Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Twain's Princeliest Creation Ever Conceived

First, an explanation and an apology to those who have repeatedly come to this site expecting a new post.  For weeks, Google/Blogger/Picasa wouldn't allow me to upload photos, saying I had exceeded my 1GB limit (which I probably exceeded years ago) and I would have to pay to increase my storage.  Having already spent all my lunch money on cameras, computers and additional hard drives for this hobby—my gift to the world (or whoever happens by)—I was reluctant to make an additional, recurring investment.  If Google, one of the planet's wealthiest companies, claims that they own my photos and my writing, (which seems very unfair) they should be paying me...and all their bloggers, not demanding that bloggers pay them.  This is not the first time Google/Blogger/Picasa has denied my attempts to upload.  Today, as has happened in the past, after waiting some weeks, it appears I can once again share my images with you.  Thank you for coming back!  And thanks to G/B/P for once again allowing me to share my images.

Milan, Italy.  Decades ago, when I first read Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad, his glowing description of Milan's Duomo,  left me eagerly yearning to see this "princeliest creation that ever brain of man conceived."  It does not disappoint.  We took an elevator to the roof to be greeted by an enchanted forest of white marble atop this marvelous building.













6 comments:

  1. Ah, That explains your absence of posts. These are amazing images. Stone work as lace. At your suggestion, I did read much of Twain's Innocents Abroad, and enjoyed it, although it was less witty that I expected having read many other works by him. Understand he was writing columns for his newspaper early in his career, but perhaps he didn't got so funny until later.
    Have a very merry Christmas.

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  2. Yes, Twain's essays were sometimes hilarious, sometimes excruciating. He and his family lived in Vienna for a year and a half while his daughter studied piano. You can see Twain's autograph on the ceiling of one of Vienna's oldest restaurants, Griechen Biesel. More about Twain in Vienna here: http://www.viennareview.net/news/austria/twain-in-vienna

    Merry Christmas to you, too, Jeff...and Happy New Year, assuming the world doesn't end tomorrow...in which case, Happy Apocalypse.

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    1. Yes, sorry...and now we are traveling. Hope to be posting more soon.

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    1. Thanks so much. I wish we had been there a half an hour earlier or I had brought a tripod to improve clarity.

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