Holy Trinity Church in Velemer frescos by Janos Aquila, Orseg, Hungary

The Holy Trinity church was erected in the 13th century in Velemer, County Vas Hungary .

The rectangular aisleless church, to which a tower is attached on the north facade, is aligned east to west, as typical of medieval times. While carrying elements of Romanesque style it also has some Gothic elements . The walls of the church are built of both brick and stone. It is adorned by an arched cornice, with corbels carved with human faces, representing the various sins, supporting the roof.

The frescoes in the church were painted by János Aquila of Radkesburg from 1377 to 1378.

The church was used by the Calvinist church from the mid-17th century, and was re-Catholicised in 1733. It was abandoned in 1808.
.

The frescos have worn over the centuries, but among the surviving fragments of the sanctuary the symbols of the four gospels are easily found - the lion representing Mark, the eagle John, the angel Matthew, and the oxen Luke. On the sanctuary's north wall, a self-portrait of Aquila himself can even be made out. The window recess of the sanctuary is decorated with floral and herbal motifs.

Above is a depiction of the Veil of Veronica with the likeness of Christ. The threefold circle in the pinnacle of the sanctuary side of the triumphal arch symbolises the Holy Trinity. The image of Christ the Judge is outside the central piece, while the images to the right and left symbolise good and evil deeds. Below and to one side, a cavalry scene can be made out, and St Anne with Mary and the child Jesus can be seen on the opposite side.

The church dedicated to the Holy Trinity (Szentháromság) and to King St Stephen (Szent István király) is located towards the southeast edge of town, away from the main road.

A Soaring Symbol: The Eagle in Aquila's Frescoes

One cannot discuss Aquila's work without noting the compelling presence of the eagle. In many cultures and religious traditions, the eagle symbolises strength, renewal, and spiritual ascension. Its inclusion in Aquila's frescoes could serve multiple symbolic purposes:

1. Divine Connection: The eagle, with its ability to soar towards the heavens, is often seen as a messenger or intermediary between the divine and the earthly realm. Its presence in the frescoes may signify the spiritual journey from the mortal world to the divine, echoing the Christian belief in resurrection and eternal life.

2. Personal Emblem: Given that 'Aquila' translates to 'eagle' in Latin, the artist's use of this symbol could also be a personal signature, a way of marking his work with a visual emblem that is both deeply meaningful and reflective of his own name. This interplay between the artist's identity and the symbolic imagery enriches the narrative woven into the frescoes.

3. Guardianship and Vigilance: In Christian iconography, the eagle is also associated with St. John the Evangelist, symbolizing clarity of vision and spiritual insight. Its inclusion might suggest a thematic focus on the Gospels' messages and a call to vigilance in faith.

Deciphering the Frescoes: Layers of Meaning

Like the eagle within the Velemer church, the frescoes invite viewers to explore layers of meaning woven together with theological themes and personal stories. These artworks are more than mere decorations; they are visual sermons, teaching and inspiring those who gaze upon them.

Janos Aquila's mastery lies in blending traditional Christian iconography with local cultural motifs, creating a tapestry that speaks universally and specifically to the community for whom it was made. The frescoes serve as a bridge, connecting the earthly to the divine, the individual to the community, and the past to the present.

Reflecting on the Past, Inspiring the Future

For photographers and art enthusiasts, the frescoes offer a unique study in the power of visual storytelling. Through his use of colour, composition, and symbolism, Aquila invites us into a reflective dialogue with our spiritual and artistic journeys.

Exploring the frescoes of the Velemer church is not just an academic exercise; it's a pilgrimage into the heart of human creativity and divine inspiration. Janos Aquila's work challenges us to look beyond the surface, to find meaning in the symbols that surround us, and to appreciate the profound connection between art, faith, and life.

My post about Martjanci church is here

#Ancient_monument #Hungary #műemlék #Temple #templom

Reformed Church of Szentgyörgyvölgy

Among the Reformed churches with painted coffered ceilings in Hungary, the church of Szentgyörgyvölgy.

The Reformed people of Szentgyörgyvölgy temporarily built a mud-walled house of worship as early as 1762, then II. Taking advantage of Joseph's leniency decree, the construction of a brick church was also planned.

This - then without a tower - was erected in 1787 in such a hurry that the carpenters were said to have carved the beams from the logs brought from the forest on the cart so that by the time the permit was revoked, they would be ready for everything.

Its tower was erected in 1792-93, until then a small wooden belfry stood next to the building. The church bears the marks of folk baroque style.

The walls and the tower consumed the money of the ecclesia, and it took many years for the materials needed for the interior furnishings and ceilings to be collected. Moreover, in 1805 - to this day it is not known why; probably due to the hasty foundation - the church wall was cracked, the beam holding the choir was broken. Due to lack of funds, the repair took until 1820.

On the south side of the interior of the church rises the crowned pulpit, on the other sides a porch resting on wooden pillars was built. The ceiling was assembled from 88 wooden cassettes.

The rectangular boards are decorated with lamb cloud motifs in the sky. The porch was built on three sides; its parapet consists of 20 cassettes with folk carved slats at the edges. The bottom of the galleries is also cassette-shaped (37 cassettes).

At the bottom of the galleries, we can see blue, white, black floral and star ornaments reminiscent of embroidery patterns (these are less worn and faded than the colours of the parapet and ceiling). Some panels on the parapet are carved, others are adorned with painted geometric patterns. The painting of the wooden columns mimics the pattern of the columns laid out of stone.

The gallery can be reached by a wooden staircase at its eastern and western ends. In the centre of the ceiling, on two panels, is a motif different from the other cassettes: around the flower symbolizing the Sun, the inscription: “This place is none other than the house of God, and the gate of Heaven. (Genesis 28:17). How loving are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. Sat LXXXIV Sold 25 v. ”

The central big star, the biblical quotations are written around it, and the subsequent beaded decoration is surrounded by a wreath of pearl flowers. Ribbon drifts on the wreath.

The inscription on the visible sections of the tape reads: “In 1829, Officer. Scientist István Hajas painted András Patkó in his Preaching ”. At the tower end of the ceiling, in one of the cassettes on the south corner, is the name of the carpenters. Above the two exits, another large star can be seen.

The pulpit contrasts with the simple interior image with its dark brown colour and baroque shape. It consists of two parts: the actual pulpit and the crown are both carved and painted. The lower edge of the crown was sawn out of plank; it hangs bell-like ornaments.

Zois Palace and Križevniška in Ljubljana

A friend of mine and a great photographer Blaž Gutman recently showed me an interesting image of the area dating back late 1700! This woke up in me the desire to find more informations.

ZOIS PALACE

The Zois Palace in Ljubljana was built in the second half of the 18th century with the merging and partial rebuilding of older houses on the Breg between today's Križevniška Ulica and Zoisova cesta. 

Baron Michelangelo Zois (1694-1777), the father of Žiga Zois (1747-1819), bought a house on the Breg on the corner of Nemška (today Križevniška) Street in 1728, which became the first home of the Zois in Ljubljana. In the early 1960s, he bought three smaller houses on the then Nemška Street, and in 1765 Erberg's house on Breg - a large building that was in the 16th century. built as a city warehouse. Next to Erberg's house, on the corner, along the city wall, stood the house of the abbot of Bistrica - the so-called "Bistrica court", which together with the church of St. Lawrence and part of the defensive walls were bought by Žiga Zois in 1793.

He had the church and the wall demolished to gain space for a garden, he annexed the house of the abbots of Bistrica to his estate and by 1798 had united all three buildings with a single façade. The facade is designed in the spirit of classicism, strict and somewhat monotonous, without any special architectural decoration. On the ground floor and on the first floor were rooms for trade and storage of goods, on the second floor had Baron Žiga Zois his living quarters and the famous cabinet with a rich library with about 4000 books and a famous collection of minerals in which was ok. 5000 exhibits. 

An old drawing can be seen here http://www.dedi.si/dediscina/335-zoisova-palaca-v-ljubljani

Renovation of the facade in 1938 spoiled the visual image of the original facade, as due to the thick layer of new plaster, the window frames are sunk into the wall and therefore less pronounced. The main decoration of the stone ground floor is a monumental portal made for the city warehouse building by Abondio Donino in 1589, but it was in the 18th century. processed. The key of the original portal with the city coat of arms is today built to the left of the main entrance. To the right of the front door is a bronze portrait bust of Žiga Zois, made by Mirsad Begić. In the courtyard of the palace is a built-in tombstone of Baron Žiga Zois, brought from the abandoned Ljubljana cemetery near the church of St. Christopher. Zois Palace is today a multi-apartment house with private apartments and smaller shops on the ground floor. The palace is ok. in 1780 it became one of the most important social centres, where Slovene intellectuals and artists who worked in the spirit of the Enlightenment gathered. The so-called Zois circle was formed, which included Anton Tomaž Linhart, Valentin Vodnik, Jurij Japelj, Jernej Kopitar, Blaž Kumerdej and others. As a widely educated patron and member of the Enlightenment, Žiga Zois was one of the most prominent co-creators of intellectual life in Carniola in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although he also engaged in literary work and translated foreign literary works into Slovene, he is mainly credited as the initiator and supporter of Slovene literary design and linguistic activity. Even after 1797, when he no longer walked out of the house due to paralysis (he moved around the apartment in a wheelchair, which he constructed himself), he remained socially active and active in various fields of science from mineralogy, metallurgy and geology to zoology and botany. . Just before his death, in severe financial distress, he sold the palace with a library and a collection of minerals to his nephew Karl, but he wanted them to continue serving Slovenian science in the future.

Templars

Križevniška ulica, which used to be known as Ribiška, is one of the oldest streets in Ljubljana. Between 1167 and 1200 the Knights Templar had a stronghold here, later superseded by the Teutonic Order. The Spanheim noble family, who set up the administrative centre of their estates in Carniola in Ljubljana in the 12th century, founded the monastic church of Mary, Help of Christians here, and alongside it a monastic house with a hospital and school for the education of poor children.

The Knights Templar were a famous Christian military order of the Middle Ages. Although they’re gone (except in the occasional mystery novel) their buildings are still around. In Slovenia, their legacy remains in the old Monastery Church and the area known as Križanke. The name is the first clue. However, even though Križanke means crossword puzzle in Slovene, the name owes its origins to the word Križar, which is crusader. The crusading knights, in fact, put up a post there back in 1167 and ran it for about 50 years, until the Teutonic Knights took it over.

Booking.com

Güssing Castle in Austria

The castle was first documented in 1157 and was built on an extinct volcano. The castle in Güssing is the oldest in Burgenland. After several changing hands of ownership, the castle finally came into the possession of the Hungarian magnate Batthyány family, which has shaped the castle and city substantially.

A trip to the castle is an absolute must to anyone visiting Güssing. A walk through the castle museum is worthwhile and to finish off in the castle wine cellar restaurant which offers a spectacular view of the whole area around Güssing. Another major attraction of Güssing is the Franciscan monastery. In recent years it has become the destination for many pilgrims, especially from Hungary, because the church is the shrine of the Blessed Ladislaus Batthyány-Strattmann.

After a day full of learning about history and admiring the castle walls, head across the Austrian border to Mjus World for some first-class pampering in their spa.

Castle Grad in Prekmurje - Slovenia

Castle Grad is located in the stunning Natural Park Goričko in village Grad. The castle stands on a steep hill of basaltic tuff above the Grad settlement.

According to old tales, the Knights Templar began its construction. Over the course of eight centuries, a large pentagonal castle structure was build, which is today considered one of the largest baroque castles in Slovenia.

Following attacks by the Turks, peasants and rebellious farmers, the castle got its baroque image with multi-level arcade corridors, a castle chapel and a bell tower. Elements of other periods, from Romanesque, are skillfully included in the castle complex and reflect the wealth if its owners. 

Castle Grad

The exterior around the castle was once magnificent; an English garden with trees and plants from different parts of the world. The interior of the Castle Grad and the huge inner courtyard were once the pride and joy of its noble residents.

Some effort has been put towards reviving the mighty castle into its old glory, but the job is far from done. Some of the smaller rooms have been arranged into museum rooms and are dedicated to pottery, herbalist and other crafts.

The wine cellar is open for wine tastings. Three rooms in the Castle Grad have been transformed into luxury hotel rooms and the bravest guests can spend a night or two in a prestige castle.

The inner courtyard is now arranged into a nice terrace – perfect for a snack break or cup of coffee. Special events are also organized here and healing Energy Spots have been located at some points around the courtyard of Castle Grad.

The partly renovated castle might not seem like a perfect trip, but Castle Grad is really something special. I do not know if it is the healing energy or just an imagination, but you will have a hard time leaving this castle once you see it.

You will want to explore the rooms of the castle, searching for knights and beautiful princesses. The views over the amazing nature of Goričko and the resting atmosphere will fill you up with energy and you will start wondering just how amazing it would be to stay in this castle.

Confused about your Portfolio?!?!?

Some of the most frequent questions I get from photographers are how to organize the portfolio and what work to include and how many images,

Deciding what work to showcase can be a challenge, so here are some tips to get you started: 

1. Choose just ten images that you know will make you stand out. In the future feel free to create more galleries but for now just select ten of your best pieces.

2. Think of this as your highlight reel. This is your chance to make a great first impression.

3. If you can, try looking at your work through the eyes of a prospective client, employer, or photo editor. What jumps out at you? It can also be helpful to select pieces you’ve received praise for in the past. 

4. Try to distance yourself from your work, criticise it, and do not be self-opinionated and just believe you are the best!

5. Still not sure what to include? Ask for a second opinion! Enlist a trusted friend or colleague and get their honest feedback.

If you would like to schedule a Portfolio review check here

My Favourite Fujifilm JPEG Settings

One of the reasons I fell in love with the Fujifilm X-Series was because of the great jpeg processing software that was placed into every camera. I shoot with an XT-3, I am afraid I do not like the latest XT, and I prefer shooting instead with my Leiucas or Sony!

I tend to shoot nowadays mainly in jpg,m I know many people only shoot RAW, and that is absolutely fine of course.  This article will hopefully help the ones of you that do shoot JPG or that want a starting point for JPG settings of your own.

Fujifilm JPG Settings

To create your own JPEG settings, go to Edit/Save Custom Setting in the IQ section of the menu.  From here you can save up to seven different settings.  To make it even easier to switch between settings, you can change one of the FN5 buttons to ‘Select Custom Setting.’  In this way, you can quickly and very easily change presets.

I like to title my Custom Settings with names that I will recognise fairly quickly. 

Colour Fujifilm JPEG Settings

Velvia Landscape

For landscapes, if I like a punch picture I often use Velvia which really brings out the colour in every scene. Velvia is one of my fav Film!

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Velvia

• Grain: Off

• WB: Auto +1 Red

• Highlight: -1

• Shadow: +3

• Colour: +3

• Sharpness: +2

• Noise Reduction: -1

Astia Countryside

One of my favourites right now it is the one I use most of the time living in the countryside

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Astia

• Grain Off

• White Balance (WB) Auto +1 Red

• Highlight -1

• Shadow +2

• Color +1

• Sharpness -1

• Noise Reduction: -2

A day in the City

The Classic Chrome. This is the one that I switch to for street photography. 

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Classic Chrome

• Grain: Off

• WB: Auto +1 Red

• Highlight: 0

• Shadow: +2

• Colour: +3

• Sharpness: +3

• Noise Reduction: -2

Portraits Pro

My favourite for portraits with muted tones and super gentle on skin

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Pro Neg High

• Grain: Weak

• Highlights: -1

• Shadows: +1

• Colour: -2

• Sharpness: +1

• Noise Reduction: -2

Monochrome Fujifilm JPEG Settings

Acros I

I simply love Black and White I shot as well with a Leica Monochrom and this is the setting I like

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Acros Red

• Grain: Off

• WB: Auto +1 Red

• Highlight: -1

• Shadow: +3

• Sharpness: +1

• Noise Reduction: -1

Acros II

Another black and white setting with Acros a bit more gentle and subtle

• Dynamic Range: 200

• Film Simulation: Acros

• Grain: Off

• WB: Auto +1 Red

• Highlight: +2

• Shadow: +2

• Sharpness: +2

• Noise Reduction: -2

Portrait

It’s a little softer, less aggressive and because it uses the Green filter on Acros it’s more pleasing for portraits on the skin tones .

• Dynamic Range: Auto

• Film Simulation: Acros + G

• Grain: Off

• Highlights: -1

• Shadows: +2

• Sharpness: +1

• Noise Reduction: -1

Berengo Gardin

This is probably my favourite custom setting at the moment.

I’ve called it Berengo Gardin to honour the great Italian photojournalist Gianni Berengo Gardin

• Dynamic Range: 100

• Film Simulation: Monochrome + R

• Grain: Strong

• Highlights: 0

• Shadows: +2

• Sharpness: +1

• Noise Reduction: 0

---

Post Processing

I mainly use Photoshop but my favourite piece of Software is produced by Skylum and is Luminar Neo.

It has a powerful engine for higher performance and flexibility. It also packs exciting and innovative tools that let you fulfil your vision.

Channel your creativity with the infinite possibilities of the new Layers feature. Relight an image that lacks lighting sources based on image depth.

Where To Stay in Ljubljana

Ljubljana is one of the smallest capitals in the world, which makes it easy to move in between its neighbourhoods. The borders between the areas are not strictly defined, though are well known to the residents.

The city center is the most vibrant part of the city, and the outskirts are more suitable for those who wish to be closer to nature. Next time you visit, make sure you stop by these top five neighbourhoods in Ljubljana.

Antiq Palace

Housed in a former aristocratic residence, this family-friendly boutique hotel is situated in a tranquil spot in the heart of Ljubljana. Member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The rooms and suites combine 16th-century details with the latest technologies. Some rooms feature flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, minibars and private spa baths. Guests can make use of free Wi-Fi connection while seating comfortably in the velvet armchairs.

The Antiq Palace - Small Luxury Hotels Of The World features 2 open courtyards with wrought iron furniture and an open fire where guests can relax. To enjoy a contemporary drink in classic surroundings, the hotel has 2 lounge bars. Guests of the Antiq Palace benefit from a complimentary drink upon arrival and access to the Executive Business centre.

CLICK HERE

Apartments Hiša Pod Gradom

Set in Ljubljana, 1.4 km from Ljubljana Castle and 200 m from Ljubljana Central Market, Apartments Hiša Pod Gradom offers accommodation with free WiFi, air conditioning, a restaurant and a bar. Private parking is available on site.

Each unit is fitted with a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, a seating area with a sofa, a flat-screen TV, a washing machine, and a private bathroom with shower and a hairdryer. A fridge, an oven and stovetop are also offered, as well as a kettle.

Guests at the apartment can enjoy a buffet breakfast.

A terrace is available for guests to use at Apartments Hiša Pod Gradom.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre is 300 m from the accommodation, while Metelkova Mesto is 1.3 km from the property. The nearest airport is Ljubljana Jože Pučnik, 26 km from Apartments Hiša Pod Gradom, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.

This is our guests' favourite part of Ljubljana, according to independent reviews.

CLICK HERE

Adora Hotel

Offering bright rooms, an on-site bar, bike rental and free Wi-Fi, Adora Hotel is a family-run boutique hotel set in Ljubljana’s Old Town, just beneath Ljubljana Castle and only steps away from the picturesque banks of Ljubljanica River filled with restaurants and bars. Housed in a traditional building, all rooms come with hardwood floors and wooden furnishings and are accessible by elevator.

They offer either a view of Ljubljana Castle or of the Old Town. Amenities include an LCD satellite TV, a safe and air conditioning. Guests can enjoy their breakfast in the back garden with a terrace and a lawn with deck chairs, or relax at the Adora Hotel's private bar serving a variety of Slovenia's finest wines. The hotel has a 24-hour reception desk and offers bikes free of charge. A reception hall with an international selection of books, local board games and a free internet corner is at guests’ disposal. The nearest grocery store can be reached within 100 metres.

The Main Bus and Train Station is 2 km from the Adora Hotel. Ljubljana Airport is at a distance of 20 km.

CLICK HERE

Grand Hotel Union

Located just steps away from the central Prešern Square and Tromostovje in Ljubljana, Grand Hotel Union offers accommodation in a historical Art Nouveau building. Free WiFi access is provided in all areas.

All spacious and tastefully decorated air-conditioned rooms come with a flat-screen cable TV, a minibar and a safe, while private bathrooms feature a bathtub, free toiletries and a hairdryer. Slippers and bathrobes are provided for your comfort. Some units also come with a seating area. All guests are welcome to enjoy the complimentary buffet breakfast.

Grand Hotel Union is famous for its' Grand Union Café where guests can relax with a cup of coffee or tea accompanied by a varied offer of cakes and pastries in a historic setting. Restaurant and bar Atelje combines international and Slovene cuisine in an intimate and welcoming setting, while the Restaurant Union provides a unique dining experience in the private garden of Grand Hotel Union. The hotel also features a wine library with a selection of Slovene wines and a casual lobby bar.

The wellness centre is on the top level of Grand Hotel Union Business and features a swimming pool with views of Ljubljana Castle and saunas that can all be used free of charge. The hotel also has a 24-hour fitness centre and a shopping gallery with a fashion boutique, a jewellery shop, a souvenir shop, a barber and a hairstylist. The congress centre features 21 fully equipped multifunctional halls that cater to all types of events.

Ljubljana Old Town can be reached in 180 metres, while the Ljubljanica River Promenade is just 100 m away. Ljubljana Castle is 1 km away, while the Ljubljana Cathedral is at a distance of 500 m. Cankarjev dom can be reached in 900 metres, while Ljubljana Fair is 1 km away.

The Main Bus and Railway Station are 700 m away. Ljubljana Airport can be reached in 25 km. Paid covered parking is provided on-site and airport transfers can be arranged upon request and at a surcharge.

CLICK HERE

House Trta

Situated along the bank of Ljubljanica River, Guest House Trta offers an on-site restaurant. Guests enjoy free WiFi, and a flat-screen TV with cable channels in their room. The guest house is located just 600 m from Ljubljana Castle and a 5-minute drive from Tivoli Park. Brnik Airport is a 30-minute drive away. These air-conditioned rooms offer a refrigerator. There is a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. Some rooms also offer a fully equipped kitchen and river views. Towels and linen are provided.

CLICK HERE

---

Booking.com

Top Photography And Instagram Spots In And Around Venice

Venice is not less than a beautiful maze lined with historic architecture. Venice is one of the most beautiful cities for photography and photo walk and walking tours that I have come across. In fact, when I was there, I could not keep my camera off.

If you are planning anytime soon to pay a visit to Venice, here are some stunning photography spots in Venice. Keep moving forward to know the secret spots for Instagram-worthy photos.

Rialto Bridge 

A great bridge for a walking tour along with a beautiful sight of the sunset. Here, not only can you take amazing photos of the sunset but stunning the Great Grand Canal photos with historic architecture buildings on either side. You can visit it almost anytime. However, I would suggest going to the bridge at night for witnessing the horizon over well-lit buildings.

Piazza San Marco 

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Venice. It is also known as Saint Mark’s Square as it is similar to a huge square with Campanile on one end and Saint Mark’s Basilica on the other end. Fortunately, if there is High Water, the square may become a bit flooded and you could get the chance to capture amazing photos with reflections. Reflections in Photos can enhance your picture composition.

Bridge of Sighs

For the best view of Bridge of Sighs, head over to Ponte Della Paglia that is just along Riva Degli Schiavoni. If you are on a Photo Walk, I recommend going there in the day time so that you can get a better shot.

Burano

Burano is one of my favourite places in Venice because of its vibrancy. Its actually 30-40 minutes away from Venice you can use public transport or you may take a taxi boat.

The place is photogenic. Hence, best for photography. It’s a key sport for photography. I recommend going there in the afternoon. The colours you would see at Burano are exceptional and do justice to the buildings.

Fondamenta Cannaregio 

If you are on a walking tour, there is no way you would miss the pedestrian bridges of Fondamenta Cannaregio. You can do photography from both the bridges that run over the canal. It costs absolutely nothing to go there. Moreover, you could go at any time you like. Just make sure to click amazing pictures!

Ponte De I’Academia

This bridge is the second most popular bridge after Rialto for Photography. It gives you great views of canals that follow towards Santa Maria Della Church. If you happen to visit it at night time, make sure to capture photos with long exposure so that you could get boats’ light trails.

Murano

Murano is just 5min from Venice. You can go there by waterbus, the place is famous for its glass art. At this tourist destination, you would find several nice spots for photography along with bridges and canals. It’s not the same as Venice so, the camera eye would witness something different!

Full Moon. How-to

Another full moon event is right around the corner and you don't want to miss it.

A Snow Moon, of the second full moon of winter, will appear from Friday evening to Monday morning.

Before you head outside with your camera to capture that Instagram worthy image, here are some tips and tricks from an avid space photographer.

The equipment

OK, let's get down to business. First, you need the right equipment.

I use what is known as "micro four-thirds" cameras, as they are smaller, lighter and cheaper than the standard interchangeable cameras,

The reason I enjoy the smaller, lighter camera is because it's easier to move around, especially with all your gear. I also suggest having a number of different lenses, from extreme wide-angle to 400mm. The latter is in relative resolution, equals to 700mm telephoto lens on a regular camera.

Location, location, location

I suggest downloading a moon locator app on your phone.

Many of them can superimpose this information on a real-time camera image on our phones, We point the (cellphone) camera toward the horizon and the app will show us where the moon (or sun) will rise, its trajectory through the sky, where it will set and the times of these events.

This will help you to find the perfect location to set up your tripod.

The camera settings

Now on to those pesky camera settings, that "auto" setting is not your friend when taking images of the moon because the moon reflects a bunch of light from the sun.

If a camera is set to "AUTO" setting, it will "see" all of the darkness (black) of space and try to make it exposed to halfway between black and white -- therefore, increasing the exposure (by a lot!),

When using a lens with a focal length (or equivalent) of 600mm or longer:
ISO: 800
Aperture: 6.7 (or close)
Shutter speed: (somewhere between) 1/1250 -1/2500 second

But wait, there's more!
Shutter speeds hand-held shots are doable but I highly recommends a tripod. I even suggest a remote shutter release to ensure the elimination of almost all camera shake.

Editing

Now that you have your images, I suggest editing them to black and white. Here's why:

As the lunar soil (regolith) is a light, greyish-brown colour, it is not very photogenic, and it doesn't show much contrast between brightly lit areas and shadows. This then helps to tweak the contrast and brightness if needed.

Can I Get Verified?!?!

All my main Social Media Accounts Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have the “Verified” badge and I am often asked if is important and how to get it. So I decided to compile a brief post!

In a world of fake news and widespread media distrust, social media verification will be more important in 2020 than ever so getting verified on social media is one of the ways brands build trust with their customers.

Whether it’s your personal account, your business account getting that little “checkmark” next to the profile name is massively important. In fact, it provides instant social proof and credibility when anyone looks up you or your company online.

Verification can also help with networking or to push your company toward the forefront of your industry as a trusted option.

Getting verified can be pretty difficult to do, and it might take some time, but it is definitely possible. And it’s worth it.

But maybe you’ve already tried to become verified and you were rejected. Or perhaps you just don’t know where to start.

Unless you’ve got a huge following like Beyonce, becoming a verified account takes some commitment and trial and error.

It began as a way for the platform to identify which Twitter accounts belonged to celebrities.

But now, it’s evolved into a way to verify which accounts belong to brands, companies, and influencers as well.

Basically, it serves as an instant way to tell other users, “Hey, this account isn’t just your average Joe — pay attention to it!”

GENERAL SUGGESTION

To verify your personal account to become an influencer in your industry, begin by making sure that your  Social Media is updated

Add a recent profile picture and make sure your profile information is all filled out.

If you haven’t been posting regularly you’ll need to wait until you’ve regularly posted for a consistent amount of time before trying to verify it.

Post original and interesting contents on a regular basis

Build your following and post engaging images.

Add as much identity-supporting information as possible to your profile to make it appear, official, even though there’s no checkmark.

Bes sure you have a verified phone number and a confirmed email address

Do not forget is also important to have a bio, a profile photo a header photo and website

Your Posts must be set to Public

Have your ID ready you will need to send a copy to them

TWITTER

Twitter was the first social network to start issuing verifications. Verified accounts show a small blue checkmark next to their name, and the process for becoming verified is pretty easy: just make sure your account is completely filled out and send over examples of your web properties.

But I have some disappointing news for you. 

Twitter has paused all new account verifications 😢

Yeah, you read that right, the micro-blogging network decided to pause verifications for new accounts while it worked on a new verification program.

Since then, no further details have been released, so we'll have to sit tight and hope that 2020 brings the advent of a new Twitter verification program.

I'll keep you updated.

INSTAGRAM

It is extremely difficult to get verified on Instagram because the company focuses on verifying accounts that have a high probability of being impersonated and does not take requests. However, it is not impossible.

Because Instagram’s focus is on preventing impersonation, amassing a huge number of followers is not guaranteed to earn an account a blue checkmark.

Instagram suggests that those after verification prove their account is real in other ways, such as linking to an official website or a verified account on Facebook or Twitter. This is not a foolproof method but can help you position your brand as one that could be at risk of impersonation.

FACEBOOK

Facebook is the largest (and arguably most important) social networks for business. So naturally, it has a relatively straightforward verification process.

There are two types of Facebook verification: blue badges and grey badges.

Blue badges are only for the following categories of people:

• Journalists

• Popular Brand or Businesses

• Government Officials

• Celebrities

• Media

• Entertainment

• Sports Companies

If you have a compelling reason to be verified, high-quality content, and a large amount of press surrounding your brand, you can submit for verification. 

Once you're verified, your brand will have a small blue checkbox next to its name. Unfortunately, however, this doesn't carry over to its sister social network, Instagram.

To get verified, just do this:

1. Make sure your cover photo, logo, and profile info are completely up-to-date

2. Fill out this form and wait for a response from Facebook

Gray badges are only for business pages and were introduced in 2015 as a way for businesses to confirm they’re authentic. The approval process is much shorter (about 48 hours) and the requirements are a lot less stringent.

Note: Facebook is phasing out grey badges “based on user feedback,” so you can no longer apply for it. Instead, Facebook encourages businesses to authenticate their profiles by linking to them on official websites, updating profile imagery, and making sure contact information is accurate.

GOOGLE MY BUSINESS

Getting verified on Google My Business is super important.

Once verified, your users will see a blue shield with a checkmark in it on your listing in Search and Maps. This is important because users will have no doubts that your hours, address, and other important info is up-to-date.

This will make them more likely to swing by and check out your establishment.

To verify your account, do the following:

1. Sign in to Google My Business and choose the business you'd like to verify

2. Click Verify now and follow the on-screen prompts to request your verification postcard

3. Once the card arrives, log back in and punch in the verification code on the postcard, and you're verified!

Budapest Camera Stores

Hungary’s photography history is full of prodigious visual artists as André Kertész, László Moholy-Nagy, Robert Capa, and Brassai – all of whom are immortalized in Budapest museums such as the Capa Center and the Mai Manó House, where various exhibitions and books popularize historic and fresh photography to this day. Budapest is also a stunning city with countless marvels, sights, faces, and places to capture.

Anyone with artistic or photojournalistic aspirations can find a gadget to their liking in the various camera stores found around downtown – whether they are old-fashioned film fanatics or digital devotees – along with photo-printing businesses offering everything from oversized high-definition prints to passport snapshots.

These are my fav. shops in Budapest:

OPTICAM

This small shop in Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street is not at all obvious at first glance, but stepping in, customers find themselves facing a small but impressive collection of mostly secondhand cameras, but occasionally a few brand-new pieces are mixed in. They have different cameras, lenses, cases, film, and flashes as well, all part of a vast assortment that turns over regularly, as, despite the small size of the shop, there are still a great number of customers due to the central location. The staff is helpful, and they also take repair orders to bring broken cameras back to life.

Address: Budapest 1051, Bajcsy-Zsilinkszky út 20
Facebook
More information on their website.

F8

Cool interior full of vintage cameras. Helpful and knowledgeable staff. They can develop and scan negatives for you professionally.
It's a dog-friendly place, which is also a plus. I can recommend them wholeheartedly.

Ó u. 9 (210.19 km) 1066 Budapest, Hungary

Facebook

CAFÉ ANALÓG - LOMOGRAPHY

The Budapest Embassy of Lomography, Café Analóg is a tiny coffee shop on chaotic Kazincy Street, with a clean interior enhanced with a huge and colourful lomo wall. The whitewashed shelves of the small shop are crammed with photo-related relics, such as cameras, films, canvas bags, t-shirts, tools, box camera keychains, smartphone photo accessories, and many other exciting items. Visitors can browse the shelves of the shop for real treasures while sipping on a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate, having a slice of cake, or reading retro photography magazines. Fans of analogue photography will surely find something to their liking here, as besides Lomography equipment, they feature instant film for Polaroids, 135 and 120 mm film for analogue cameras, and they also take orders for photo developing. This café is more than just a regular shop, as the very helpful and friendly staff often organizes workshops and tours, where photo fans and amateurs alike can try out different cameras they might not have used before, take lomograhphs, and in case they enjoyed the experience, even get a brand-new Lomography camera in the shop.

Café Analóg - Lomography

1072 Budapest, Kazinczy utca 35.

SOOS Foto

Soós Fotó has been standing strong since the ’80s, enticing everyone into their store with an eye-catching secondhand camera collection in the shop window. The assortment is even more amazing inside, as the shelves are crammed with treasured antiques like working Rolleiflexes, Zorkis, FEDs, and occasionally even deluxe Leicas. Besides cameras, they also offer lenses, cases, functional enlargers, trays, light meters, photographs, postcards, telescopes, and random knickknacks, such as plates, silver trays, toys, and even occasional pieces of furniture. Their main profile is selling secondhand products, so this is a must-do visit for retro lovers in Budapest, whether or not they are into photography. The staff is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, as they gladly show customers the different mechanisms, and they also take orders for photo developing and scanning. Soós is found on Wesselényi Street just steps away from the Dohány Street Synagogue, and it is open from Monday through Saturday.

Address: Budapest 1077, Wesselényi utca 10
Facebook
More information on their website.

LEICA Boutique Budapest

I shoot mainly with Leica cameras so it is always reassuring to know there is a Leica store in town, no matter if is to try a new camera, for an opinion or a friendly chat. The Leica Boutique in Budapest is small in a very positive way with lots of cameras including the latest and friendly staff ready to help and assist. Not to mention is super central and easy to find!

Address: Váci utca 61.
1056 Budapest, Hungary

PRINTS

Lab4art’s professional team makes analogue prints from the first steps of enlarging through developing and stop wash to fixing, scanning, and printing on quality paper – with all of that available from all formats, as well as digital photos fitted to the size and printed with a professional printer. These services are a bit pricier, but they always produce excellent-quality prints, keeping the customers’ wishes in mind at all times. Brave DIY devotees can even rent their labour with or without assistance for a friendly price, but in the course of their “Analog Saturday” workshops, they provide enthusiastic photographers with the know-how, tips, and tricks of developing.

Address: Budapest 1062, Aradi utca 11
Facebook
More information on their website.

GYÜMÖLCSLEVES - Cold Berries Soup

In Hungary, there are probably more types of soups than days in a year and you will get nicely used.

One of my favourite ones is GYÜMÖLCSLEVES (gyümölcs=fruit, leves=soup). It's served chilled as a starter but if you wish you can have it as desserts. or Cold Berry Soup

it’s very popular, easy to make even thou the recipe changes pretty much in every household. I don`t think I ever had one with the exact same ingredients, so here I`ll just give you a general guide and ideas to how to prepare the soup.

Yes we are talking about a sweet dish, but it’s not a dessert, well it can be, it’s up to you really, ones with the sweet tooth going to fall in love with that`s for sure.

Ingredients 4 people

0,5kg of fresh or frozen fruits, sour cherries, berries..

4 spoons of sugar

pinch of salt

2-3 cinnamon sticks

5 cloves

1 liter of fruit juice from canned fruits – especially from sour cherries

2-2 lemons and oranges cut in half

0,5 liter of dry red wine

0,5 liter of water

For thickening: 3 spoons of white flour, 2 dl of sour creme, of creme fraiche

Put the water, the juices, wine cinnamon, cloves, lemons, oranges, sugar, salt into a pot and bring it to boil. Taste, if you find it a bit tasteless or not sweet enough add some more sugar, or wine or juices. Mix the flour with the sour creme in a separate bowl, mix in a couple of spoons of the hot soup base, and whisk it in the boiling soup to thicken it. Bring it to boil again. Transfer trough a colander into a serving bowl, getting rod of the cinnamon, etc, add the fruits, and let it cool. Keep in fridge until serving!

Christmas in Ljubljana 2019

Feel the vibrancy and cheerful atmosphere of festive Ljubljana at the Christmas markets held in its historic city centre.

Event is part of the festival Festive December in Ljubljana

Warm yourself up with a cup of mulled wine or aromatic tea and browse the green stalls to find some gifts for your loved ones. The Christmas markets are accompanied by a programme of festive events held daily in the nearby streets and squares throughout December.

This year, the Christmas markets are held at six locations, namely at the Breg embankment, Gallusovo nabrežje embankment, Cankarjevo nabrežje embankment, Kongresni trg Square, Prešernov trg Square and at the Petkovškovo nabrežje embankment. They are offering fashion accessories, products by Slovenian designers, headwear, gloves, scarves and other things to keep us warm on cold winter days, arts and crafts items, various Slovenian culinary products, desserts, honey, schnapps and festive souvenirs.

They are accompanied by catering stalls, scattered all over the city centre, offering mulled wine, warm tea, liqueurs, sausages, various grilled dishes and other foods.

Gift program:

Breg and Petkovškovo embankment

10.00 - 22.00, Friday and Saturday until 23.00, 24. 12. 2019 and 31. 12. 2019 until 18.00

Catering stalls:

Breg embankment

Working hours of small stalls: 10.00 - 23.00 (24. 12. 2019 and 31. 12. 2019 until 18.00)

Working hours of big stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Cankarjevo nabrežje embankment

Working hours of small stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Working hours of big stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Prešernov trg Square

Working hours of big stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 untill 3.00)

Kongresni trg Square

Working hours of small stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Working hours of big stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Gallusovo nabrežje embankment

Working hours of big stalls: 10.00 - 24.00 (24. 12. 2019 / 25. 12. 2019 until 01.00 and 31. 12. 2019 / 1. 1. 2020 until 3.00)

Copyright Infringement on Social Media - Protect and Act fast!

"Copyright exists once you have an original work of authorship fixed in any tangible medium," says Ruth Carter, an internet lawyer who is an authority on online copyright law involving blog posts, image usage and trademarks as well Social media like Instagram and Facebook.

I had a busy week dealing with an image of High Water in Venice that was circulating on the internet with about 100,000 likes in total.

Ryan Vacca a professor and a member of the school’s Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property said that the goal of copyright law is to protect original creative expression and that images easily fall under this protection.

"For most pieces of creative work, it easily satisfies the minimally creative standard in – assuming they didn't rip it off from somebody else – the original creator is going to have some copyright protection in that image," he said.

If you download an image and post it, whether it be on your site, in a blog post, or on social media, you're likely committing copyright infringement. Copying any images or user-generated content without the creator's permission can constitute infringement, even if you link back to their website or original post.

One of my images was circulating on Social Media with a different author name

1) I was tipped by one of my followers that one of my images was circulating on Social Media not with my name but a different one

2) I did several searches and posted for info on my channels and found more than 55 infringements.

3) I discovered it originated from a lady that saw the photograph on a UK newspaper, downloaded it, cropped, applied several filters and posted with her name. On her post she was already challenged by one of my followers asking if she was the photographer, she openly said no. She replied to my message straight away, and she apologised, told me she wanted to do something for Venice. I checked her profile, and she has no connection with photography, she had no photographs that could have been stolen. I decided to believe her and let her off the hook.

4) I wrote to all the perpetrators, with a formal Take Down Notice, giving them 4 hours to correct the situation and informing that an invoice was on its way.

5) Few owner or management of sites and channels contacted me promptly. With all of them I agreed to amend the original post, or rewrite it with the correct credits, These channels had in between 5000 to 35000 likes, and I demanded and obtained to do five posts during the year promoting some of my Venice activities. They all agreed. I did not charge any fee,

6) With some of the perpetrators, I decided for a reduced fee in exchange for a quick and prompt payment. I sent a total of 6 invoices, including two Italian celebrities that had used my image. I charged between 350 Euro and 1500 for a total of 3400 Euro. I gave them five days to send the payment before legal action and I have already received two payments.

7) I had no reply from one of them so I decided to file a Copyright complaint form on Instagram. It was easy and fast. After a few hours, I got a reply back, and as requested they removed my image.

If you are writing an email an idea of text can be

Your invoice should amount to your usual fees for such usage, plus a margin for ‘damages’. The latter is optional though, and remember that the more you charge, the less likely it is you’ll get the matter settled quickly. You can realistically add a margin of anything up to 50%. If you don’t know what the standard usage fee should be, head over to Alamy.com and search for any Rights Managed image. Click the calculator, and plug in the details of the use in question – you’ll then be given an industry standard price you can quote.

I tend to ask for the lowest fee and offer a 50% discount if paid promptly!

When all started, I knew that the nearly 50 cases I found were only the tip of the iceberg I did not want to waste my time or get too upset, I decided to see it as a commercial opportunity, so decided not to go after the private individuals, small groups etc but only celebs or companies. I opted for a robust approach and very fast action. I worked on hit 16h non stop.

For two days, I concentrated on this problem but overall, a positive experience that generated some extra cash!

NOTE The above image was taken from a website of a UK newspaper, and not from my site,. I am very careful on how I present and show my images

What to do to protect your images 5 STEPS I suggest

1 Add watermarks to your photos

This is the most obvious way to deter casual image theft. Adding a small section of text, or a logo, to the corner of a photo is a great way to stamp ownership onto your photos.

2. Never share a high-resolution file

Hopefully, you are already aware of this, but uploading high-resolution files online to display is a very bad idea. Should someone get hold of the high-resolution file, they can pretty much do what they want with it. It also makes it harder to prove you’re the original photographer, as they have the same file that you’d be using to prove you took the photo.

3. Compress photos you upload

Following on from the previous step, make sure that you compress photos you upload. Aside from the actual dimensions of the image, you can reduce the quality of the photo.

In Photoshop, head to the “File > Export” menu. You can select “Save for Web…” and comfortably export a photo at 60% JPEG quality. This still looks really good, and you can see in the preview that there’s not much difference between that and 90%. It creates smaller, more compressed files that further reduce what someone could do with your image should they get hold of it..

4. Add your copyright to the metadata

You can actually embed your copyright information straight into a JPEG file. You do this by modifying the metadata (some details and/or instructions that can be extracted from a file) using a photo-editing program.

You can do this in Photoshop by navigating to “File > File Info…” and adjusting it there.

5) Use Smartframe Technology

I use Smartframe technology and services to protect and share images. SmartFrame is the ultimate platform for optimizing, securing and presenting your online images, with enhanced tracking and monetization tools. Check here https://smartframe.io/

Acqua Alta (High Water) in Venice. A small collection.

There is a lot of talks these days about High Water in Venice after the dramatic events with exceptionally high tides and damages.

During my stay in Venice, I have witnessed several “Acqua Alta” none of them created (major) damages, few some disruptions mainly for residents, a couple for sure extra work and lot of worries for shop-owners, staff and residents living on ground floors.

“L'acqua alta era pittoresca, Ora è una maledizione” cit. Berengo Gardin

These are some of my favourites images I took.

Generally Venice only has high water in Autumn and Winter and even then it is not every day that the streets are flooded. However, when a higher than usual tide is expected in the city, sirens blare to warn the population so that they can prepare themselves. Maps, as posted at the boat stops, showing alternative pedestrian routes around the city that are equipped with special footbridges to avoid the high water and to reach the main parts of Venice.

Level of tide and % of Venice that is flooded less than 80 cm o0.

Normal tide at 100 cm 4%

at 110 cm 12%

An emergency sound alert the Venetian at 120 cm 35%

at 130 cm 70%

at 140 cm 90%

The causes of the tides are the following: - astronomic: the attraction of the sun and the moon cause the regular rise and fall of the water: "6 hours rise and 6 hours fall". You, therefore, have two maximums and two minimums a day. - meteorological: a strong south-east wind ("scirocco") may cause the tide to increase by as much as 1 meter. - geographical: the seiche is a sort of long wave that runs through the whole of the Adriatic Sea with a period of approximately 22 hours.

UPDATED 30th Oct. My Experience with Monese

I work as a freelance photographer. I'm fairly well-respected in my field and have won numerous awards for my work. All my social media are verified and I also have a Wikipedia page, so it's fair to say that is easy for an institution like a Bank to know who I am - what I do; also that this is a trustworthy account of my experiences.

I opened my personal bank account with Monese in 2016. At the time, I was more than satisfied with the overall experience. The bank offered good saving opportunities and excellent services. For three years, everything was positive. At one point, I was even toying with the idea of closing my main account with HSBC and doing all of my banking with Monese, but thankfully I never did.

Fast forward to 2018 when with some colleagues I set up a UK ltd company that provides photography workshops in a number of destinations throughout Europe. For this, of course, we needed a business bank account. It wasn't long before this that I had received an invitation to join Monese Business Banking.

Our business is successful, we're the number one ranked photography workshop provider on TripAdvisor in a number of cities. One of these cities is Venice, a highly competitive market where we have over 800 'excellent' ratings.

Our turnover was in excess of 100,000 Euro in less than one calendar year, and all this went through Monese. Also, all of our five full-time photographers hold personal accounts with Monese. Our credit card payments were processed by Stripe and Mango Pay, and in the five years we used them we never had one single chargeback. Our payments to Monese Bank Account consistently came from such reputable companies as Viator, Expedia, and GetYourGuide.

It was in May 2019, that things started going sour. I received an email from Monese asking me to confirm that I was using the account solely for business. I explained to them that, due to my line of work as a freelance photographer, I would often receive royalties from a number of sources when my images were used in publications etc. They let me know that this was fine as long as I was working as a freelancer.

Compliance Team (Monese)

19 Aug, 12:09 BST

Hello!

…… In cases, where you are operating as self-employed/freelancer you do not need a business account, that is correct. But all the transactions linked with your company should be done from your business account.

Best regards,

I thought that this was the end of the issues, but it turned out they had only just began.

On October 16th, 2019, I received an email from Monese informing me that my Euro and GBP had been closed with immediate effect. The first reason I was given was that they were enable to gather enough information on the Business and me. WOW after 3 years!!!

Then this changed into …. I was using my personal account for business transfers, which of course wasn't true.

To make things even worse the Monese staff didn't realise that I held a business account with them, and this was only closed ONLY after I told them of its existence. In around two minutes after receiving that email, all of my accounts were blocked. This caused havoc for my business, with both incoming and outgoing payments were being bounced.

I remain adamant that I never used my personal account for business. It would be highly illogical as our business is a limited company that we opened a business account especially for. Even if, on the off chance, I had made such a huge mistake, I would expect better service from a bank that I was a loyal customer of for many years. I had zero opportunity to discuss this issue or rectify it.

Anyway I accepted it and I gave them the Bank Accounts where to transfer the balances held on Monese=

Compliance team (Monese)

16 Oct, 11:23 BST

Hello Marco, We are very sorry for the inconvenience,

Unfortunately we have closed your account due to business transactions. As mentioned in our terms and conditions under section 3.6, a Monese personal account is for personal use only, not for business use.

We will transfer your bank details to our payments team and they will process the payment for you.

Thank you for understanding.

Their decision has distressed all of our employees, and we've requested that funds be transferred to alternative accounts. Over two weeks have passed and we have still not received OUR money from Monese!

After about ONE week I still had not received the money and I enquired with Monese Customer support …only to be told that if I wanted my money I had to supply the Banks details (!!!!)

Jessy (Monese)

23 Oct, 10:45 BST

Hello

Thank you for contacting Monese.

Please refer to the email you received from our compliance team on the 16th of October.

We are yet to receive your response.

So on the 24th October, I did send, once again, the details and I got a confirmation that mye mail had been received

Jessy (Monese)

24 Oct, 08:10 BST

Hello Marco,

Thank you for your response.

We got all your mails and your account details has been passed to our payments department, you will get a confirmation when it has been made.

Have a great day

As at today, 29th october still no money….. It is in my view unacceptable that a private or a company should be possibly kept without the money for such a long time.

30th October I got a call from a super kind and helpful Support Manager from Monese. He was very apologetic and told me that somewhere along the lines there was a mistake and things took few wrong turns and…. ended up in misery. He understood my strees erc My accounts have since been reopened, new cards will be posted free of charge !

I WAS VERY UPSET AND STRESSED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS BUT HEY ERRORS CAN HAPPEN!! Even more with Fintech ….and super technology. It is always nice when a company of the size of Monese recognise that something went wrong…. but also that this error will help them to understand what and where it happened to avoid the same in the future!

Bad Radkersburg and South East Styria

Located at less than one hour drive from our location in Orseg …..is Bad Radkersburg

When something has preserved its charm and its youthful appearance over 700 years, there must be something special.

There is no written record of Radkersburg’s founding. It is first mentioned in the records as “Rakerspurch” in 1182. Before the town even received the name Radkersburg, it was among the leading trade routes in Styria. It was considered a "market" in the year 1265. Trades have a long tradition here. Blacksmiths, in particular, have been held in high regard for centuries. Radkersburg was home to coopers as well. The cooper’s guild was found in the Bindergasse.

The old structures are being carefully maintained to this day. In 1978 the town was awarded the European gold medal for the protection and preservation of historical monuments.

Due to its proximity to the countries of Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia, the Bad Radkersburg region is in the centre of a quadripoint: an ideal base for a day trip to the wine-growing regions of the neighbouring countries or the Slovenian capital of Marburg.

On the Hauptplatz in Bad Radkersburg, you will find the town’s emblem, the Rathausturm. The upper section was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1806. You will also find the Mariensäule as a reminder of the plague on the Hauptplatz. The appeal of the enchanting town Bad Radkersburg at the border, in the most southern part of the thermal country Styria, lies in the unique mixture of splendid historical buildings, facades and monuments out of a historical past, and a young and refreshing town-life with nice cafeterias and shops. Do not miss a visit in the museum in the old arsenal, which is folkloristic and historical on one hand and a current “visiting card “ of the town and its surrounding on the other hand.

The thermal bath Bad Radkersburg, which is close by, is known to be the thermal facility of the thermal country Styria that is friendly and open to families. It is a real wellness oasis in the middle of health, cure and holiday hotels.

All in all, Bad Radkersburg definitely belongs to the highlights when visiting Styria.

Booking.com

Jeruzalem vineyards (Slovenia) and Varazdin (Croatia)

From our location in Orseg in Hungary is very easy to organise a one day photography tour in Slovenia and Croatia, visiting two interesting areas,

JERUZALEM (Slovenia)

Legend has it, that crusaders on their way to the holy land, stopped on one of these beautiful hills to rest. Here they were met by hospitable locals, that offered them good wine, and that is when they decided never to leave this place. They claimed the region as their own and named it Jeruzalem. And to this day it remains one of the most striking places with one of the most spectacular views over the surrounding vineyards.

Today, Jeruzalem is an idyllic village, which is built around the church Of our Lady of Sorrows (1652). The church was named after the painting of the Mother of Sorrows, for which it was claimed, that it has been brought here by the crusaders, directly from the Holy land (Jerusalem, Palestine) in the 13th century. Next to the church you can find the Jeruzalem mansion, which has been converted into a boutique hotel with a rich botanical garden.Varaždin is the city of baroque, young people, music, flowers and bicycles. „Little Vienna“ with rich natural legacy interwoven in parks, a must see destination, located in the North of Croatia on the southern bank of the River Drava.

They take their wines very seriously here and a lot of families live off a combination of wine production and tourism. Therefore it is no surprise that the area is famous for its high quality wines with long traditions. Thanks to the great diversity and varieties of white wines produced in this area, you can truly say that Jeruzalem-Ljutomer-Ormož is a true symphony of whites! Wine lovers, and especially white wines lovers, will discover a true Slovenian paradise here among incredible nature.

VARAZDIN (Croatia)

With 46.946 inhabitants and the average annual temperature of 10°C, the city of Varaždin is one of the most attractive destinations to live in or to visit in Croatia. It is the tourist, cultural, economical, educational and sporting centre of North-western Croatia.

The nine-times winner of the award presented by the National Tourism Board, the nomination for the Golden Flower of Europe and holder of 11 „Green Flowers“; the national award, all for the most ordered, appointed and maintained destination, speak in favour of Varaždin being the city of pleasant emotions.

The city of angels, colourful and magical events; the most famous ones Špancirfest - the Street Festival of good emotions in summer and the classical music festival -Varaždin Baroque Evenings which celebrates music, baroque architectural inheritance and authentic instruments, in autumn.

Not to mention a lovely lunch in Vidovec based on Sarma and some great slovenian or Croatian wine!

The Municipality of Vidovec is known for production of Varaždin cabbage which takes primary place in the production of agricultural products, while other cultures include potatoes, pumpkin, celery and kale. Cabbage is planted on a surface of 251.692 ha and its production has a longstanding tradition.

Tour of Graz - Austria

The Styrian capital Graz, with roots dating back to the Roman Age, lies on either side of River Mur. Graz is well known for its striking buildings and architecture.

Graz, the capital of Styria and Austria's second largest city, is nestled in the south of the country and is a vibrant city with a population of 250,000. Here, culture, culinary delights and trendy design take centre stage on both sides of the River Mur. Its reputation of being a lively, modern cultural place earned it the title of Cultural Capital of Europe 2003, and with a population of 250,000, it has a great number of interesting sights ranging from old and time-honored to dynamic and modern. Its beautiful historical centre (a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site) is a colourful smorgasbord of different influences, from the Baroque to the Renaissance, Art Deco and Medieval.

Graz clock tower at sunset, Graz, Styria, Austria

Classic panorama view of the historic city of Graz with famous Grazer Uhrturm clock tower in beautiful evening light at sunset, Styria, Austria

Aerial view on Graz city in Austria

Aerial view on Graz city in Austria

Aerial view on Graz city in Austria. Tilt-shift image technic

Aerial view on Graz city in Austria. Tilt-shift image technic

River Mur with the artificial floating platform Mur island

River Mur with the artificial floating platform Mur island (Murinsel) in the middle and old buildings on the river bank. Graz, Austria.

Panorama of Graz city in Austria

Landmarks such as the late-gothic cathedral is reminiscent of the times when Graz was still an imperial seat, and the baroque Mausoleum of Emperor Kaiser Ferdinand II next door is an equally impressive sight. Universalmuseum Joanneum, donated by prince Johann at the beginning of the 19th century, is Austria's largest provincial museum and spotlights nature, culture and arts in Styria, whereas the Murinsel is an artificial floating platform in the middle of the Mur. It was constructed by the New York artist and designer Vito Acconci on the occasion of Graz becoming the 2003 European Capital of Culture.