Along a Dusty Trail

In contrast to the sights seen earlier, subtle shades prevailed along a dusty trail leading out of Plitvice National Park, Croatia:

Bright Interest

More bright colors in Plitvice National Park, Croatia:

How sweet it is to see children taking photos!  Thank you makers of digital cameras for making the results of all our experimentation immediately observable and relatively inexpensive.

The Colors of Plitvice

On this summertime visit to Plitvice National Park in Croatia the waterfalls were not as full nor as numerous as in the spring but the colors of the water in the lakes and streams were amazing.  The limestone beds, algae, reflections from the sky, rock cliffs and trees gave almost a full spectrum of colors.

This is my favorite shot of all; I love the soft colors of—and reflected in—the lake as well as the rustic, curving path.

The algae and the reflected sky brighten this shady spot.

I don't have a star filter on my camera but the reflections look celestial.

No enhancements of this water!  It actually looks this color!

The cliffs even have a bluish cast to them.

There must be half a dozen shades of teal/aqua in this scene.

Fallen tree limbs are quickly coated with calcium in the water, turning them shades of white, yellow and gray (or is that taupe?).

The water looks white in this shallow area.

It seems the fronds of these water plants have taken on some of the colors of the water.  Click image to enlarge.

There are several caves along the paths, which reminds me: there are bears in Plitvice.  More about that below.

You can see in the reflection in this photo, some of the trees are starting to turn.  I'd love to come back in autumn and winter to see the differences.

The reflections of the cliffs and trees bring more colors to the lake.

Another indication autumn is coming. 

And, as I mentioned, there are bears in the park.  So if you should find yourself walking alone from parking lot 1 to parking lot 2 after dark and after the buses stop running, you can have a rather stressful experience.  A good suggestion, learned the hard way, is to park in parking lot 1 and take the bus to the top of the lakes, walk down to the bottom and you'll be close to parking lot 1.  And try not to be there after the sun goes down because it is very, very, very dark.  A park employee told us later you should clap your hands as you walk if you find yourself out there after dark.

Plitivice's Fish

I'm trying out a new format, with larger photos, but it may take a bit more practice before all is the way I want it. We recently re-visited Plitvice National Park in Croatia, famous for its collapsing lakes and waterfalls. The colors of the clear waters were beyond description so here are some photos of the fish that populate the lakes and streams of beautiful Plitivice.

Wings of Change

As the construction crew down the street started their jack-hammering and sand-blasting dust-making, the guests at Vienna's Fabio's Restaurant deserted their sidewalk tables and a waiter finished removing the last of the dishes.
With a slight change of position the waiter started to take on a fairy-like appearance with wings courtesy of a local bank.

Lovely Linderhof

One of the most elegant and pleasant places to walk are the grounds and gardens of Linderhof Palace in Germany. Designed by Carl von Effner (1831-1884) for King Ludwig II, the Linderhof gardens enhance the beauty of the natural valley in a very comfortable size and scale. They are grand, for sure, but not overwhelmingly huge.

The king loved all things French and his palaces are inspired by many of Versailles' features.

I took this photo because of the interesting fabric shades on the outside of these windows. I like the looks of them but wonder how well they hold up to the weather and how well they provide shade on a sunny day.

This was King Ludwig II's artificial grotto, inspired by the Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri and decorated to resemble an illustration from a scene in Richard Wagner's "Tannhäuser." Look closely to the right to see a waterfall designed to start and stop at the king's signal. In the foreground is the king's shell-shaped, cupid-topped, flower-festooned boat.

Further into the forest surrounding Linderhof, Ludwig II had a primitive log house built and decorated according to the stage directions of Wagner's opera, Walküre. The king reportedly slept during the day and spent many nights drinking out of horned vessels here, next to a huge tree in the center of the room.

Just outside the log hut is this lovely space:

Walking back toward the entrance of the grounds you can pass this magnificent tree!

Linderhof Couple

Not far from Oberammergau, Germany is one of King Ludwig II's three magnificent palaces, and said to be his favorite—Linderhof. It's his version of a scaled-down Versailles, framed for a moment by this delightful couple with their traditional outfits, his loferl socks—or Stutzen, as they are called in Bavaria (thanks, Markus), and their unusual umbrellas.