Day Trip to Slovenia: History, Nature and Wine

The region where my grandmother's family is from is right on the border of Italy and Slovenia, which makes for easy cross-cultural day tripping. Several of my childhood friends are Slovene and now work in the wine industry and/or as tour guides. My mom and I spent an afternoon in the able hands of Aleks and Marjana and enjoyed some spectacular nature, history, and local wines.

We started by climbing a spiral staircase belvedere tower in the tiny village of Gonjace. Not for those with fear of heights, but the reward is 360-degree views of the Collio hills, vineyards, terra-cotta roofs, and depending on which way you are looking either the Alps or the Adriatic.

At the top of the belvedere is this compass that shows the direction of the nearby towns and cities. I have a thing for compasses, if you didn't know. :)

Our next stop was Smartno, a historic fortified village that has been beautifully restored.

My friend Alex told us many stories about the culture of the place - like the wreath of dried wildflowers on the door that would have signified there is a single woman at the house who is eligible for marriage...or the importance of having greenery and a grapevine in front of the house.

I first met Aleks and his sister Marjana we were little kids. It's so cool to see where we all are now, and how many of our interests and occupations are aligned. Aleks is a history enthusiast, personal trainer, and regional tour guide who speaks multiple languages.

Aleks took us to a hidden gem in the Brda region of the Slovenian countryside. We drove along a dirt road through grape fields and into the winter forest, and eventually came upon this clear pool with a waterfall. The water spills over a wall that apparently was built by the French during Napoleon's occupation in the late 1700's or early 1800's.

Walking down a small path from the main waterfall, you reach the truly impressive sight: another small waterfall and a natural stone bridge with dark emerald water running underneath. The water color in this part of the world is unreal - either intense deep green or milky turquoise blue - thanks to the karst limestone that makes up most of the river beds. What a gem!

After our nature walk, we headed to the wine cellar (cantina) where Marjana works. It is a large facility but still feels very personal and authentic, especially when you have an inside connection. :)

We got to tour the special reserve cellar that houses something crazy like 80,000 bottles of vintage wine, some dating back to the 1960's. Imagine being able to pick one bottle at random and taste what is inside!

Here I am with Marjana amid oak barrels. She and I are brainstorming some wine tourism ideas: stay tuned, especially if you are interested in visiting this region of the world.

Venice: Island Hopping on Afternoon of Day 2

Taking advantage of the clear, dry weather I decided to visit the islands of Burano and Murano on the afternoon of my second day in Venice. I bought a multi-stop vaporetto ticket and boarded line 12 at Fondamenta Nove, just a short walk from the Gesuiti church. If you look all the way in the distance you can see the snow-covered Alps.

Riding the vaporetto is an ideal sightseeing method. We passed in front of the cemetery island (Isola di San Michele),  several small uninhabited islands with abandoned buildings in ruin, and made stops at Murano and Mazzorbo islands (at the latter there is a restaurant and boutique hotel called Venissa that I'd really like to try in the future, a proponent of "zero-kilometer sourcing"...sadly it was closed for the season).

After about 45 minutes on the boat we arrived at Burano, the island famous for its lace making tradition and brightly colored houses. I didn't focus much on the lace (I already have bags and bags of antique handmade lace from my family that I struggle to put to use) rather I spent my visit looking at the colors and taking photos.

Yes, Burano is touristy but it is possible to find some space to yourself, especially in the off season. All you need to do is take a few turns away from the main strip and start exploring. The palette and composition of this archway caught my eye, and from there I found a quiet series of back streets.

The repetition of rectangles, crumbling plaster, and marble crest on this façade hit all the right notes. I wished the business had been open, I was very curious about who and what went on inside.

I'd been to Burano once before, as a child, and I remember being bowled over by all the colors. Apparently there is an architectural preservation code in place and people have to maintain the hue of their house or building in a way that is faithful to history.

After a solid hour of exploring and photography, it was time for a late lunch. I found an outdoor cafe near the base of the church bell tower and ordered a grilled calamari salad and a glass of pinot grigio. Perfection!

The next stop on my island itinerary was Murano, the heart of Venice's centuries-old glass making tradition. I wasn't able to tour any of the factories due to the late hour, but I hope to do a fornace visit on a future trip.

There is a major connection between my jewelry work and Murano glass: this is the origin of many of the trade beads that were taken to Africa by the Portuguese. It blows my mind to realize that it was right here, 200-400 years ago, that artisans were making beads that would cross the world, be lost to sea because of shipwrecks, wash up on the beaches of Mozambique Island, be collected by local boys, and end up in my jewelry here in California...their destiny to be continued by the eventual wearer of the piece. The essence of Origins & Routes.

I enjoyed seeing this massive blue glass sculpture near the factories, a dose of contemporary art to contrast with all the history and remind us that this tradition is not dead. Although it is increasingly difficult to sustain, as is the case all around the world with artisanal production. Venice is full of cheap Chinese imports, and one must be careful not to buy knockoffs thinking they are original Murano glass.

I walked around the island for about an hour, and as the sun dipped down the photography became golden. The light on these boats was simply perfect.

In the absence of direct light, you get an even greater appreciation for all the colors on the buildings. I could have spent an eternity sitting on that red bench and taking in the atmosphere, but alas I had a ferry to catch.

The timing of my vaporetto ride back to Venice was impeccable. I watched the sky and water slowly shift from blue to gray, silhouetting the city in the distance. Seagulls dipped and dived all around the boat, fellow riders chatted in a dozen different languages, and I pulled my hood up tight around my face, a cocoon of warmth against the wind and sea spray.  

Textures and Surfaces of Avignon and Les Baux

Last September I visited southern France for the first time, part of a super family bonding trip with my mom, uncle and aunt. One of my favorite things to photograph is surfaces, in particular those that are worn by the elements and marked by time. I am drawn to walls, windows, doors, pavements, and natural elements like roots and soil. Here are some of the textures that caught my eye in Provence: