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Friday 5 June 2009

venice & arles and a little giveaway



it's june already, how on earth did that happen? this also means though, that i'm on count-down for my first ever proper holiday (weekend breaks aside) since starting out as a freelancer a good four years ago. oh dear, how did that happen - four years without a proper holiday?! but there it is, and on july 1st, i shall be heading for the airport, bound for venice, oh yes! together with a friend, i'll visit the biennial, stay a few days and then take the train to arles, where we'll have rooms at a lovely mas in a village nearby and make the most of the summer in the south of france (as well as of the recontres de la photographie, the photo festival in arles). can't wait!

now, i'm loathe to admit it, but i've never been to venice before and only been once, briefly, to arles. and that's where you come in. i'd love to hear your special tips and suggestions for about anything on these two places - where to eat, drink, which corners (hidden or not) to visit, which books to pack (i'm thinking fiction here), anything. so if you have any ideas or happen to read something interesting - let me know in the comments and there'll be a little giveaway, too. on tuesday, i'll randomly pick the lucky winner of a little wallpaper city guide on venice. go ahead, tell all!

p. s. : after the holiday, there'll also be a giveaway in form of pictures i'm intending to take while i'm there. stay tuned!

16 comments:

jane said...

o.k. i´m thinking, but i hate to tell you that you are dealing with someone with the worst memory. it´ll come back to me... hopefully before you leave:) happy weekend kristina!

malo said...

I have been to Venice once when interrailing 20 years ago. I remember only the doves and that special Italian light. So no tips from me - just wanted to wish you a happy vacation in beautiful Italy.

Jeannette said...

Oh, wish I could help you with that. Really! But *snif* I´ve never been to Venice (must change that) and Arles has been too long ago.
You really deserve a good long holiday!
Tschussi, Jeannette

Ida/FarEastLogbook said...

Oh, sounds like the perfect vacation!!! I haven't read a book in ages but one of my older favourites are 'A thousand splendid suns' by Khaled Hosseini. If you're into political stuff 'While Europe Slept' by Bruce Bawer is very interesting too.

Isabelle said...

your well deserved holiday look like a dream ... Italy and south of France ... enjoy !!!
and let's meet in Berlin with Jeannette as soon as we will be settled !!!

april said...

liebe kristina. venedig ist wunderbar. ich liebe diese stadt. sie ist schön. schön alt. im sommer hat es mehr touristen, aber die musst du einfach ausblenden ;-) mir gefällt es im winter und im sommer in venedig. buchtipps: ein poetisches kleines büchlein von joseph brodsky, ufer der verlorenen. eine liebeserklärung an venedig. und den krimi venezianisches finale von donna leon (sie wohnt in venedig). dann musst du dich unbedingt auch einmal verlaufen in venedig ;-) oder ziellos durch die gassen schlendern, vaporetti fahren, tramenzzini (dreieckige sandwiches) essen, guten starken kaffee trinken und eine insel entdecken. wünsche dir wunderschön sonnige tage. liebe grüsse*

outi said...

i´ve been in both, but only when i was a kid. my memory form Venice is that i saw ghosts in there! it was an old old tiny hotel where we stayed, and i swear i saw something weird in the middle of the night:)

Jenna said...

hey kristina! okay, as i have never been to italy at all, i must only share tips with you i have about simply being in a foreign environment. immerse yourself in the culture, drink it in. you'll be glad you did. :) have a lovely (and well deserved) trip!

kristina - no penny for them said...

thanks for your comments and keep them coming - i'm inspired by all of them! :)

@ jane: i'd love to hear whatever you remember! (and i'm sure there are more constants for the title of person with the worst memory - including me...)

@ malo: great you mention the light - i'l make sure to take films with varying speed and try my best to capture it!

@ jeanette: dankeschön!

@ ida: great tips, thanks so much!

@ isabelle: merci! and yes, that would be lovely...

@ april: danke dir für die vielen schönen ideen - fühle mich schon fast, als wäre ich da :) danke, danke!

@ outi: i'll watch out for that ghost ... :)

kristina - no penny for them said...

@ jenna: i'll try! will be all eyes and ears (and all the other senses too)!

Isabelle said...

thanks for your visit on our yesterday's post, the lemon is stuffed with mashed sardines + little bit of butter + egg yolkes + parsley + chive !! the radish smoothie (in pink color) was a success too !! for more recipes you can mail me on touyarou@yahoo.co.in

et lille oejeblik - a little moment said...

oi! i have never been to any of those places! so no help from me. but readings; well, lately i've been totally into the crime genre. and especially swedish crime writers. did you read 'the girl with the dragon tattoo'? it's the first of a trilogy and the book that got me hooked on crime novels again. i can't remember being so into a book since forever.

et lille oejeblik - a little moment said...

....and have a happy and joyful vacation. sounds like you deserve it!

Anonymous said...

I hope you will enjoy those places !!! I don't know Venice but i will go to Arles like every years. It's really a good festival and the city is really pretty ! I'll meet you perhaps ; ) Bise

Palmer and Co said...

Oh, have a lovely, lovely time!! Can't wait to see those photos!

kristina - no penny for them said...

@ isabelle: will be in touch! thanks so much!

@ trinsch: i think a friend of mine mentioned that book a while ago and i haven't read it yet so that sounds very good - thank you!

@ cabrizette: thanks - that would be fun if we met each other by chance (i'll be wearing a daisy on my lapel at all times so you can recognise me ;))

@ lisa: thank you! i'm really looking forward to taking them ;)

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