Luci natalizie... Christmas lights
The decorated Entry Arch to il Borgo del Castello in Codiponte, Tuscany Italy for Christmas 2019.
Sorry for the electrical line in the photo. These days, it is nearly impossible to take a pic in Codiponte and not have some obstruction or, annoyance, impair the shot. Electric and telephone lines are a specialty in our parts. This could be applied to the rest of Italy too… Rome, Naples, Genoa… and even in Apuglia too. However, that booted region is keen on garbage strewn on scenic roads or, beaches. I bet the Tourist Bureau light candles to the inventor of Photo-shop to eliminate the trash from the photos posted to the region’s tourist websites of panoramic locales. Ahime’.
We are nearing Christmas. I took the Dogs on a SUV tour the other night to take photos of the few Christmas lights up and flashing in Codiponte for this blog and for your entertainment too. The two Weimaraners were enthusiastic to go, thinking there would be a subsequent w-a-l-k. There was though abbreviated, thanks to all the folk filling up their plastic bottles at the water kiosk next door to Codiponte’s cemetery… an ideal spot for sniffing & running. I am now obligated to have my canines under control of a leash. No deal. Not with trying to recover from hip surgery. Packed the dear creatures in the SUV and off we sped. Nina and Croesus got extra Here-is-your-mighty-reward treats, once back in the comfort of our home at il Poggiolo.
Seems the Codiponte Christmas Light Program is to, at least, dangle a representative string of lights attached to some architectural element of house, store or bar. The Scuzzy Bar has a shooting star off its T-sign. T for tabacco. None are near the way, way, way-over-the-top Yuletide shenanigans seen in America and Canada. I remember going with friends in their white late-model Cadillac to tour the neighourhoods in Atlanta, Georgia noted for their Christmas decorations. LED has transformed the custom into incredible heights of creativity… of light, form and color for the Santa Klaus, Rudolphs and, of course, the ubiquitous & numerous Christmas Trees…. obviously. It’s Christmas. Those two countries have cheap utilities, thanks to their massive oil reserves. Italy has ZERO oil, and thus, its utilities are expensive and made more so by its sales tax… Iva… think VAT and at whopping 22%!!!
The only exception to the minimum light show is Codiponte’s Local Mechanic’s well thought out installation. Rudolph keeping guard in the middle of the Local Mechanic’s recently installed grassy lawn with a lone palm tree but… Povero Rudolfo… is cordoned off with a long swag of lights to stay his escape.
Sorry. None of my photos came out. Taking a photo at night with the flash results in A) an extreme white out of everything within the vicinity of the iPhone in a kind of nuclear bomb explosion and B) the object of the shot in the distance is still dim or, out of focus. Must learn to use a normal and manual photographic camera. A forthcoming New Year’s resolution.
The norm for installazione delle luci natalizie is what the three families living up at il Borgo del Castello managed over the arched Entrance to their hill-top perch. I rather like the simplicity of the single strand and its modest array of colored bulbs used… yellow, orange, light green and red. Endearing. Innocent. Humane… like they didn’t need a crane or, paid crew to do it. Just themselves. The lights do not flash either. Lampeggiande luci is like a disease with the cheap Chinese imports… the word bulb does not apply to their manufacture… found at the local ferramente. The hardware store in Gragnola, the town below Codiponte, had a long table dedicated to all things useful or, not for Natale. Tons of various flashing LED pin lights to run along a railing or, over a door. In the meantime, as I took a gander of the selections, synthetic snow in a spray can tempted me. Then, I thought Greta Thunberg. The idea died on the table.
Buona Feste!