Domenico meets Victoria (jr.)

The forced stop when customs prevented you continued your travel from Hong Kong to Europe… I could barely stand it.

How did they dare?

What were they thinking?

What should we do?

Your dad, Lou, suggested a very practical solution: “shoot with your camera”, he wrote to the European group. Whatever it is, it’ll be fine, and the project will keep going.

I struggled with the idea. Yes, but… your “physical” travelling around the world conveys an entirely different meaning than a bunch of photographers using their own tools.

I thought we should be the tools lent to you.

So, I did what your dad wouldn’t ask: adopt a Victoria jr. to send her off to Europe.

Not a Canonet, actually. A Yashica Electro 35; I saw her in a movie once: she was in the hands of a handsome Spiderman, and I thought you would watch that movie and like that young actor playing Peter Parker.

Yes, you now have a stepsister travelling Europe.

And then… oh my goodness, then it came to me: what to show you, where to bring you? I live in Rome, you know: should I carry you on one of those open busses and let you digest postcards? But then, couldn’t you simply purchase a bunch of them on the internet for a few cents?

Should I point you at the “grandeur” of Baroque Rome, at the ancient ruins, at the arts, at the churches? But then, which ones? How could I select among the thousands of beauties we face everyday – almost without noticing their beauty anymore?

I asked your dad: “Lou, would you tell me something more about Victoria?” Silly me, what a question. I got an answer, though – Lou, how patient must you have been!

And finally, I understood what I would – I should? – do: I would bring you with me in my everyday life. I would make you look at my everyday landscapes, raising or lowering your eyes on my everyday’s skies and paths. Maybe boring, for a young lady: or maybe not.

There’s beauty everywhere.

In the dried flowers sitting on a Chinese cupboard in my dining room,01.jpg

In the ray of light peeping on the peephole of my neighbor’s front door,02.jpg

In the disregarded exedra overlooking the garden of a museum nobody ever visits.03.jpg

I loved how you looked at the humble patterns of branches naked by winter,04.jpg

At the nothingness of a bird’s shape waiting for the sun,05.jpg

Even at people, who smiled at you, and someone asked: “do you really shoot film?”06.jpg

 

One day, at the beginning of March, we woke up and winter had struck a backlash at the front door of spring.07.jpg

Someone daringly would try to hit the road, just like the two of us…08.jpg

There’s beauty in lending a hand to those in need, like this lady whose car wouldn’t move…09.jpg

And maybe a reward for doing it… Look at the view from the meeting room’s window of my empty office today!10.jpg

 

But that was short. The sky would soon open, and out we went again. Surrounded by a silence Rome would not know otherwise.11.jpg

Younger statues would invite us to play snowballs in Villa Borghese…12.jpg

Yeah! You got him right in his right eye! Lol…13.jpg

And girls would smile friendly while being photographed skiing on the snow-covered lawns,14.jpg

while my dear friend Serena’s children, Pietro and Marta, would make snow angels for you.Angels.jpg

Under the sky, again that blue, under the glowing branches.16.jpg

 

It all lasted but a couple of days. On the following Sunday we went out with my daughter, Greta, and our dog, Ala.17.jpg

Greta would do some jogging, notwithstanding the mud left by the melted snow: I’m sure you would be with her…18.jpg

in this spring that came back to repossess the park.19.jpg

 

Could I avoid showing you our little haven in Sardinia? No, how could I? A few years ago we set up two Mongolian yurts: yes, we had vacation there, before building our house. I believe you would rather like “glamping” here…20.jpg

even being woken up by these dudes singing their verse. For food. For company.21.jpg

There’s beauty everywhere, even in a misty sunrise.22.jpg

 

Later in March we traveled to Milan with Greta: she would take the admission tests to the University. Can you believe, she would study medicine! We would nervously wait in the parking, 23.jpg

And as soon as the test was over, it started raining! Nothing much to do, we tried a museum, but they wouldn’t let us in: too many people, the cloakroom was full, and one can’t enter carrying a photography bag, how foolish!24.jpg

So we went back to our rented apartment in a new, modern neighborhood. For a moment it stopped raining to allow us to look around…25.jpg

… And up…26.jpg

… And through…27-1.jpg

With the hope in our hearts that summer won’t be too long in coming.29.jpg

Yes, there’s beauty everywhere, and I know you know it all.

Travel safe,

D.

 

 

9 comments

  1. This moved me to tears and laughter Domenico, the snowball fight is glorious and so glad the donkeys made an appearance! 🙂 wonderful wonderful wonderful . ps my middle name is Gretta

  2. i still think Lou should try sending Victoria Canonet to Europe with you , i cant fathom how it is not possible

  3. Wonderful post! I’m not sure whether I enjoyed the pictures or the prose more.

    • Thank you very much, Ron, writing is my second longest love affair, as a matter of fact…

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