Gallery: pick a word (August)
The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson’s is a maxim I would do well to follow, but I too rarely succeed in doing so. Anyone who reads my blog posts regularly will know that I’m more likely to do the opposite and use THREE words when one would do!
So it’s good for me now and then to be challenged to keep it brief. Paula’s monthly Pick a Word challenge does just that. Five words, five photos inspired by those words. I may not stick to just her five words, but I will as usual try to be succinct while also giving a bit of context to my choices.
INFINITE
Road through the Al Nejd desert, Oman
The Empty Quarter is as close to ‘infinite’ as I have seen anywhere. Otherwise known as Rub’ Al Khali, it is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world. It effectively separates the southern countries of the region, Yemen and Oman, from the rest of the Middle East. This is the road through the Al Nejd desert in Oman, on the Empty Quarter’s southern fringes. There is little to see here but I found the landscape mesmerising.
LAGOON
Flamingos in the Ria Formosa, near Faro
I took this photo while on a boat trip in the lagoon of the Ria Formosa near Faro on Portugal’s Algarve coast. This natural park covers a number of barrier islands linked to the sea through six inlets. It protects Faro’s harbour and is used for oyster farming, while also being an important refuge for bird life.
MANE
Lion at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent
The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, south east England ‘provides sanctuary and excellent conditions for the successful breeding of the beautiful, yet endangered cats both large and small within the co-ordinated global breeding programmes.’ It is not a zoo. Visiting is by appointment only, on occasional open days or for special experiences. This beautiful lion, Kasanga, was rescued from circus work in France by Woburn Safari Park and later moved here.
SHOREWARD
The Street, Whitstable
Also in Kent, this is part of the shingle beach in Whitstable known as the Street. It’s a naturally formed spit of land that extends into the sea and can be walked on at low tide. Some of these walkers are walking away from the land towards the sea, but others have turned and are walking shoreward!
SMOKING
In Havana, Cuba
On the streets of Havana in Cuba you come across locals, men and women (but more of the latter) dressed in traditional outfits. They are hoping to earn tips by posing for tourist photos, and I was happy to oblige. These things may seem like tourist traps, but I always see them as a win-win; the local can earn a bit of money in return for their time while I can take photos I might not otherwise get.
32 Comments
Paula
Sarah, your photos are really beautiful. I am so glad you have joined in 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Paula 😊 And thanks too for hosting such a stimulating challenge!
rkrontheroad
The smoker is a fabulous portrait (and she looks like she knows it!). I also really like the shoreward idea of coming and going. I’d like to wander there.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m sure she does know it, if only by the number of paying customers she gets each day 🙂 Whitstable is one of our favourite coastal towns, a walk by the sea there is always lovely!
SoyBend
That woman in Havana looks like quite a character. Nice portrait of her, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
She was – in fact, all the people we saw doing this (there were several other women and at least one man) seemed to be characters!
Sandy
Lovely. My favorites were the last two. Smoking for obvious reasons and Shoreward because of the picture perfect end point in perspective
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sandy 🙂 Yes, ‘Smoking’ is right up your street! I took ‘Shoreward’ from a cafe where we took refuge in the rain, unlike all those hardy walkers!
Teresa
Awesome photos for the given words 👍
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Teresa 😊
carabeinsplash
Great photos! From one part of the world that is so dry and barren to one that is full of water and inhabitants. Love the lion photo. He looks so soft.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, so glad you liked them 😊 The lion may look soft but I’ll let you go first in petting him!!
carabeinsplash
Hahaha! Thanks! Maybe he’s not that soft after all. 😀
Annie Berger
wonderful collection of photos, Sarah. For once, my ‘favorite’ is a local one – the one of the shingle beach in Whitstable as the spit looked like a place that would have drawn Steven and myself. Plus, had never heard of a ‘shingle beach’ before. Also drawn to the woman in Havana and your philosophy to support a woman’s desire to support herself while also your being able to take a photo you couldn’t have taken. Will remember that in the future when I’m in the same position on our travels.
Toonsarah
Thank you Annie. Many of our beaches in that area, and long the south coast, are shingle rather than sand, this is quite typical. Glad you liked the Havana shot too 😀
bluebrightly
I’m forever trying to pare down my prose, too. 😉 The two one-word images that are worth a thousand words to me are ‘Shoreward’ and ‘Smoking.’ Wonderful!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 I’m afraid I don’t even try to pare it down much of the time, although I sometimes feel that I should!
Marilyn Armstrong
I like the symbolism AND the cigar 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Haha, thank you Marilyn 🙂
thehungrytravellers.blog
I’m not sure I can subscribe to Jefferson’s view – well, not with the written word, anyway. Great photos and pairings here again though Sarah, and you even managed to catch the North Sea on a day when it looks blue instead of its more usual brown! Love that Havana picture, one of those photos which makes you wish you knew the subject’s story.
Sarah Wilkie
No, me either – as is obvious to anyone reading my blog! Glad you enjoyed these and yes, the lady in Havana probably has a few stories to tell 🙂
Margaret
Succinct 😊
Sarah Wilkie
Unusually for me!
Aletta - nowathome
Stunning photos for this prompt Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thank you ☺
Mike and Kellye Hefner
Interesting shots and fitting of the words. Another winning post, my friend!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much 😊
margaret21
What is it about Whitstable that makes it so instantly recognisable? I’ve only been there once, but I always knw when I see a shot of it! Given your travels, I was surprised to see your lion had come from pretty much next door to there. An interesting place? A great assembly of shots here!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret 🙂 The Big Cat Sanctuary was amazing to visit for both of us, as we love these animals. On our special overnight experience we got to help with feeding tigers and snow leopards, and even went into a cheetah enclosure and were able to pat him!
margaret21
Eeeh! Rather you than me I think! Some special experiences are best left to others. Really interesting though.
Anne Sandler
Love “The Street” Sarah. What a great natural phenomena.
Sarah Wilkie
It is – I’m always surprised it stays pretty much in place, it looks as if it would be so vulnerable to the power of the sea!