Kelly Moore Love

I'm so glad to hear from the comments on my last post that I'm not the only one that gives directions based on old landmarks!  If we all stick together, we can convince others that our way is best! ;-)

I was going to wait and post this tomorrow, but after reading a post today (more on that later) I decided that the fates were telling me to post this tonight!  See that beautiful leather bag in the photo above?  Well that is my lovely new Kelly Moore camera bag.  The truth is that it's not all that new now, you see I bought it just before we left for Europe last month.

If you don't think that a trip to Europe, with the responsibility of carrying all of my camera gear won't break in a new bag in a big hurry, well you'd be very wrong, I put this baby to the test, and it passed with flying colors!

But there is more to this bag than just good looks...though it does look uber chic in the 2 photos above as it is enjoying the views of the Neckar River from the terrace at our hotel in Heidelberg, Germany doesn't it?!  Just me and Kelly, my gear, and a cool San Pellegrino...so worldly isn't she?!

Yeah, she's a seasoned traveler now, but before she flew across the ocean, visited lovely train stations, and learned a little French and German, she had quite a story to tell.

I think you can tell a lot about a company not only from their products, but how they treat their customers.  In my frantic, and frugal ways, I thought I would simply use my big camera backpack for our trip, but then in a moment of panic just days before we left I had a change of heart and went searching for the perfect camera bag which wouldn't be too bulky and could disguise itself as a purse...providing me with everything I needed to look cool while still being able to capture everything I wanted on our trip.

I went online and searched for reviews or anything I could find on camera bags that would suit my needs and I kept coming back to Kelly Moore bags.  The reviews were good...check #1, and they were just so darned amazing looking...check #2...so I was sold!

I went online to the Kelly Moore website and found that the bag I wanted, the B-Hobo was out of stock in the color that I really wanted (Walnut), so I decided on the mustard color instead.  Off my order went into cyberspace, and then I realized that I probably should have opted for a faster shipping method...so I wrote them an email and asked if they could expedite my shipment...No Problem was the happy reply I received back, so I was already loving this company who would now have to scramble to help me out for being dumb and not ordering it the faster way to begin with.


 

I was content...well for a few hours anyway, but I really wanted that walnut brown bag, so I did a Google search and low and behold there it was, in stock, calling my name but on another website...Adorama's website to be exact.

Now I know what you are thinking, fickle me, just suck it up and get your mustard bag and quit being so picky right?!  Nope, I wrote Kelly Moore again, and instead of getting what I deserved...a nasty gram saying, "look lady, make up your *&%^ mind!"  I got a lovely note that said, "sure, no problem, we can cancel your order and let you purchase it from Adorama, and we will refund your credit card right away!"  Oh baby, can you say customer for life...of course that was before I had even checked out the bag to see if it was worth its salt.

After wearing, stuffing, re-stuffing, and hauling my beautiful walnut brown Kelly Moore bag from castles to opera houses, up and down steps, over cobblestones, through train stations (like the gorgeous Strasbourg train station pictured in this post), through airports and beyond, I can unequivocally say that this bag rocks!

It held my passport, cell phone, tickets, credit cards, money, lip gloss, perfume, brochures...oh yeah, and my camera gear too, which included a big honkin' L series 100-400 mm telephoto lens, my 5D Mark II body, my L series 24-70 mm go to lens, my remote, spare batteries, and both lens hoods.  And it was easy peasy to grab things when I needed them, change out lenses, and it made me look like I knew what the heck I was doing!

In all seriousness, I can't say enough good things about this bag, I love it and I would carry it as my everyday purse if I wasn't terrified of wearing it out...which I doubt will happen, but when you find something you love, you want to have it always!  Yup, that's how I feel about this bag.  

But what I love most about this bag is how nicely I was treated by the company that makes it.  I was given the royal treatment and that makes me love it even more!  Tonight when I went about my usual blog reading I came across a post on Di's Blog about Kelly Moore.  It seems that she is more than just a great photographer, bag designer, and accomplished business woman...she's a pretty special person too...click HERE and you'll see what I mean, good things really do come to good people!

And for those of you in need of an amazing and truly workable camera bag that kicks butt, go HERE and order yourself one, you won't regret it, I promise!

Missing Europe

 Castle Heidelberg Germany

We arrived home from Germany and France late last night.  Today I am dragging anchor a little bit, but not too much.

 View of Castle on the hill from the town of Heidelberg

To say we had a good time would be a gross understatement.  When we boarded the plane yesterday in Frankfurt, we were both excited to see our son and our puppies, but sad to leave all that Europe has to offer.

 Statue in the old part of Heidelberg

We got to see so many beautiful places, immerse ourselves in the cultures of two beautiful countries, and we even met some wonderful people along the way...and isn't that what vacation is all about?!

 View from the castle looking down on old town Heidelberg

While Mr. Tide worked in Heidelberg for the first few days, I wandered the town, taking pictures and drinking in its beauty, which was everywhere you looked.

 Cafe in Heidelberg, Germany

I stopped in cafes along side streets and sipped mineral water and nibbled on croissants as I watched the world go by.

Bridge in Heidelberg 

By night, the city took on an almost fairytale like quality, and I kept my tripod and camera with me at all times so that I could capture the magic of it all.

 Flower Market in Strasbourg, France

After our time in Heidelberg, it was time to take the train somewhere, anywhere...and just a day before we would leave Germany we agreed to go to Strasbourg, France...it was a very good decision!

 Flower stall Strasbourg France

The city of Strasbourg is a lovely mix of German and French cultures, and because flowers are such a part of the French lifestyle, the flower stalls on Saturday were a feast for the eyes.  I think I took 30 pictures alone of this one stall!

  L'ill Canal which runs through Strasbourg

Strasbourg is another story book city, and in the evening, when the sun is low, it is truly breathtaking. 

 Beautiful Doorway in Strasbourg

You can lose yourself here, and feel as though you've been transported back in time.  Can't you just imagine the people who have come and gone through this doorway for hundreds of years?  I took a whole series of door pictures while in France...so many amazing details!

 Ceiling above the altar in Strasbourg's Notre-Dame Cathedral

And speaking of amazing details...the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is almost beyond comprehension!  I spent over 2 hours photographing it...both inside and out, on one of the days we were there!  I think it is one of the most beautiful and painstakingly intricate structures I've ever visited!

 Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle France

On our last afternoon in Strasbourg, we headed south to the fabled wine route in Alsace and stopped at the Castle of Haut Koenigsbourg.  I will likely do a whole post on this amazing castle, but above is a glimpse at some of the intricately carved furnishings which grace nearly every room.

 Riquewihr France

After our tour of the castle, we headed to one of the small towns along the wine route called Riquewihr.  It was as if it had sprung right from the pages of Beauty and The Beast!

 Flower box (with texture applied) Riquewihr France

Riquewihr is a charming village with narrow hilly streets and half timbered houses dotted with overflowing flower boxes.

 Wine cellar in Riquewihr France

We were lucky enough to sample 3 different wines in a family owned cellar which dates back to the 16th Century.  The wines were all delicious, and they are only sold in France, as it is a small winery...I wish we had had room in our luggage to bring back a few bottles.

 Fountain Riquewihr

Everywhere you looked there were beautiful flowers and bubbling fountains.  I hope we can spend more time on our next trip to France just visiting these charming villages along the wine route in Alsace.

Tower Frankfurt Germany

After leaving France, it was off to Frankfurt to catch our flight home.  Frankfurt is an interesting city with a mix of old and new.  Historic buildings stand next to towering modern structures such as the space needle styled building pictured above.

Old Opera House Frankfurt Germany

The old opera house in Frankfurt is lovely, especially at night.  We dined nearby and waited for the sun to go down so that I could get some good shots after dark.

Cathedral Notre Dame Strasbourg France

One of the most interesting and beautiful things we saw while on our trip happened purely by accident.  I was taking pictures in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg when a gentlemen approached us and asked us in French if we knew about the green light.  I studied french years ago in high school, and let's just say that my speaking skills are rather lacking, but I am able to understand at least some of what is said to me.  

The man went on to explain that each year during the equinox, the sun is at a perfect position to cast a green glow onto the Christ figure on a podium at the side of the church.  The green color is caused by the stained glass panel which is perfectly aligned to do this just twice a year, and we happened to be there on that very day.  He told Mr. Tide and me where to sit in order to get the best view of this special event.  Apparently it's quite a big deal as there was a video camera crew and a speaker who explained the events which were about to unfold.  There was a speech, and the organ also played several songs...very impressive as it's a huge pipe organ that reverberates around the entire cathedral.

I set up the tripod and waited, and at noon time the green light began to filter into the church and it began on one side of the podium and slowly traveled until it rested on the carving of the crucifix.  Then after a few moments, it continued down the podium and onto the floor.  It was a very moving thing to see, and I'm so thankful the man took the time to tell us, or we likely would have left, never knowing what we would have missed.  This same man went on to take us around the cathedral giving us a sort of private tour full of interesting details about the cathedral and its meaning.  I love these chance encounters which seem to happen to me each time I travel, they are so very special and will remain with me forever.

I took literally hundreds of pictures during our trip, and I will be spending the next several days trying to process them and choosing the best ones to send to the gallery and to share with all of you.

I hope each of you had a wonderful week while we were gone and that your week is going well so far.  

Tonight I will be dreaming of France and Germany, and missing those two beautiful countries.  I feel so very fortunate to live where I do, but also to be able to travel to other parts of the world and enjoy all that they have to offer.  

I believe that it is through travel that we truly find ourselves.