Category: David

Amid the residual stonework of the ancient Roman Forum, on ground trodden by crowds of tourists throughout the summer, grasses and wildflowers still thrive.

Modern buildings in Madrid and Rome, seen here in the first decade of the current century.  I guess that in the climates prevailing there, this elaborate greening of buildings would need a lot of irrigation and other maintenance. Are other new buildings still getting similar treatment?

A little more summer warmth from Capri. Looking through the Arco Naturale formed by the erosion of the island’s limestone sea cliffs to the Mediterranean beyond.

Mount Vesuvius is the most famous, indeed iconic, volcanic feature. But the entire Bay of Naples area is a large volcanic complex. The largest caldera is actually on the opposite side of Naples to Vesuvius: the Phlegrean Fields.

These pictures were taken in the Solfatara crater, between Naples and Pozzuoli. They show the volcanic steam (mixed in with other more noxious gasses) coming from the fumeroles. The bright yellow on some rocks is flowers of sulfur, condensed out from the gasses emitted.

What the pictures don’t show is that some parts of the crater are perceptibly hot to the feet through shoes.

These pictures couldn’t be taken now. Since 2017 the crater has been closed to access because of safety concern prompted by rising seismic activity.

A contrast with the current dismal winter weather, some old pictures from an old Mediterranean summer. Once out of the overcrowded port and main town areas of Capri island, it’s probably still possible to find comparatively peaceful spots – though probably less peaceful than when these pictures were taken back in 2009.

These were all of cacti growing in one garden, evidently the result of a long cultivation taking advantage of the local climate.

More birds of Berlin, hooded crows. Until recently, they were considered to be a sub-species of carrion crows.