Warren Mill Farm Park
Feeding the animals
Birds
This bank holiday I decided to visit the Warren Mill Farm Park for a quick day out. I've been recommended it by a couple I had a photoshoot with the week prior and I'm so grateful to them for telling me about it. I love animals so having the opportunity to feed and pet them was awesome.There were green open fields and a variety of animals happy for visitors. For only £4 per adult (£3 for children) you can meander around and discover the farm park. I definitely recommend getting some animal feed too! (50p per bag!). Make sure you have cash on you for this (card payment didn't seem to be available at the farm entrance).My favourite were the Alpacas, and this one above was definitely having a good hair day :PDon't forget to wear comfy footwear that you don't mind getting a bit dirty as you will be walking on the mud, through the grass (that might be wet, cause it's in Wales!)I tried feeding most of the animals. The piglet was adorable but didn't liked him much after he tried to munch my palm too in his excitement.The white ducks were so gracious and tall and could reach my palm easily, rewarding me with a very unusual massage while getting the seeds out of my hand.The ponies and donkeys were funny and friendly and followed us around while walking along the paths. Some even nice enough to take some selfies with the guests :PThis place reminded me of home, maybe we didn't had this many animals or a big farm but my grandparents used to work the land and taught me how to feed the chicken, pigs, ducks, cow when I was little. It was quite nostalgic to walk through baby chicks and hear them peeping and chirping. We used to spend weeks at my nan's when the little ones were hatching in an incubator and held into one of my grandad's old wool hats. It was a pretty awesome thing to be apart of as a child.This is why I think this place is so awesome for families too! And they even have Accommodation facilities as they are running a B&B
Ceahlau Massif panoramas
This autumn I took on the challenge to climb the Ceahlau Massif with my camera gear and reach the top, the Toaca Peak at 1904m.
The view from the top was impressive any direction and the best way to bring a little bit of it back was to compose these wide panoramas.
My gear for the following images was: Nikon D7100 with a 35mm lens and a tripod. The weather was unbelievingly good for the time of the year and you could see for miles. The best spot for the sunset was behind Dochia Cabin, near the little church. There were no clouds and no contrasts but the orange hue was just as impressive over the layers and layers of Carpathian Mountains
.Being at the top meant seeing both the sunset and the sunrise and nothing can compare with the view from above on a clear crisp morning from the room balcony. From a photographer point of view the sunrise is where I felt the need for a ND gradual filter but lacked one. The sky was getting brighter and brighter but the night shadows were still covering the trees and rocks beneath. I decided to go for a more underexposed setup and fix it in post processing (Lightroom CC).
The following day was just as clear and going through the juniper we followed the path to the top of the Ceahlau Massif where even more breathtaking views were waiting. I think this part of the trip was my favourite as no matter where you look there was amazing blue skies and incredible forests, lakes and hills. The path to the top was being rebuilt and part of the group stayed behind while a few of us braved through rocky paths and steep, slippery terrain to see beyond the peak. From the top, on the other side of the mountain we could see the Bicaz lake and some of the villages, looking very small from that hight. The trip was a real adventure especially on the way back and I'm planning on a second post with more pictures of the beautiful views and some stories from along the way.
Details of The Ethnographic Park - Cluj Napoca
During my last stay in Cluj I visited the National Ethnographic Park.
This time I looked beyond the old buildings representing Romanian architectural history. I mostly focused on the little details. Like this little piece of a bee hive ..looking like part of the furniture.
I was also fascinated by the round shapes in the leafless trees that offered an interesting horizon and background for the old buildings. The so called chocolate box houses with the thatched roof have a different feel here, with their shabby, cracked look - they have real character.
The church towers are impressive and you can see the importance of christianity in the details and workmanship. Most of the households and farms still kept the workshops and tools used for working the land.
My favourite thing was to look inside, through the window, at the old traditional decor. It reminded me of the crackling fire and the holidays spent with my grandparents.
I recommend taking a stroll through the Ethnographic Park on a summer day to experience the rural feel of old Romanian villages and the smell of fresh cut grass and old wood.
Cluj-Napoca streets and architecture
birds in Cluj Napoca
21 December 1989 Boulevard
Mihai Viteazu Market
Cluj Napoca Intersection
Since I moved away from Romania, visiting is always nostalgic, but now, as a tourist I seem to notice the beauty of its buildings and architecture more. This April I took my 35 mm lens and shot some images of Cluj-Napoca streets.
I have to describe the style as eclectic. It's a mish mash of old and new from different decades, cultures and architectural styles.
Graffiti on Cluj Napoca Streets
The streets can use some renovation and some paint ... but the wall "art" and the cables and wires above the wide streets are part of the city and difficult to avoid.
Walking through the centre of the city is not hard to find beautiful architecture in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. Just look above the streets and shops to discover the windows and walls of an old city that was an important cultural centre.It's interesting that you can only see the beauty of a place after you have others to compare it with.
Cluj Napoca Architecture
By traveling to different countries and cities I can see little parts of my home in them and vice-versa. And Cluj-Napoca is definitely an European city that holds a lot of history: the Saxon background and the Austrian domination leaving a footprint in the style of the buildings.Curious to see what other articles I can find about beautiful Cluj I stumbled over a couple of posts that might give you a different point of view on this beautiful city that will always be close to my heart:
King Ferdinand Street
Copenhagen
Copenhagen bike
Canal in Copenhagen
Statue in park
In June I crossed off another country of my list: Denmark. We chose beautiful Copenhagen with it's colourful canals, edgy districts and billion bicycles.The city felt very cool and relaxed, people enjoyed the sun sitting across the canals in groups, chatting after work hours.It surprised me how different it was from the other places I visited. And this is mostly due to the lack of tourists snapping photos and getting in your way, it's not an overflowing city, not fast or overly busy, it's easy to get around, easy to talk to people (everyone seem to know English) and easy to find a nature oasis even in its centre.
My favourite findings
Copenhagen canal
The food - I recommend trying the open rye sandwiches. Supermarket have them in little plastic packs. They really know how to do lunches and the combination of ingredients is different but really works.
Open sandwich
The canals - a relaxed vibe, beautiful and colourful buildings and the option to go on boat rides around the city, underneath low and high bridges to see parts of its architecture.
Nyhavn canal
Tivoli Gardens - amazing entertainment, fun rides and vintage looks. The amusement park is a must see! Planning to write a future blog post just about it!
Tivoli Gardens
Christiana - I don't have a picture here, because it seems to be a dangerous place for photographers, yet it's a portrayal of "Make love not war" vibe. It's so different for it's colourful buildings and interesting history. What impressed me the most it's that it has it's own laws, a free zone for all .. as long as you don't take a picture :P
The towers - during the trip we also visited some of Copenhagen's tallest towers that offer beautiful views of the city.In conclusion Copenhagen is a capital city that I could actually see myself live in.
Copenhagen from above
Bucharest in winter
I love traveling and there is so much to see in the world! But .. I have to admit that I haven't seen enough of my home country, Romania, and bit by bit I try to change that. Having a partner that loves to travel and who doesn't know much about Romania helps. I love to show him my culture and traditions and beautiful places. This time we visited the capital, Bucharest on our winter holiday.
What better way to find great accommodation, full of charm and at affordable prices then the AirBnb website!? We loved our apartment: right in the centre of the city, with a beautiful view, light and airy rooms and super close to all the shops and main attractions.
Of course the view from our AirBnb was perfect for some night photography as well and I held my camera outside the window trying not to move for a long exposure(a bit risky).
We visited the Old Town streets, The Art Museum, The AFI Palace Mall and indulged in delicious Romanian cuisine in places like:
- Food and tradition and entertainment: Vatra (pricey)
- Amazing service: Caru' cu bere (always busy)
- Best coffee I had in a while, especially the espresso: Filicori Zecchini (it's in Afi mall)
- Books, tea, healthy food: Carturesti Library
Bucharest's architecture is a collection of fancy 19th-century Belle-Epoque-style and modern office and bank buildings. The general feel is quite eclectic, combining different cultural and historical styles. I can definitely say that most Romanian cities are similar, a mishmash of new and old, colourful and grey.
Also every other street seems to hide a beautiful orthodox church built in what is now known as the Wallachian(Romanian) Renaissance style.
The House of the People, also known as the Palace of the Parliament it's said to be the world's largest civilian building with an administrative function. There were a few busses and tourists in front snapping away the impressive landmark and I waiting around in the chilly weather for them to pass before doing the same :).
I found two other articles that describe this interesting city and I think you will enjoy them(they also have very pretty pictures):
Albufeira, Portugal
I don't know if you know this about me ..but I didn't used to have the opportunity to travel much when I was younger. So this is really the third foreign country I see, if I am also counting the one I currently call home (UK). But don't worry I love travelling and I am planning to see them all. This time it's a very touristy place: Albufeira, Portugal.
The weather, the colours, the different architecture ..it was a great experience and my favourite part (besides drinking cocktails by the pool with my better half) was getting lost in this little town and snapping away in the sun.