FPO, AE 09620

Pierside at Nisida

2010-11-20T11:05:00.007+01:00

Taken from in front of NATO's Maritime Component Command Headquarters, Nisida (Napoli). Nisida is home to a number of governmental institutions, mostly prisons. The harbor is a popular marina for pleasure boats in the Napoli area.

Taken with an iPhone 3G, and stitched into a panorama with Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.

Nisida Island from Bagnoli

2010-06-15T10:17:00.001+02:00

Nisida is a little island, connected to Bagnoli (Napoli) via a causeway.

Nisida is home to mostly governmental facilities, several prisons, and the NATO Maritime Command responsible for the Mediterranean Sea.

The bay is a popular marina for pleasure boats, and the beaches on either side of the causeway see a lot of people in the summer.

Photo(s) taken with iPhone and stitched together in Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 to form a panorama.

Astounding

2009-01-07T01:31:00.004+01:00

I just can't imagine what some people think here.

Take our dog Trooper, a pure-bred Labrador Retriever. Some Italian imported him from Hungary at substantial cost, then just gave him away. We are the lucky recipients, but still... makes you wonder.

A similar curiosity; this seemingly full-blooded hunting dog is in a shelter we have been working with. Why would anyone cast off such a magnificent dog? (Ok, frankly I can't understand casting off any dog, regardless of breed or problems).

Read more about the dogs in this shelter, and what we are trying to do to help at: www.animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com or www.miamattsson.blogspot.com.

See Naples and Die

2009-01-05T22:13:00.006+01:00

One thing a visitor notices about the Naples, Italy area, is the stray dog situation.

Well, after the trash, that is.

Strays seem to be everywhere.

What most people don't see, however, is the dogs that get put into shelters. The conditions are horrible, and since shelter operation seems to be a lucrative business (Euro 125 per dog, per month from the government) there is no incentive to find "forever" adoptive homes for these guys.

These pictures were taken on a recent trip to a "small" private shelter that is being closed by the goverment. "Only" 70 dogs are languishing in this shelter.

Read more about them, and what is being done to try to help, at http://www.animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com/

Naples Trash

2008-05-22T12:05:00.001+02:00

The new Italian Prime Minister vows to fight the trash problem in southern Italy, centered on Naples.

CNN News Report on the subject.

Well, it couldn't get much worse.

Gaeta, Italy

2008-03-28T21:31:00.007+01:00

A recent trip and 4-day stay at Gaeta harbor gave me a small chance to see this beautiful, old harbor town.

Here are a few of the panoramas I made from my little point-and-shoot, auto-focus digital camera.

The "modern" side of the harbor, taken from the deck of the US 6th Fleet Command Ship, the USS Mount Whitney, which is home-ported in Gaeta

Old Gaeta, taken from the fantail of the USS Mount Whitney, looking back along the "Fleet Landing" pier.

Another view of the newer side of Gaeta harbor, with some of the mountains in the background near Formia.

Another view of the newer side of the harbor, as the sunset approaches.

I'm still mastering the Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 program, but hopefully you can get an idea of the harbor area.

Unlike just 2 hours to the south in Naples, Gaeta is clean and pleasant... much more like one pictures Italy to be. The old town has many winding, narrow, off-angle stairways and narrow corridors that are centuries old, but still used to get to peoples' homes and businesses. There are ruins from the 1st Century B.C., that were the foundation for "modern" buildings in the 16th century. The harbor-side walk is nice in the evening, and on Sunday evening in particular, it seems the whole town is out and about, doing just that.

Incidentally, Gaeta was the site where the first Pope to visit sovereign US territory did so. How? When Pope Pius VI was in exile in Gaeta, the USS Constitution was in port, and he came on board. A warship is the sovereign territory of its nation.

Very nice... I expect and hope to go back soon to take more and better pictures.

A Childs Security in Blue

2008-02-20T19:09:00.003+01:00

Black and White Adonis

2008-02-16T14:16:00.003+01:00

My passion is to shoot black and white pictures. One of my models was an Italian "guy", Bobby a 21 years-old adonis.

Hanne Boel Concert

2007-11-01T18:29:00.000+01:00

Scandinavian recording artist Hanne Boel played a benefit concert at the NATO-base's Naples Community Conference Center in September. Here is an article published on the event:

Hanne Boel rocks the NCCC

Scandinavian Recording Artist, and current Naples resident, Hanne Boel and her band, performed at the Naples Community Conference Center (NCCC) on JFC Compound Thursday, 6 September 2007. Proceeds of the event, approximately 2000.00 Euro, benefited the charity BIANCO/NERO Daycare for Children in Castel Volturno.

The crowd of approximately 225, who each paid 10 euro to relive their favourites from the 1980’s and 90’s enthusiastically received Ms Boel as she sang through two sets of her hits, recent work and some favourites from other performers.

Colonel Fleming Larsen, Danish Army, Joint Operations Support Branch Chief, J3 Division, welcomed the crowd and commented that such charity performances, hopefully, will be repeated in the future.

Known as the “Scandinavian Queen of Soul”, Ms Boel enjoyed great success in her native Denmark as well as Sweden, Norway and Iceland in the 1980’s and 1990s, with her smoky, bluesy voice is reminiscent of Janis Joplin. She now lives in the Naples area with her musician-husband and children, but has recently released a new CD of original music. Titled “Private Eyes”, Hanne’s CD is climbing the charts, and her music is being introduced to a new generation of fans, as well as those who have enjoyed her soulful melodies for decades.

Ms Boel and her band performed for free on Thursday night, so that 100% of the proceeds could go to charity. MWA sponsored the event, and provided support for sound and light, instrument rental and transportation. The NCCC was arranged for by the Scandinavian Community, primarily spouses, and the manager of the NCCC. The recipient of the charitable contribution was decided upon in cooperation with the Allied Spouses Club at JFC Headquarters, Naples.

Story and Pictures Copyright (C) 2007 Todd Mercer

We enjoyed a really great concert. I wasn't familiar with her music, but of course my better half was more than familiar....she is a fan from way back. Regardless of my familiarity, I quickly got into the music, and really enjoyed the two sets she and her band performed.

A bug's life

2007-11-01T18:05:00.000+01:00

Last month, there was an annual bazaar held at the NATO base here. Many European vendors were present, as well as national emissaries, all selling wares or showing what their country had to offer. Sometimes both.

One table was shared by three local photographers. All had very interesting, and different, areas of expertise.

One is John Kimbler. He has developed over time the ability to take some really amazing photos of some local inhabitants... insects. He showed some of his work, like these pictures:

We were so enthralled by one picture, that we've purchased it to be printed on canvas and stretched like a museum-quality painting. We can't wait to receive it next week!

You can take a look at his blog at: http://www.no-cropping-zone.com/ or go to http://www.dalantech.smugmug.com/ to purchase some prints for yourself.

John, like the other photogs we met at the bazaar have day jobs with the US or NATO military here, and do their photographic passion on the side. And thank God they do, for without it, we would miss out on some truly interesting vision.

Activated!

2007-10-16T23:34:00.000+02:00

Ok, we are going to try to populate this blog with pictures, events and stories from the US 09620 zip code. Check it out, and one finds this is the zip code for the Fleet Post Office supporting US Forces in Naples, Italy. So, there in a nutshell, is what you will find here.

Enjoy!