Weekend Perspective: The Promise of Summer

Summer starts tomorrow... Break up the workday with a five-minute escape to the castles, grottoes and mini faraglioni of Monte Argentario, Tuscany! 

(Click to enlarge and see slideshow.)

An Aragonese castle, one of several on this promontory that was once a Spanish conquest. Today, Americans and other foreign nationals have done a little conquering of their own by making second homes out of the strongholds.

These tiny seastacks remind me of their larger counterparts off the coasts of Sicily and the Campanian island of Capri.

Getting to know Argentario's thousands of unique nooks, crannies and formations is, to me, akin to a hard-core version of cloud-watching.

You can't see it so very well in this photo, but in the upper left is a natural arch that in person resembles a couple mid-kiss!

View Monte Argentario from afar here.

Weekend Perspective: Italy, Rain or Shine

Storm's a-brewin' in soul-stirring Syracuse.

The Island of Ortygia along Porto di Siracusa, Sicily.

(Click photo to enlarge.)

Late morning: Brightly-colored fishing nets 
match the lively pastels of the houses 
and palazzi lining Giglio Harbor. 

(More on the island of Giglio.)

Weekend Perspective: The Last Beach

Sun sets behind Monte Argentario, seen here from L'ultima Spiaggia.

L'ultima Spiaggia is the "Last Beach" in Tuscany before it meets the region of Lazio.