Deep Ink Media

So time for day 3 from my Italian adventures.
Here I bring you the city of Naples and the Island of Capri.

Naples is the 3rd largest city in Italy behind Rome and Milan. The Port of Naples is one of the largest Italian seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Mediterranean Sea having an annual traffic capacity of around 25 million tons of cargo.

The city of Naples houses some amazing architecture, and there are some tremendous views. The shadow of Mount Vesuvius looms large, only 9 miles from Naples and 1 of only 2 active volcanoes in Europe.

Internally though, this massive metroplitan city paints a different story. A number of people I know have been here and quoted as it being run down, dirty and unloved. And I have very much seen it with my own eyes. Streets littered with waste. Refuse bins overflowing, rats around every corner. The indegenious people...Neoploitan by name are intense and there is a very noticable dislike for the tourist trade. This is made clear for the distinct lack of people speaking any meaningful English. Now its their prerogative, its their home, why should they? The difficulty I found trying to communicate is immense. This being mainly my fault. I mean I am an outsider. Its should be down to me to learn their lingo. After a few days I had picked up a few words but nowhere near enough to strike up a meaningful conversation...that I fear would take months rather than days.

Anyway, back to this days adventure. The weather shocking, 90% chance of rain for the next 2 days. And me being the 'Unprepared Traveller' I was mooching around in nothing more that a pair of cargo trousers and my favourite hoody. But determined to not let this inconvenience ruin my exploration I soldiered on...I mean I'm British for f**k sake...Im used to this weather! 🤣

So camera in hand I wander and wander, looking for anything that was remotely interesting. After a few hours I happen accross aforementioned port and noticed it offered hourly rides to the nearby Island of Capri, a popular destination for tourists to the area. At 20 euros each way it seemed like a good shout so I boarded the ferry and braved the rough 45 min sea trip. Upon arrival I was already soaked through, which in itself was not a problem. The bigger concern was, although my camera equipment was weather sealed, I was unsure of the level of weather was safe. Trust me...it was raining hard. So with a heavy heart I decided to cut my short side trip even shorter. I would have loved to explore the Island more but I was stuck with only seeing the Marina Grande. But I suppose it just gives me an excuse to come back in more pleasant times...

So time for another Italy post. This time Pompei...what a place...history around every corner. If you dont know the history, this is a preserved ancient Roman city in Campania, Italy, 14 miles southeast of Naples, at the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius. Around noon on August 24, 79 CE, a huge eruption from Mount Vesuvius showered volcanic debris over the city of Pompeii, followed the next day by clouds of blisteringly hot gases. Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. For many centuries Pompeii slept beneath its pall of ash, which perfectly preserved the remains. When these were finally unearthed, in the 1700s, the world was astonished at the discovery of a sophisticated Roman city frozen in time. Grand public buildings included an impressive forum and an amphitheatre; lavish villas and all kinds of houses, dating back to the 4th century BCE, were also uncovered. Inside were some preserved remains of people sheltering from the eruption; others lay buried as they fled; bakeries were found with loaves still in the ovens. The buildings and their contents revealed day-to-day life in the ancient world—and stirred 18th-century interest in all things classical.
The city covers around 100 acres frozen in time and it was a pleasure to explore your cobbled streets. Gave me a shiver down my spine just being present.

Street Life - London 10th Sept 2022

I'm not goning to apologise for more London spam! Showcasing my work is what this page is all about. Here we have a small selection of images taken in and around central London that I found fascinating. Colourful, vibrant and mostly man made, save for the weather early morning on the sunday which completely covered the tops of the tallest buildings on the Thames skyline. I hope you like, and remember all images are avaliable to purchase as a glossy print.
Enjoy the rest of your evening folks x

The practice, which began in the prehistoric era, has been used as a way of expressing culture for civilizations on all seven continents For this reason, architecture is considered to be a form of art. Texts on architecture have been written since ancient times. The earliest surviving text on architectural theories is the 1st century AD treatise De architectura by the Roman architect Vitruvius, according to whom a good building embodies firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (durability, utility, and beauty).

London is a city world-renowned for its architecture; from old to new, traditional to contemporary, art deco to gothic, and many styles in between, there are hundreds of great buildings in the capital. The Explorer in me wanted to see the sights that were slightly off the beaten track. So I tracked down some not so well known locations, just as breath taking as the well known locations (save for St Pauls Cathedral)