Matilda of Canossa's Castles

How do you convey the sensation of an ancient ruined castle  keep whilst standing in the 4m x4m space inside ?  

Canossa Castle, RE at 270°

I have been experimenting with   Microsoft’s free stitching program:  ICE (http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ice/  )  using  some of the “Castelli Matildiche”  near where I live to maybe resolve the problem. Anyway they are fun to do.

The results are a bit unpredictable and the prospective effects give strange exaggerated results.

Monte Vetro, Quattro Castella RE at a view of about 180°

The Castelli Matildiche are a series of castles in the foothills of the Apennines, mostly in the province of Reggio Emilia founded  by Matilde di  Canossa a medieval  queen famous in Italian history. ( http://www.castellimatildici.it/home.htm in Italian)



Monte Zagno, Quattro Castella, RE. The space inside is about 4m x 6m.
I was in the corner of the keep



Monte Zagno, Quattro castella, RE

Monte Zagno Quattro Castella, RE



Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE



Rossenella and Rossena, RE




Rosenella and Rossena, RE



Montechiarugolo, PR




Montechiarugolo, PR




Montecchio, RE



Castello di Borzano

For the first  long walk this year I did  a circular route from Borzano(Reggio Emilia)  – Ca di Vento – Borzano  which takes about four hours.

I saw the remains of the Castello di Borzano perched on a rocky outcrop and then had a look around the remains of a medieval village at the foot the castle  . I then climbed up to Ca di Vento where I saw some nice views of the Apennines covered with snow whilst walking along the hill crest.    

Castello di Borzano

Castello di Borzano

Medieval Village Borzano

Castello di Borzano

Near Ca di Vento

Vines Ca di Vento

Bellavista

All in all a very pleasant walk in the Apennine foothills, even though at the end my legs reminded me that it was the first long walk this year !

Mud

I have just done another Blurb book featuring photos of mud!
Bit by bit over the years I have put this muddy collection together.

 Here some excerpts.

New Year 2011 in Ferrara

We saw the new year arrive in Ferrara where they "burn the castle" at midnight.

Composite panoramic photo of the castle

Palazzo dei Diamanti

Corso Ercole 1 D'Este

Tiger in the Cathedral

Off to France

First stop Alba ,Piemonte in wine growing country.

Barberesco

We went on to Annecy with its crystal clear lake.

Near Annecy I went to a gorge where one goes through the gorge on a cantilevered walkway.

 

We returned to Avignon to see some things mainly out of the city.

Pont du Gard aqueduct. The Romans managed to build it with a gradient of 300mm every 1000m

At St Roman south of Avignon I visited a Monastery carved out of a rocky hilltop. 

 

Out of the way Avignon, in Rue Teinturiers

Other odd angles of Avignon