Paris Spontaneously - Monday Post

Many good things come my way spontaneously. Even if this one was in the making for quite some time now. The actual booking of this trip happened exactly two days in advance.
I had written with Abby several times over the years & I can honestly say that her Blog was a major motivator in my journey with wedding photography. She had announced back in winter that she would tour Europe & I knew I wanted to finally meet her in person.

So this was the very best reason to finally visit Paris. Since I had never been..., I know. Hah! It was high time! 
Then I found a friend who was even more spontaneous than me. I called her fourteen hours before the train left from Stuttgart main station & she said yes. Needless to say we giggled the whole time. 

Lisbon Project - A Recap

If you have been following along on my Instagram, you will have noticed that I was in Portugal for two weeks at the beginning of March. 

Since March was the only month with zero weddings as this enquiry came, I thought why not. It was a mission trip organised by Campus Connect Berlin. And even if I knew none of the team and I am super shy, let alone go on Campus & share about my believe, I decided to go jump in at the deep end.
I mean you cannot walk around and always say you don´t like something, unless you have tried it. 

Words I Never Thought I Would Hear - Monday Post

SO last week I returned very reluctantly and only after having shed a certain amount of tears home to Germany. As in, why don´t I stay here at the beach for... about, hum? ...-ever.

I can´t believe that seven days ago I sneaked out of our beach home, walked to the ocean´s shore with three other lovelies & watched the sunrise over the far-off silhouette of Lisbon. The only other beings awake were the fishermen in their little boats & birds singing their morning glory.

But now for the words I never thought I would hear:

Among the top ones is of course this sentence: Don´t forget your chandelier.

It was our Sunday off and we spent it exploring Belem, when we discovered a flea market. As I found this little tiny chandelier I decided there and then to make space in my suitcase and go for it. Of course only after a good bargain. 

There will  be chandelier images coming your way.

Staying Home & Traveling - Monday Post

My past weeks joy were a bit different from the usual.

After having traveled to Roma for a real short trip last weekend. I mean short! I had one (!!) bag pack, my body decided it was time for a different kind of break. Since mid week my bed and I had a passionate affair. I only left for tea & more blankets. Ah, here is to roomy´s who bring crackers & make soup! 

Valencia - My Winter Travel - Part II

Valencia, one year ago I escaped for some days. Filled with ocean breeze, day time strolls, night time walks, gazing at beauty, meeting with friends, meeting strangers, NewYears with more than six nationalities, songs sung, books read, sunsets and fireplaces.
Thats about it. 

Come along.
:)

Valencia - My Winter Travel - Part I

Valencia - My Winter Travel - Part I

Last Christmas I ... (uhm this sentence will end different than you expect) ... traveled to the south of Spain. As some of you well know, I love the south and have not been in Spain since the introduction of the euro. This seemed like a good enough reason to have a small escape. 
We found a cute apartment right next to the famous market of Valencia (Mercat Central de Valencia) and with that in the very heart of this wonderful city.

Come along for a couple of my favourite glimpses of Valencia.

Berlin For A Day or Two - Monday Post

Two weeks ago I got this immensly wonderful mail in my inbox. A friend from New York had asked if four five days later I would be around Berlin. It was not my plan till then,but I made it my plan. So I sat on a train for half a day & emerged in Berlin right after his flight arrived. He is one of my dearest chums from way back as I lived for the first time in Italia. It was this season of life when friends told me I should watch Big Bang Theory and I vehemently  resisted because I had all of this in real life right outside my door. Speaking of  sharing a house with approximately thirty computer scientists and engineers. Till now it is one of my favorite times of my life.

 I loved being able to drive up to Berlin and hang out for two days. Have our wonderful conversations, take a stroll around Berlin in fall, make nerd jokes, try craft beer and finally being introduced to lol. Till this past weekend I thought lol is laughing out loud. Turns out I was wrong and this Lol championship is also a good reason to pay Germany a visit.

Heidelberg with friends - Travel

I remember as Alex shared with me that he was planning proposing to his girl. I was freaking out & had to keep all the goodness to myself for some weeks. We chatted about photographers from the Washington DC area & as the wedding plans where finalised I realised I would not be able to fly over to their wedding in the states. Oh that was a low of lows. Fast forward a couple more weeks & the two lovebirds came to honeymoon in Italia & Germany. Needless to say we had to meet!

Lyon in Winter, A bit of France - Personal

We were on the way back to Germany after the winter holiday in the south of Spain. On the highway, overcome by the prospect of entering into the cold-grey and into the week of work, decided on the shortest of notices to make a pit stop at Lyon. This then turned into two days of happy France bliss. Walks during the day time and incredible good food as soon as the cold drove us into one of the tiny gourmet places. 

ENjoy these lovely peeks into my two days in Lyon. 

The Eternal City - a short trip

It went something like, Vale can I come next week? A couple of minutes later I had the airplane ticket & started to pack. The ability to go along with crazy spontaneity is one thing I adore in Italians. As the days grew colder and the rain just would not stop to visit my weddings I had the wonderful idea to take a break. My one free weekend in September I was able to spent with dear friends in and around Roma. 

The warm days involved a lot of happy strolling through the streets, a visit to the oldest Gelateria (ice cream place) in Roma, home made pizza and baby kittens...

but see for yourself.

Creation of a wedding

A summer wedding many Saturdays ago, swept me away in the most particular manner. Most probably this was because it was this special day of friends. And as friends are sometimes, you are able to witness more and deeper and longer the unfolding joy of the wedding celebration. With Sarah and Seppi´s wedding (which you can enjoy here and here) we were able to stay three entire days at their little village in the north of Germany. Thus included in the colorful preparation, the laughters unfolding, the hugs of friends arriving.

The joy.

I took this opportunity to journal not just with pen in hand but also with my lenses... so. Come along on a small journey!

As every good day starts with a sunrise, this was no different.

A personal favorite moment of mine.

Lago di Como ~ La Rici

"Nothing in the world can be compared to the fascination of these scalding days, spent at the Milano lakes."
~ Stenhal.
(Forgive my rough translation)

"Niente al mondo può essere paragonato al fascino di queste giornate ardenti trascorse sui laghi del Milanese."

We did not have unbearable heat but it was all the more beautiful for the two days we were able to spent in this small paradise. :)

More travel images will come soon.

Taaaanti salutiiiii.

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Goodbye Siena

Actually I had totally forgotten about these images from my last week in Siena for a very long time. Until I cleaned out my external drive and came across this folder Goodbye Siena. I guess I did not want to see it. If you have followed this journey a bit you know that Italia is a huge part of me and that I have fallen in love with a tiny city called Siena and my Tuscan life. I have every now and then dedicated travel posts to my stay there and checking on my Blog postings today I realized I had not written anything personal or travel connected in a very, very  long time. So this is from my last week in my most beloved Tuscan city of them all.

 The images are in no specific order and are not in one great story. They are connected to my story and if you don´t like it personal you can skip ahead and wait for the next photo shoot hitting the Blogosphere ;-) 

This was the neighborhood next to mine the "Unicorn" Leocorno having one of it´s festivities after the Palio week.

An apartment in Roma

It was this one week in February. One day I had called my Mom and told her that by the same time tomorrow I would be in town. I took a train, from Siena/ Tuscany to the middle of Germany, sat still for seventeen hours and as my Dad picked me up from the train station I was more than ready to go home. I had not been home for quite a while since last Christmas was my first one overseas.

It was due. I needed home. This was the same week her first mail arrived. She asked me if I were in Siena at the end of the week. She wanted to meet me and have a café. She sounded friendly. Sweet. But you have to know I never met Amy before. She had read a comment I had made on her wedding, which was photographed by Sarah (Ampersand Photography) and was curious. She found my Blog, liked it and decided to ask for a meeting. I was overjoyed! And in the wrong place. 

Berlin

Lately I had this awkward feeling that I know Italia soo much better than the country of my parents and decided to drive to Berlin. This was infinitely sweetened by the presence of my dear roomy from Italy. 

Two days in Roma

Impressions from two days in Rome. 

This morning

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San Galgano

I honestly do enjoy going by train to Germany. Usually I occupy a nice six seat cabin. I have some quiet space to read, answer mails, turn the music up, dance around, do squats, lie down and watch a film and have a really productive editing/writing time. It´s basically like a moving office in which I don´t get bus sick and I admit there are cute controllers.

Here is today’s travel wisdom from Rici:

Always schedule an extra day to get out of Italy. It always rains in Austria when I pass (no exception so far… and I passed through there a LOT).

… and now enough from me. Let´s get down to some new pictures.

Today´s pictures where captured at San Galgano, Tuscany. The ancient, roofless cathedral is one of the most romantic wedding sights around. And let me just add, as the singing started it did not just echo in the cathedral but was carried across the fields which surround the abbey.

Over the weekend I had a short visit from Germany and because we were in the fortunate situation of a car, we took our Sunday and drove all the way to Cinque Terre. It was wonderful, filled with windy roads through the rough back country, lovely chatter in the car and infinite happy glimpses of blue and tiny colored houses.

~~~

Während des letzten Wochenendes hatte ich einen kurzen Besuch aus Deutschland und da wir in dem glücklichen Besitzes eines Autos waren, führen wir am Sonntag den ganzen Weg nach Cinque Terre. Es war wunderbar. Ein Tag gefüllt mit engen, gewunden Straßen durchs Hinterland, herrlichen Unterhaltungen im Auto und unendlichen glücklichen Eindrücken von nassem Blau und winzigen bunten Häuschen.

At the edge

I am still dreaming back to this tiny place. An small oasis where I did not expect it. And all because my brother decided to leave the road, to climb the rocks and choose a way through the wilderness where there was none. I should thank him (again). I was basically struck with awe, by this tiny spot. On the edge. On top of a valley, overlooking my beloved Tuscany.  We climbed the cross and just sat there, took it in. I was constantly scared to death by the minuscule space left to the edge. Now, looking back, I am freaking glad we had a little tiny portrait session with Hanna, a friend from Germany.  I hope you enjoy the outlook the same way as I do!

Have a fabulous week!