I thought I would give you all a break from birds birds birds birds and sunsets of Anna Maria.
(And to answer Sinbad's prodding to embarrass myself on the number of sunset photos I have ... well, let's just say it is in the 4 digits. I need help.)
So as I was strolling through old travel photos looking for some other subject, I came upon another part of the world that I love.
Italy.
It was fun going down memory lane selecting and editing the photos in Topaz Fusion and HDR Efex. The originals are not the best since it was back in 2006 and I was using my Nikon point and shoot. I remembered that at the time I thought they were pretty good. Oh, to have had my DSLR back then.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT_GjQOX73ZBgTEFBTMMZsE0b-AommRrWfx53ut6sDePq-LHe3ZMSVxH9CVH_YfzyEwkabAmMjiXEQPRNh5FPDVrXLyPVWA-b1spAqa1UWZsm1Vc30Ih8OSikgDOW1W0T1vz4b10dGyo/s640/Italy0070HDR-M.jpg) |
Siena - home of the Palio, the medieval horse race |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb7n2VGmEQ-Q5OkKKNMQseAOTMqiabqcAJWhUQVV2SkQco_jSr5Cp3MYyh3KH6NrpFWeNdR8peYNUW1JYXDrOqtjzZIO8504rx3g8t4WVdTrYqZU9ydQ-pMGrFxtGVtD-iF09CaUgjdc/s640/Italy0128HDR-Orvieto-M.jpg) |
Umbria's hilltown - Orvieto |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxH7cW-NxgwXUfv9BA1ww8YpWSKShu7NPO9wiOlh8W2pHEozpHckPNU__5yGvwNGv_MHQXt6YkNddRnDYM6WvXoUvFZdoiWGeUoCqqwnnVTADpk8P7MZEePnaYrxYcWEVmpCj92E_nSpQ/s640/Italy0135HDR-M.jpg) |
Orvieto - sitting 1,000 feet above the valley |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj1liwiKihnM66QD10njJhUgOiA2k9EkDNMyXjFRAeuwIyDun9jdW6INKJ_V0nv0CfOFNM2oHRl2TsApBq5e-gGamiBdNXV4H5VY_rAFjErc_UOxO_ZyTQm-p58lnNt9Qic-46SROpfM/s640/Italy0152HDR-M.jpg) |
Pompeii - buried in 79AD under 15-20 feet of ash and pumice |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyGIisf1hIB4CzeDkIfvu3wCCHfPdjkOKdU2-Gy4CVdRjSV6bCGJqcB_U9kWemKu8d-PkduGy9_G_VVCmfz_O3aROnNufwKXg-24wgrR61qK3vA5PTHQ5fg3CHqFNE-UDTTeqlr41Axo/s640/Italy0166HDR-M.jpg) |
Pompeii ruins |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aCmseaKTpGaq0RRoU5VPvJnUyVOn7O4g85uNsmDZuWnHC6DxEO2N70oqp6DaETbJZHAQLLXKO4VQPY0UJkLfDe40ufngxGQ4KZPciozwawtbeZgKLOboHOcYn1dZkEmztDvYnj_cegc/s640/Italy0155HDR-M.jpg) |
Pompeii human remains |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFjGDNzLtcP0bZZrkFy13dV20lCA4-kQjVP8vRB1lMGrkSHxFBO5DJ-Z_h4AUMt8Hc0_36N54UKFVUApPSyYiQvKujpgmMJSUYsJf8aiP1Jznzg13NRblnXrrTb-dxSgWKply9Y97zAo/s640/Italy0392HDR-M.jpg) |
The magnificent Colosseum in Rome |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSF6T8WV6iJnUmKBNKTAX3MIqa9H1LuOv-v3eArVgBxmMWHAMW3R_MGuoBiAbSDbzDRSIJJYRjH7bpOV-N7tKJ-7Y7X694RL_FpKVwPvvkezNM_77o2BA0-HYUVEH5tM1HYsbswe9tXs/s640/Italy0002HDR-M.jpg) |
The back alleys of Venice |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBnmoA37p-zAIiXEFvDKFAhDe0eZvXMTOvEv4dhdQHw7y3w4-n99n7EgiURJUQuRGah8JGyxdbY3doqWIK4_0LgtjKTM7ErGbqBABk3mERJtadStBxpg3lfge_-II-ZZUiz2UuaChSH8/s640/Italy0009HDR-M.jpg) |
And more side alleys of Venice |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3TAoYV1PXOBCLDaELZpYbpmcgzJBxHSiDpFosLz-g22plDJPDsEFsobXarkKQvVRweNXK02cZ1vv44J1y-Kvg70x_pnFN_tWXXbViNPv-1qh5UtkyeZvMWGGnv4apJDEf_7-gAcLERc/s640/Italy0352HDR-M.jpg) |
Ravello on the Amalfi Coast |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGMbkAjzUTrcQlUYY5oD8FBf5OeWx48UzFXi2S5dE2xRG7hYy3VLrQGsrBD8h2V9OVnv3XhQcg__gXbj1iPrl0DVvGCcl8zEy7lc1Kq9oeh37_mdl0REbZN58zf83w8-oYIaSeucxZk0/s640/Italy0221-M.jpg) |
Sunset beauty on the Amalfi Coast |
I'm ready to go back.
Oh, by the way ... Italians have the best food!
Now I'm hungry.