Saturday, January 31, 2015

Narrow path

We started our first Levada hike on the north side of Madeira, after stranding ontop of the Encumeada pass road earlier (yesterday's post). This was a really rewarding hike and a good first introduction to Levada hiking.


Friday, January 30, 2015

Encumeada

One of our first drives on Madeira was up the Encumeada pass. We wanted to get to a hiking destination. After driving up the entire road of switchbacks and steep rises, driving some further and further again, the road was blocked and we got stranded there. We did then change our plans because driving all the way around the island was not practical. I would have whished for a sign somewhere... maybe on the entry to this road?

Anyway: we had a great view from partially up the pass road.


Thursday, January 29, 2015

Brightest sunshine

Since days are wintery and pretty grey, right now, I am bringing in some sunlight for you to enjoy.

This one was also taken at Garajau, Madeira, just as the last image. The difference is, that I have now walked down the stairs and the long path of the last image and I am standing by the bottom edge, looking over towards Funchal.



Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Upside down and onto the stairs

Image taken at Garajau, Madeira, spring 2014.

I kind of thought that the upside down view of this image was fitting for today.




Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Sunlight

This photo was taken in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in early November 2014.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Lizards

This little lizard is unique to Madeira. One of many species that is related to simmilar animals but is a unique type that developed in Madeira due to its isolation in the Atlantic.




Saturday, January 24, 2015

Summer Woods

To give you a strong contrast to yesterday's image, here are some woods in the summer sun. The grass is lush and high, the shadows line the opening.






Friday, January 23, 2015

Morning Light

I usually come by this field on my way to work. I did remember my camera on this cold morning and grabbed this shot.




Thursday, January 22, 2015

Pond in the Moor

In the same moor as yesterday's image. A pond created in the moor when they were dried up and peet was taken.





Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

North Sea Idyl


Spiekeroog is an island that does not have cars. There really still are places like that. Some electric small vehicles are in use for business transport but this is what the roads on the island are like. And this is a picturesque house in the main village.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Sunset Drama with a Tree


This image shows the sunset drama on the night before the storm. Spiekeroog, fall 2013.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Winter Beach

On the German North Sea you find people on the beach in all seasons. Even in the summer the beaches are constantly windy places and hanging out on the beach can be strenuous due to that. Therefore there are Strandkörbe (beach baskets) that you can rent. They offer seating and some limited storage (non-locked) for 2 adults. This is what you do on a German beach.

In the winter these are mostly removed from the beaches and brought to storage but in this fall storm there are still some of the baskets left.






Saturday, January 17, 2015

Stormy Fall

Spiekeroog, a German North Sea Island was acting up in a hurricane a day after this image. The foreboding skies were calling for photography.

October 2013.



Friday, January 16, 2015

Pierced

When walking down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, in summer 2013 I took a glance at this street vendor. She is the most pierced person I ever saw.







Sunday, January 11, 2015

Window Shopping


It is Sunday and the shops are closed.
They were also closed when we walked through Arnhem, summer of 2013, and I spotted this dress.

Women can never have enough shoes, right?

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Scary Place

Edinburgh is full of scary places and all those ghost infused places and stories. But this here is a real life person that was walking into a bar. It was broad daylight and I do not even want to start to understand what was going on or why.

Anyways he was entering the "Frankenstein"  pub and I do think that also in there, people were scared then.







Static Chase


I do not know what the figures represent. They were set up on a long metal band in a church in Edinburgh.


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Arts Excursion


In summer 2013 we visited De Hoge Veulve in the Neatherlands and went to the arts exhibt there. Some pieces around the park were worthy of a picture.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Colored Sky

Also in pursuit of "winter morning", I caught this sun rise. It was 8 a.m. just before xmas. But I do think that the image I captured looks way more like sunset than sunrise. So I ruled the image out for the contest as well.


Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Dark morning

This photo I shot near my home when I was searching for "winter morning" as a topic for my contest. But I did not think, the result was displaying the topic well. So: nice image, not in the contest.





Monday, January 5, 2015

Traveling

Bunches of geese, collecting and traveling - maybe south? That is not unusual, really. But this now happens at the end of december.









Sunday, January 4, 2015

Robin

On our winter sunshine walk, end of december, we found this little robin, that was keeping us company for just a little moment.





Saturday, January 3, 2015

My first King Fisher

I have seen so many king fisher pictures online. And I have studied up on their whereabouts.
But I had never seen one in person. On Dec. 28th we went for a walk in the local nature reserve at the river and there he was. This was a fleeting moment but I did find time enough to watch it and to grab my camera and get 3 good shots... well, of course the last of the images shows it flying off. But we now know where to find it.









Friday, January 2, 2015

Endless Road



This endless road is waving up and down in the foot hills of the mountains on the Lofoten. You should always keep your eyes open what is behind the next corner, the next wave, the next mountain.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Drama in the Sky

I love these dramatic skies of the northern countries. The position of the sun and the dramatic winds and weather situations just make for really interesting weather appearances.