Travel memories: San Giovanni dell'Autostrada

I became fascinated with this church on the outskirts of Florence when I passed it a number of times on the bus when I was there in 2015. It was just so much in contrast to all the other architecture I'd seen in Italy.

I didn't know anything about the church, other than that it was modernist in style, so it took a bit of online detective work to find out more about it.

I discovered that it goes by different names, its official name being San Giovanni Battista, but also being known as San Giovanni dell'Autostrada del Sole - John the Baptist of the Highway of the Sun - after the motorway it sits alongside.

I found out that it was designed by Giovanni Michelucci, and was built between 1960 and 1963. It commemorates the workers who died building the road, and it also acts as a parish for those travelling along the road.

The floor plan is actually traditional in style, in a cross shape, but the overall shape of the building is very modern. I found it really interesting to compare this church to the two Glenrothes churches I visited on the architecture walk recently, which were built around the same time. They were both seen as revolutionary in some ways, but this church looks even more so to my eyes.

I didn't manage to get any photos of the church when I passed it, so I took to Google Street View so I could draw it. I chose views of it from the road, so that it would be the same angles I'd seen it from in real life.

Cinque Terre shed makeover

Facebook and my 5-year diary kept reminding me that last month was the anniversary of my trip to Tuscany and the Italian Riviera. One of my favourite parts of that holiday was the day spent in the Cinque Terre. I took lots of photos there, particularly of doors! I loved the bright colours, the slightly peeling paintwork, and the little details.

The real Cinque Terre

My touch of Cinque Terre

To celebrate, one year on, I decided to add a touch of the Cinque Terre to my shed! This took only minutes, but brings a smile to my face every day when I see it.

I drew two yellow hearts on the door using chalk, attached a donut bead using string, and placed a heart-shaped bead on the windowsill that I'd found on a beach in Italy.

The changes may not be long-lasting (the chalk will eventually wear off and the string will rot), but I like the idea of impermanence, and I can always decorate it differently in a few months time. And it makes me realise that my shed will look even better when the paint peels, because it will look more like the doors I saw on holiday!

Sunday self-portraits: Tuscan dreams

The terracotta colour in this outfit reminded me of the rooftops of Tuscany, and the pattern on the dress made me think of Italian mosaics. The ring was one I bought in Italy. And this is the cardigan I lost in Italy then found another one the same in a charity shop!

One of my colleagues, an art teacher, said that this outfit reminded her of the work of the fashion designer Holly Fulton, and she pulled me into one of the art rooms to see some examples of Holly Fulton's work, which I loved!

 

Travel memories: Sestri Levante

Sestri Levante, where the group stayed for the second half of the holiday, was a lovely place, and luckily the weather was great for the afternoon and morning that I had free to explore the town. It faces onto two bays, the larger one where our hotel faced, and the smaller Bay of Silence which had a lovely sandy beach. On the morning I was leaving I collected some beautiful sea-glass and pebbles there in the sunshine. I also explored up the hill towards the Castelli where we'd had dinner the evening before.

Pesto-making demo

Delicious food in the sunshine

 Vespas

 Cats

Trompe l'oeil decorations on the buildings

Interesting stone-work

My favourite shop in Sestri - it sold children's books and illustrated items

The stunning Oratory of Santa Caterina

Bay of Silence

Church bells in the morning

Travel memories: Portofino

After the previous day's torrential rain, it was a lovely surprise to have a beautifully sunny day for the boat trip to Portofino.

I made the most of my time there. First I walked up a hill to a lovely church with the most beautiful cemetery I'd ever seen. There were stunning views over the town and the sea. After that I walked up to another church in the opposite direction, had a look at the shopping area, walked around the harbour in both directions, and explored a sculpture park which was a lot of fun!

Travel memories: Cinque Terre

For someone who loves peeling paintwork, steep narrow streets, colourful buildings, the paraphernalia of fishing, and a seaside location, the Cinque Terre towns were heaven.

We first visited Riomaggiore, and I think that this was my favourite of the the three towns we went to, although this may just be because it was the first and therefore the most surprising to me (it was also the only town where we didn't get rained on!). We emerged from the mosaic tiled tunnel from the station, passed a pretty shopping street, and arrived in a little harbour which reminded me of the East Neuk villages here in Fife, but the buildings were clinging to vertical rocks! It's the sort of place you think could only exist in the imagination of an artist such as Escher.

After this we went to Vernazza, which was also very pretty, with its ice-cream coloured buildings, but a bit more touristy. I climbed many stairs up through the winding narrow streets to the tower where there were some great views. The rain had come on quite heavily so I spent a bit of time in the church.

Finally we went to Monterosso. I explored the seafront area, but apparently I missed out on the old town which was through a tunnel. What I did see was lovely, though.

The rain became torrential while we were in Monterosso. I've never seen rain so heavy! When we returned to Sestri Levante the rain was still just as heavy. We were all wet through already, so we decided, rather than wait for taxis, to make a dash for the hotel. The rain was so heavy that my umbrella began to fall apart at the seams, leaving me with water running down my arm. And my shoes took two days to dry out! But it was an unforgettable day and the Cinque Terre towns were beautiful despite the weather.