Posting from my iPad.

The WordPress app for desktop computers does not like to work with my Apple Photos application. I have found several workarounds for this, mainly by opening the Apple Mail app and starting a new message. I then open the media browser and select the album that has the photos for the post I am composing. My photo library has over 30,000 images. That is difficult to manage worth the media browser for mail. But the WordPress app for IOS meshes nicely. I am able to choose from any of my albums. This is so much easier that the other method.

Some photos taken last year in Firenze. Beautiful trip. Climbed up the campanelli and viewed the entire town. This year we are spending 51 days in Sicily and mainland Italy. We will be visiting Cefalù, Castello Buono, Siracusa, Gange, Lago di Garda, and almost three weeks in Roma. Can not wait.

July 17, 2017 0

TODAY IN THE WASHINTON POST: The Ape celebrates 70 years.

What you say is an APE, not an ape, but the ubiquitous little combination of a motorcycle and pickup truck that plugs along all of Italy’s roadways.

Credit photo and text above from the Washington Post.

The Ape hauls almost anything, from buildng materials to fruit and fiish. A clasic Ape in ToscanaNothing elegant about this baby, plain and simple, it does the job.This one was at an Airbnb in Montepulciano.

Not only did he sell fruit and vegetable, he serenaded the streets with his words on the health of his produce.

This fruit vendor was in Cefalù, Sicily. (fruttivendolo)

Some info from Wikipedia:

At the end of World War II, most Italians, badly affected by the war, lacked means of transport and, more importantly, the financial means to acquire and maintain full-sized four-wheeled vehicles. In 1947, the inventor of the Vespa, aircraft designer Corradino D’Ascanio, came up with the idea of building a light three-wheeled commercial vehicle to power Italy’s economical reconstruction, an idea which found favour with Enrico Piaggio, the son of the firm’s founder, Rinaldo. The very first Ape model and the mark immediately following it were mechanically a Vespa with two wheels added to the rear, with a flat-bed structure on top of the rear axle. The early sales brochures and adverts referred to the vehicle as the VespaCar or TriVespa. The first Apes featured 50 cc,^[3]125 cc or 150 cc and more recently 175 cc engines.

It is hard to imagine a 125 CC engine pulling a big load.

July 2, 2017 0

La bella lingua Learning Italian

Our first trip to Italy was without the benefit of any knowledge on my part of Italian. My wife with he Sicilian parents had a knowledge of some words and phrases. I realized this was a disadvantage but not the end of the world. So much English is spoken in Italy most people can get along. Most restaurants in the tourist areas have dual or triple language menus. English, German, and Italian are prevalent.

I want to go further and speak to people and know what the road signs say. Not having access to an Italian teacher, I took another route. Pimsleur had a CD course in Italian. I bought the course and ripped the CD’s to my iPod. That was the beginning. It is a good way to learn conversational Italian. Eventually I progressed from levels 1 through 5 which encompasses about 48 hours of lessons. I did enjoy it as I was able to listen while driving or riding my bicycle.

PIMSLEUR ITALIAN LEVELS 1-5 UNLIMITED SOFTWARE

Pimsleur. The Art of Conversation. Down to a Science.

Format: Download
Lessons: 150
ISBN: 9781442396180
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List Price: $575.00

Free Audio Lesson

Learn a new language while commuting, while cleaning the house, or working out. Like millions before you, discover the power of the scientifically sequenced and portable Pimsleur Method.

As you can see, it is not cheap. Try the audio only from Audible for a more reasonable price.

Italian Level 1: Learn to Speak and Understand Italian with Pimsleur Language Programs

- By Pimsleur
- Narrated By Pimsleur
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Release Date: 04-01-10

4.6 (69 ratings)

Regular Price:$173.27

Member Price:$121.29 or 5 Credits PRICE VARRIES. Credits are about $10 each depending upon the plan you subscribe to at Audible

Beyond this I also used duoLingo. This is a free program with excellent content.

Exercises progress from basic to upper intermediate. It is easy and I have been using if for about 6 months now. You can progress at your own pace and go back to. From time to time you may be asked to donate, but this is minimal. An excellent program for iPhone, tablets, and Android products. You must have WiFi or cellular data connected.

There are many exercises to improve listening and writing skills. Voice recognition is available for pronunciation practice.

Next there is Rosetta Stone. This is my least favorite method. The program has five levels and retails for about $200-250 on Amazon. It is available for PC and MAC. It does a good job of teaching vocabulary and grammar, but I find it painful obtuse. In many cases you have to decipher a photograph and answer questions based upon your interpretation of the picture.

Some times the photos are not clear and you may give a wrong answer.

It is your choice on Rosetta Stone, I just find it slow. But the content is good. It has voice recognition to help you with pronunciation.

. There is also a subscription version. Te computer version is copy protected to one PC or Ma and can not be used on another until it is deactivated.

There are other programs out there. Transparent Language as a program for phones and tablets. It is subscription based. Seems ok. They offer a free blog with the word of the day. Michelle Thomas has CDs for many language and they are priced reasonably.

Buona fortuna! or as they say: In bocca al lupo

June 25, 2017 0

Some times just some photos say a lot.

St Peters

A cat resting in an Amalfi store

Capri, Faraglioni, the rocks that make the viewSeafood vendor in NapoliFruta in AmalfiVerona, the opera with the lighting of the candels prior to the performance

Performance the the Opera House of VeronaSome locals having lunch in San Giovane in Fiore ( Calabria)

Caserta, royal palace gardensSan Gorgio Maggiore, Vence Island from the bell tower Cheese (formaggio ) at the market in Napoli Some boats in Messina Sicly

June 7, 2017 0

Erice the village in the clouds Update

Greg’s Italy the web site

I read a book several years back that described this ancient villiage high up on the coast overlooking Trapani and the salt flats. I was intrgued by the description of the fog rollsing in on a reguar basis. I did ot have to wait long. It flowed through the town and then left as the sun came back out. It is well worth the visit.

HERE IS A VIDEO TOUR OF ERICE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISssEjWkMag