We have the US to thank for the myth of the magic of the open road. Stretching in front of us, inviting exploration, always (in our imaginations at least) empty. Travelling this road doesn’t just open up new vistas, new places to discover; it also lures us with the promise of new beginnings, even new versions of ourselves.
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One morning in Budapest we spent wandering the city’s Jewish Quarter. In the early 2000s this area underwent a revival, with the famous ruin bars springing up in courtyards of buildings slated for demolition and a mixed community moving into the area to open shops and restaurants, create art or simply to live.
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While we enjoyed exploring Buda, and loved the views of the Danube and Pest beyond, it was the latter that we spent the most time in. We stayed there, we ate and drank there, we visited museums and we wandered its streets.
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When I spotted the Light Art Museum on the map, a short walk from the apartment we were renting, it quickly rose to one of our must-see sights. The museum is 'one of the first exhibition spaces in the world to specialise specifically in the collection ... and display of works of this character.'
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Budapest is a city of two halves; so much so that it was once two cities, Buda and Pest, separated by the River Danube. Although now united as one, each has its own characteristics. Buda is hilly, with historic buildings, panoramic views, and winding streets.
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It has been hard to find ‘perfect’ days this past June. It started too cool and too dull, then in the space of a few days transformed itself to an extreme heatwave. Temperatures hit 35 Celsius and the high humidity made life in London pretty tough. Such is a our changing climate, unfortunately, and England wasn’t built for heat.
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Galle Fort is not only, as the name suggests, a fortification; it holds within its ramparts a beautifully preserved/restored colonial town. The town was founded by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century. Later it became the southern headquarters of the British colonial rule.
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There are no guarantees of whale sightings, as anyone who has ventured out on a whale-watching trip must know. Nature always has the upper hand and may surprise, delight or disappoint. Yet whatever you see, or don’t see, a day out on the water is always a pleasure.
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As photographers we are trying to convey three-dimensional scenes and objects on a flat two-dimensional surface, whether paper or screen, and we can use similar tricks to those of the Renaissance artists. Lines that converge on a point close to the horizon (‘leading lines’) create a sense of distance, as do receding objects.
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Kandy is Sri Lanka’s second largest city after Colombo and was listed by UNESCO in 1988. It has a long and proud history. It was the last stronghold of Sinhalese independence, resisting both Portuguese and Dutch rule long after the rest of the island had been conquered.
