Spring Travel Journal Part 5 - Exploring the Area Around Schenna

Mother's Day Bouquet, watercolour pencils, 8.5" x 5.5"

 

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The days of the reliable Deutsche Bundesbahn, the national railway company of Germany, are long over. Cancelled trips, construction delays and strikes are regular occurrences. Instead of spending Mother’s Day with our son, he had to leave early because of a threatened 50-hour strike.

 

Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle

 

Therefore, I went with my husband and his father to the breathtaking Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, Meran's botanical gardens. I could not get enough of the blaze of colours.

 

Palm Tree, watercolour pencils, 8.5" x 5.5"

I wished that my painting buddies could have been there. With my companions, I only had time for a quick sketch of a palm tree while we waited for a snack. When it started to rain, we made our way home. Back at the house, I painted the wildflowers that my son had given me before his early departure.

 

 

Maiser Waalweg

The next day, the weather was fantastic: sunshine and mild temperatures. We drove to Meran, where we went onto the Maiser Waalweg, an easy trail along the Maiser Waal (irrigation channel) through a mixture of
forest and orchards with unbelievable vistas. 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon, I finally enjoyed a whole afternoon of painting and felting on the balcony while listening to an audiobook. After spending most of the past years only in the company of my husband and our dog, being together with a group of people all the time was challenging, even though I enjoyed the company. It seems you have to get used to being among others again. Do you feel the same?

Wines Trellis, watercolour and watercolour pencil, 5.5" x 8.5"

I loved the variety of hiking and walking trails in the area. The following day, I went with my husband and his father along the rushing Passer River, stopping for a quick view of the lush gardens of the Gilfpromenade.

 

Gilfpromenade

At another spot near the river, I had just long enough for less than a 10-minute sketch. I would have loved to stay longer, but my two gentlemen were eager to move along when thefirst raindrops fell.

 

Luckily, more rain came, and we went to a covered patio for lunch. While waiting for our food, I drew the sculpture in the space in front of the opposing church.

 

Ulla, watercolour pencils, 8.5" x 5.5"

During the evening barbecue with good friends from the Schenna neighbourhood, the weather cooperated. While we were sitting in the lovely garden, I sketched a beautiful rhododendron bush. I was not thinking of creating a painting but a drawing practice. However, I liked my plant and wondered what to do with the foreground. A couple of days later, I added Ingo’s aunt, who is very knowledgeable about plants.

 

 

 

Dorf Tirol with the castle in the background

 

On our last day in Schenna, we drove to Dorf Tirol and hiked up the hill to the restaurant Gasthaus Schloss Tirol, where I ate delicious Apricot dumplings (Marillenknödel/Aprikosenknödel). They tasted just like the ones my mother makes. We continued our way on the family-friendly apple trail (Apfelweg). I wondered if they were talking about a family of mountain goats because part of the trail was extremely steep. We finally turned around when we reached a path with big slippery stones unsuitable for my 85-year-old father-in-law.

We left a sunny Schenna early the following morning for our final part of the journey. It was a drive with lots of excitement.

Spring Travel Journal Part 4 - Venice

Drive to Oriago, pencil, sketchbook, 6 3/4" x 4 3/4"

 

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Venice had been on my bucket list for years. In 2013, we had booked the first trip, which got cancelled due to floods. This time, I was frustrated because it was pouring when Ingo’s cousin, her two children, my father-in-law and his sister left Schenna.

 

Villa Pisani

After three hours, we stopped near Stra to visit the grandiose Villa Pisani, a Baroque rural palace close to the Brenta Canal. We had enough time to stroll through the villa’s beautiful garden with flowers and many hundreds of years old trees and orange and lemon trees. Unfortunately, the labyrinth was closed for repairs, but we saw the sun peek out behind the clouds. We continued our journey to Oriago.

 Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena (Church of Saint Mary Magdalene), Oriago

Before we continued on board the Tiepolo, we had lunch as part of the cruise to Venice. I have never seen people eat so much food at a time. We started with a fish or meat platter as an appetizer, followed by spaghetti with seafood or ham and a salad. Then, we received a platter of two big slices of fish or meat. I let half of the food go back and wasn’t even upset that we didn’t have time for the dessert of fruit salad with ice cream, even though I love ice cream and fruit.

 

Villa Foscari (La Malcontenta)

We stopped at the Villa Foscari (La Malcontenta), where we had a short guided tour. While the frescoes were exquisite, the palace and gardens were no comparison to the ones of the Villa Pisani.

quick sketches along the way

 

The sun warmed me so much that I moved to the upper level and had a fantastic view of Venice. However, I was disappointed once we moored because the entire area was extremely overcrowded.

sketch while we were waiting for the owner of the Airbnb

 

Luckily, Ingo’s cousin guided us away from the crowded areas to our Airbnb, a Venetian Palace on the fourth floor of an old house. In retrospect, I can hardly believe we stayed in so much extravagance. The faucets were golden, and the stunning table with inlaid work (worth 100.000 Euros, according to the owner) looked made for royalty. I was so nervous we would break or soil anything that I could only cherish the experience once we locked the door behind us again.

 

one of the bedrooms

After breakfast at a local cafe, where we enjoyed delicious sweets while people-watching, we went to the DaVinci Museum. We saw multimedia exhibits of his art and life-size models of his inventions you could operate. The kids had lots of fun, and I was in awe of Da Vinci’s genius and foresight.

 

outside terrace of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum

sketch in the museum garden

Our next stop was the Peggy Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art, a beautiful building on the Grand Canal. I am not a great admirer of modern art, but I liked the innovative works by Kandinsky, Severini and Metzinger. Plus, the museum’s view over the Grand Canal was spectacular.

Afterwards, I got on one of the swaying gondolas crossing the Grand Canal while other boats drove up and down the canal. It was not the best choice for someone with extreme motion sickness. I was sure we would end up in the water. The ride in one of the water buses was much more pleasant and stable. Even though it was overcrowded, we had a great view of the Venetian buildings. 

 

capturing our driver

I returned to Schenna with a multitude of impressions and inspiration.

 

 

Can you believe we didn’t have a single drop of rain during our Venice trip? However, the sky was grey again the following morning. In the afternoon, the rain showers returned.

view of the Santa Maria della Salute from the water bus

Spring Travel Journal Part 3 - Schenna and Meran

Dominic's Birthday Flowers, 10" x 7" watercolours and watercolour pencils

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During our stay in Schenna, it rained a lot. However, on Dominic’s birthday, we enjoyed lots of sunshine. Ingo and I walked to the heart of Schenna to the church hill with breathtaking views of the mountains and apple orchards.

 

 

Later, we all drove to the spectacular Partschins waterfall. Part of our group hiked up the mountain to the top of the waterfall. Ingo’s aunt and I wanted to drive up. We were up three-quarters of the steep road when the car stopped in a curve in the middle of the road. Luckily, a biker helped us to start and turn the car around.

 

 

 

Our meeting point was the Jausenstation (restaurant, Austrian German) Dursterhof. We were in awe of the complex containing the restaurant and several houses. The owner and his sons built them into the rocks of the mountain. They are still working on an underground market area. 

 

In the sun, with a breathtaking view of mountains and villages, we shared one of their famous raspberry specialties, the raspberry yogurt torte, and a delicious Kaiserschmarrn (Austrian sugared torn pancake).

 

At night, we went to the restaurant, Moesl in Mera. We received a cartwheel-size pizza each that could have fed a family. I am not sure whether the locals eat so much or whether they want to impress visitors. The leftovers were still enough for the next dinner. 

It rained so hard the following day that Ingo’s cousin offered us a dumpling cooking session. We made mouthwatering spinach and red beet dumplings that we will make again in Canada.

In the afternoon, we visited the Villa Freischütz in Meran. In the former home of the merchant family Fromm, we glimpsed into their lives and collections.

Image: Cushion from the villa (Dress nicely and laugh, then you are pretty.)

 

Despite the rainy weather, I painted the Meraner Röschen (a rose without thorns) from the living room window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the rainy weather continued the next day, I went to Meran with Ingo’s aunt, where arcades called Laubengänge kept us dry. I could not miss a stop at an art and crafts store where I bought the Italian watercolour pad I used for my painting during our stay.

In the afternoon, Ingo's cousin and I visited the Protestant Christuskirche (Christ Church). The church has beautiful stained glass windows and a statue of Christ outside of the church tower made from Laas marble. The church is also the venue for concerts and art exhibitions. The current one displayed the fascinating impact of Luther on the development of the German language.

Spring Travel Journal Part 2 - Three Countries in One Day

Mountain Sunset, Schenna, watercolour, 5.5" x 8.5"

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After a family reunion with my maternal family, we left my small hometown early on Sunday, June 7, for our trip to Schenna. Even though Nauheim has only about 11,000 citizens, it has a train station. We took the train to Munich, where we stopped for the family reunion of my husband’s paternal family, including my father-in-law, who had already arrived a couple of days earlier. We started with a traditional coffee klatsch (Kaffeeklatsch) with various cakes, coffee and tea.

 

If you haven’t noticed by now, most of the visits are as much about reconnecting and exploring the area as about food and local beverages – at least for the others because I don’t drink alcohol. The afternoon coffee time went smoothly into an evening at the Gasthof zum Wildpark, a traditional Bavarian restaurant, where our son, Dominic, also joined us after a trip to Iceland.

I always have a sketchbook with me. While we waited for our meal, I started drawing the centrepiece, which I finished after my return home. I was not the only one drawing. Ingo's cousin had brought his young daughter, who also started drawing and received suggestions from an extended relative. When she moved closer to our side of the table, I learned that she was also an artist. Thera von Huene specializes in dogs (and the occasional cat). We immediately had a strong connection through our love for animals.

The next day, we drove the scenic route through the Vinschgau region to Schenna. For Canadians and Americans, it must sound unbelievable that we started in Germany, crossed Austria, and finally entered Italy within a couple of hours. The first stop was the parking spot in Austria with a fantastic view of the German Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain.

The next stop was Curon Venosta or Graun im Vinschgau at Lake Reschen. Almost everyone speaks German and Italian in South Tyrol in Northern Italy. Therefore, most towns have an Italian and a German name.

Alt Graun refers to the old village of Graun im Vinschgau, known for the picturesque Reschensee (Lake Reschen). During the 1950s, the original town was submerged due to the construction of a dam for hydroelectric power generation. All residents had to leave their homes behind when the water rose. A reminder is the bell tower from the Alt Graun church that still stands - now in the lake. Most original citizens moved to the new village of Graun built nearby.

Then, we stopped at the St. Benediktkirche (St. Benedikt Church) in Mals. The church shows architectural Romanesque elements and features beautiful interior frescoes. They are among the earliest murals in central Europe and depict various religious scenes. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos of the frescos.

We could also see a rock in the churchyard that had carved indentations left by the many wagons that crossed it.

 

Because we were running late, we only drove through Glurns (also known as Glorenza), a small town renowned for its well-preserved medieval city walls and historic charm. Inside the walls, Glurns features narrow, winding streets lined with colourful historical buildings.

We also made a quick detour through Laas (Lasa), the marble city of Italy. The high-quality marble from Laas is used in architecture, sculpture, and design worldwide. In the picturesque town, you see marble everywhere - even the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are out of marble.

sketch of a gerbra from the garden, watercolour pencils

When we finally arrived in the late afternoon at Haus Peters in Schenna (Scena), the mountains were breathtaking despite the rain. We enjoyed the next family reunion with South Tirol specialties, laughter and many trips down memory lane for Ingo and his family.

 

 

Next week, I will tell you about our adventures in Schenna and Meran (Merano).

Spring 2023 Travel Journal Part 1 - Germany

Rhododendrons, watercolour pencils

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I am back from my trip to Germany and Italy. I have never experienced a vacation with so many obstacles. However, the reward was breathtaking beauty and inspiration for years to come that I will share with you in the upcoming blogs.


Before our trip started, we had so many problems with the original airline that we had to book a new flight less than ten days before our departure. We also had to deal with cancelled train tickets and the day of our departure, a flight cancellation. Fortunately, Air Canada solved the problem quickly, so we caught our connecting flight to Frankfurt. 

 

While we left in pouring rain in Ottawa, the weather system had left Toronto, and we saw a beautiful sunset and a fantastic view of the lit-up city when we departed.

Yellow Tulips, watercolour and watercolour pencil

We arrived on a sunny day with temperatures at 17 degrees. The trees were lush and lilac, hydrangeas, and the final tulips were blooming. My parents were waiting for us and had a big brunch set up. In the evening, we went to a restaurant with Bavarian cuisine. The food was fantastic, but each meal could have easily fed two people. I decided to take the rest of mine home. While taking the leftovers home would have been unthinkable years ago, it is more common now. However, I was surprised when I saw that you had to pay Euro 0.80 to take the doggie bag home (most restaurants let you take your leftovers for free). Not surprisingly, Germans have adopted the English expression, possibly because the translation Hundetüte sounds more like the bag you use to clean up after your dog.


Many Germans love their meat, and the vegetable portions are often small. After the first evening at the restaurant, I had eaten enough meat for the whole trip. Luckily, you find vegetarian and vegan options on menus nowadays that are more inventive than a house salad.


Many visits with my friends included a walk, and I am always envious of the many paths in the suburbs that quickly lead you to trails between fields and wooded areas. The most impressive area was the Bruchwiesen in Büttelborn, only minutes from my sister’s place. I have never seen so many stork nests in my life. For more information, check out: https://www.birdingplaces.eu/en/birdingplaces/germany/bruchwiesen-von-buttelborn.

Historisches (Altes) Rathaus (Old City Hall), Nauheim

Even though I lived for most of my childhood in Nauheim, I still love walking through the old part of the town with the beautifully restored half-timber houses and narrow cobblestone alleys, which always brings back memories of my elementary school time and wedding.

 

I met one of my friends at the Palm Gardens, which I had discovered during my visit last year - even though I had worked minutes from the botanical garden for seven years.

As I was early in Frankfurt, I checked out the art in the train station Taunusanlage and sketched a figure of the Marshall-Brunnen, created in 1963 by Toni Stadler.

 

 

 

 

At the botanical gardens, the rhododendrons and early peonies were blooming brightly. I also found the most fascinating tree, the handkerchief tree. During our lunch break, I drew a tree that seemed to have leaves that were white on the bottom. When I got closer, I realized that the white leaves were beautiful blooms in the form of handkerchiefs.

Despite all the stunning plants, the longest-lasting memory will be the frogs who gave an impressive concert from the lily pond:

https://youtu.be/u0lpF1AW8SA.

 

I continued to Kronberg, where I met my husband, his cousin and his wife. I was proud of myself for walking more than 6 km in the Palm Gardens, a new high. However, when we had to walk up the steep streets of Kronberg, I was frustrated with exhaustion and struggled to make it up.


I walked more than 10 km that day because we decided to stick to public transportation and had to walk the last 2 km to reach my parents’ house because, at the late hour, there was no other bus available. While the German public transportation system is much better than the Canadian, you are usually still much faster if you need to transfer means of transportation despite heavy traffic. However, when time is not a factor, taking the train is often a much more relaxing way to travel.