Mini Stories

Do you know the feeling when your weekend trip itinerary is packed because you just want to see it all, but you wake up in the morning and just aren’t in the mood? Instead of exploring all the magical corners of the city, you prefer to take it slow. That’s exactly what happened on my recent trip to Vienna. I looked through the window at the golden leaves and the grey sky and I found myself craving the cozy warmth of October—something the hotel buffet simply couldn’t provide. For an authentic Viennese experience, I decided to do what the locals do on Saturday morning – visited the farmers’ market. Slow-travel in the Karmeliter Quarter Karmelitermarkt is located in Leopoldstadt, Vienna’s second district (2. Bezirk) surrounded by Danube River and Danube Canal. While it might not be mentioned as one of city highlights, it is one of the oldest markets in the city and it is definitely worth visiting if you’re staying for a few days. Although it is not exactly a hidden gem unknown to tourists, it is mostly visited by locals, which gives it very homely feeling. It is famous for its slow-food options, however one can also find spots popular among younger audience: burger places, trendy cafes and bakeries. A Taste of Autumn The place was filled with seasonal charm. Shoppers, equipped with shopping trolleys were strolling between booths with fresh bread, honey and cheese. Market stalls, covered with striped tent-like roofs, showcased the autumn harvest. Green baskets overflowed with a variety of apple types. Some tables were decorated with asters and dahlias, others with orange mountains of chanterelle mushrooms. Coming there on an empty stomach was dangerous because everything looked and smelled delicious. We found a cozy place to escape the morning chill and eat a heartwarming breakfast. Entering Kaas am Markt felt like being in the grandma’s pantry: shelves were full of glass jars with jam, bottles of fruity sirups, and bags of pasta. The tables were so close to each other, that we ended up sharing space with a digital nomad on a call and a family with teenage kids. It couldn’t have been cozier. There were also a few sits outside and I am sure they are also full on warmer days. Our morning treat – boiled and scrambled eggs, different types of bread, marmalade, coffee and juice was served on traditional hand-painted ceramics from Gmunded. Through the large windows, we had a great view to a bread stall and a flower shop. We were right in the heart of the market. Vienna’s glamour? No, cottage core! I liked the countryside-inspired atmosphere of the market. It was filled with tradition and simplicity, but also with a touch of understated luxury. It was small, clean and nicely organised. Locals from the neighbourhood greeted each other warmly, stopping for friendly chats, while young families gathered for brunch. This experience allowed me to see beyond the usual city glamour of old cafés, palaces, museum and opera houses. It was a snapshot of everyday life of ordinary people – a moment of mindful reflection. What a perfect way to spend an autumn morning in Vienna!

In 2020 Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry organised the Nature Photography Contest. It was the very first photo competition I took part in. The goal was to explore and document the diversity on the campus in Martinsried. This research institute is surrounded by the city forest and fields full of plants and wild animals. Employees built bird tables and squirrels are their frequent guests too. The gardeners make sure that the meadows are not completely cut in summer to leave space for bees and butterflies. And it is not uncommon to meet goose families walking around the pond, which is also a home for fish, dragonflies and moorhens. However, it is very easy to ignore all those wonders if work occupies our minds. The place is like a playground for nature photographers and I spent some afternoons walking around looking for perfect models for my macro shots. I focused on capturing some butterflies and other tiny living creatures. It wasn’t easy to pick images for the competition, because very often my favourite photos are not my best ones. Since each picture required a short description, I picked the ones with the most interesting background stories. Photo 1: Rover’s landing The image shows a Braconid wasp landing on flowers. It is illuminated by a solar lamp, which gives a cosmic feeling to the scenery. Its lifestyle also refers to “invasion”, since it lays eggs inside a host insect and the larvae feed on the host. Photo 2: Light as a feather The common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) – its Latin name refers to mythological Icarus who used birds’ feathers to fly above the sea to escape from Crete island. This butterfly is very tiny with a wingspan of 3.5 cm, which makes it delicate and unnoticeable when flying. It is also very sensitive to strong winds. Photo 3: Sweet as sugar The common blue butterfly – its caterpillars excrete a sweet substance that attracts ants who in turn protect them from predators by bringing them to the nest. The males have completely blue upper sides, whereas females, like the one in the photo, are brown with orange dots and a bit of blueish tint on their bodies. The rest of the photos which didn’t make it to the competition are in the gallery at the end of this post. I didn’t win any prize, but the biggest reward was to see my photos printed and exhibited in the institute’s hallways. I am also much more curious about what is happening in all the hidden corners on the campus. To see the gallery with photos from other contestants, please visit the website of MPI of Biochemistry.

Botanical photography is a beautiful combination of science, technology and art. I follow the work of many photographers in this field and in this post I would like to draw your attention to Samuel Zeller – a photographer based in Switzerland, who published a wonderful book “Botanical”. It is a collection of photos taken in botanical gardens across Europe. What is unique about his project is the new perspective. Most of the photos were taken outside of the green house, through the windows. The glass between the lens and the object adds a new dimension. His photographs are inspired by works of impressionists and sometimes it is hard to say if it is still a photo or actually a painting. To achieve the distortion effect he takes advantage of blurry, opaque glass structure. Smooth lines and shapes are created by water condensation caused by high humidity in tropical houses. Interestingly, he doesn’t show only the plants, but also their (unnatural) environment. Windows and glass doors are used for framing the photo and to create geometric composition. There is a contrast between the cold metal elements and organic shapes of plants. Sometimes it looks like those plants are trapped in a prison and that they are pushing the window trying to escape. I couldn’t ignore the colour palette. The green tones are used as a background, and warm reds and browns are added as accent colours. As it happens with many inspirations, I didn’t actively plan to use it, but I had those images at the back of my head. When the opportunity came I was ready. One day strolling around Frankfurt’s Innenstadt, I saw a restaurant, which windows were the perfect object to try this new style. My photo came out dark and moody, but I managed to use a lot of components from the “Botanical” collection: metal frame, old glass, green tones in the background and red accents. This is definitely one of the favourite photos I have ever taken. I realised that I should try to take pictures not only inside the greenhouse but also outside and to look not only at the exhibition but also at a venue. Now I see much more. I pay attention to the door, windows, handles. It appears that many gardens have beautiful architecture hidden in the botanic jungle. Opening the door to the greenhouse feels now like being part of the book Alice Through the Looking Glass – there is a completely new universe inside and when I look through the lens I forget about the real world around me.  

It all started with a photo. A young woman was posing in front of the mirror and there were many more mirrors behind her on the wall. Initially, I thought it is a famous gallery, museum, or restaurant. The idea to visit such an unusual place was instantly born in my head. Unfortunately, she only mentioned that it was taken in Maxvorstadt or Schwabing (in Munich). I can’t even remember exactly. I tried to find this photo many times but it got lost in millions of others posted every day on Instagram. The mystery remained unsolved. On a cold Sunday in January, I was strolling along Schwabing. No city plan, no idea what I want to see – quite unusual for me. On one of the main streets, completely unprepared, I saw it – a passage with a gallery wall. Instead of paintings, it was full of mirrors. Dirty walls and old black and white tiles were not exactly what I expected. But it didn’t matter, since there were so many shiny mirrors in metal and wooden frames of different sizes. Not surprisingly, there was another woman there taking her portrait photos, so I had to wait for my turn. However, it doesn’t seem like it is the most popular place, not yet! This exhibition is the prelude and invitation to antique store Kunst Oasis nb. 58. On Sundays shops in Germany are closed and I was not even aware that it was there at the time, so I couldn’t visit it. I guess I will have to do it the next time I am in Schwabing.