 |
| Cinque Terre! NOT the Amalfi Coast! Whoops! |
I love the colors of this place...granted, this particular picture is edited to increase vibrance, but I'd love to take a picture like this for myself one day.
The Amalfi Coast is in Southern Italy, actually at the Southern tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula. It's actually listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Most of their commerce is related to tourism, since there's only one road in and out of the area. Because they're listed on a coastal cliff there isn't much room for agriculture, unlike the rolling vineyards of Florence's Tuscany. However, they are known for their limoncello liqueur--because they can grow lemons, known as "sfusato amalfitano" in terraced gardens along the coast.
More exciting than booze, though, I found out that the Amalfi people are responsible for creating a special kind of paper. It's thick, handmade, and it's called "bambagina". It's made from rag tatters and other linens. I think with the age of industrialization, they started pounding the paper with machines powered by water mills...but I admit to only scanning that link above.
 |
| bambagina |
Since my bookbinding project in my blogging class last spring, I've kind of been obsessed with making books. The thing with that, is while computer paper is great and cheap, its stark whiteness is such a contrast to handmade books. I've been looking at different handmade papers to see if making signatures myself might be cheaper and could make my books look...better?
In my research, I keep coming across websites that file pictures of the Amalfi Coast under the name "Cinque Terre". Apparently, that's Italian for "Five Lands."
I also found out that the Amalfi Coast is on the opposite side of the country from Cinque Terre. (and to think I thought they were the same place!) I think next week's Florence Friday will have to cover Cinque Terre...which looks oddly similar in color to the Amalfi Coast.
But for now...one more picture of the colorful coast I've fallen in love with:
 |
| And another...because that one at the top is a lie. >.< |
gorgeous! i'm definitely putting this on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteas for the "bambagina" i think i'm too immature to ever visit that musuem (is it just me? bam! bagina!). you should visit a&c supply in u district (behind petco, where the pets go). I LOVE THAT STORE. they have loads of good paper in the back, and there's "bound" to be some affordable handmade paper. they also have book binding stuffs.