Martin Mere - animal magic

Last w/e was animal magic time at Martin Mere again. It was a hot day and I was helping on the information desk during the morning. I had hoped to go out for an hour to take photos of the visiting animals before going home at lunch time. However by that time it was so busy it was impossible to get any good shots, it was teeming with people and there were children everywhere! Apparently there were over 4,700 visitors that w/e - I am sure they were all there that Saturday morning.

The meerkats were in a small enclosure outside and seemed intent only on escaping! They did take time out to pose for me though.

The husky dogs were outside the front entrance and seemed hot and tired, they couldn't get out of the sun.

The birds of prey were in the courtyard which was absolutely crowded and all my photos of them are either blurred or out of focus! At this point I decided to beat a hasty retreat.

Football trials?

Just leave me alone and I'll get the hang of this.

Hand ball or what!

I'm sitting this one out.

You're all cheating, I'm off -

At the dentist

Are you sure you are qualified to do this?

Venice August 2008

I have had a request for yet more photos from Venice so here you are . . .

I really like this one - probably because I don't usually get to take a sunRISE! It was taken from the boat on the Grand Canal at 5.30am (that was 4.30 our time!). Shock horror what was I doing up at that time?

This was one taken looking through a wine glass (although you can't really tell that by looking at it!), we were sat drinking by the side of the Grand Canal near to the Rialto bridge.

These were taken a little later that same night - I think you may be able to tell that by this time we had drunk a little more wine!

Many of the buildings seemed a little sad and in need of help.

I never actually saw a proper grocery shop in Venice, unless these were hidden in some back street that we did not explore. I presume the residents had to go to the mainland for their weekly supplies. All the restaurants and hotels received their stocks by boat, we saw them delivering early in the mornings.

My favourite pasta stall!

More breath taking views from the top of the Campanile

The Bridge of Sighs - convicts had to walk over this from Doge's Palace to the prisons. It was supposedly their last chance to glimpse the sky and sea.

The famous Rialto Bridge - by day it was always crowded with people . .

but at 5.30 in the morning on our way back to the airport it was deserted.
Note the difference in the sky!

This one was taken exactly 26minutes later according to my camera anyway, the sun is now shining on the buildings and the sky is slowly changing colour.

Piazza San Marco

This was our first evening in Venice, the sky was very dark and it looked as though there was thunder around but the sun still managed to come through. This made these photos all the more interesting! It actually only rained during the night and the next day was back to bright sunshine.

Basilica San Marco and the Campanile side by side. There were so many tourists and so much restoration work that I found it difficult to photograph these (well that's my excuse anyway).

And again at night.

And this is the one Anya has been waiting for - this was our waiter for the second night as we sat in St Mark's Square listening to the music drinking the most expensive bottle of wine I will ever have! But it was all worth while and made an evening that will never be forgotten.

The mosaics are stunning but again it's quite difficult to get a good shot.

The Campanile, in the past it has been a lighthouse, watch tower and torture chamber. There are magnificent views from the top and as it is easily reached by lift we went up twice - once in day light and again in the evening.

The 5 domes of the Basilica by day . . .

and again by night . . .

San Giorgio Maggiore

As we sat outside eating supper the first night I looked up to find this shop opposite, now could you really buy someone a present from here???? I do hope they don't advertise on their bags!

And this was Edward's most favourite place in the whole of Venice on the afternoon of 24th.

I think you will understand why from the next shot . . .

The last morning we were up before the birds (well it seemed like that to me) and this was a deserted St Mark's Square just as it was becoming light.

This was the sunrise as taken from the water bus on route to the Piazzale Roma.