Why Potsdam is a top destination for photographers

I declaimed my love for Potsdam several times and visit after visit my feelings are confirmed. Beautiful in every season, this picturesque city less than one hour away by train from Berlin has everything you need for a great trip: historical destinations, natural corners, restaurants and coffee places or playgrounds for children. During my last pilgrimage in my favourite city in Germany I tried to find out the reasons why Potsdam should be included on the to-do-list of any photographer.

During the Cold War, Potsdam was part of the former communist Germany, but was mostly not affected by the stay of Soviet military in the area. In the last decade, many buildings went through a massive renovation process, but remnants of the old times are still co-existing with samples of classical architecture. A good occasion for the photographer to keep the moment for the eternity. Old communist looking buildings are short-lived, for sure.

The combination of various architectural styles creates new perspectives. A new angle can change completely the configuration of the space. An invitation to camera creativity.

The serious classical postures of some newly renovated buildings match the Romantic look of ruins left in the middle of the street where modern cars are passing by.

It is important to look always for details. In the middle of the urban island of classicism and serious balance of lines of volumes, you might find some ironic remarks that make things funnier. An important source of creativity, this irony, isn`t it? 

Talking about details, never forget to wisely use your eyes. Never miss the small details, like these yellow big lemons on the balcony of an Italian looking villa on the way to Sanssouci palace.

Especially in the summer, Sanssouci is very beautiful, with its expansive vineyards adorning every level to the top where the castle is situated. A favourite place to catch in the picture for its pure beauty or as a selfie background, it also offers the chance to try your skills of photographing people. With so many cameras and smart phones around, you just ignore that maybe you too, you are caught in someone's picture. For people quite shy to do portraits, such areas are a very easy playground.

Potsdam has also some other corners, like the Chinese House, a Pavillon surrounded by gold statues of Oriental looking people or practising various rituals, such as tea drinking or playing instruments. Finding the right settings for an acceptable photography is an exercise in itself.

I am a big lover of flowers and wherever I travel I add some flowers photography to my collection. The summers in Potsdam mean also a lot of flowers all over the city, an invitation to fix your camera and catch the ephemeral details. In one month, everything will start to fade.

Last but not least, there is another area which always inspires my camera: The Dutch quarter, with its red-bricked buildings and arched roofs. All look the same, but the small details and facades are what makes each and every one of them special.

At the end of every trip to Potsdam, I know that there are some other places that I did not have enough time to see this time, but this is part of its game of seduction. I know there will be a next time when my camera will find new and new inspiration.

See you soon, Potsdam!

For more pictures from Potsdam, check the dedicated Pinterest board: https://de.pinterest.com/ilanaontheroad/potsdam/

Discovering Bad Pyrmont

Bad Pyrmont is a popular spa resort one hour away from Hanover by train, with a population of less than 20,000 people. Famous for its palms, beautiful garden and therapeutic waters, in the last years it is trying to attract a younger category of travelers and to offer attractive services. Not too well known except the passionate spa hoppers, I took the challenge of a short visit to discover more about this destination.

From the train station the half an hour slow walk neighbours cosy mountains with gentle horses sight on the top, green waters and big houses tucked in the middle of rich and colourful gardens, but also industrial areas. Everything is very quiet, even it is the middle of the day and of the week. 

A long avenue bordered by high trees descends from the springs' area until the center of the town. The nowadays aesthetic view had in fact therapeutic reasons: after drinking the requested quantity of healthy waters, patients were supposed to take earvy in the morning a long walk allowing the digestion of the minerals. 

I am go far beyond the alley and we arrive at the castle, a Baroque summer residence hosting around the year various cultural events, such as exbitions and concerts.

Back to the alley which is like the backbone of the small locality, there is a more modern part of it, which goes until Europa square, where the Tourist Information office is situated too. The office offers not only details about various guided tours of the city taking place regularly, but also where and how to rent e-bikes for a faster view of Bad Pyrmont.

Heading back to the area considered more 'central', there is a theatre with various shows in German. I didn't see too many art galleries or cultural attractions, but there are many shops around. In case the visitor wants to enjoy more cultural entertainment, the beautiful city of Hameln, which I visited before - more details in a next post - is only 15 minutes away. 

The spring area offers various waters to taste, many recommended for gastro-enterology maladies. A salty smell is in the air. All you need is to take a plastic cup and pour yourself the recommended quantity. The benefic effects of waters made Bad Pyrmont famous for centuries and brought here famous visitors such as Frederick the Great, Tsar Peter the Great or Goethe - well, he went just everywhere in Germany. 

From the way to the city from the train station, I noticed the specific architecture, mostly multi-storey buildings some painted in pastel colours. Besides the many hotels offering accommodation, including a Steigenberger Hotel in the central area, there are also private rooms offered for short-term rental.  

The spa park is imense, with many medical buildings and serious looking people crossing paths. During the summer, relaxing outdoors gives you such a good feeling that helps you cope easier with any medical challenges. 

The beautiful spa garden is one of the places I was longing to see, probably the main reason I decided to cut short my trip to Hameln to come here. The view of the long silent alleys bordered by antique columns gives you the feeling of visiting some beautiful Italian gardens. 

Considered one of the most beautiful Germany's gardens, it is an invitation to long walks and meditation. You just need to leave everything behind and let yourself conquered by the beautiful palms. 

At least for a while, you are caught into the magic nets of the flowers. This makes you think that even there are yet ot too many attractions in Bad Pyrmont, at least these gardens are worth a one-day trip.
For more images, check the dedicated Pinterest board: https://de.pinterest.com/ilanaontheroad/bad-pyrmont/

Sunday at Liepnitzsee

The journey to Liepnitzee, a emerald lake situated 8 km. away from Berlin takes more than one hour. In order to arrive, I took a train until Bernau and then a bus until Utzdorf, feeling like traveling across many different countries and landscapes and mentalities too. But once arrived at the destination, the 2 km. left until the sea, the landscape offered compensated the previous hassle. 

The lake is situated in the midst of a beach forest, surrounded by high trees and accessible hills. It is plenty of people around, many of them carrying baby prams too.

Part of the communist Germany during the Cold War, the lake used to be less crowded during those times. The communist elites leaded by comrade Honecker, who in their infinite love for people built up just for themselves a secluded compound at Wandlitz - nowadays an extended medical facility - loved the turquoise blue clean waters. Their visits there meant that the rest of the beloved people were not allowed to be around. 

We took a small ferry wooden boat for 3 EUR. - 2 ways - and went on the other side of the lake, where the 99-spot camping area is located. Bikes and prams, and bikes-carrying-prams are everywhere. It is easy to walk and adventurous to bike - some sharp hills get your teenage adrenaline level high enough to just loose control of your bike and left yourself run from the top.

Is possible to find your peace in the midst of so many happy talkative crowds too. Hidden by vegetation, you have your small but personal slice of beach. Not a few uses this opportunity for some nudist enjoyment, a habit usually assumed to be part of the communist heritage, but I honestly doubt about this. At least nowadays, many 'free' Germans are embracing it too. Wholeheartedly.

A big advantage of this area is the lack of too much 'civilisation' signs. There are no restaurants or other leisure places, except the Insulaner Klause, near the camping place, serving very basic foods, and ice coffee, of mediocre quality, but if not my thirst, I would rather prefer to keep going instead of spending time at a table. The camping facilities look decent and many families with small kids are around.

The boat is ready to take us back on the other side of the lake and I just want to smell and taste every single second in the middle of so much beauty.

It's time for some slow hiking, in the middle of the forest, with views over the lake sometimes hidden by huge fallen trees. Obviously, not the right place to be during a storm.

Like in life, the road has many ups and downs, but some raw parts for a while, but the silence of the surroundings, broken only by the songs of birds balances all the negative energies brought up by our sometimes vain urban life.

Close by, Regenbogensee ('Regenbogen' means rainbow in German) is covered by silence. And it is no one around. I feel like in one of those sci-fi movies when one protagonist woke up alone as the rest of the world sunk away.

Soon, we are back on the concrete road. The high trees and green bushes will keep company for a while smoothing the transition to 'normality'. The next time when I need emerald waters and a corner of quietness, I will take the risk of a long journey for going here. It pays off perfectly.

For more images and inspiration, check the dedicated Pinterest board: https://de.pinterest.com/ilanaontheroad/sunday-at-liepnitzee/