Ludwig Erhard Park, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, January 17, 2016.
Category: European gardens
The Sunday porch: Piazza San Marco
On Monday. . . running a little late this week.
We spent December 23 to 27 in Venice, Italy. The photos above show the arcades along Piazzetta di San Marco and Piazza San Marco on Christmas and on Boxing Day (in fog).
The current colonnaded buildings enclosing the square on three sides (and the west side of the Piazzetta) were built in the 16th century. Their arcades front a number of coffee houses, including two of the oldest and most famous in Italy: Florian (1720) and Gran Caffè Quadri (1775).
Of course, we had due caffè espresso at Florian, which was easily possible because tourists are far fewer during Christmas week. The coffees were €6.50 each, but they were very good (and there was a cookie and water).
(The water carafe was adorable, and I now regret that I didn’t buy one and hold it on my lap on the plane. I’m very tempted to order it from their website. Also, check out the wonderful terrazzo floor at their entrance here; I forgot to take a photo of it.)
To scroll through more (and larger) images, click on ‘Continue reading’ and on any thumbnail in the gallery.
Aftermath, Stuttgart
So much of any year is flammable. . .*
What we have learned since about 4 p.m. yesterday is that Stuttgarters really like their (self-administered) pyrotechnic devices on New Year’s Eve.
Sitting at home, the noise was terrific, particularly from about 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Venturing downtown this foggy afternoon, I was a little surprised to see everything — or anything — still standing.
The ground was littered with fireworks debris and broken Sekt bottles, but only this Konigstrasse shelter showed any real damage.
We went inside the Alte Schloss (Old Palace) courtyard for the first time during the Christmas season, and I admired the trees on the columns and star lights.
Have a happy 2016!
*From “Burning the Old Year” by Naomi Shihab Nye.
Wordless Wednesday: Venice
Palace Gardens, Venice, Italy, December 25, 2015.
‘Tis the season, Stuttgart
Almost every German city and town puts on an elaborate Christmas market during the Advent season.
The Stuttgart market — held since at least 1692 — is an excellent one. It made The Telegraph’s top 10 list this year.
As I walked around it on Thursday, taking these snapshots with my phone, I wished that I could also capture its wonderful smells: bread and pastry, sausage, and hot spiced wine (Glühwein).
Click on any thumbnail below to scroll through all my (larger) photos and captions.
Looking down Königstraße, a 1.2 km. pedestrian shopping avenue, which begins at the main train station.
Two parallel rows of pollarded plane trees are a feature of the avenue.
A Christmas tree seller.
The trees set in half-log stands.
I bought one of these little trees and carried it home via U-bahn and bus.
The seller was also carving decorative items on the spot.
In this area, most of the stands were selling flowers and greenery.
A wreath seller.
Cut long-stem amaryllis flowers.
Boxes of small apples for decoration.
Ornamental kale.
I meant to buy a pot of two of these amaryllis, but the seller had closed by the time I walked back that way — which is just as well; I could never have carried them and the little tree. A good reason to go back.
Elaborately and expertly decorated roofs are a feature of the stands at Schillerplatz and Marktplatz.
What’s better than an early afternoon glühwein or, in my case, hot spiced wine with honey mead.
This stand sells products from wild boar meat.
At Schillerplatz, in front of the Old Palace.
No, that’s her index finger.
A hat seller.
Christmas stollen.
Everyone wants a mid-afternoon Berliner Pfannkuchen.
Schillerplatz.
At Schlossplatz or Palace Square, there was a miniature train and model city. The ice rink is in the background.
Pretty much a typical southern German small town.
enclos*ure 