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Thirsty Thursday: Roadside Market
Rambler: Beth
Drink at Hand: Marin's Vineyard 2010 Viognier
Another Thirsty Thursday here again! Time to pour something yummy and make those weekend plans. As a a few of Welliver Photography's Facebook fans have likely figured out, I spent last week in Nicaragua as part of a MBA study abroad program through Portland State. The ten-day experience was, well, an experience...in a good way. To journey through the second poorest country in the western hemisphere after Haiti was eye-opening. Yet, despite the immense poverty, there are smiles and laughter and a feeling of having enough...even among those who have virtually nothing.
My final project for this course is to make a documentary of our experience. I had my camera and/or a borrowed video camera in my hand virtually the entire time. I collected a ton of photos and videos...and I could tell I was rusty when I started the week, given the focus on school over the last year and resultant lack of focus on photography. Plus, taking "people photos" is not my forte. I was quickly working at the fringes of my comfort zone yet slowly found myself loving the challenge of searching for connections with the people I encountered and finding ways to visually convey what I knew I wanted to share when I got back. This trip reinforced for me why I love taking photos, reminded me how much I miss my camera time, and reinforced how important the time spent behind that viewfinder is for me mentally. Clarity comes from seeing.
These photos are from our second day in Nicaragua. This was the start of our journey out of Managua and into the campo (countryside). We stopped at a roadside stand to grab some fruit. This was the first day of finding my stride with the camera...though the strides were short, they were important! More to come in the coming weeks.
Get out there and find your own roadside fruit stand this weekend...but if you find one in Nicaragua, stick to the fruits you have to peel!
Thirsty Thursday: Italian Wine Chasing
Rambler: Beth
Drink at Hand: 2009 Nada Fiorenzo Barbaresco Rombone
Thirsty Thursday here again! Time to pour something yummy and make those weekend plans. This week's installment is full of yummy drinkable goodness, but is not really a weekend destination from California. Welliver Photography was fortunate to spend a week wandering around Italy with nothing to do but eat amazing food, drink incredible wines, and take pictures.
We scored a private wine tasting (thanks Wendy!) at a great family-owned winery called Nada Fiorenzo, not too far from Alba, Italy. The Piedmont region is known for its barbaresco, nebbiolo, barolo, barbara, and dolcetto varietals, and Nada Fiorenzo's barbaresco definitely did not disappoint. Plus, getting the opportunity to taste wine one-on-one with the son of the winemaker (who will likely take over as winemaker down the road) was incredible. We really learned about the wines while also getting a sense of the pride and love affair the family has with its vines, grapes, and wines. Great experience. Thanks Danilo!
After tasting we wandered around the endless vineyards...and spent most of the rest of the day doing the same in and around Alba. It was such a beautiful area of Italy and I would love to go back to do an agriturismo stay at a vineyard in the area.
So, I won't be getting back to Italy this weekend, or any weekend anytime soon...but fortunately I can still enjoy some great wine and cool vineyards right here in Monterey County. Enjoy your weekend!
Two Word Tuesday: Rodello, Italy
Thirsty Thursday: Insta-Swiss
Rambler: Beth
Drink at Hand: Sangria...actually, no, but it would be nice to have a good Sangria recipe (hint hint Terry G.)
Thirsty Thursday again! Its been a busy week, so not much work on the Swiss vacation photos got accomplished yet. But with Instagram making some pretty big headlines this week, I figured I steal a few photos out of our Instagram photostream from our trip. I promise, one day, you'll get to see our actual photos and hear our stories.
Here are a few travel photos...you know, planes, food. Especially the food. And the chocolate. And the coffee! A few random views from here and there... Now for my favorites...the mountains! The Alps were more amazing than I could have ever imagined! And we got to play like crazy in that snowy wonderland. Hope you get out there this weekend and take some photos of your world...with whatever camera you have in your hand!