Tuscany, Winter 2012

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Adolf Luther, at Artissima

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Torino by night

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Quite possibly the most amazing hot chocolate I've ever had.

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Installation by an American artist (whose name escapes me at the moment - I'll find out and update), in one of the squares in Torino, during Artissima. Stunning.

Fiat

The Fiat ramp. Fabulous!

This is the building from the outside. It has a test track on the roof:

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Autumn colours in Torino, Italy. The building in the background is the old Fiat factory, which now houses a hotel, shopping centre, and the Pinacoteca gallery (the Agnelli family's art collection).

Thomas Florschuetz

I love these photographs of retired jets by German artist Thomas Florschuetz. I saw some of his work at Artissima in Torino last weekend.

(source, source)

Pieter Saenredam 1597-1665

This is an artist I discovered in Torino, at the Galleria Sabauda. He's a Dutch Old Master, and is known for his paintings of the white-washed interiors of Churches.

(source, source)

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Milan

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Under surveillance at Lake Como

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Kids playing football, and the path into town, Bellagio

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The Bulgari hotel, in Milan.

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Doorway, Milan

Lake Como

We took a private speedboat tour around Lake Como. The last picture is Richard Branson's villa (only accessible by water), and the 3rd, 4th and 5th pictures are of Villa del Balbianello, the villa featured in Casino Royale. It used to be privately owned, but was bequeathed to the National Trust of Italy in the late 80s.