La Gomera 2022

After our trip to La Gomera got canceled last year, I was really looking forward to this year's trip. We planned to stay in Valle Gran Rey for six weeks. Six weeks in January / Febuary - a real and truly sought-after escape from the weather in Hamburg during this time.

This time we booked a nice flat in La Puntilla. From the balcony we could see the mountain on the left side

and to the right side, we overlooked the street with its shops and palm trees. Whereas, in the front of us, there was quite a big field of bananas and other fruit trees.

The best way to discover the beauty of this island is by hiking. These walks in nature are moments of pure happiness for me. A real timeout. A break from worries and tension.

There always was a bar at the end or half-way through a tour. One of our favorite was Bar Victoria in El Cercado. His pan con tomate y jamon was a real highlight for us.

And after such a long hike, we usually stayed in Valle Gran Ray the day after, where it was particularly crowded of tourists this year.

We were bathing, reading, sketching and just hanging around and planning our hike for the next day.

Adios y hasta el proximo año.

Here , here and here you can see previous posts of La Gomera.

Happy New Year cards over the years

This collection of cards of the last 20 years ist actually our family chronic. 

2024

2021

 

2020

2019

2017

2016

2015

2014

2005

2004

2003

2001

Leamington Spa 2021

 After two years, it was time to visit my most beloved uncle P. in Leamington Spa, England. As the pandemic is not over unfortunately, it was a lot of bureaucracy overcome and digital forms to find and fill out. We flew to England, planning to stay there for six days.

I was looking forward to see my uncle again and to walk around in Leamington Spa. I love this little town and I imagined sitting in the beautiful parks, sketching the many manifestations of autumn. I wanted to sketch the English houses with their many chimneys and the beautifully colorful shop entrances.

Well, things took a different pathway when this text came up on my phone: „NHS Test and Trace has identified you as a contact of someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19. You must now stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days from the date of your ….“

So we stayed at home. We changed our flights. The six days became ten and instead of sketching colorful trees and houses in Leamington Spa, I got busy sketching corners in the beautiful apartment of my uncle P.

Although not according to plan, we've had a great family quality time. Perhaps this is the price of travelling in a pandemic - after all I was lucky to be able to go at all!

Loket

 Loket is a small town in Czech Republic. 

The old city is built on a rock and is surrounded on three sides by the Ohre River. The town center itself features Loket Castle - a 12th-century gothic castle.

A sketchtour event took place there, organised by Jan Vitek from Prag. There was a small group of 8 sketchers + 6 partners and myself (with my husbend) ! 

The castle had been sketched from all directions:

from our room in the Vila Hana,

from the street,

from under the bridge,

and from the castle yard.

The town is very small and colorful. There are maybe four to five streets in the old city.

My mood was sometimes for colors,

and sometimes I enjoyed drawing with a pencil.

But the best of all was hanging around with other sketchers. I have met some new friends, heard many interesting live stories, we where sitting together in cafes, drawing without talking to each other, laughed a lot and had good meals.

It was just wonderful!

Bettinas 

Portraits of both of us

Blankenese summer 2021