Tag Archives: Italy

When In Rome

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about Rome over the last few days because of the news that a new archeological site will be opening in the coming year in the heart of the Eternal City. If you haven’t heard, … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Travel, Architecture, Art, Europe, Film, History, Museums, Photography, Tourism | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Worldwide Live

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

When I have felt especially claustrophobic during the Pandemic lockdown, I have checked out some of the amazing live camera feeds from around the globe. Recently, I found the wonderful Rolling Cam World on Youtube and I think that I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Europe, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Handle Without Care

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

These days, it’s sometimes difficult to tell if you are seeing an actual advertisement or something from The Onion. In this case, an Italian company called Crash Baggage is promoting a new line of suitcases that look like they’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Tourism | Tagged , | 1 Comment

When In Rome

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Whenever I travel to Rome or Athens, I always visit ancient ruins and archeological sites. But it can be a bit of a stretch to try and picture what the buildings original looked like and how they were used.  New … Continue reading →

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Plague Tales

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio follows ten young people–seven women and three men–who take shelter from the Black Plague outside of medieval Florence. Each day, over the course of ten days, members of the group must entertain the others with … Continue reading →

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High on Books

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Europe’s highest bookstore opened last summer on Mount Blanc at an altitude of 3,466 meters. The Feltrinelli bookshop is situated inside the Punta Helbronner station on the third floor of the Skyway Monte Biancodi Funivie Montebianco . The stunning shop … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Tourism, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Bookmobile with an Italian accent

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

UNA NUOVA INIZIATIVA PER LA DIFFUSIONE DEL LIBRO proclaims the title at the top of the photo, or, in English, A New Initiative for Distributing Books. The early 1920s bookmobile was actually publisher’s method of selling books to the public, not … Continue reading →

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Arrivederci e grazie per le buone letture

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Sicilian author Andrea Camilleri, who died last week at age 93, is probably best known as the author of 27 novels and multiple short story collections starring police officer Inspector Salvo Montalbano, many of which take place in the fictional … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

It’s A Big World After All

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

In 1587, Italian cartographer Urbano Monte created the largest known map of Earth. His map consists of 60 panels that were designed to be assembled into a single planisphere —a circular map that rotates about a central axis— measuring 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Libraries, Maps | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

See Naples and sleep with the books

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The Mondadori Bookstore in Naples’ Vomero District has made it possible to spend the night surrounded by thousands of books. Under the name Mooks Bed & Books, the bookshop has installed two beautiful suites, each furnished with antiques and thousands of books … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Hotels, Tourism | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments