University of Pittsburgh

The Cathedral of Learning is easy to take for granted if you live in Pittsburgh. We drive by it all the time but familiarity makes it no less spectacular or beautiful. Think about it. It is the tallest educational structure in the USA and third in the world.It is also one of the few built in an art deco style. Next time you cruise by take a moment for appreciation.

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Cathedral of Learning

Cathedral of Learning 4/28/2020

It’s strange to be able to stand in the middle of the street and take this shot. No cars, one person walking at high noon. This is our second outing in 7 weeks and still Pittsburghers seem to be following the guidelines for social distancing. This is probably the reason there has not been a big surge in cases here. I hope we have the stamina to keep it up.

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Cathedral of Learning

Saint Vitus Cathedral Prague

Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague Czech Republic is a very important Cathedral in Roman Catholicism. It is located within the Prague Castle Complex which is a collection of ancient buildings dating back to the tenth century. At the time Prague was the seat of The Holy Roman Empire.

It is a be example of Romanesque architecture with awe inspiring stained glass and statues inside and outside the Cathedral.

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Saint Vitus Cathedral

Outside Saint Vitus Cathedral

Saint Vitus Cathedral

The Brass Penis

I can’t remember where I took this picture. I think it was in Heidelberg. Oddly it reminded me of the The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. In the center of the Galleria there is a mosaic of a bull. Legend has it if you grind your heels of the balls of the bull you will have good luck. The mosaic has a hole in it from a life time of people spinning on the balls as this young lady is doing.

I don’t think this statue has any such legend but a lot of people have been rubbing the penis!

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The Brass Penis

Child of Prague

We had been touring for a month and the last thing I wanted to see was another European Church. It was our last day in Europe and we had spent about five hours at Prague Castle. I was tired. However my bride of 45 years insisted we had to see The Child of Prague. I had no idea what it even was but have learned Happy Wife, Happy Life so I grudgingly agreed. It is truly one of the most interesting religious artifacts I have ever seen.

The Infant Jesus of Prague or Child of Prague is a 16th-century Roman Catholic wax-coated wooden statue of child Jesus holding a globus cruciger. It is on display at a very small Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana in Prague. It is very beautiful and difficult to photograph due to all the reflections.

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The Child of Prague

The Child of Prague

Horses Near Il Duomo

I took this picture in 2011 outside the Cathedral Santa Maria Nascente in Milan Italy. We had just left the Cathedral and this installation was in front of a museum in the square. It was about two million degrees and we hadn’t eaten at all and never did see the musuem. I never did find out anything about these sculptures and not sure if it was a temporary or permanent display.

I never did publish the image. It was taken at noon and I tried to do some masking and editing but could never get the detail I wanted. I decided to use some of the NIK collection tools on the image and finally got it to the point where I can share it. It was a stark contrast to the medieval architecture of Il Duomo.

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Horses in Milan

Horses in Milan

Jardins du Château de Versailles

I have only been to Versailles once and it was a very full day. Of course we spent a lot of time touring the Château and the gardens immediately surrounding the Mansion. Then we went down a garden path and were in another world. Louis XIII’s purchased the lands around Versailles in the 1630s and formal gardens were laid out west of the château. The garden was expanded to its present size of 800 hectares (1800 acres) by Louis XIV in the 1660s.

The good thing about visiting Versailles is when we return we will not have to tour the Château and can take a picnic in the garden. You have to have a ticket to visit the château but the gardens are free to the people. I can’t wait to return. This is a statue in a small garden pond.

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Jardins du Château de Versailles

Jardins du Château de Versailles

Statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian general and political figure and seen as one of the founding fathers of modern Italy. Garibaldi was a central figure in the Italian Risorgimento. He personally commanded and fought in many military campaigns that led eventually to the formation of a unified Italy. He was appointed general by the provisional government of Milan in 1848. The statue is opposite the Cathedral in the Plaza Il Duomo in Milan, Italy

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Statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi

Statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi

Human Statues

Human statues are fun to watch and seem to be very popular in Europe. During our last trips we encountered them in Amsterdam,Paris,Milan and Como. In Paris we saw two or three different ones. I am amazed at how still they can be and enjoying watching other people’s reaction to them. . This one had some problems though, it was very hot and he or she was squirming around in their suit creating some weird poses for a mummy. You can buy a print of this one and see other images at my European gallery.

Human Statue

Human Statue