacapri, located in the highest part of the island, at the foot of Monte Solaro ...
... where we had magnificent views over the island ...
 |
... including the harbour with the Italian mainland in the background ... |
| We reached the highest point on the island via a chair lift ... |  |
... and here is the view that we found there ...
____________________________________________________________
Here is a link to my photos of Sorrento and Capri
____________________________________________________________
Our next destination was Pompeii.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Assisi 2012
Assisi is famous as the birthplace of St Francis, 1181 – 1226.
Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, and he lived the high-spirited life typical of a wealthy young man, even fighting as a soldier for Assisi. While going off to war in 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, he begged with the beggars at St. Peter's. The experience moved him to live in poverty. Francis returned home, began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following. His order was endorsed by Pope Innocent III in 1210. source here.
It is an irony that St Fancis, who devoted his life to poverty, should be commemorated in Assisi by the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi which consists of an upper and lower church.
The upper church is is decorated with frescoes including the St Francis Cycle . This series of paintings, depicting scenes from St Francis's live, are traditionally assigned to Giotto though this is disputed by many art historians.
Here is one of the paintings, St Francis Giving his Mantle to a Poor Man ...
Francis hands his valuable golden cloak to an impoverished citizen. The scene takes place in front of two rocky hills, on whose peaks two very different types of architecture rise up -
Beneath the lower Basilica is a crypt that houses the tomb of St Francis ...
Note: photography is not allowed in the Basilica. The photos of the tomb and the painting above were taken from the Internet.
Assisi had a long history before the Christian Era. It had, of course, been a Roman town. In the main square - Piazza del Comune - stands Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a Christian church which had been built during the Emperor Augustus' rule as the Temple of Minerva ...
Here is another link to the Temple of Minerva.
Assisi is an interesting and pleasant city to visit as shown by the photographs at this link.
______________________________________________________________________
Our next destination was Sorrento.
Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, and he lived the high-spirited life typical of a wealthy young man, even fighting as a soldier for Assisi. While going off to war in 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, he begged with the beggars at St. Peter's. The experience moved him to live in poverty. Francis returned home, began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following. His order was endorsed by Pope Innocent III in 1210. source here.
It is an irony that St Fancis, who devoted his life to poverty, should be commemorated in Assisi by the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi which consists of an upper and lower church.
The upper church is is decorated with frescoes including the St Francis Cycle . This series of paintings, depicting scenes from St Francis's live, are traditionally assigned to Giotto though this is disputed by many art historians.
Here is one of the paintings, St Francis Giving his Mantle to a Poor Man ...
Francis hands his valuable golden cloak to an impoverished citizen. The scene takes place in front of two rocky hills, on whose peaks two very different types of architecture rise up -
 |
the world of the city and of the cloister confront one another here.
The descending slopes meet behind the figure of the saint, emphasizing his position in the picture, as well as characterizing his situation in life: this is a first indication that the saint will decide to lead a secluded life of poverty. Source . |
Beneath the lower Basilica is a crypt that houses the tomb of St Francis ...
 |
The remains of St. Francis were solemnly transported to the new church on 25 May 1230. Pope Innocent IV consecrated the basilica on 25 May 1253 ...
... Pius VII, on 12 September 1818, gave permission to the ... Friars Minor Conventuals to proceed with the excavations underneath the main altar of the lower basilica in order to find the tomb of St. Francis, which had been conceiled ... in 1476. The tomb came to light on 8 December 1818, and on 12 December the remains of St. Francis were exhumed. In order to facilitate the visits of the growing number of pilgrims to the tomb, a new neo-romanic crypt was opened underneath the lower basilica |
Note: photography is not allowed in the Basilica. The photos of the tomb and the painting above were taken from the Internet.
Assisi had a long history before the Christian Era. It had, of course, been a Roman town. In the main square - Piazza del Comune - stands Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a Christian church which had been built during the Emperor Augustus' rule as the Temple of Minerva ...
Here is another link to the Temple of Minerva.
Assisi is an interesting and pleasant city to visit as shown by the photographs at this link.
______________________________________________________________________
Our next destination was Sorrento.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Venice 2012
Venice is situated in a lagoon in northeastern Italy. It is criss-crossed by more than 200 canals and 400 bridges, The historic center of Venice, spreading out from the beautiful Basilica di San Marco, is built on a group of islets separated from the Adriatic Sea by a barrier of islands and peninsulas.
Although Venice has a creation myth that it was founded by people fleeing Troy, it was probably formed in the sixth century CE (AD) by people seeking a safe haven from the chaos of the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. The Roman Empire didn't collapse in the East though, and lived on until 1453 (we call it the Byzantine Empire). Venice was ruled by the Byzantines until 751, when a Venetian ruler the Doge was appointed by the major merchant families. Venice became a major trading power, and only declined when the Ottomans finally destroyed the Byzantines and when other powers in Western Europe found trading routes to the indies around the Cape of Good Hope. The discovery of the Americas also played an important role in shifting maritime power.
For more information about the history of Venice see here and here
As we traveled to Venice our tour director's description was liberally sprinkled with superlatives. When we arrived we found that it is very difficult to over hype Venice and its lagoon.
After settling in to our hotel, situated on the Grand Canal, we took a gondola ride. Most of our Probus travellers were in the gondola in the video below - Carmel, Julie, Margaret S, Margaret B and Judy. If you listen carefully to the video you will hear some musicians who were in one of our group's boats ...
... part of the ride was on the Grand Canal. Travel around Venice is either on foot or by boat. The equivalents of busses in other cities are boats in Venice. In the background of the picture below is one of the "bus" stops ...
... we traveled down the Grand Canal - by water taxi ...
... under the famous Rialto Bridge ...
We spent time in St Marks Piazza having an evening drink, serenaded by local musicians ...
Venice is one of the flattest cities in the world, but because there are so many canals we found ourselves walking up and down many steps on the bridges over the canals ...
In the photo below the bridge in the distance is called the bridge of sighs...
The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was designed by Antoni Contino (whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge), and built in 1602. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. Source.
Venice is renowned for its glass making so naturally we visited a glass factory and shop ..
Marco Polo is one of Venice's most famous residents. Here some of the members of our tour party inspect a house that is said to be built on the location of the Polo house ...
After a too short stay in Venice we too off on our travels, this time to Assisi.
Click on this link for my photos of Venice.
Although Venice has a creation myth that it was founded by people fleeing Troy, it was probably formed in the sixth century CE (AD) by people seeking a safe haven from the chaos of the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. The Roman Empire didn't collapse in the East though, and lived on until 1453 (we call it the Byzantine Empire). Venice was ruled by the Byzantines until 751, when a Venetian ruler the Doge was appointed by the major merchant families. Venice became a major trading power, and only declined when the Ottomans finally destroyed the Byzantines and when other powers in Western Europe found trading routes to the indies around the Cape of Good Hope. The discovery of the Americas also played an important role in shifting maritime power.
For more information about the history of Venice see here and here
As we traveled to Venice our tour director's description was liberally sprinkled with superlatives. When we arrived we found that it is very difficult to over hype Venice and its lagoon.
After settling in to our hotel, situated on the Grand Canal, we took a gondola ride. Most of our Probus travellers were in the gondola in the video below - Carmel, Julie, Margaret S, Margaret B and Judy. If you listen carefully to the video you will hear some musicians who were in one of our group's boats ...
... part of the ride was on the Grand Canal. Travel around Venice is either on foot or by boat. The equivalents of busses in other cities are boats in Venice. In the background of the picture below is one of the "bus" stops ...
... we traveled down the Grand Canal - by water taxi ...
... under the famous Rialto Bridge ...
| ... to St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) the principal public square of Venice. The Piazza is dominated by St Mark's Basilica at its eastern end with the nearby clock tower. Interestingly, the clock tower collapsed in 1902, and was completely rebuilt over the following decade.
The north, west and south sides of the square are bordered by a long arcade which is lined with shops and restaurants at ground level, and offices above.... |
 |
Venice is one of the flattest cities in the world, but because there are so many canals we found ourselves walking up and down many steps on the bridges over the canals ...
In the photo below the bridge in the distance is called the bridge of sighs...
The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was designed by Antoni Contino (whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge), and built in 1602. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. The bridge name, given by Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows. Source.
Venice is renowned for its glass making so naturally we visited a glass factory and shop ..
Marco Polo is one of Venice's most famous residents. Here some of the members of our tour party inspect a house that is said to be built on the location of the Polo house ...
After a too short stay in Venice we too off on our travels, this time to Assisi.
Click on this link for my photos of Venice.
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