Venice Travel Diary Part 4: Taking Your Time

Hello again!

today I'd like to take you back to our first day in Venice, when we started our Venice experience at the Palazzo Santa Sofia, better known as "Ca' d'Oro", facing the Canale Grande.

The lion at Ca' d'Oro is not too fond of the waterbuses, moving thousands of tourists and a few locals through the canal.

You can tell I have been travelling with company. This trip comes with a lot of "Making of"-shots. Some of them ... staged. aheem. ;-)

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! The palazzo is right at the Vaporetto stop Ca' d'Oro.

The terrace with the scenic views are a tourist attraction at the palazzo, but it would be a pitty if you missed the inner yard at Ca' d'Oro which dates back to 1430! Almost 600 years ... *sigh* Reading how old this place is, moves me to tears. As does the sight of the Palazzo Ducale in the morning sun. There is something about these pure old places ... I find them very, very touching. 

Detail at the inner yard at Ca' d'Oro

Me, uplifted after the visit at Ca' d'Oro

Such a typical sight. We obviously did not visit Venice during off-season.

"Do not disturb", aka Paula is taking a picture

A very rare moment of zen in a calle (calle=alleyway)

I was sooo uplifted, I even enjoyed the sight of waste in the San Marco basin. Well, those green, yellow, red and brown leaves and cedar needles DID look nice. I missed the plastic.

The famous spot in front of the Punta della Dogana at the Fondamenta Salute (fondamenta = path along a canal) in the late afternoon sunlight. Me, queueing up for the scenic shot with no one in the photo except for me. Mood: relaxed

The crowds at the Fondamenta Zattere, close to the Punta della Dogana were not that bad. But it was so quite warm in the bright sunlight, so we decided to take a waterbus and cross over the San Marco basin and pay Giudecca, an island in the south ot the basin a visit, where the Fondamenta is facing north.

Old structures at the Giuletta, vis a vis the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice (not pictured)

Italy in Venice: Campo S. Gerardo/Giudecca in bright sunlight, later in the day, late October

Doing what locals do: resting on a bench, still at Campo S.Gerardo/Giudecca

View towards the cruise ship terminal with a private yacht in front. Not any yacht, but Heidi Horten's Carinthia VII

Looking at the Università Iuav di Venezia (architecture school)

Locals love plants. One pot is never enough. :-)

Remote calmness around the corner

Fondamenta Zatere just one stop away #waterbuslove (panorama: Mr Paula)

Now that I have completed this posting, I see that the first day turned into a veritable "whereabouts: Venice". Now I see why I enjoyed the day so much.

Venice Travel Diary Part 3: Travelling With Style

Hello!

tonight Mr Paula and I returned from Venice. After my lucky trip earlier this year we decided to explore the Lido and Venezia together.

When I was packing my bags back home, I made one decision, which had some impact on the whole trip: I decided against fleece, GoreTex, Sympatex and waterproof jackets. Instead I brought loden, cashmere and new wool. And, most important: no backbag, but a small tiny purse and a shopper. After a week and hours on my feet I can say: the concept was a good one. I enjoyed my unusual non-sportive appearance so much. Or as my friend B said in 2 words: Molto elegante!

Venice, the city where even pizza furnaces come with style. Pictured: il forno at ROSSOPOMODORO near San Marco

I don't know about you and how it makes you feel to be a tourist in a city where the citizens are molto elegante. I enjoyed the fact that my appearance leaned more towards "molto elegante" and less towards "tourist". I guess this photo says it all:

Tourists at the Palazzo Ducale, including me.

Me, casual day, at the Ca' d'Oro, wearing a coat instead of Jack Wolfskin_mammut_Northland_northface_etc_etc

Earlier today at the Lido di Venezia

Me, channeling Bärbel  - Bärbel with a capital B like BOLD in the BEST way :-)

 Those shadows at the Palazzo del Cinema in the morning light were fun.

Me where I belong: on a bike, circling the Lido di Venezia

Yes, thy bike was not my size. So what! ;-p

There was no need at all for any Jack Wolfskin_mammut_Northland_northface_etc_etc gear. I'm glad I've opened this chapter. Many more adventures in style to come, which is probably nothing spectacular to report in your biography, but to me this trip has been setting new standards.

Yep, there is more to say about Venice, which makes this posting Part 1. 
More small adventures to come. 

Before I end Part 1, let me solve one "riddle". 
This is what I have been looking at at the Palazzo Ducale  photo at the beginning of this posting) – another bridge in Venice:

Best wishes,
Paula

Exploring the Lower Drautal Valley

Hello!

After my vacation in July I happily returned to Carinthia, my favourite region in Austria. Even after so many visits, this region still has many places in store and on a slow but steady path we are exploring one corner after another.

On our way to Fresach

I was surprised to find the woods deserted on such a perfect Sunday afternoon

A pool. Really?

Sequential arrangement

Late October and the woods are burst from mushrooms

"I'm freeeeezing."

This scenery not just reminded my of "Top of the Lake" (scary1), it actually was at the top of a lake pond.

Exciting occurence

The patchwork house is the neighbour of the ...

... idea of an ideal home? Maybe.

A stable, bursting from hay

Right next to the stable you find this structure.

Big scale farming

A chapel accompanied with cows ...

... cows and ...

...  a cowboy. matchy matchy (photo at a vintage antique ice cream stand)

Another plant, working 24/7

Small scale structure (no idea, what the purpose of the building to the left is/was)

The Drautal Valley is the largest river valley in Carinthia, it's situated not far from the place where we are staying, which is nice for the first day of a vacation - no long car rides.

We left the house quite late and experienced an afternoon full of impressive impressions, so many different qualities in just 3 hours. The proximity of small, antique structures and huge industrial plants was surprising. Exactly to my liking. :-)

After the harvest, looking South towards the Southern Alps/Slovenia

No, I did not eat them, but tried to identify their nature back home with a mushroom guidebook.

spectacular. perfect. amazing. heart opening.

A high seat in an old oak tree

Golden October shines on a colourfull berberis

A Villacher beer is never far in Carinthia

Detail at the Protestant parish in Fresach

Leaves on every step of our way

At the cemetry gates

By far the most specatcular plant in such a remote rural region, near Villach

The plant comes with a drive through and colour blocking.

Mirror, mirror in the pond: Fresach and snow on the mountain tops