Venice - the city built on a sea

I have finally finished editing the photos from my August 2011 Spain/Italy trip. Huzzah!

My last stop was Venice, the city built on a sea. It is such a surreal city, with the canals winding throughout the streets of colourful buildings. Venice is one of those real romantic cities of the world.  In fact I think most of the tourists were couples. Just imagine gliding down the canals on your own private Gondola boat at sunset, followed by a candle lit dinner under the stars with a lovely bottle of wine. It just oozes romantic, doesn't it? Well not when your traveling with two male friends...FAIL.

In any case, we did manage to have a great time.

Venice Canals

On first arriving to the main island in Venice, we were quite surprised by how difficult it was to get around. First of all the ferry system was confusing and expensive. Traveling by foot was no easier. Everything on the map looked so close, but there were several ways to get to each landmark, and if you lost your bearings, it was quite easy to get lost in the winding narrow streets.

The winding streets of Venice

So about those romantic candle lit dinners. Yes we did it...and it was good, although somewhat expensive. As usual, i can't help but photograph my food, and this one was a top dish. Sage and butter gnocchi that melted in your mouth, accompanied by a glass of red wine and good company. Life is good. 

Dining out in Venice

Red Red Wine, Venice

About those romantic private Gondola rides...yes we did that as well. haha.

Gondola ride, Venice

 I loved the colours of the houses in venice and how they stack them in nice and close. Just like a big game of Tetris.

Gondola ride, Venice

Gondola ride, Venice

So that's the view from the lens of Venice, Italy. A charming place which I may have to visit with an girl in the future.

New England Gems - Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor Falls

After years of promising a visit to my best mate who lives on college at the University of New England, Armidale, I finally kicked my butt into action and hit the road for the surprisingly beautiful New England Region. We had grand plans of a photography weekend, but alas, the weather turned against us. Regardless, we tried to make the best of the fleeting moments of sunshine.

First up we visited Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla. “Gostwyck” refers to Gostwyck Station, a grazing property which has been owned by the same family since its establishment in 1834. Gostwyck Chapel was built in 1921 after World War I, in memory of Clive Collingwood Dangar (1882-1918). I had never heard of this place before, but the photos i saw from a quick google search were enough for me to lock this spot in for the weekend. During the various seasons of the year, the Chapel takes on different colours, especially during autumn, where the leaves turn red/brown. Since my visit was towards the latter stages of Spring, the Chapel was covered in green. I would have loved to have seen the inside, but unfortunately it wasn't open.

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Following this, we had a fantastic wine/beer tasting and lunch at Eastview Estate winery, Kentucky. Unfortunately I did not take any photos here, possibly due to having consumed a fair few alcoholic beverages. I can say however, that this place is a true gem of the New England region and i strongly recommend a visit. The owners, Steven and Lyn Dobson, run the place and were there to greet us at the door. We were quickly shuffled into the beer tasting room where we were offered a taste of 8 different types of beers and then several different types of wine. Each glass had a story behind its making and it was fantastic to listen to Steven explain each brew. Not being an avid drinker of wines,  I still stick by one my favourite lines from the comedian Danny Bhoy..."tastes like crushed grapes". In any case the experience was well worth it. If your ever up that way, be sure to check out Eastview Estate.

So after a lunch fit for a king, we headed off to Ebor Falls located on the Guy Fawkes River, Ebor, NSW. After setting up and taking a few photos, the heavy set clouds rolled over and decided to throw down some rain. We packed up for a while and drove off to another spot which turned out to be a dud. Meanwhile storm clouds had passed and we decided to return to Ebor. Fortunately for us it had stopped raining and we were able to photograph the falls. The picture below is of the he upper falls, which refers to both sections of the falls that are shown. Collectively, the falls tumble 115 metres over columned basalt rock. The lower falls are situated nearby, but we were not able to photograph them. 

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

So there's my view from the lens of Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor falls, both well worth a visit if your ever in the New England Region.

Cheers
Roy

Cinque Terre, Italy - stunning coastal views, rustic vineyards and amazing tetris towns

Welcome to Cinque Terre, a beautiful stretch of the western Italian coastline. The name literally means 5 lands, which in this case refers to the 5 villages - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. And you'll soon see why. The 5 villages of Cinque Terre are connected by a coastal walkway. It provides some stunning views as you walk along the coastline between the villages. Some of the paths were quite easy and while others were steep and a little tiring (especially in the heat). Overall, definitely worth it for the views.

 

My first stop was Monterosso. The largest and most touristy town of the five. The town itself and the beaches were beautiful. Unfortunately, the hoards of crowds were a little off putting. I stopped here only for a short time. A quick drink (it was rather hot) and some photos and then i was off to the next town.

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

Given its proximity to the sea, much of the Cinque Terre life is based in and around the sea. Boats are scattered along the beach (as shown above). Below is a life saving device belonging to what i assume to be a boat club.  

Boat club of Monterosso?

Being such a popular tourist destination, Monterosso (and all the villages for that matter), have several restaurants and gift/souvenir shops. Pictured below is a restaurant which caught my eye. I didn't eat there, it just looked like a nice place. 

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

After the first hot and tiring walk, we arrived in Vernazza. Probably my favourite of the towns. It was quite small compared to Monterosso, but full of life and another popular destination tourists. I stopped here for lunch here, which almost turned out to be the lunch from Hell when a wave crashed over the breakwall, flooding the outdoor dining area of the restaurant which i was at. Some people were injured from the freak wave, luckily, myself and my camera were safe.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

The streets of Vernazza were stone pathed, with businesses and housing lining the sides of the street. Pictured below is one of my favourite shots of Cinque Terre (maybe the even the whole Italy trip). I doesn't show anything particularly beautiful, but i think it captures the essence of the Cinque Terre villages. 

Sunset in the streets of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

After another hard walk (possibly the hardest and longest), I arrived in Corniglia. Another beautiful town! A small portion of the town is built on a hill that hangs precariously over the water. It's amazing how many houses they can cram into such a small place.

Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

While walking to the next village, i stumbled across this house which sat on the hill overlooking the water. No matter which way you looked, there was something of beauty here.

The hillsides of Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

Apart from being well known for its beaches and coastal walks, Cinque Terre is also a producer of wine. The walking trails take you in and around the hills where the vineyards are situated. I purchased a bottle, which at the time thought was a sweet white dessert wine. When i returned to Australia, I excitedly opened the bottle only to find out it was a highly potent bottle of liquor, yuck! 

Cinque Terre Vineyards, Italy

Being so close to sea means that Cinque Terre is also known for its seafood dishes. When i saw the dish pictured below on the menu I just had to try it. And it was delicious!

Stuffed mussels in a tomato sauce, Yum. Cinque Terre, Italy.

Sadly the walk between Corniglia and the next town along, Manarola, was closed, so I missed out on photos from that section of the walk. Manarola, as you can see below, is another city perched on a hill. Manarola was also a popular destination for swimmers, although there was no beach here. People were just swimming in the cove, with the breakwall providing the protection from the waves. Given my lack of swimming ability at the best of times, i was reluctant to dive in, specially since i would not be able to touch the bottom.

Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy

The walk between Manarola and Riomaggiore was by far the easiest, fairly flat and paved most of the way. Riomaggiore was a small town, with a very small beach as you can see below. The houses in Riomaggiore (and most of the other villages) were arranged in a tetris like fashion, with many different colours splashed on the walls. A spectacular site to behold.

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy

So there is my view from the lens in Cinque Terre. Sadly, the region was recently hit by floods. Several people died and much of the villages and coastal walks were damaged as well. I hope in time that it is restored to its former glory and I highly recommend you visit when it's back up and running.