Nostalgia part 2 - Fuerteventura

And while I still feel this mood, here are a few more of my favourite images from a favourite holiday...




(2004)

Paris

I am feeling nostalgic today; looking at some old photographs. Here are two which M took of me in Paris, in August 2003. It seems like decades ago.



I feel as if I look impossibly young, fit, happy and carefree...

In Aya Sofya / Sancta Sophia

A few photographs from Ramsgate

Crap hotels are photogenic

Is it odd that I'd prefer to stay in the crap hotel because there are more photo opportunities there than in the nice one?

Istanbul hotels, part 2

Having a ciggie in the first hotel:


Watercolour painting from a digital camera at the second hotel:

The terrace of the second hotel. (Blue Mosque in the background):

Istanbul Hotels

M wasn't too impressed by the hotel we'd booked in Istanbul. Mainly due to a particularly crappy bathroom, although as we learnt later that's because every bathroom in Istanbul is particularly crappy. Compared to some places I've stayed in it was actually rather luxurious, but I guess it's all relative...

Here's a photograph in the bathroom - where M refused to have a shower for the first two days. Eventually we found another hotel to spend the last night in. A bit of an indulgence, but worth it (even though it too had a pretty crappy bathroom).


Breakfast at the first hotel wasn't much to write home about. I wish I'd taken a photograph at the second hotel (Hotel Nomade) because it was the most incredible breakfast of fruit, cake, fresh bread and pastries, yoghurt, juices etc etc that I've ever seen in a hotel ever... But here's the first hotel:
An infinitely less exciting breakfast than the one just described. I'm glad that this one came first.

Mosques are difficult to photograph

(Istanbul)

Canterbury

M and I went to Canterbury with O, C and S, visiting from Spain. I hadn't been there since 1978 (not that I remember much from then). It's lovely too.

Ramsgate

A couple of weekends ago M and I went to Ramsgate. It's surprisingly lovely.

Motorway stop, Spain.

Travel, scan dysmorphia

I think I'm going to develop some sort of travel dysmorphia. I always seem to be one trip behind with my scanning. At the moment I'm scanning images of Murcia and Madrid (taken a few weeks ago) whilst thinking and writing about the trip to Istanbul (taken last weekend). I'm beginning to forget which ones I'm scanning and which ones I'm posting...

Here's another Auto view in Madrid. (Very disimilar to Istanbul):

A cup of tea in Istanbul

Sapient Iguana enjoys a cup of tea on a terrace in Istanbul. (A series by M).

Spot the photographer

Any good traveller will tell you that part of the art of travelling is to blend in with the surroundings - to do as the locals do and, for the security conscious, to keep a low profile. Have a look at the following photo. If you look very carefully you'll see sapient iguana. Notice how he manages to blend into the surrounding crowd.


(photo by M)

Istanbul

M and I were in Istanbul at the weekend. I lugged around the Mamiya 7ii and Leica for the four days - M had a little digital Olympus in her small bag... My photos are still being developed, so I've included a few of M's photos. Crossing the Bospherous on a ferry:

I know it's a bit of a cliche, but it really is difficult to tell whether Istanbul is a part of Europe or a part of Asia. It feels both - one or the other - depending on where you are and what you're doing.

Obnoxious camera toting tourist gets in face of other tourist:
Some observations:
- big groups of men and boys. Women stick together too, but it's mainly the men out and about
- lots of friendly people (not sure if that's because we looked like we might purchase something)
- in central Istanbul people speak really good English (and Spanish)
- the "Polis" carry machine-guns and don't look afraid to use them
- the entrance fee to all national momuments is YTL10 (£4.40), regardless of the size or significance of the monument
- there's a surprising ethnic mix; ginger hair, for example
- lots of short little fat kids (too many meatballs?)
- enormous crowds everywhere (although, to be fair, it was Eid - end of Ramadan - and some national holidays were in force)
- lots of pushing and shoving getting on to ferries / trams etc
- some regions of Istanbul are more conservative Muslim than others (full black hijabs)
- lots of stray cats and dogs living happily amongst everyone (reminded me of Greece)
- Passport control is a bit heavy handed on the way in and on the way out

Photo of a fat tourist (the very same sapient iguana) eating a fish roll next to the Galata bridge (note to M - photography 101 - don't have pole growing out of subject's head):

Travelling and scanning and travelling...

I've spent the best part of today scanning transparencies .. oh the bliss of an entire day off work to myself!

I wish I had the time to do something else with all these images... This one is from Murcia:


Tomorrow M and I are flying to Istanbul, for four days, assuming the fog lifts for long enough to allow the plane to take off ...

In an effort to restore some balance to my life I'm now working a nine day fortnight; about an hour extra each day at work which adds up to a day off once a fortnight. Today is one of those days; I think I might need a few more to get up to date with all the scanning, nevertheless I'll post a few from what I've done today, and perhaps a few more as I plough through them.

On the Costa Blanca: