To paraphrase Avery Sawyer in Notes to Self –
I couldn´t imagne living in a place that wasn´t near the sea.
It´s like a giant reset button.
I can go to the edge of the land, see infinity and feel renewed.
This post is my response to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Renewal
Related posts:
East of Málaga: So near, yet so far away
The Buddhist Stupa of the Eastern Costa del Sol
All Things Bright and Geometrical
Last week, it was my great pleasure to pay a return visit to the Mezquita in the UNESCO Historic Centre of Córdoba, where I was delighted to capture these dazzling sunbeams making their geometric patterns against the famous red and white arches.
Isn´t nature wonderful?
This post is my response to the WordPress Photo Challenge: GEOMETRIC ; Travel Theme: BRIGHT and this week´s Sunday Post: WONDERFUL.
Related posts from:
According to this website: “Color is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it’s a powerful psychological tool. By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.
Psychology of Color: Blue
Ask people their favorite color and a clear majority will say blue. Much of the world is blue (skies, seas). Seeing the color blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming; but that isn’t true of all shades of blue. Some shades (or too much blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Many bedrooms are blue because it’s a calm, restful color. Over the ages blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty (note how many uniforms are blue). People tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand. Some studies are showing that weight lifters can lift more weight in a blue gym – in fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings.”
The best examples of restored “Don Quixote” Spanish windmills can be found in Consuegra, not far from Toledo in central Spain, where several mills spike the hill just outside of town. I certainly had some tilting to do, to capture not only the sails, but also the magnificent blue of the wide open sky.
This blue painted door can be found in The Lost Village of Acebuchal, situated in the heart of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Almara Natural Park. The village, which sits on the traditional muleteers’ route between Granada and Malaga was abandoned and in ruins from 1949 to 1998, but has now been beautifully renovated, restoring the original style.
When I bought my new Canon Powershot SX220HS camera back in June, I was playing around with the low-light setting, and managed to capture the beautiful blue plumbago plant growing in my garden. It´s such a pretty colour.
A few weeks ago, I travelled to the village of Colmenar to meet up with another local blogger. Whilst I was waiting in the square opposite the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) at the appointed time, I couldn´t help but notice this couple sitting on a nearby bench, deep in discussion. My eye was drawn to the colour of the woman´s clothing, which was the most amazing shade of blue.
This street-sign in the nearby white village of Torrox always makes me smile. Beso in Spanish means “kiss” – so this is Kiss Street!
My final image for this month´s Photo Challenge is from my home village of Cómpeta, and shows a pretty balcony, filled with flowers, against the deep blue painted windows as their background.
** Alyson at the Algarve Blog is a very talented artist and, along with her hubby Dave (a peanut-butter-loving photographer), give regular glimpses into their expat life in southern Portugal.
I am particularly enjoying reading Aly´s A – Z of Portugal, where she takes each letter of the alphabet and writes a different post using the letter as the basis for a post, about things she cares for in Portugal. This is a very easy blog to read, with many stunning photographs, which always makes me glad that Portugal is an easy drive from my home in southern Spain.
** Talking of a friendly blog with great photos leads me on to my next choice – the Lucid Gypsy. Gilly describes herself as “a middle aged techno hen with a passion for travel, writing, reading and well, life” – and is very busy working full time, studying and crafting pretty things in the beautiful south west of England.
Gilly loves taking part in Word and Photo Challenges and is always quick to leave an encouraging comment. Why not pop over and say HELLO to her?
So that´s the CBBH Photo Challenge for November, folks!
Remember, all you have to do is post your entry by the end of the month, link back to this blog and, most importantly, don´t forget to add links to any two blogs that you´ve commented on during the past month, so that we can all HOP OVER and have a look. Make sure you FOLLOW THIS BLOG so you don´t miss next month´s exciting challenge!
For more information on how the CBBH Photo Challenge works click here.
I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite! I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations.
[CBBH logo Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]
Customs and celebrations to honour the end of the harvest, the change of the seasons and the passage of life into death come together in many notable traditions at this time of the year.
The festival of Todos los Santos (All Saints´ day) is celebrated throughout Spain as a national holiday on November 1st each year.
Although the American-style “ghosts and ghouls” type of Halloween is now creeping into the Spanish calendar each year (sadly), traditionally this time is celebrated here in a different form, as “El Día de los Muertos” or the “Day of the Dead” .
The three-day event, beginning on the evening of October 31 and ending on November 2 (All Souls´ day) sees cemeteries packed with families paying homage to their dead. Family members tend the gravestones of their loved ones by painting, weeding and cleaning them, and by placing fresh flowers and candles.
We often visit our local cemetery on November 1st, and apart from the sheer number of people, the first thing that always strikes me is the overwhelming fragrance of fresh flowers.
Family members of all ages arrive carrying vases, buckets, bottles of water, cleaning items, candles and arms full of flowers. The atmosphere is not at all solemn and the sound of chatter is everywhere, with people greeting each other with kisses and hugs. Each member of the family plays their part in the cleaning and tending of the grave and, when they were finally satisfied, they wandered around the cemetery, looking at other graves to remember the dead, before leaving.
What I particularly like about this lovely Spanish tradition is that all of the frightening aspects of the afterlife are taken out of it. This is a commemoration for loved ones with nothing ghoulish or scary involved. Exactly as it should be, in my opinion.
How do you honour loved ones who have passed away, in your part of the world?
Here are some other posts that I hope you might enjoy:
The heart of Cómpeta: El Paseo de las Tradiciones
The Buddhist Stupa of the Eastern Costa del Sol
There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
This simple sculpture of a world map (mapa mundi) can be found within the grounds of Málaga´s Botanical Gardens.
Being an English expat living in Spain, many things that I once might have considered foreign, have now become the norm.
Besides, the concept of “foreign” is all relative, isn´t it?
So, here are some things that you might think are foreign, but which are now part of everyday life here in amazing Andalucía!
This young girl was wearing her Yo Soy Español (I am Spanish) tee shirt to watch the Spanish national team play football on TV during Euro 2012, at the La Noche de San Juan celebrations.
Sunshine, the blue Mediterranean Sea and palm trees off the Balcón de Europa in Nerja, Spain.
Stunning yellow blooms of a cactus plant.
Herbs and spices for sale at a Spanish street market.
Delicious paella, freshly-made each day over wooden fires.
Street sign in the village of Torrox, which claims to have the best climate in Europe (mejor clima de Europa).
This post is my response to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign.
Other photo challenges you might enjoy:
CBBH monthly Photo challenge: Windows
Weekly Photo challenge: Near and Far
East of Málaga 