1809 - huh?

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f3.2 | ISO100 | 1/1250 | silver efex pro for lightroom

today was packing day. tomorrow morning we'll sally towards italy. first we are going to spend a few days of hiking in the ortler alps and afterwards we'll regenerate while relaxing by the mediterranean sea in liguria. we both are thrilled to bits. we simply can't get enough of travelling.

at the beginning of the week we took temporary farewell of kingston, the dog of our neighbours. during a long walk in the sunset we got over the the first vacation stress. haha, of course there was no stress yet, but prevention is better than clemency. dog walking with kingston is a real pleasure - he is attentive, mostly on orders and a big funster. he's a great companion although only a temporary one for us.

if there is any internet connection almost two kilometres above sea level i'll report with the daily pic from south tirol tomorrow.

cu, trshptr

1609 - katz orange

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f2.8 | ISO1600 | 1/20 | lightroom 4.1

already in advance we'd decided to stop by at the berlin restaurant and bar katz orange for an extensive dinner after we'd have explored the city. the search on an internet gourmet portal listed the katz orange next to sarah wiener's restaurant which by itself is a distinction, isn't it?

the ostentatious facility of the katz orange is an old brewery in which since more than 100 years no beer isn't brewed anymore. the building is located in a backyard at the bergstraße in the district prenzlauer berg. some of the interior could have been saved during renovations. solely the public toilets are a joy to use and look at. anyhow the whole furnishing is very cosy and generates a feelgood factor. in the upper floor a bar and a library wait for the satisfied guests.

the local atmosphere is very relaxed, you can wear jeans and shirt or suit and evening gown. you almost cannot be badly dressed for this occasion. if you come before 9pm you might get a (very) personal service, the young and motivated service staff is always kind and attentive.

of course we'd read about the cuisine of the katz orange. the boss in the kitchen is a cook who had worked with an other famous former michelin-starred german chef. we had pork that was simmered for 12 hours at very low temperature: you don't need a knife to part this meat, unbelievable tender. thereto a variety of delicious garnishes was served. value for money is very good in this location although you have to calculate with 80 to 100 euros for a nice dinner for two. it's useful to make a reservation in advance.

the bottom line is that the a visit at the katz orange is a great possibility to leave all your cares behind. an explicit recommendation by me!

cu, trshptr

1409 - lakeside junk market

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f2.8 | ISO1600 | 1/50 | lightroom 4.1

are we really serious about busing to berlin and back within 30 hours? 1600 kilometres in two nights without a bed? tina is already beginning to doubt about the trip. therefor i have to divert her thoughts with dull consumption: let's visit the junk market in friedrichshafen to get tired before our departure to berlin at friday midnight.

flea markets are commonly characterised by a comfortable atmosphere and a very diversified display. special ones like the 24 hours flea market in constance or the lakeside night flea market in friedrichshafen where we have been today in the evening enchant especially with their great and terrific surroundings.

strolling along the lakeside, grubbing for interesting stuff in the display of sellers from apparently everywhere and enjoying the fresh breeze that blows over the lake in midsummer evenings is an intense joy. and it's supposed to be a more intense joy if you are successful with shopping like we were today. and of course it's the most intense pleasure if a (little crazy) trip to our wonderful capital is due.

cu, trshptr

1309 - the entrance

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f2.8 | ISO1600 | 1/10 | lightroom 4.1

tomorrow we'll have our last work day for the next two weeks. tina and i already long for our vacation in italy. after a few days of hiking in the ortler alps we are going to settle down in a cottage in the region of liguria after we will have visited the city parma on our way to south.

before we'll begin our vacation we've a hard row to hoe on the forthcoming weekend: tomorrow evening we will take a bus to berlin and already 24 hours later we will take the same bus to bring us home again. the reason behind this crazy journey is the international aeronatic exhibition in berlin, that we are going to visit on saturday. anyhow a few hours in the huge city of berlin and time for a hopefully great dinner should be left in the basket before we approach the second 800 kilometres of the trip.

somewhat shorter was my today's journey: after my climbing lesson in the evening i have passed the still occupied castle of kirchberg near immenstaad for a moody, handheld night shot.

cu, trshptr

0809 - summer relapse

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f3.2 | ISO100 | 1/4000 | lightroom 4.1

earlier than expected the summer is back for a late summer interlude. yes, this weekend was supposed to be an active outdoor weekend but we couldn't calculate on such prime weather conditions. even better that we've had almost 30 degrees and bright sky today again.

whereas tomorrow the upper sections of our bodies will be strained by an outdoor climbing session in the danube valley today extensive hiking was due. we visited the marienschlucht, a ravine on the steep bank of the western end of lake constance. we walked almost 20 kilometres, half of it along the waterfront and the other half through the fabulous woods of constance.

of course our feet were glowing when we finally arrived bodman after our hike again. so why shouldn't we use the late afternoon for no resting and cooling down in the fresh water?

cu, trshptr

0409 - leant at dusk

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f2.8 | ISO640 | -0.7ev | 1/60 | lightroom 4.1

german woods are terrific. if you go into them at dusk, the mystic mood is easily sensible. thousands of leafs let incide only a few light beams onto the ground. the soil smells fruity and wet and the trunks appear vivid. small creeks find their ways through the fallen over trees and feed in that way the whole environment.

really a suitable place to spend the dusk.

cu, trshptr

2508 - under observation

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f4.0 | ISO100 | 1/800 | lightroom 4.1

this weekend i reside in laufenburg, a small city that is part of the district waldshut in the very southwest of germany, at the family of a work and cycling mate. laufenburg is located directly at the border to switzerland, opposite to the equally named swiss city and separated from the switzerland by the big river rhine.

on the german side of the border a huge monument, a stone eagle with widespread wings and a golden cross in his clutches observes all machinations on the (german and the) swiss terrain. the memorial was built in remembrance of the many soldiers that were killed in action in the first and second world war.

the relations between the germans and the swiss and germany and switzerland are matter for a separate story: huge wage differentials, tax haven switzerland, conversion rates, non-EU country and voluntary nation are only some keywords that describe the country switzerland and its relations to its neighbour germany. many things are handled completely different to germany, but the people of both countries have to live together on both sides of the border compliant with the rules and laws of the respective countries.

tomorrow i'll visit the swiss side for a long public cycling ride again. however today i haven't seen anything to complain about for the stone eagle.

cu, trshptr

2208 - asleep in the woods

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f4.0 | ISO250 | 1/60 | -0.3ev | lightroom 4.1

forests calm me. always when i go into the woods i sense a mystical atmosphere. this mood is somewhat similar to the atmosphere in the mountains or at the sea: a huge, balancing and compensational power enchants and encases you. no matter what you have in mind - you will not carry weight with the forces of nature.

today in the evening i went back to a pond i'd spotted yesterday on my way home from a swimming round in the lake. the colour green dominated the whole scenery. what a nice single-coloured, natural subject.

cu, trshptr

2008 - family

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f2.8 | ISO100 | 1/320 | lightroom 4.1

unfortunately we have a few issues with the topic family. it's not that we wouldn't get along with each other or wouldn't stick together - no, this all works brilliant.

the first problem is that both tina and my parents live separated. so the feelings of our youths will not arrive anymore. never again. but despite the divorced families we are now very satisfied with the situation of our parents because mercifully they are satisfied with their new life partners and lives, too. the second issue is the distance between the residences - you don't drive 550 kilometres every weekend if you want to live your own life, too. for that reason we sadly miss a lot of the growth process of our siblings.

my big sister maxi hits one growth spurt after the other. she is not far off being an adult female. take care of yourself, maxi! at least my heart goes out to you.

cu, trshptr

1908 - retro charme

setup: sony nex 7 with sigma 30 f2.8 ex dn | 30mm | f5.6 | ISO100 | 1/400 | lightroom 4.1

now, on sunday evening, the heat wave is almost over. we had a wonderful weekend at our beloved families and extended the trip for another night. therefor we will have to get up at five o'clock in the morning to arrive before noon at our place.

while walking through the town crimmitschau - the village where my mother lives belongs to it - we have spotted a tuned and modified trabant 601. the trabant is a car that was produced by the former east german car manufacturer veb sachsenring in zwickau. it was by far the most common vehicle in east germany. more information about the trabant on wikipedia.

the crumbled wall, the renewed street and the antique car - this could have been a retro-style scene of a movie from the 80s but it actually is the real life in 2012 in the eastern states of germany.

cu, trshptr