We’re back from our snowboard holidays now, recovering from a broken finger and several other injuries:) What that also means is that we are back to writing posts for this blog. While we were away, user cityweb posted this picture of the Bagni Pancaldi baths in Livorno, with visible signs of the 1944 bombings:

Signs of 1944 bombings in Livorno

Compare that with this picture, available on the Bagni Pancaldi website, which shows how the baths are beautifully maintained nowadays:

Modern view of Pancaldi Acquaviva

Technorati Tags: history, holidays, photos, travel

Some things never change. One of them is London being one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Pick up any location in London City and it will be full of people, vehicles, colours and activity. Take Piccadilly Circus as an example - it’s still one of London’s busiest junctions. One more thing has not changed either: it is still running on horsepower (except now it’s mechanical):

Piccadilly Circus 100 years ago

Piccadilly Circus today

Technorati Tags: history, photos, travel

Shopping in Herald Square in New York has been in for at least a hundred years. Fashion victims from 102 years ago could enjoy stores looking like this:

Picture of Herald Square in 1907, posted by user kd

Where do New York shoppers go today? Have a look at this picture from http://newyorkpanorama.com:

Macy's in Herald Square in 2008

Looks like a completely different place, doesn’t it? Well, there is one thing that connects these two pictures, but it’s not too easy to spot.

Have you found it yet? If you look very closely at the building in the centre of the old picture, you’ll notice a sign at the top saying “Macy’s”.  This particular Macy’s store has been there for long, and since 1924, after the 7th Avenue expansion, it has been famous as “The world’s largest store”·

Related links:

Wikipedia article on Herald Square

Web discounts for New York hotels

Technorati Tags: history, photos, travel

There are many Lafayettes around the globe, but most of them are located in the U.S. One of them is the old capital of the Yamhill County, Oregon and it prides itself in its over 160 years history. Take a look at this 1946 picture of Kelty Estate, a 136-year-old B&B built in Colonial Revival style, posted by our user headgorilla2008 from the Yamhill County Historical Association:

675 3rd Street, Lafayette, Oregon, U.S.

The building is being carefully taken care of now, so it might look very similar today, especially if winter over there is as harsh as in Europe at the moment.

Technorati Tags: architecture, history, holidays, photos, travel

Bologna in Italy, like so many places in the Mediterranean, has history dating back to the 6th century BC, if not longer. Home to the oldest existing university in Europe, which was built in 1088, it also prides itself with having one of Europe’s largest exhibition areas called the Fiera District as well as plenty of industrial activities.

Of course, there is plenty of old tourist attractions in Bologna, for example the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca:

Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca - posted by jordilardin

Frequently visited by pilgrims, and once a year by a procession from the church of San Pietro in the center of Bologna, who use a 3.5 km path to get there. Until 1976 pilgrims could use a cable car that took them straight to the basilica. But that’s not all - in winter this car was also used by some inhabitants of Bologna for skiing!

Technorati Tags: history, photos, travel

Tram in Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland

This picture was posted by Jimmy, our user from Dublin, Ireland.

Sandymount is nowadays an affluent area, part of the famous Dublin 4 postal district.

It is the birthplace of the worldwide famous Nobel prize winner William Butler Yeats. During his lifetime, you could get to Sandymount two ways: by tram, as you can see, or by train. Currently the modern Dublin tram, the Luas, doesn’t go to Sandymount, unlike the train, which has been transporting passengers there since 1835.

Technorati Tags: cars, history, photos, travel

Donaldsonville Fire Department in 1930

Technorati Tags: cars, history, people, photos