Here´s another sequel to my wanderings in my neighbourhood even when it´s pouring some rains.Running with slight rain is also one wonderful experience I have done from last week and yes, I am convinced that it can be done.Just like running when snowing! I love the nature itself and the mood after the showers captured in camera is quite different.
In my archives I saw some photos I took last Spring, just when the Clematis is in bloom, how lovely they looked, so fresh and pretty in pink.They can totally can make it to my Flower of the Day.Only the Mums in my garden are blooming this Autumn so actually not much flowering plants to see.
Pink Clematis after the RainsFOTD ; Clematis after the Rain
It´s raining outside and the streets are wet.The city gardeners really worked so hard these few past days.I noticed that all grass fields have been mowed for the last time this year, everything is cleared and prepared for the coming freezing winter months.
Coming home the other day I noticed another truck with few men inspecting trees, “Baumpflege” it says, meaning Tree care. So even trees deserves a check-up before winter.
The drastic changes in our neighbourhood today are so evident. Many trees are almost bare, without leaves and just covered in thick mist. I did my morning run today and I actually get through with it neatly. I haven´t got to run for a week since I am cramped at work and gave in to excuses. I breathe in and murmured to myself “Golden October” is gone, now I am just running on piles of fallen leaves, like a carpet of browns, orange, yellows and rust.They will turn into soil later, right?
I am fascinated by roses in particular, the way they embrace the cold, hugged by mist and seemed to be still carefree. The sight of a rose with water droplets has such an enigma to me. It´s beautiful, delicate and yet so fragile.Pouting buds and still beaming with life, with it´s leaves curled up. Mine in the garden are already trimmed, pruned and cut. I guess they are already hibernating. I would like to do so as well, to hibernate and come back again in Spring, hopefully the virus is then gone, and probably dissapear here in Europe and migrated to the peaks of Everest where they cannot bother us anymore.
Even nature takes a break so why can´t we? After these November rains, are they even bothered again? Oh nevermind,I guess watching the rain makes me ramble things from my mind.
Either way, I totally enjoyed my run and captured these moments beautifully. November rains are not so bad after all.
Stay safe everyone, enjoy the weekend and Tschüss.
I still can´t get over from Len´s Journey post about Burano Island where He wrotes about the symphony of it´s colors. He had written it so well and so true to this island´s striking character. I said to myself that I wanted to see it for myself to believe it.
And I was not dissapointed…
But seeing this place also made me thought hard.
“How is it to live in a place like this? to see these colors every-single-day? “
My daughter said it´s her favourite island ,at least for now. I asked her why and she said because the Spaghetti with Mussels and clams were sooooo delicious. She was absolutely charmed as well by it´s bright, colorful houses, and the “ relaxed island feel “of Burano.Well at least it´s not only Gelato that won our hearts while we´re in Venice, also the Spaghetti with Mussels and I have to agree with her on that.We´re lucky to be able to find a seat in Trattoria da Romano and absolutely had the best experience!
From the boat from Fondamente Nove ,we took the Vaporetto 12 to go to Burano. We actually decided on this trip to avoid the massive crowds in Venice and it was really hot. We glide through the tranquil waves, wearing masks and playing some Pop-it .Soon we reached the island and greeted with watercolor pallette-views!
Red, orange, yellow, sky blue, yellow green, and so on and so forth. This is indeed the color-wheel village!
Laundry day in Burano Island
The houses are uniquely painted with different shades. It´s like a maze of rainbow colors. The apartment-villa type of the houses are so pretty, and nothing seemed like the other. Every house has it´s own distinct character and tint.Tiny square windows with pretty carvings, also decorated with curtains are a normal sight. I was so busy breathing in the scent of Burano and at the same time, adoring the simplicity of this island.
Apart from it´s colours, Burano Island is also famous for it´s lace production, made with a needle, & everything is handcrafted.Great respect for this wonderful heritage. If you see the group of old ladies making their lacework, you can´t help but just to smile…this tiny island is really a gem.
Rows of houses are just a few meters away from the shore and even the boats are multi-colored. I can´t get enough of the reflection of the houses in the water, it´s so soothing.I wonder how was it here during the strict lockdown?During the time of our visit, which was the in the heat of Summer, end of August, the weather was hot, and the air is thin but the sight of the sea is such a temptation. There are no cars in Burano–you can explore it by bike, walking or by boat.
They said that the colorful houses is actually no coincidence.As a fishing village where fishing is a vital source of living, residents painted their houses to enable the fisherman to get back home safely, amidst thick fog and bad weather. Now it really make sense.As you can see from the photos, street lighting is very basic, so imagine this place at night.The locals of Burano also favors this idea of colors since it serves as property boundaries.
Walking thorugh the streets of Burano, I felt like walking into a different world. Life here is so simple. Thriving on tourism, fishermen take out their boats and return in the evening with their fresh catch.
We passed through a small stall selling with different kinds of souvenir items and the vendor is oblivious of the crowd.Burano is so small, with a population less than 3,000, tourists outnumbered the locals as well.
Anyway, whatever the situation, I always look for colors. I, personally loved colors, colorful buildings and houses are such a great subject. I love colorful art so I fully appreciate this place as a form of Art Therapy…and living it! It makes me wonder how Burano looks like in Winter, white everywhere, covered in snow, foggy and tourist-free.I am sure that this island will still stand out because of it´s colors. I find that really cool and heartwarming.
Children running back to their homes and they know exactly which door to go in because of their unique colors.
I just love how each house has it´s own color of front door curtains. The curtains were blown by the soft sea breeze and it totally reminds me when we hang the laundry outside to dry.Sun dried laundry definitely has a unique charm.
Tschüss Burano
When our boat arrived to get us back to Venice, I cast one last look at Burano and whispered, “Burano, you are amazing..until we see each other again!” but my daughter loudly shouted ” Arrivederci Burano!“
Would you paint your house as colorful as this ? Which color would you choose?
Captivated by the Cristallo mountain ranges of the Dolomites
I´ve been meaning to write about our recent trip to see the Dolomites but then life got so busy and somewhat that ” writing thing” never get a hold on me , my mind was so empty and I sit in front of my laptop and still nothing. Good news though, but not until now.I already made our photobooks from our last trip and to tell you honestly, when I looked back, I wished that we are there once again…it´s one of those trips that you´ve never left yet, but you wanted to go back once again…
Now I´ve spilled that secret : We really wanted to go back there again and hike some more!
The Dolomites,also known as the Pale Mountains, the famous Dolomites of Italy, and here in Germany, we called it “Dolomiten” .Obviously the name came because these mountain ranges is made up of sedimentary rocks and has a high percentage of dolomitic minerals.Italy has the right to boast about it. Absolutely it´s one of the world´s nature gems and best kept secret destination here in Europe.It´s peaks are tremendously intimidating, totally! Maybe that´s the reason why Reihnold Messner loved this and inspired to summit all the 14 peaks over 8,000 meters, including Mt. Everest! Just imagine having the Dolomites as your childhood playground!
I love everything about mountains and Dolomites is one happy place for me.The area we´ve explored just had everything.From lustrous alpine meadows, nature parks, camping areas, gorgeous lakes and of course, the majestic peaks of the mountain ranges makes it all an idyllic place .
Places like this are also a photographer´s dream, my dream place. You see, views like this makes my jaw drop, makes me silent and in awe of everything. Just like the feeling when we hike through Berchtesgaden and Königsee last May, this time I am just thankful once again to see another scenic natural paradise .It´s actually my first time to visit Italy and I am glad that we´ve taken this scenic route. I think you should see places like this at least once in your lifetime. No, I think one lifetime is not enough.
Anyway,I knew nothing about Dolomiten not until I´ve seen a part of it. I have made it a goal to explore more the Dolomiten especially a hike through the Tre Cime de Lavarado or the Three Peaks (Drei Zinnen) with my daughter next year and we are all excited about it.
Imagine this place as your playground!
Just like Berchtesgadener Land , the mountain ranges of the Dolomites are also UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. It has a rich history of War and Peace since WWI which adds more to it´s charm. We went on a family adventure, not on a holiday. Although we planned on exploring the parts of Süd Tirol after exploring Venice, coming to see Dolomiten was actually came out of surprise. I never researched about it or looked it up since all I can think about is the other places that we´re going. So you can imagine how surprised I am once I saw the mountain peaks as we approached the charming little villages of Calalzo di Cadore,Auronzo, and of course, the impressive Cortina d’Ampezzo and more…
Having a great time with the Dolomites in the background
I was suddenly silent and just sighed. This place is so beautiful.
The mountain ranges are so high and mighty.The Ooohhs and Ahhhss are just coming out naturally. This place is not made to be admired when you are driving or in the passenger seat. You really need to get out, walk, hike, run, cycle or just navigate through it to really have a real “Dolomites” experience and even photos doesn´t give it justice.
We visited in the most “touristic” peak season, in the end of August, summer time here in Europe. It´s also the time where almost everyone in Europe is having their vacation. We actually didn´t have much choice since this is the only dates that we are free from work.The bookings we´ve made are on short -listed and considering the tight Corona measures, we are glad that we are both fully vaccinated. But then we chose to stay near the small village of Lienz, just between the border of Austria and Italy. During this time, we are obligated to do a Corona Test for my daughter since she is not yet vaccinated.Driving through the border few times in a day is no hassle since we only care about exploring the Dolomiten.After all, it´s all part of the adventure.
And again, these views….!
Another side, another hike, another lakeMorning reflections from the Alpine lakesI find the wild flowers beside the lakes so pretty
Another highlight from our Dolomiten adventure was hopping from pristine lakes to another.It´s summer but the water is still very cold and we are wearing layers. I was feeling so cold on this day. Swimming is not allowed in these lakes since it´s a protected areas and nature reserve. Every single one is impressive in the areas of Sesto and the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature park.With turquoise clear waters, mirror-mountain reflections and majestic panoramas, you can´t take one from another. Our goal was to see Lago di Braies, but since we did not plan ahead, we actually didn´t booked ahead for the public transport and the parking was already so full when we came. We don´t want to take the risk that time of squeezing ourselves in a full bus when we have a child who is not yet vaccinated.But then, it still did not dissapoint us since we found another pretty destinations.We ended up doing a hike in this area, having a lunch with the view of Lago Dobbiaco and rode the paddle boat.
But definitely, the view from above is different. The sun shines so bright when we hike through Monte Elmo, gathering wild Alpine flowers, played in the playground above 2,000+ meters where we have breathtaking views of the Sesto Dolomites.
Views above from Monte Elmo
On the third day, the winding roads from the Pension House and steep curves going up to the mountains became like normal. With the Dolomites in the background, It was a constant reminder that we are still in paradise.One time we decided to go up in the mountains first by ski lift and do some hiking up. Going up was so foggy and cold, with bare no views while we came up.Here I have a feeling that we are in Austria or in Germany since the landscape, the playgrounds reminds me so much of the places we visited in Austria.Signages are written in multiple languages and we didn´t have any problem since we speak German.Once again, my daughter had a blast playing, trekking, and admiring the views up above.
Peak moments…and yes, there´s always a reason to go back.Another secret hideaway
The only sound that we hear is our footsteps, flushing and gushing of the creek that leads to the river.the bright sunlight creates a magical scenery,simply awesome.
Hike more….worry less!Watching the Dolomites peaks from another peak
The thing is, the moment when we are on top, we felt so little, so tiny, weak and fragile. Many times I shouted to my daughter not to run on the edge because she might slipped.It´s the anxiety that I felt so helpless compared to the power of the mountains.But seeing her so carefree and happy makes my heart warm. If only we can stay like this forever.As I see the bunch of people ahead of us, all walking with a walking stick,pushing the buggies and carrying their little ones, I asked myself that maybe they are also searching what we are searching…simple happiness.
Watching the swans in Lago DobbiacoThe mountains and rivers pays no attention to borders“Mountains teach that not everything in this world can be rationally explained.”
The thing about hiking and conquering heights is that the height is so intimidating. And hiking with a child is not always go through as you expect.Most of the times, you really need to have plan B. Believe me, get prepared and expect a few dramas along the way. The going is always tough, but going through it ,is actually the essence of the adventure itself. Looking back, the most rough hikes we did are the ones that we had wonderful memories and hurdles as well.We all got a new hiking boots this year and I thought, these shoes are really made to be wet, dirty, muddy, filled with sand and somehow step onto some crazy adventures! No matter how good it is, if it only stay in the bunk then it´s useless.
Many times, we got lost of the track, google maps doesn´t work, even one time that I forgot to bring my camera so I was totally devastated. I got sad and angry ,not because I am tired and my muscles are sore from walking, but because I only had my iphone to capture the views.
The Dolomites are calling
I can´t write about Michelin stars hotels and restaurants, expensive ski resorts and over the top mountain museums in the areas of Süd Tirol and Dolomites. I can only share about it´s beauty, it´s wild charm, it´s power to quiet our troubled minds, and bring us down to humble state .We didn´t spend a fortune, nor stayed in pricey hotels, or dine in those fancy restaurants, but we were able to have a blast in nature, eat in joyful gladness with the mountains in front of us and for me, that´s the killer panoramic view that is priceless.
Also, we did our part in protecting this place, we only take memories and leave nothing behind except footprints. Because I know, soon we will be back once again to see the Dolomites.
When was your most unforgettable hiking experience?
Here is my response to John´s Challenge ” On the Water ” for this week´s Lens -Artist Photo Challenge.I got excited when I saw this topic since I love water. I just do.Just like Silvia Earle says..” No water, no blue, no green, no Life…”.
It´s all true, without it, there´s absolutely no living. When I saw that raging waters coming from the Krimml waterfalls, I felt the strong force it has.There is definitely a strong movement, a raging inertia that gives power, and move people.The locals have said that just standing beside a waterfall and inhaling the water vapors can actually cure diseases such as asthma and other respiratory ailments.
The Oasis of Life, and water fuels it.
Simple as that. Life in fact is not complicated. Here are some more of the photos I took that shows how I see water as a vital part in our life.
Without water, there will be no beauty found in Waterfalls, rivers, and brooks. One thing that I love exploring are Gorges. I just marvel how powerful water can be that it can split rocks and forged minerals out of it. Time is the witness of all these wonderful sights. Time had shown me…water can work in mysterious ways too.
Come to think of it, there will be no hydrolectric power that can be produced without these water resources, meaning there will be no energy.No rivers to swim, no adventure in rafting, no fish to catch.
Calm rush of the river, somewhere in Austria
Then there would be no Autumn rains, and children doens´t have the joy of jumping into muddy puddles.
The carpet of leaves submerged in water in Fall
How great a fountain would be? without water, the it is just a scupture, a monument, no sign of living. But with water gushing from it, it is a form of Art.
Quiet landmark Fountain in my city
Reflection of the New Castle in the Waters in the water pump near the Labyrinth Garden, Ingolstadt
It´s actually raining inside the Partnachklamm Gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water
There´s a magic in the morning dew that kissed a dainty wilted flower
Sans water, there would be no attractions where people gather, where we find joy in nature´s simplest forms…
Cascading waterfalls in Lechbach in Füssen, Germany
There would be no place for nature´s way of showing it´s artistic forms.
Another magical art
What can nature be without water?
But there would be no living if we don´t stop our wrong doings. There would be no more beauty found in chaos of pollution.
Signs of degrading our waters
But then, once we reaarange our bearings, nature gave us back a positive sign…growth, lush greens, and fruits.In the end, there´s a surprise of harvest.
The perfect GreenQuaint Houses near the river, Markt Essing, BavariaYes, there are tons and tons of water inside these blue & white Mushroom towers. Precious waters for the whole country of Kuwait. The Kuwait Mushroom water Towers
Here´s my entry for this week´s Pick a Topic for June, CMMC. Blue Teal Koleidoscope describes well all these photos from my recent travels, hiking and Artworks.
A lush forest landscape, rocky mountain, calming waters in teal-green-blue shades and a gushing Waterfall in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, GermanySail on deep, translucent waters, no waves here but that perfect shade is still there.The rocky shore of the Arabian GulfBeautiful rock formations inside the Parthnachklamm Gorge in Garmisch Partenkirchen
Lastly, I found some of my Abstract Art paintings that quite resembles to Cee´s photo, probably the best concept is that I tried to mimic the ocean waves and tones, and teal-green-blue-white is always a dream pallette for my artworks.
Seafoam waves/JustbluedutchArt
Aquamarine blues, acrylic pour Abstract painting /JustbluedutchArt
JustbluedutchArt Abstract Textured painting
Blue Teal Koleidoscope Acrylic Pour Abstract Painting/JustbluedutchArt
Cee suggests any of the following possible topics: This photo is of the Oregon Coast Possible topics coast, water, ocean, blue, teal, white, brown, rocks, waves, landscape, candid, people, family, etc. What else can you come up with?
Again, thank you very much Cee for featuring my Post “Endless Yellow Fields forever ” for June Color-Yellow. I had so much fun doing that as well as for Jude´s previous photo Challenge, Life in Colour-Yellow.
Mr.Sun is finally shining bright here in Germany. Summer is definitely going to soar in the coming days, added the fact that we are easing slowly all Corona measures over here, so most people are on the loose! Means more fun out in the sun, swimming and BBQ´s! Within a week we turned brown and always looking for shady spots!
I guess without the sun, shades and shadows has no birth.
This week, it´s all about Shades and Shadows . It´s a creative fun challenge that Leya brought us this week.
I’ll start with some quirky finds in the beach…a headless doll and the shadows makes it like a Horror poster, perhaps “Annabel, or Chuckie?”
I went spelunking in the northern parts of the Philippines and in this region, the “Echo Valley” in Sagada is quite famous. This is one of the entrance to the cave which we explored. Walking into darkness is quite something… and again, shadows played a big part in creating the enigma of this place.
Back to the mountains, I love how the “Peach” effect of the snowcapped mountain played by sun´s setting creates this wonderful backdrop. Views like this from the hotel balcony is worth every penny!
But look at the fine recesses that showed in this…
One of those window views inside a castle that gave us great panoramic views of the green scenery and the Altmühl river here in Bavaria.
Just a chill autumn moment right here in our neighborhood.
Captured shadows and shade playing with Ravens in Nürnberg, Bavaria.
Lovely afternoon walk in the woods
More shades and shadows here…
and lastly, a much needed shade in the Camel farm a scorching 50 degrees temperature in the deserts of Kuwait.
justbluedutch 