São Miguel III: Every road leads to Furnas – Furnas and the South coast

June 19, 2017 by nadel&gabel

There is a traditional saying that goes: Weather on the Azores changes within minutes. What never changes: Every road leads to Furnas. Actually we invented this saying, at least the second part 😉 , but nevertheless it’s true! There is a reason why the Azores islands are very well equipped with web cams that serve up-to-date pictures of the different spots on the islands. If the webcam of Lagoa do Fogo f.ex. is all grey (which happens very often) then there’s […]

Categories: Behind the camera, nature, objects & places, On the road, Portugal, travel, Uncategorized • Tags: artisan, Atlantic, Azores, beach, botanical, caldeira, ceramics, coast, crater, dolphin, ecotourism, fern, fish, flora, flower, garden, geothermic, hiking, hot spring, lake, Miradouro, mountain, nature, ocean, Portugal, rainforest, São Miguel, sea, seafood, sights, spa, sulphur, thermal, tradition, trail, travel, valley, vulcano, waterfall, whale

Chatelain for a weekend – A very special accomodation

June 18, 2015 by nadel&gabel

I was browsing already too long through pages of tasteless hotels, guesthouses and holiday homes: Either they were of the category “frumpy and slightly tacky – stuck in the 70s” or of the category “tried to be modern – reached characterless”… … And then I found this place: Schloss Hofstetten. And it was clear from the very first moment that I’ve found IT! Although I don’t know anymore on which winding paths of search I discovered. But if you can only […]

Categories: Behind the camera, Germany, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: accomodation, Altmühltal, antique, apartment, baroque, Bavaria, building, castle, franconia, garden, Hofstetten, holiday, home, peaceful, quiet, remote, renovated, restore, search, simple, stay, time-out, traditional, travel, vacation, village

Lessons – A visit to the Botanical Garden

May 6, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Im Treibhaus Mathilde Wesendonck Hochgewölbte Blätterkronen, Baldachine von Smaragd, Kinder ihr aus fernen Zonen, Saget mir, warum ihr klagt? Schweigend neiget ihr die Zweige, Malet Zeichen in die Luft, Und der Leiden stummer Zeuge, Steiget aufwärts süßer Duft. Weit in sehnendem Verlangen Breitet ihr die Arme aus, Und umschlinget wahnbefangen Öder Leere nicht’gen Graus. Wohl, ich weiß es, arme Pflanze: Ein Geschicke teilen wir, Ob umstrahlt von Licht und Glanze, Unsre Heimat ist nicht hier! Und wie froh die Sonne […]

Categories: Behind the camera, nature • Tags: bamboo, botanical, children, fern, flora, flower, garden, greenhouse, landscape, life, photography, plant, rain forest, succulents, tree, tropical

Dream garden – Romance needs hard work

June 25, 2014 by nadel&gabel

Last week my mother celebrated her birthday – a good occasion for a short stay at my parent’s house. As it is a family tradition the birthday was celebrated with old friends … and with my fathers homemade pizza – made in his DIY pizza oven! … Famous all around the village! It was – like always – a delight. My parent’s vast garden right now is in its full summer blossom, its abundance and beauty overwhelming. Veggies, flowers, berries […]

Categories: Behind the camera, In the kitchen, nature • Tags: animals, berries, blossom, chicken, decoration, design, flower, fruit, garden, oasis, photography, picture, plants, pond, style, succulents, summer, vegetable

South Tyrol III: Mediterranean gardens, thermal water and fine dining in Meran

May 7, 2014 by nadel&gabel

Apple of discord and melting pot – central and on the periphery: South Tyrol has always be all of it – when it comes to politics, geography, language or the broad field of culture. And no matter if the different influences have melted, coexist or are in conflict – it’s a rich, vivid, in-tense region. The picture above may be symptomatic for this: a perfect espresso next to a slice of Apfelstrudel – and it’s a perfect match! In the […]

Categories: Behind the camera, In the kitchen, Italy, nature, On the road, travel • Tags: alpine, Austria, bath, dine out, food, garden, Habsburg, history, holiday, Italy, mediterranean, Merano, modern, mountain, nature, photography, South, spa, spring, thermal, tourism, traditional, travel, trip, Tyrol, view

South Tyrol II: Ottmanngut – An elegant Belle Époque oasis in Meran

May 1, 2014 by nadel&gabel

Imagine a stunning panorama view on palms, vineyards and snow covered mountains – all at once, imagine a magical garden full of citrus fruit trees, herbs and flowers, imagine a calm and elegant villa that breathes history, imagine tasteful and and artful food, imagine thoughtful and caring people … just a dream? No, all of this can be found in the recently reopenend Ottmanngut in Meran, where we’ve been lucky to stay during our spring break in South Tyrol. This […]

Categories: Behind the camera, In the kitchen, Italy, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: alpine, boutique, food, garden, guesthouse, historic, holiday, hotel, individual, mediterranean, Merano, modern, mountain, old, Ottmanngut, slow, South, special, suite, travel, Tyrol, view, vineyard

Seek for rust

September 13, 2012 by nadel&gabel

This is my little contribution to the Beauty-is-where-you-find-it photo challenge this week – a memory of our visit to the Petersham Nurseries in London.

Categories: Behind the camera, On the road, travel • Tags: chair, garden, London, nursery, photography, rust

Parks and markets, food, beer and tea – Our London

September 6, 2012 by nadel&gabel

When I and two of my oldest friends decided to visit London, it was clear, that this wouldn’t be a typical sightseeing trip, but instead a girls weekend. We hadn’t met for quite a long time and there should be enough time for talking, talking, talking…

Categories: Behind the camera, cake, cookie & dessert, drinks, Great Britain, In the kitchen, nature, objects & places, On the road, snacks & small dishes, travel • Tags: bank, food, garden, landscape, London, market, park, photography, river, street, tea

My brothers garden

June 15, 2011 by nadel&gabel

After about a a year, last weekend I found the time to visit my brothers garden again. He is a professional gardener and specialising on succulents. I don’t understand a lot of gardening and botany – all the more I am fascinated by his fascination of those little shrubs. Incredibly, he actually has 60 (!) different kinds of houseleek (I had to look up the english name in the dictionary, hoping to be right.), only a small part can be […]

Categories: Behind the camera • Tags: flower, garden, gardening, houseleek, nature, photography, plants, succulent