Every trip, every journey, turns you into a slightly different person than you were before you left. The sights you saw, the experiences you had, the people you met; these are all part of you now.
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A few hours’ drive north of Ecuador’s capital, Quito, is the market town of Otavalo. Like similar towns the world over, market day is traditionally an occasion for local people to come together, to trade goods and probably a fair bit of news and gossip too.
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Whoever came up first with that saying ’a picture is worth a thousand words’ didn’t understand the first thing about either one. (Wim Wenders)
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You might think that a place called Hellville would have a dark past. But this lively town on the Madagascan island of Nosy Be takes its name not from any Satanic connections but from Anne Chrétien Louis de Hell, a French admiral who was governor of Réunion Island from 1838 to 1841.
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Madagascar is a colourful country! The landscapes are beautiful and for the most part lush and green. The wildlife is often colourful too. And in villages and towns there are lively markets, while hotel grounds are planted with pretty flowers. And yet, I can never resist the temptation to experiment with black and white edits
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While a photo can tell a story without the need for words, and words can do likewise without any illustration, the combination of both can be more powerful than either. Each month Paula challenges us to find photos to match her chosen words. Some seem easy to ‘illustrate’, others I genuinely find challenging. But it’s an exercise I always enjoy!
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November is NOT one of my favourite months. Yes, there is still plenty of autumn colour, in the first part of the month at least. But here in the UK there are many more dull November days than bright, or so it seems to me. And with the clocks going back at the end of October, darkness falls by late afternoon.
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Of course a trip to Madagascar is always going to be focused mainly on its unique wildlife. Endemic species such as lemurs and chameleons will be top of everyone’s must-see list, ours included. But sometimes it’s nice to take a break from these and to see something of the island’s human population and their culture.
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Paris is famed for its art galleries. From the iconic Louvre via the stylish Museé d’Orsay to the wonderful display of Monet’s Waterlilies in the Musée de l'Orangerie, there are collections to appeal to all tastes. Smaller galleries too, many less well known, and artists’ studios such as those of Rodin and Delacroix. And now there is a new kid on the block, the Bourse de Commerce.
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September has been a lovely month, in several ways. The weather improved considerably compared to July and August, with a mini heatwave at the start of the month. I had two fantastic trips abroad and some fun activities closer to home too.
