Veneto

From September 2-5, we stayed with a friend of Christian's named Tulia in a little town called St. Michael right next to Conegliano and just north of Venice. Tulia and her family welcomed us into their nearly finished bed & breakfast suite on the top floor of their house. We were incredibly spoiled with local wine, live music, and plate after plate of delicious food made from ingredients grown outside or on the neighbours' farms. Tulia also lived in Venice when she went to school there, and so we had an insider guided tour around.

This is Tulia and her mom at their lovely house.

This is their front room, complete with pizza oven, fireplace and enormous windows that look out on rolling hills and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

This is their dog Lilla (purple). She parks her two front paws like this inside the doorway, and that's as far as she's allowed to go (when Tulia's mom is looking). Christian had a great time running around in the yard with her. Apparently her favourite meals are small animals and local lizards.

Tulia's dad playing a baroque-style guitar from his collection. Tulia plays the harp and they have a band together.

View of the countryside in St. Michael.

An old mill we visited near Tulia's.

Near Tulia's at an old church.

Conegliano. We had a nice Spritz with Tulia around here before we left.

We climbed up a tower that looked out over the town in Conegliano. This is one of the views.

Venetian alley, on Tulia's tour.

A fancy gondola. A little too rich for our blood.

Tulia and Christian enjoying...

this view.

Many many store windows were stuffed full of these masks.

Had to be careful not to walk right off the edge.

Walking out into St. Mark's Square.

Bride on the loose in the square. It looked like a photo-shoot.

The best tasting water of the trip came from these fountains.

We even got to see the Venice Bienniale. This was VERY exciting, and perfectly set in the massive spaces of the arsenale - where ships used to be built. It only looks like he's drinking the installation.

I like this shot.

Tulia snapping away in the different coloured rooms. And Christian is smiling!

A great installation that made a starry universe out of many appliances and office machines in a very dark space with their power lights on.

Buddha's hand.

Whenever Christian gets his hands on string, he makes this design.

This one reminds me of the dancing we saw at a wedding in Germany.

Out in the sculpture garden.

You could get from one end of a long enclosed space to the other without touching the ground.

After the art we got on a waterbus. Our feet were just about to fall off.

Christian and Tulia having a well-deserved rest.

One last image of Venice.

Linz

On August 31st we arrived by train in Linz, Austria, stayed two nights and were on our way.

A little bit of Austrian countryside, between Vienna and Linz.

A tennis club near our hostel where Christian had his schnitzel, and we watched some friendly games from the patio.

A true backpacker.

A German version of Aldi. Christian carried around his Aldi bag all over the trip... should've picked up a Hofer one too!

Of all the places we saw this summer, this might be my number 1 pick as far as cities to live in go. Maybe even beats out Stockholm. Really great mix of nature, industry, and culture, plus this year they're the European Capital of Culture.

Bustling shopping district.

From the bridge to Ars Electronica Centre.

Beautiful park with installation art and lovely fountains. Christian got caught up watching some elderly men in a game of chess.

Doorway into a pretty courtyard off the street.

Christian, about the experience the Ars Electronica Centre. Back in the days of Sonic Design at Carleton University, our instructor Michael Bussiere introduced us to this place, and since then we've been dying to visit. This one also got a mention in my big research paper. It really is the museum of the future.

Just going in, a little bit giddy. We missed out on a few things because one of the main art and technology galleries was closed. The major Ars Electronica festival was also about to start the following day so there was an air of panic and last minute preparations.

In this gallery there were lego city skyscrapers and piles of blocks laid out - one for every resident of Linz. A really good visualization of the population and fun to participate with too. The gallery was also filled with amazing cartographic displays and interactive visualizations.

This is Christian's thumb print.

This is the city that the computer generated using that thumb print as a plan. Amazing!

This was one of my favourite installations. It was a forest of these hanging feather-like vines that curled up and twisted when you came near to them.

A robot that responds to your movements and gestures. Christian got it to give a big smile.

Me using a 3D pen.

Who's the designer, who's the robot? You decide.

Lunch on the roof-top lounge.

New favourite colour: purple.

Me testing out a great image capturing installation.

Inside Deep Space, a great 3D theatre where we felt a part of the image. Christian has interesting things to say about the nifty screen.

A beautiful piece in the Poetry of Motion Gallery.

Christian snapping away in the same gallery.

More Poetry of Motion.