Street Vendors

 It was obviously a slow day for these street vendors outside Giardini Reali and the Giardinetti vaporetto stop. 

The guy in the first few pictures was selling paintings of the local landmarks. He was aware that I was taking his picture but I was grateful that he did not actively pose for me, and after three shots I left him alone.

The second guy was selling basic tourist tat and after spending a little time reading his newspaper he actually moved his chair into a sunny spot and went to sleep, at one point I thought he might fall off his chair but he woke with a start, checked his stall and then calmly leant back and closed his eyes once again.

I imagine that later in the season he will have to keep a closer eye on things as the place will likely be heaving with tourists.

Having looked at these pictures once again I am wondering whether I could pull off the pork pie hat and wayfarers look. I am sure I have a pair of sunglasses like that somewhere...

A Gentle Pace

 Here on Burano cars are not allowed so the main form of transport is by boat and every household appears to own one, and unlike in the city of Venice itself, here on Burano bicycles are allowed.

The absence of traffic, the colourful buildings and the pleasant climate creates a relaxed atmosphere for locals and visitors alike. It is a real gem and definitely worth a visit.

The neighbouring island, Murano, is famous for glass making but Burano is famous for lace making and there are several places where you can buy traditional lace goods. The genuine article is very expensive although the quality is exceptional. I sound like I know what I am talking about and having been "dragged" around several of the specialist shops I should know.

A Somnolent Posture

When I was younger I used to enjoy listening to the monologues of Stanley Holloway and in particular the stories of Albert and the Lion which I memorised.

When I was at the zoo and I saw this lion laid out on this log I recalled the line "He lay in a somnolent posture with the side of his face on the bars..." The lion in the poem was Clarence and obviously a "he" and the lion in this shot is obviously a "she"  but it definitely fits the bill.

Out of the Jungle

My favourite character from The Jungle Book was Bagheera the panther and my favourite big cat is the Jaguar (Pantera Onca). At Chester Zoo they have a great enclosure for the Jaguars as part of their conservation program. 

The black panther was outdoors, sheltering in a small cave and at first it was quite difficult to see and this picture was taken using my 150 - 600 mm lens fully extended. I like the fact that s/he was looking directly at the camera.

The other one was indoors looking very regal and relaxed and although in full view I had to shoot these pictures through the glass. It was difficult to get a clear shot without reflection but I think I did OK, in fact the final crop is better than OK and I am very pleased with this portrait of one of my favourite animals.

Top Cat

These really are magnificent cats, they're quite literally Grrrrrrrrrreat!

Sorry about that, I couldn't resist it.

Like the lions in yesterdays pictures these Siberian Tigers were relaxing in the afternoon sun.  In spite of the bright colours and striking pattern of stripes the orange and black are a superb camouflage.  Earlier in the day it had been really difficult to spot these cats because they were hidden in the undergrowth, it wasn't until later in the day that they came out and it was possible to get these shots.