Last Train to Sicily. Sometimes, life in the slow lane isn’t such a bad thing, especially when it’s on a charming old train that runs a circle around the slopes of Mount Etna … Take a ride on the Circumetnea Railway and you’ll be traveling on the same rickety tracks that were laid down in 1895 for the 19th century steam trains of Sicily. For nearly 130 years, this little-known old railway has been taking travellers on a one-of-a-kind journey from the seaside towns of Catania to Riposto via one heck of a scenic route around the snow-capped Mount Etna. Italian novelist Edmondo De Amicis remembers ‘one of the greatest train rides in Europe’ in his “Memories of a Sicilian Journey”, circa early 1900s: “My gracious reader, should you one day go to Catania, remember to take the Circumetnea and you will declare it the most enchanting circular, seven-hour journey on the face of the earth.
Images by Giorgio Stagni via Italian Ways From the Vault. How to see Fiat Lingotto's rooftop track | AutoMinded. It’s a charmed life when you can have a few hours to waste in Turin. I had purposely ended an appointment early when I realized that morning that there was something I forgot to put on my schedule: Lingotto. If it were not for the roof, this factory would just be a footnote in Fiat’s history. The facility was unique because cars would move up floors as they were being built, and the finished product would end up on the roof. The cherry on this industrial-sized cake was high-speed test circuit. Fiat stopped production at Lingotto 30 years ago, but finding it is not hard. Lingotto is hardly impressive from the outside.
Since I don’t know enough about Lingotto, and I the data plan on my phone is shut off due to monstrous international rates, this is going to be an old-fashion fact-finding adventure. Starting this expedition is very simple, because all roads lead to Lingotto’s second floor known as the “8 Gallery”. Eventually I come across elevator tucked away from plain view. 13 Things I Found on the Internet Today (Vol. LX)
1. This Faux European Hamlet in Japan Located in Shizuoka, this is Nukumori no Mori (ぬくもりの森) or “The Forest of Warmth,” and it’s basically an elaborate shopping centre for tourists. More image found on Kotaku 2. The Fiat Rooftop Racetrack If it were not for the roof, this factory would just be a footnote in Fiat’s history. Built in 1923, Lingotto ended its career as a Fiat factory 30 years ago and the building was later converted into a shopping mall, while access to the roof has remained restricted. Images via The Charnel House found on Reddit 3.
If you’re doing Valentine’s day, skip the predictable heart-shaped recipes. 4. Emmie Van Biervliet is a mixed media artist whose inspiration comes from journeys, mystical stories and the bizarre sights she has encountered on her travels. Emmie is based in the Alps for the time-being and working from the mountains and old buildings around. 5. Aisle 2, Row 3, Seat 5, Texas Theatre, 231 West Jefferson Boulevard, Dallas, Texas: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.