Pam & Steve family Photo Album

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1993
Italy 1995
Italy 1988

Homo Sapiens, summer coat and coloring, "Pam" and "Steve," monogamous pair. White Mtns., Eastern Arizona, 7200 ft. elevation, 1996.

H. Sapiens, winter coat and coloring, White Mountains. We're having fun at Pam's parents' house.

With a backdrop of palm trees, Torrey pines and nighttime sea breeze coming in from Pacific Beach in San Diego, Pam said "yes" to a question I asked one May evening in 1993.

Family Trip to Italy - 1995

We visited our relatives in Abruzzo and Veneto, in central and northern Italy.

Our parents Judie & Dave, in the center, with their relatives from Abruzzo.

Bruno and Fiorina (center) are our relatives and hosts in Terramo, along with their sons Massimo and Franco.

The Franciscan Priory of San Damiano, in Assisi, down the hill from the city proper. This is the spot where St. Francis was given his mission to "rebuild My Church." The Basilica of St. Francis (located nearer the city) was built after his death, and the "inner Basilica" houses his remains. A picture of the Basilica can be seen in the 1988 trip photos. It sustained severe damage in an earthquake a few years ago, but has since been restored.

A view at sunset of the Basilica of St. Claire, taken from the garden of the Convent of the Order of Sisters of the Atonement, where we lodged while we stayed in Assisi. The sisters guided us to a few locations in Assisi which we would not otherwise have seen - they were great hosts.

One would have to be specifically looking for this artifact to find it - even the nearby shop owners were not aware of it. Diagonally opposite the square from S. Claire Basilica is a print and gift shop run by the nephew of the man who used the printing press in this photo to forge identity papers for Jews hiding throughout Italy in the latter part of the war. (The Prior at S. Damiano organized this operation.) When we arrived in the shop and inquired, Signore Brisi uncovered the press from the items stacked on top of it, verified that this was indeed the press and was pleased to answer our questions. It seems only long-time residents of Assisi are aware of the story.

My aunt, uncle and nephew host us in Mestre - the coastal city on the Adriatic facing Venice.

The major form of conveyance in the Venetian lagoon is the water taxi. The larger ones ferry people up and down the coast - to the Lido and the islands of Murano and Burano.

My nephew Filipo travels with us to the island of Murano, which is famous for glass artistry since the times of the Doges. There are fifty glass foundries located on the island today. The scaffolding behind us is a common sight in Venice - a sign of economic growth, but perhaps also of gentrification. Most people who work in Venice live elsewhere.

Fifty natural gas-powered glassblowing furnaces in Murano constitute a fire hazard managed by the city (Vigili del Fuoco).

Here a glass artist is making pieces for a chandelier according to a serialized 'blueprint' that has surprisingly few dimensional details - it is meant only to standardize the style of the handmade pieces. Borosilicate glass has always been used in Murano because it stays plastic longer away from the furnace.
Glassmaking is taken seriously in Venice: when a promising 21-year-old artist was killed in a car accident in the early 1990's, it was major news. The skill takes a long time to cultivate.

There is only one workshop in Venice where Gondoli are constructed - located in the less touristed Dorsoduro district. This area makes a rewarding walking tour to get away from the crowds.
There are 750 gondoliers in Venice - the license remains in the family. The average working lifetime of a gondola is 75 years.

This is our gondola ride one May evening enroute to P. San Marco, approaching the Doges' Palace, joined to a medieval prison by the Bridge of Sighs.

Here my beloved wife Pam takes pity on a homely looking young gondolier by feigning attraction to him, to boost his spirits.

The Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal approximately at its midpoint. It contains enclosed shops geared toward jewelery and is usually crowded with tourists. The bridge is wide and densely packed enough that one can be unaware he is crossing the canal.

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Family Reunion in Italy - 1988

In this trip I visited my relatives, whom I had not seen in 22 years since I was little. My friend Mary and I brought back many nice experiences, memories, and nine rolls of film's worth of photographs.

Much of Italy's landscape is defined by the Alpine extents of the Appenine and Dolomite mountain ranges. The mountains of the Alps are about the same height as those in the Rockies, but the dramatic plunges into valleys as low at 1000 feet elevation make the Alps seem more "mountainous." Here we have a picnic in unique beauty.

Friends Mary, with Roberto and his wife Manuela, who hosted us for the first several days of our trip in Northern Italy. Their english helped us to be more comfortable making Italian phrases as our way of conversation. This is more of our picnic in the Italian Alps, near MonteRosa (~14000ft). The structure at the right ts a shelter for sheep herders.

Beauty in the Alps in July, both flora and fauna.

There is an internet urban legend chain letter which connects the size of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters to the width of the axle on ancient Roman road wagons (the moral being that Specifications Live Forever). If that is true, here is an artifact of the original spec, in the lower center and right side of this picture. This is part of the ancient Roman road to Gaul (now France), with wagon tracks preserved in the shale stone. It's 4 feet, 8 inches wide, I believe, which is also the width of a modern standard-gauge railroad track.

The best value for travel in Europe is the Italian Kilometric ticket, which allows 3000km of rail travel to be divided among up to six people named on the ticket. The passenger rail system in Italy is extensive and we could go anywhere we wanted to. We also found the city transit systems to be up to snuff, although a Bus ride in Rome in July is crowded and hot. This ticket partly documents the places we stayed on our trip. We made the most of our ticket, using 2882 of 3000 total km.

Our second major stay in Italy was in Rome - we almost didn't go because I didn't think three days could do it justice. I'm glad we went, nevertheless. The Church of St. John in Lateran was the seat of the Roman Church until St. Peters Basilica was built around 1600. These steps, the Sancta Scala, which the pilgrim is ascending one by one on her knees, are protected by a wood covering. They were transported from Jerusalem sometime after Constantine's conversion, and legend says that these are one of a set of two stairways flanking the prætorium of Pontius Pilate (one of which Jesus would have had to ascend to address the procurator).

Also in the Lateran Basilica is a long hall (I think it might have been the main chapel area) flanked on both sides by large bronze likenesses of the Apostles depicting the way in which they were martyred. Here, St. Bartholomew is presenting his flayed skin, and the instrument by which the deed was done, to his Maker. It is a stunning and moving assembly of figures.

At the entrance to S. Peter's Basilica, with the main altar surrounded by the Bernini bronze columns located at the far end (lower center). The architect of this structure was none other than Michaelangelo.
Near the entrance in the hall, one is greeted by a series of lines on the floor, representing the dimensions of churches (Protestant ones) which fit inside the "larger" St. Peter's - a surprisingly puerile comparison worthy of a boorish teenage boy. It is an outward sign to me of a Church which needs to reconsider the role of women in religious vocations.

We start our ascent to the top of the Cupola of St Peters. At this level, we clearly see the words with which Peter was commissioned: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church."

Here Mary leads the way as things get a little tight near the top of the ascent. Michaelangelo designed access to the top of the basilica by placing a stairway within the volume between two Cupoli (inner and outer). Both domes can be seen in this photo on each side of the stairs. The angle of tilt and number of corners increase near the top, where space becomes scarce.

We have a commanding view of Rome from the top of the basilica. The road leading out of the main square comes near to the Tiber river, flanked by trees near the center of the photo. At the extreme bottom of the photo, and continuing on the semicircular parapets surrounding the square, are statues of the Church's martyrs. I could find no written guide or index to point out their identities - one must exist somewhere.

This photo was taken out of a bus window taking the Appian Way to the south of Rome on its way to catacombs. The nondescript building is actually a chapel standing on the reputed spot where Peter was addressed by an angel on his way out of Rome to escape persecution. The angel asked Peter: "Where are you going?" ("Quo Vadis"). Peter regained his courage and turned back to face his executioners.

After a side trip to Assisi, we took the train to Florence, which is where we found the Casa Buonarroti - the museum which was Michaelangelo's home in the city. We were lucky to get in - it was open only one day/week for four hours. The context of the artist being Michaelangelo explains this unique crucifix (several nude figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were "dressed" by later artists at the request of the Church). In his home we find the artist as painter, sculptor and, less well known, architect.

Reunion with my family in late July, 1988. We are staying at my Aunt's timeshare on the beachfront about 20km north of Venice, which is a popular summer getaway for Italians and Germans in the region.

A glass artist on the island of Murano takes a molten boule of glass out of the furnace, to be worked. Depending on the piece, the glass is blown and generally embelished with features using specialized, but simple tools such as tongs and cutters.

Within 90 seconds, the artist creates a stylized horse for his audience (my friend Mary), using a simple pair of tong/cutters. Many pieces of art from the furnaces in Murano have made their way to such places as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York.

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	Homo Sapiens, summer coat and coloring, "Pam" and "Steve," monogamous pair. White Mtns., Eastern Arizona, 7200 ft. elevation, 1996.
	H. Sapiens, winter coat and coloring, White Mountains. We're having fun at Pam's parents' house.

	Our parents Judie & Dave, in the center, with their relatives from Abruzzo.
	Bruno and Fiorina (center) are our relatives and hosts in Terramo, along with their sons Massimo and Franco.
	The Franciscan Priory of San Damiano, in Assisi, down the hill from the city proper. This is the spot where St. Francis was given his mission to "rebuild My Church." The Basilica of St. Francis (located nearer the city) was built after his death, and the "inner Basilica" houses his remains. A picture of the Basilica can be seen in the 1988 trip photos. It sustained severe damage in an earthquake a few years ago, but has since been restored.
	A view at sunset of the Basilica of St. Claire, taken from the garden of the Convent of the Order of Sisters of the Atonement, where we lodged while we stayed in Assisi. The sisters guided us to a few locations in Assisi which we would not otherwise have seen - they were great hosts.
	One would have to be specifically looking for this artifact to find it - even the nearby shop owners were not aware of it. Diagonally opposite the square from S. Claire Basilica is a print and gift shop run by the nephew of the man who used the printing press in this photo to forge identity papers for Jews hiding throughout Italy in the latter part of the war. (The Prior at S. Damiano organized this operation.) When we arrived in the shop and inquired, Signore Brisi uncovered the press from the items stacked on top of it, verified that this was indeed the press and was pleased to answer our questions. It seems only long-time residents of Assisi are aware of the story.
	My aunt, uncle and nephew host us in Mestre - the coastal city on the Adriatic facing Venice.
	The major form of conveyance in the Venetian lagoon is the water taxi. The larger ones ferry people up and down the coast - to the Lido and the islands of Murano and Burano.
	My nephew Filipo travels with us to the island of Murano, which is famous for glass artistry since the times of the Doges. There are fifty glass foundries located on the island today. The scaffolding behind us is a common sight in Venice - a sign of economic growth, but perhaps also of gentrification. Most people who work in Venice live elsewhere.
	Fifty natural gas-powered glassblowing furnaces in Murano constitute a fire hazard managed by the city (Vigili del Fuoco).
	Here a glass artist is making pieces for a chandelier according to a serialized 'blueprint' that has surprisingly few dimensional details - it is meant only to standardize the style of the handmade pieces. Borosilicate glass has always been used in Murano because it stays plastic longer away from the furnace. Glassmaking is taken seriously in Venice: when a promising 21-year-old artist was killed in a car accident in the early 1990's, it was major news. The skill takes a long time to cultivate.
	There is only one workshop in Venice where Gondoli are constructed - located in the less touristed Dorsoduro district. This area makes a rewarding walking tour to get away from the crowds. There are 750 gondoliers in Venice - the license remains in the family. The average working lifetime of a gondola is 75 years.
	This is our gondola ride one May evening enroute to P. San Marco, approaching the Doges' Palace, joined to a medieval prison by the Bridge of Sighs.
	Here my beloved wife Pam takes pity on a homely looking young gondolier by feigning attraction to him, to boost his spirits.
	The Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal approximately at its midpoint. It contains enclosed shops geared toward jewelery and is usually crowded with tourists. The bridge is wide and densely packed enough that one can be unaware he is crossing the canal.

Much of Italy's landscape is defined by the Alpine extents of the Appenine and Dolomite mountain ranges. The mountains of the Alps are about the same height as those in the Rockies, but the dramatic plunges into valleys as low at 1000 feet elevation make the Alps seem more "mountainous." Here we have a picnic in unique beauty.
Friends Mary, with Roberto and his wife Manuela, who hosted us for the first several days of our trip in Northern Italy. Their english helped us to be more comfortable making Italian phrases as our way of conversation. This is more of our picnic in the Italian Alps, near MonteRosa (~14000ft). The structure at the right ts a shelter for sheep herders.
Beauty in the Alps in July, both flora and fauna.
There is an internet urban legend chain letter which connects the size of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters to the width of the axle on ancient Roman road wagons (the moral being that Specifications Live Forever). If that is true, here is an artifact of the original spec, in the lower center and right side of this picture. This is part of the ancient Roman road to Gaul (now France), with wagon tracks preserved in the shale stone. It's 4 feet, 8 inches wide, I believe, which is also the width of a modern standard-gauge railroad track.
The best value for travel in Europe is the Italian Kilometric ticket, which allows 3000km of rail travel to be divided among up to six people named on the ticket. The passenger rail system in Italy is extensive and we could go anywhere we wanted to. We also found the city transit systems to be up to snuff, although a Bus ride in Rome in July is crowded and hot. This ticket partly documents the places we stayed on our trip. We made the most of our ticket, using 2882 of 3000 total km.
Our second major stay in Italy was in Rome - we almost didn't go because I didn't think three days could do it justice. I'm glad we went, nevertheless. The Church of St. John in Lateran was the seat of the Roman Church until St. Peters Basilica was built around 1600. These steps, the Sancta Scala, which the pilgrim is ascending one by one on her knees, are protected by a wood covering. They were transported from Jerusalem sometime after Constantine's conversion, and legend says that these are one of a set of two stairways flanking the prætorium of Pontius Pilate (one of which Jesus would have had to ascend to address the procurator).
Also in the Lateran Basilica is a long hall (I think it might have been the main chapel area) flanked on both sides by large bronze likenesses of the Apostles depicting the way in which they were martyred. Here, St. Bartholomew is presenting his flayed skin, and the instrument by which the deed was done, to his Maker. It is a stunning and moving assembly of figures.
At the entrance to S. Peter's Basilica, with the main altar surrounded by the Bernini bronze columns located at the far end (lower center). The architect of this structure was none other than Michaelangelo. Near the entrance in the hall, one is greeted by a series of lines on the floor, representing the dimensions of churches (Protestant ones) which fit inside the "larger" St. Peter's - a surprisingly puerile comparison worthy of a boorish teenage boy. It is an outward sign to me of a Church which needs to reconsider the role of women in religious vocations.
We start our ascent to the top of the Cupola of St Peters. At this level, we clearly see the words with which Peter was commissioned: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church."
Here Mary leads the way as things get a little tight near the top of the ascent. Michaelangelo designed access to the top of the basilica by placing a stairway within the volume between two Cupoli (inner and outer). Both domes can be seen in this photo on each side of the stairs. The angle of tilt and number of corners increase near the top, where space becomes scarce.
We have a commanding view of Rome from the top of the basilica. The road leading out of the main square comes near to the Tiber river, flanked by trees near the center of the photo. At the extreme bottom of the photo, and continuing on the semicircular parapets surrounding the square, are statues of the Church's martyrs. I could find no written guide or index to point out their identities - one must exist somewhere.
This photo was taken out of a bus window taking the Appian Way to the south of Rome on its way to catacombs. The nondescript building is actually a chapel standing on the reputed spot where Peter was addressed by an angel on his way out of Rome to escape persecution. The angel asked Peter: "Where are you going?" ("Quo Vadis"). Peter regained his courage and turned back to face his executioners.
After a side trip to Assisi, we took the train to Florence, which is where we found the Casa Buonarroti - the museum which was Michaelangelo's home in the city. We were lucky to get in - it was open only one day/week for four hours. The context of the artist being Michaelangelo explains this unique crucifix (several nude figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were "dressed" by later artists at the request of the Church). In his home we find the artist as painter, sculptor and, less well known, architect.
Reunion with my family in late July, 1988. We are staying at my Aunt's timeshare on the beachfront about 20km north of Venice, which is a popular summer getaway for Italians and Germans in the region.
A glass artist on the island of Murano takes a molten boule of glass out of the furnace, to be worked. Depending on the piece, the glass is blown and generally embelished with features using specialized, but simple tools such as tongs and cutters.
Within 90 seconds, the artist creates a stylized horse for his audience (my friend Mary), using a simple pair of tong/cutters. Many pieces of art from the furnaces in Murano have made their way to such places as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York.