L-A: Special shot spots

• Manja Maksimovič

Leya asks for special spot shots for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge but I must always turn things around a little. Certainly it’s the spot that makes a shot but sometimes it’s also just a matter of weather and light.

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Below are some spots where my heart and camera gave a little dance.

You who have been around my blogs for a while will be familiar with most of them because what else does my blogging do but take you again and again to the places that are special for me, with the hope that you will feel some of that specialness and take it with you? You never know when you’ll be close enough to pounce.

Which reminds me of Sofia from Photographias who did just that, pounce on the Garden of Cosmic Speculation after seeing my post on it on a previous blog. Rarely I speak of a place where I haven’t been and post other people’s photos but that time I did. It used to be open only one day a year and she was lucky enough to live in Scotland and score the tickets and be there on that day. The mastermind behind the garden Charles Jencks passed away since and now it’s closed and who knows when it will reopen. Speaking of just-in-time.

Blogging leads places, make no mistakes. Here are some suggestions.

  • Let’s go get lost in Slovenia first. This man from Rome is modelling Logarska dolina, a valley so beautiful that you need to pay to enter. With a car, that is, hiking and biking are free.
  • Another mountain jewel is Lake Bohinj, 25 km from the more famous Lake Bled. That one is pretty too, but make yourself a favour – proceed to Bohinj as well.
  • Above Lake Bohinj is this pretty waterfall called Savica. First you need to pay for parking and then for hiking to see it. Probably normal but I remember when all of it was free.
  • An example of what blogging can do: This is the Orthodox church in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. I used to pass it all the time when I lived there for 40+ years but never thought of entering. Now I see that I should. Flavia told me.
  • A different kind of location is Metelkova City, the autonomous zone within Ljubljana. I tell everybody to go there just because it’s so compact, diverse, free and safe. “Don’t panic! Protect.” I like that.
  • The eternal Rome is special as such but I don’t think many know the hill Monte Mario and the café on top with the wonderful view. This is heavily zoomed in, you have a much larger part of Rome on the palm of your hand from there.
  • Probably even fewer visitors of Rome go to Eur, a peculiar part of the city with this structure, Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana. No, it’s not a joke, Rome has a square Colosseum as well. I was able to enter it because the Fendi fashion emporium that resides in it had a free exhibition.
  • Whereas this is Siena, which you may have guessed. It quite may be that out of all Italian towns it has given me the most.
  • Not far from Siena is this magnificent building, San Galgano Abbey without the roof. Come in time for the golden light and you will never forget it.
  • This is the Abbey of Sant’Antimo and I was here only once. It is tucked away in a marvellous spot. Serenity is in the air.
  • You have seen it before, at least here on my blog, but many haven’t. Pitigliano must be one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Uncle goes well with it. The reflection is off the car roof.
  • The view of Val d’Orcia from Pienza. I was here twice, eager to take photos of this famous valley with cypresses, and yet on both occasions the sky was covered and there was no light. One of these days…
  • Here I come often and the best is in the spring. Look at this green field! This is Terme di Saturnia, or better its wild part with free access, dogs included. The warm river forms waterfalls and pools where you can soak and the smell is not too bad either.
  • A very special place: Il giardino dei tarocchi (Tarot Garden) by Niki de Saint Phalle 15 minutes from me with sculptures for every major arcana Tarot card. This is La Luna.
  • Let’s not forget Piran on the Slovenian coast. Warmly recommended. Model not included in the offer.
  • To conclude, some watery images from various countries. This is Castiglione della Pescaia in Tuscany and the water is really this colour. The ones that follow are from my past lives.
  • This is Egremni beach in Lefkada (Lefkas), Greece. More than 300 steps are needed to reach it. I have just read that after an earthquake the steps no longer exist and the beach is only accessible from the sea. (It is set to reopen this year.)
  • Oh yes, Croatia has at least one fjord too. This is Skradin at the end of the Šibenik fjord, from where you can visit the Krka waterfalls. I was there as part of my only sailboat week. Unforgettable.
  • In the same sailing week we stopped at the Blue Grotto in Biševo, a small island off Vis, a bigger island in Dalmatia. I left the photo as taken but the colour in the cave is really like this.
  • Also in Dalmatia is the Pelješac peninsula. Down below you can see the tiny village of Duba where I spent my childhood Augusts. When I grew up, I climbed Mt. Ilija above Duba just like that, without a path. I do not recommend that. Do it from the other side, starting in Orebić.
  • And finally, sometimes it’s not where you are but who you are with. This is our first dog Žak who entered any body of water he saw. This was Koseze pond in Ljubljana.

For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted by Leya of To See A World in a Grain of Sand…: Special spot shots

30 thoughts on “L-A: Special shot spots”

  4. Wow, Manja – your part of the world is so gorgeous! And you surely know how to share it too.I would love to visit all your special spots, but San Galgano, Pitigliano, Terme di Saturno and Piran – are my absolute favorites. With Bestia of course!

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    1. Ahh, I’m glad to hear this praise, Flavia, but right now I had a look and found out that all these shots are from 2017 or older! But I’m glad to show you uncommon. I like uncommon the most. 🙂 Stay tuned for today’s Thursday Doors post, they will be familiar. 😉

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