On September Water

A lovely morning, maybe the last summer trip, in our very, very old canoe…

The stillness in the air, the soft misty dew and the knowledge that this might be the end of a long, lovely summer.

CFFC: Eyes

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Eyes

In the header – the bluest of eyes…

Lussebullbak jul 2011 001

How sad can you be?

Or how angry? (This is a silk worm cocoon!)

Or how tricky? (Peacock eye is the Swedish name: Påfågelöga)

Hiking Festival at Hovdala

Hiking festival at Hovdala  – a part of Eurorando, Europe’s biggest hiking and walking event. There were many groups and trails to choose from. I joined the photography group.

And what a day we had. In the middle of September – and 25 degrees Celsius…A bit too warm for hiking really, but an ordinary autumn, the alternative would have been rain.

 

Between 5000 and 7000 hikers from all of Europe travel to Skåne during 7 days to walk the Scanian trails, socialize and explore the Swedish nature, culture and society.

The landscape showed its best and so did the weather. After the walk we were all served a delicious vegan chili soup with bread. Thank you all participants for a glorious day well spent!

Why This Garden is My Home!

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Trees

For Cee’s challenge in black and white, she has chosen Trees. Trees are my favourites on this earth…and my pick is a piece of the forest I walk in every day. Autumn is the feeling.

 

The Winner Takes It All – Song of Roland

”I am watching your every step…”

Towards Pas de Rolande, where Charlemagne’s army was ambushed after the sacking of Pamplona – celebrated in the medieval poem, Song of Roland.

Along the road we met a herd of, what we believe was, Iberian wild goats. The gamey smell filled the air, and soon we saw them climbing the stony slopes up on our right side as well.

As they were rather close to the road, about 5-10 metres up, we could study them roaming the bushes, popping up a head every now and then.

We reached the rock formation in the gorge. According to legend, the gap once was created by Roland’s horse.

On my way back, alone, (my husband went back before me) the strong smell from the goats appeared again. And, I was lucky to witness this piece of wild life -love life!

”Well, I have seen it before…and in my  younger days I would…

…win all of those fights…”

Travel theme: Weather

Travel theme: Weather

You cannot catch them all…can you? But in the header – a sunny, clear winter’s day.

Ailsa’s theme this week is Weather. Something to talk about. Always.

It is snowing

Frost and colours a cloudy day

Bäcken lever. The brook comes alive when the ice is gone.

Ice melting…letting spring run free

Fog softly rolling in a late summer night

Thin autumn drizzle

Thursday Thoughts – The Beach

Sometimes strange things happen…like a jigsawpuzzle everything just fits in, and you experience a picture you thought you would never see…

…or be able to walk into. This happened to us this July, on the north coast of Spain. We had booked a hotel for the night, and had checked our guide books as usual – nothing special here in Santiago de Reinante…

But, I got a hint from a leaflet I saw at the hotel…that maybe we should go down to the beach. A square of 2×2 cm pictured Catedrales, a very special beach it seemed…

We soon realised that a permission was needed to walk the beach – it is a UNESCO World Heritage! Nothing, absolutely Nothing in our books had us prepared for these magnificent views.

My heart sank, maybe we would have to stay on the cliffs and not come down…But, there were very effective assistants on the steps down, and they helped us getting the permit via Internet – so,  we were two of the 4000 people allowed on this beach per day. My heart jumped and beat so hard I could feel it in my throat. This was so unreal…How could there be ebb as well? How could we be so lucky?

We walked for hours and hours…endless kilometres…trying to savour this moment as the precious gift it was. Unbelievable. This was not happening…

I never wanted the sun to go down, never wanted to leave this magnificent world…

Spanien 1 och 2 847_copy

But finally the sunset had to come, and the night closed in. I cannot say how grateful I am for this evening gift. Pictures cannot convey …my deepest feelings.

I wish you all such wonderful and unexpected gifts – and a good night!

 

More facts and photos on this beach at Albatz Travel Adventures.

CFFC: Hands

For Cee this week – hands. Very useful tools. Not only for showing love or affection.

They might pinch things from you when you least expect it…

And they can hold the most delicate things and creatures without hurting them…

And, they can also work fast and swiftly make the tastiest edible things…

Hands are needed.

They work well in many sayings and expressions as well: ”Give me a hand”, ”All hands on deck” etc. I believe ”hands” are useful in most languages. A Swedish example is ” Ge mig ett handtag” ( Give me some help here). How is it used in your language?