While doing the yearly (...) backup, i found some quite old pictures. One from I think the woods around Vienna, and 3 from a really great hiking and climbing spot - the Traunstein. You can guess, which picture belongs to which place ;-)

 

 

Today something more quiet, nice piano line included.

... long time no write. Last year I've been in croatia on excursion twice. The first time together with a fieldherping-group of ÖGH and the second time in august together with BIUS-students in the Papuk Nature Park. From the latter there are more or less no pictures even though it has been a really great group and trip.

So there's only Krk left, where i could nourish my in-situ-clicking-fetish. That means, all pictures are shot without manipulating the animals. First of all, the usual supects in croatia for in situ-clicking: Podarcis siculus, a really thankful motive. Let's start with horny guys and an annoyed girl:

 

 

I'm quite happy about the following pictures. Both are Hierophis - species, which means they are really fast and shy animals, and almost each time you register them, they already did the same with you 3 seconds earlier -- and you won't see more than a blur vanishing into preferably thorny bushes. Usually, if you want to get a closer look on them, you need the throw yourself, in a little suicidal way, in direction of the snake in the very second you realise something moving -- regardingless if it's Karst, thorny bushes, or a cliff half a meter behind it. Buuut -- as far as i want to click them "in situ", that's no option, so there's loooots of patience required.

 

Left: Hierophis gemonensis, a bit easier to click, and right Hierophis viridiflavus. Still lots of space to improve, but i'm happy with those two for now.

 

Also always impessive guys are Lacerta trilineata, the biggest lizard species on the Balkan peninsula. They're also really suspicious bastards, and getting them with a maco-lens includes lots of veery slow crawling through the balkanese flora, which, as i already pointed out, includes lots of pointy stuff :-)

 

 

At last, two jewels of Krk -- the smiley-Orchid (name to be provided) and Algyroides nigropunctatus, also a very thankful fellow in terms of photographing.

 

... aand, traditionally, the random music reference: Emilie autumn - Schiller/Heppner - Skindred aaand a Clip of Frau Plaschg, which you just can't fit into words.. just watch it. 

 

Ok, and to get it out of the mind again: Franz fährt Ferarri ;-)

... a short recommendation for friends of via ferrata...s, ouch, vie ferrate, at least Wikipedia says so..: The "Lustige Bergler Steig"! It's close to Innsbuck, provides really amazing views, lots of up- & down altitude difference and up to 4 (or more) peaks to reach in one day :-) We managed, let's say, 3 and a half, or 2 and a half, i don't remember that well ;-)

 

 

And, as far as I -- again -- overwrote a prior topic, here again the reference to "От Бишкека до Алма-Аты" [en subs], the one and only song for, well, the trip from Bishkek to Almaty :-)