Tool TIme

 Remember that goofy sitcom with Tim Allen? Anyway. Part of the fun of blogging is making up corny titles for the posts. 

 

This is just a quick note, a reflection on the tools we have at our disposal to visit and revisit the world we travel in. The observation was prompted by this not too clear photo, which I noticed again for the first time while browsing photos this morning.

 I loved the street tabernacles or little altars that appeared without fanfare as I walked the narrow old streets.  This morning I wanted to find out more about this Madonna and Child.

Notes to self: keep capturing street names/signs, even though passersby, should they notice at all, think you're barmy. Those names will help to zero in later on the name, details, history of an interesting spot in the world.

Streetview is a phenomenal resource. It turned my photo (thanks to that street name) into a tour of Via de' Giraldi, in the Bargello neighbourhood, and helped research the rest of the neighbourhood. 

With the address, I can find the name of the place, and then Google search that name. In this case, I came upon Loquis, a travel podcast site. I usually search for 'history' which gets me more sites to explore.

Good old Wikipedia  (yes,I contribute)  and its faithful contributors usually provide a research framework - and references.

And if the sites don't keep rolling out, memory can prompt another foray. In this case it took me to other street shrines, these in medieval village of Montecatini Alto - a modest little Madonna on this richly textured ancient wall and a more arcane Gothic Crucifixion with mementos of healings or prayers for healing. 

And lots more links  Which is how I came upon yet another resource, like this lovely writer Margie. 

There are a lot of us. We can't all be crazy.