Wild Horse Mountain – well worth the stop

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Just off Bruce highway is this, the smallest of the Glass House Mountains just inland on Queensland’s  Sunshine Coast this lookout built as a fire lookout for the surrounding bush and forestry presents a 700 metre climb from the carpark to peak and surrounding views. Well worth the stop that created an opportunity to add to my Australian landscapes. 

Surrounded by plantation forestry pines and natural bush the 360 degree views are spectacular.

I venture, most visitors to these spectacular views just drive right by these threes on the way in and out.

So, to help you, if you are one of those, to catch up;

See what you might have missed?

For more click on my Australia gallery.

Highlights and impressions from Greece

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Athens, Athens photos, boats, Ermioni, Greece, heritage, Hydra, landscape, Mediterranean, Mourayio Bed and Breakfast, Nafplio, Nemea, night scene, photography, photos, places, Rion-Antirion Bridge, roadtrip, street scene, travel

Kalimera, ruins and museums, most peoples take on this city, but there is more to see and do.

More images from our experiences can be seen at https://www.brianscantlebury.com/Travel/Greece/

What can you see in three days in Athens before heading off to other parts of the country and a few of its islands. That,s what we’ve got – 3 days, this is some of what we did.

Mount Lycabettus is a great first spot to get to. From the top, all the Athenian known landmarks can be seen and their relationship to the rest of the city. You can walk to the top, but most of the year you might find that a bit hard going. I did see a few sweating it out. A taxi made the job easy. Gets you to just a few metres from the top, still need to climb a few steps though.

Pano of city of Athens from Mount Lycabettus.

Cold drinks vendor and church at Mount Lycabettus summit.

Temple of Olympian Zeus archaeological ruins in the city and below the iconic acropolis.

 

Pomp and ceremony, or just Monty Pythonesque silly walks. Guards outside Greece parliament building. Could they actually guard anything?  Funny to watch though.

Across the street and down in the Plaka, interesting and hectically touristic district with its photogenic narrow streets lined with souvenir shops and restaurants.

All this antiquity, but still everywhere you turn, graffiti.

The Acropolis, the centre of antiquity. A citadel comprising ancient structures and theatres under restoration including the most significant Grecian structure the Parthenon.

Then off to pick-up the promised Polo that somehow mysteriously morphs into a Micra….. So, onwards and starting our Greek road-trip to the Peloponnese Peninsula,  Nafplio and other interesting places.

Avoiding motorways and highways wherever possible, through mainly countryside, olive tree plantations interspersed with the citrus orchard or grape vine. The travel takes longer but exposes us to landscapes, villages and other experiences that would be missed by using highways.The roads are lined with rubbish. Scattered through the fields are small old deserted/derelict crumbling buildings normally adorned with graffiti. Not many flat vertical space in this country are left un-graffitied.

Napflio, what a find.

Dining to backgound of this duo and Greek music.

 

Ermioni, further down the Peloponnese coastline,another tourist seaside tourist spot and a great drop-off point  for a short ferry trip and few hours on Hydra. for a night.

 

 

 

 

 

Next morning after delightful breakfast at Mourayio Bed and Breakfast (the place to stay in this part of country) to Nemea.

Inside and view across promenade from Mourayio B & B

Hydra, panorama of Hydra town at night as long exposure blurs passing water taxi.

A girl and her horse in an alleyway on the island.

Never heard of this ancient site until we were nearly there. Nemea was worth the visit, if only because it pre-dates everything else we have seen to date (500BC) and is accessible.

Though a lot smaller than say the Athens acropolis, it is never-the-less worth a visit.

Looking up Nemea Temple of Zeus  columns from below.

Crossing the stunning Rion-Antirion Bridge to head north and missive 3.

 

 

 

 

Borneo, jungles, beaches and wildlife; a photographers dream. Pt 2.

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animals, birds, Borneo, insects, landscape, Mount Kinabalu, natural, photography, photos, plant, Sabah, travel, weird, wildlife, wonderful

The thing about Borneo is the fantastic range of every natural thing. The smallest animals, the most colorful birds, the most unusual plant life and weirdest and wonderful of insects.

Fireflies do the aerial dance while spotters from back of safari vehicle or from river boat point their spotlights high into the tall trees that are the Borneo rain-forest. All the while looking to get a glimpse of something looking back that would encourage stopping to investigate further.  Few birds and owls have been close enough to photograph and then at Bukit Pitoh after virtually nothing for 2+ hours, a slow loris.

This cute thing barely 20 cm long clinging to tree about 20 metres up with great big eyes.

Although we’ve seen a number of orangutan high up, surrounded and camouflaged by leaves of trees and usually cleverly back-lit by setting sun, it’s beginning to look like we will not get a decent photographable look at them in the wild. Just our luck! We see a couple building their beds (nests) for the night and watched them climb in and go to sleep, about 500 metres away in the forest canopy.

And, the next morning, I was lucky enough to get off the vehicle and go leech-evading, well nearly, clambering through jungle following one of the amazing primates hoping to get closer with the good people at Bukit Piton. It was fun though I did cop a leech or two while clever man of the forest kept right on swinging away, looking back at us periodically but staying just far enough to make a photograph problematic.

A morning trip to Taliwas lake and forest was organised by bikeandtours.com for our last day in Lahad Datu. With our bird guide and 3 local rangers we trudge through jungle seeing small critters and a few birds. Lovely forest and good exercise!

A couple of weird examples; on left two tractor millipedes approx 10 – 15 cm long joined in holy matrimony, and believe or not the ball is a pill millipede, it rolls up in defense presenting a hard shelled ball 

the 100cm moon moth and kind of intricate Chinese lantern bug are a couple more of the amazing array of bugs and insects.

At Sukau on the Kinabatangan River the night cruise along the river edge yields a few interesting birds and on the day cruises we find monkeys, a snake and birds high up or flying overhead.

Long tailed macaques suggesting they don’t like us and showing off!

Our guide Othman continues explaining the differences between similar bird species and the traditional uses the natural fauna was once put to. Everything imaginable including cooling you down in the heat to giving any blood-sucking swine of leach that attaches itself you a real hurry-up and a leaf that was the original curry.

With over 700 bird species we were never going to see the lot. Compare that with the less than 200 we have in NZ.

Above are a selection of the oh so colourful birds, including 2 of the 12 kingfishers, 2 some of which are only about 10 cm big, the largest of all horn-bills the rhinoceros horn-bill, and another tiny beaut the black-naped monarch.

A nesting colony of diminutive Pacific swallow, there would have been about 200 of them in a recess in a riverbank about a metre square, and white browed shama (this one collected by Anne waiting for me to return from a bat cave).

Soaring overhead, a raptor,  brahminy kite one of the dozens of birds of prey in Borneo.

It’s on Tuesday 21^st, the very time we are due for our afternoon river cruise (that’s their fancy name for getting in a long dinghy and being propelled by an outboard) that thunder has struck with rain so heavy it could knock me over. However, we’re back on for night cruise. Screaming up the river in the black night cluttered with small and even bigger logs and clumps of water hyacinth keeps us mere mortal passengers on edge. We end up in an amazing tributary spotting some more sleeping tiny birds.

We move on to Sepilock Rainforest Edge Resort. Really lovely place. With orangutan and sun bear recovery centres and Rain-forest Discovery Centre nearby.

The sun bear, reputedly the worlds smallest bear, looking worried about what its seeing.

A night walk first up. Snakes, spiders, including tarantula and scorpion, long-legged centipedes and some weird millepedes included

Next morning about 6.30 I decide to head off solo on a handy bush walk. All pretty basic until I hear all this crashing and smashing in the tree canopy. Orangutans, several, what a thrill. Unfortunately, it takes half a morning for camera lenses to stop fogging after a night in airconditioned comfort so the photos are crap. An exiting experience though.

Turtle Island is our next stop.

Not a turtle, but a monitor lizard, he’s about 800 -a metre long amongst some rocks. The turtle experience is an after dark one in which we see an egg laying, and removal then transposing them into an egg nursery for a couple of months until they hatch and are then released with the hope some will survive long term.

Variety applies to everything in Borneo, no more so than to the islands flora.

Walking through the jungle, one comes across  some amazing plants. This pitcher plant is one of over 25 Bornean species, but was in a botanical garden.

The giant rafflesia flowers about every 5 years, and grows up to to a  metre in diameter

The striking bright red fruited kurrajong .

Brilliant red flower of one of ginger species seems to grow out of the ground.
       Delicate flame flower

The variety of fungi and mushrooms surprises, in particular the very rare veil fungi on right. We stumbled upon this to real excitement of our guide who in 20 years has only seen one 3 times.

There are 32  tribes and 70 odd dialects on Sabah that is about 25% size of New Zealand.

Some of the people we “met”.

 It’s hard poorly paid work we are told. Man cuts, wheelbarrows and stacks the oil palm fruit clumps to be picked up by and trucked to the factory.

Fisherman in small boat searches for his trap, not clearly marked he tells us to avoid theft, lifts and clears it when found and heads off looking for the next one, while not far away farmed fish are fed by workers. Fish farming is quite a big industry here, large 14 year old groper are fared for Chinese in one farm we visit.

Ismail sees us pull up on a country road near his family sales stall and runs to help.   

From the white coral sand tropical beaches to 3rd world urban cities and the steaming dense jungles the landscapes of Borneo express the diversity that makes this country what it is.

And the seemingly endless oil palm plantations. The good news is, unlike other countries, Sabah has now stopped the spread of these plantations in a conservation effort. There is to be no more natural habitat destruction.

The sun sets on the tip of Borneo, the northern-most point of the island.

We certainly leave with the feeling we did didn’t get more than a taste of what is offered here, and I know that the best, the most colourful birds, the large range of cats including the clouded leopard, the small large animals, elephants and the incredible flora has still to be experienced.

And I haven’t mentioned the shopping malls of Kota Kinabalu, or the cuisine or the myriad of other experiences including our crooked guide and the actions that were required rectifying his influence on our trip. Those are stories for another time.

And there is  amazing wildlife and rain-forest conservation going on now here in Sabah, while plastic and litter sickeningly clogs the sea and covers the beaches. Typically 3rd world I guess. Just wish those who seek to signal their virtue by telling us all how to manage our lives would actually make a real effort to help sort out the genuine problems in places like this. that would take action, not just words, though wouldn’t it?

Cloud around Mt Kinabalu at sunset.

Tauranga to Tauranga, via the South Island

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albatross, Anatoki, art, Christchurch, city at night, costume, Desert Road, display, fashion, Kaikoura, lake, landscape, Marlborough Sounds, night scene, Parliament, Picton, QT Museum Hotel, Rangatikei River, Rangitikei, river, road trip, salmon farming, Te Papa, Tekapo, travel, Wellington, WOW

First night en-route to Wellington we stop at Taihape – wow. To get there we took State Highway 1 through the Desert Road.

A rustic kinda evening ensues as we checked into the River Valley Adventure Lodge. The workers shed somehow shows the rustic nature that is the lodge experience.

The lodge, on Rangitkei River is base for river rafting, kayaking and horse trekking. Some beautiful though raw scenery surrounds the lodge.

The rushing river and spring cherry blossom flowers create further contrasts for this memorable stop-over.

Then on to Wellington and WOW, and a couple of days drifting around our capital.

You will recognise these buildings for sure.

WOW was an experience, even for a women’s fashion numb-skull like me. Our hotel, the Museum Hotel had this piece on display from an earlier WOW event.

The hotel is a really nice property. Shame they see it worthwhile to practice the small minded surcharge on use of credit cards, regardless of their not insignificant tariff.

If I return I’ll seriously consider paying in cash, and then see them incur some real handling and banking costs, but under their policy, I won’t. Now got that off my chest!

Some of the capital city’s iconic street art outside the Museum hotel.

Wellington at night.

Had time to drop into Te Papa. Below a couple “engaging” with one of the vibrant installations.

See more Wellington images; https://www.brianscantlebury.com/New-Zealand-Town-and-country/Wellington-Capital-City/

Then we headed to South Island on the Bluebridge ferry.   Passengers enthralled by and photographing the Marlborough Sounds as we head for Picton. As well as the dramatic scenery, salmon farming set-ups are part of the landscape.

Something to consider on this service, there is no access to the bow, so travellers can only look at where they’ve been, not where they are going.

Picton waterfront after dark.

Stunning spring tree colours, as we head towards Farewell Spit, appear more like autumn lining dry river bed.

A night at the golden beach of Kaiteriteri offers some evening shots and sunrise next morning.

The blue hour over the bay, then the sun breaches the horizon.

Above; pied stilt in farm puddle on way to Whakariri Beach

Two rocks

Two rocks and two walkers on Wharariki Beach

Driving the highway through Takaka this rustic old farm shed under a gum tree has become a landmark

Grafitti painted on old rustic corrugated Iron shed

Braeburn Track, Lake Rotoroa lush green New Zealand native beech forest in Nelson Lakes National Park

Natural fresh clean water flowing through and around granite boulders through lush green New Zealand bush.

White buildings one each side of straight road passing between buildings and leading to distant hills in vintage style image at the Sunday Creek turn-off.

Anatoki, definitely worth a visit.

Father and two sons fishing in small picturesque lake, Anatoki in South Island New Zealand.

Anatoki River surrounded by dense bush and southern mountains.

Vineyards in Marlborough, you can’t go here without a wine stop or two. Long rows of springtime growth across flat fields running to foothills in distance

Possibly the world’s most photographed tree; “That Wanaka Tree”, willow tree growing in lake is popular tourist scene in long exposure with sunset colors reflected from snow covered mountains behind. Instagram “thatwanakatree”

More of the natural beauty of Lake Whakatipu, with jumping platform just of the shore in alpine Queenstown in New Zealand’s South Island.

Collection of heritage signs and buildings brought together as tourist stop-off point on highway at Burke’s Pass.

iconic Church of Good Shepherd and tourists on a low Lake Tekapo

Two young women travelers in distance, walking on flat mud-rock ledge on Kaikoura coast

Seabirds, albatross just some of the wildlife of Kaikoura coast

S

Christchurch, post quake a new city landscape emerges with some remarkable new architecture

This is Namibia – photo book just published

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africa, animals, books, elephants, gift, images, landscape, lions, Namibia, photography, photos, places, This is Namibia, travel, wildlife, zebra

We just published our photographic book. Take a look, a full preview is available for free.

The comprises 30 pages of full color images on 30 pages and dust jacket.

Be interested in any comments you have too.

From our “paradise between the mountains” (and beyond)

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"travel image", #brianscantleburyphotography, Alicante, brian scantlebury, brianscantlebury.com, Costa Blanca, landscape, photographs, photography, photos, scenery, scenic, Spain, Spanish, street scene, travel, travel images, urban, Valencia

Parcent in distance, from top Coll De Rates some 645 metres up

 

as Gabriel Miro famous Spanish author of late 19th early 20th century called Parcent.

And then there’s the narrow village streets, such fun to drive around, the historic architecture, and churches, the way many places have more than one way to spell their names, the Bones Festes, and the funny cappuccinos. Guess this is Spain.

 

Gas bottle delivery truck negotiating the narrow streets and even more difficult corners doing a multi-point turn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A trip to the coast, the Costa Blanca and some of the picturesque villages and resorts makes for a colourful outing.

Your are there – 0k’s to Costa Blanca sign in Calp

First stop about 40 mins away, Calp,  reasonable sized town and home to this sign and the largest rock in the Mediterranean on the edge of the town, behind a cool marina.

Great restaurants waterfront activities, beaches and very touristy things, but well worth visit.

Through boat club entrance to marina decking.

 

 

 

From Calp one can head up or down the coast taking in the amazing Mediterranean views, resort towns and tourist hotpots.

Altea, picturesque old buildings in its back streets. the waterfront comprises a  very touristy promenade lined on one side with bars and restaurants and the other with the hordes covered sunbathing visitors.

Altea

Vilajoiosa, famous for its brightly painted houses is an historic fishing village. Lovely spot, and well worth the drive to visit. We misjudged the sun and the faces of waterfront buildings were all in shade. Drat, but we’ll return.

Closer to home are the plethora pueblos or villages each with it’s own distinctive feel and charm. Only 5 minutes down the road is Alcalali. These are a few of the street and building scene here. We had a coffee in the little square, bought a few supplies from local mini- supermercado and followed the postie around as he pushed his pike up and down the hilly streets delivering letters and chatting with locals. we had to do that as Anne wanted to post some cards and while he was busy doing this his PO was closed.

Went out to another town for dinner. Orba, about 10 minute away. Again, sat in square while our orders were delivered along with many other diners. What an atmosphere. Balmy evening in the Plaza de Espana surrounded by the old church and buildings like these taken from our seat, till about 10.30 when we headed home.

Incredible terraced valley between two ranges, another interesting town or two, and the castle on a rock.

The other side of the Coll de Rates mountains takes us through the windiest road I’ve ever driven as we descend into the Vall de Tarbena then back up the other side. Both sides are terraced extensively as this photo tries to show.An amazing drive.

When we get to Tarbena and its square with a couple of cafes and the ever present church its time for a coffee and dry toasted baguette with olive oil. That’s morning tea in the amazing cafe Casa Pinet cafe, museum like, totally packed with paraphernalia and picture from civil war era.

 

 

 

Any mode of transport works here. The John Deere parked in Tarbena square outside the church of Santa Barbara I’m guessing, while a local farmers drops into one of the adjacent cafes.

 

 

 

Guadalest bell tower built on a rock, alongside a small town comprising a wonderful old home, now a museum that was the original family’s here. Now a tourist magnet with a number of funny little “museums” and a ton of souvenir shops selling tons of Chinese tack. Great to visit for its history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Markets were the order of the day, Saturday last. First there was the massive Xalo market then only a few metres down the road, the Lliber night markets.

A couple returning from Lliber night markets

Dancing in the streets;

In Alcalali (just 5 mins from us) we stumbled into their Bones Festes (don’t ask what that means, except they all seem to have one hell of a time). We had caught the last night of the event in Parcent the first night here when watermelon seemed to be the theme for some unexplained reason.

Then a day and uncomfortable night in Valencia. After checking into our hotel found the aircon didn’t work. Well, that’s an understatement, it pumped luke warm air into an already 30 c + environment. I hear you saying, so what, get it fixed. tried that, no joy. Went out hoping all would be restored by our return. Uh uh, no. They still couldn’t fix it. Thier recommendation – open you window. Did that, then could’t sleep too well, from the clatter and traffic from below.Add to that the rock hard bed – what a night, and now they want me to do a trip advisor recommendation! The joys of travel.

Our short stay in the city was otherwise very enjoyable with the Hills and Jordans.

The Valencia Cathedral entrance beyond the long shadows of the gate.

 

 

 

On our return to Vila Joyosa we made it on to the city port. Actually only a fishermans port but very interesting. Fishermen drying and mending their nets and some of the little boats they venture out in raise questions not just of safety, but also economics. How an they make a living from these wee tubs?

And this red one wasn’t the smallest or the least seaworthy.

After a few very enjoyable day we returned the Hills to Valencia to continue their cruising.

A visit to the arts and science district is a must. Never got inside any of the spectacular buildings, too busy photographing the stunning white architectural exteriors. After about 3 hours we still missed as much. Be sure if you are in Valencia, allow plenty of time for this visit.

Brilliant white cable stay Assut De L’or Bridge with top of science museum bottom of frame.

Principe Felipe Science Museum architectural details reflected in adjacent pond in the “City of Arts and Sciences”

Hienz Mack”s stunning gold installation in City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia with Hemisferic Imax/3d and performing arts theatres

From under the Hemisferic theatre, Science museum, Assut de L’or rising bridge stays and Agora event space building (blue) beyond water feature.

 

 

 

 

Then there’s the story that seems to typify the Spanish. Nothing happens here quickly. Planning something, allow double the time needed (AT LEAST) anywhere else. Picked up a parking ticket for parking in a white lined parking space. That is the lines seemed to us to mark the area within which parking was allowable. Funny, 100 euro fine on back windscreen on our return. No right to argue, no place to go and fight so left with only option – to pay up. Where do you do that? at a bank, where else? First bank, teller fiddles on his computer for 5 minutes then tells us wrong bank, points out name of correct one. Eventually find one of those some number of cities away, same story, can’t do it here either. So I still have the ticket, unpaid because after some searching time walking, driving on the lookout, the one we are now told can do it seems to not exist. Have to keep looking I guess. There’s a 50% discount if paid before 20 days. Espana !!!!

Trust all is well wherever you are, adios.

On the road again…

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Not quite on the road so much off on another “expedition” and more for my library of photographic images plus these smartphone versions.

Buenos diaz, we’ve arrived at our home for month. It’s hot mid 20’s – 30’s c.

Flying low over Manises, Valencia we could clearly see the fruit fields below.

Mainly citrus. This I thought would be the the economic mainstay of the region. Once out of the airport we got our car and headed toward Parcent to meet Garry who is to take us to our digs.We drive, then off the highway, through orchards and olive groves.

The landscape here is hilly, most villages which are everywhere you look, often walking distance apart or only a couple of minutes drive set on hillsides or in the valleys there must be 30 or so of them from the vantage point of our home. Much dryer here. The orchards and groves don’t look as lush as the ones seen from the plane. After two nights in local restaurants I now know the main industries are poms and fruit/olive growing. The only Spanish voices heard in the establishments (one is even called Victoria) was from wait staff.

Our home is lovely, built way up a hill in what we know as Spanish style. Seems as villages grew and the poms arrived they have spread themselves through the hills around the traditional villages.

From NZ  a stopover at Houston TX. An interesting city, our mistake was to stay out of it. The Galleria area would be great if the only thing you wanted to do was shop. Massive shopping center with all imaginable chain and department stores imaginable, but a good 20 mins from the action. That being the architecture, parks, walks etc on the Downtown or the Museum district with it scores of museums, galleries, the large Hermann Park.

Then if you camp down here you are that 20 mins closer to things like the Nasa Space Center, Galveston Island etc. If you ever want a reference for a Houston or NASA guide let me know. Elizabeth was excellent

Monster rocket burners.

Shuttle over Houston skyline -photo of photo

With a couple of hours to spare before leaving, nothing to do around hotel hired a cab and headed for museum district. Oh well next time as we only have 1.something days this time.

Adam, our very cheery Ethiopian driver really tried to be helpful, unfortunately most closed for Sunday morning but he did make a suggestion we see the Menil gallery (shot from the gallery hallway) . So we humored him. Glad we did. This is worth the visit. Don’t miss it if you have any interest in art. Would also commend Adam for a driver, got his number too if you ever want it.

 

 

 

 

Flight from Houston to Frankfurt provided me with window seat, which I like, however row 69 and about 10 around them are all over a ginormous Airbus 380 wing. It’s like looking out at a white football field.

Great view of sky. Bugger! Nothing left to do but leap int the on-board entertainment system. seems good range but stuck on Chinese, can’t rest, ask hostess who responds “something like, oh well too bad not your day” and buggers off Disappointments come in 3’s don’t they? After the meal they bring around cognacs or Baileys, and what do they do?  Distracted by the constant asking for extras by the Indian guy sitting next to Anne they offer them to everyone all around and totally miss our seats.

 

Flying over Germany, France and Spain presented real interesting scenes below. Can’t get over  the orderliness of the Teutonic landscape below.

Home for next month, Villa La Paz.

Now in Parcent Spain. Just arrived last night, after a small sleep headed into the village for a feed and to look around after dark.

 

 

Happened on a celebration the Bones Festes. Groups dressed up and yahooing, having a great old time in the streets of the village.

Another day, back down thru’ Parcent to Orbas. another of what must be about 30 villages that can be seen from our place. What a great little place, typically traditional Mediterranean. First stop, bar for a cappuccino at cost of only E1.20 each. Walk the streets, pick up some cookie things and pizza from a beaut little bakery joint.

Bar and street in Orba. Men supping their reds and espresso’s around mid morning.

Food, yep always important, & wine & coffee too. Some interesting experiences thus far. First in Houston Galleria all the usual suspects but decided once again to try Nordstrom restaurant to avoid American standard burgers and chips. Now here’s a tip. Always excellent food and service at Nordstrom. Better by far than the US normal places you find around places like malls or even on the street.

In Parcent last night we shot out to a place we’ve driven by a few times since  being  here. Looked ok by the signage. When we arrived noticed 3 courses, wine & water €12 but closed so down the road to Victoria’s. English fare, similar deal but €18. Running out of options so gave it a go. Well you could feed a small village on what we sent back. Not a quality problem, food was good. Just that they provided starters , bread + spreads with olives and a soup before the meal even started. No way a normal person could all this food justice. Well may except for you Gerald!! Ended up leaving without even getting to try the dessert. Looking forward to finding more tapas style places.

Quiet day today, but eventually headed to a supermarket village about 7 minutes away in Xalo. Walked the old streets for a while then stop in to a botega. Sign outside says 3 tapa + wine E9. Looks good. After the usual Hola, its ?habla ingles? then the language tryst commences. Fun. Tapas not of the style we are used to, but perfecto anyway, sometimes. Meat slices, bread and spread, potato salad and quiche. More than  a meal. We keep learning.

Xalo form its outskirts.

Michael & Hannah and the two littlies arrive and provide more entertainment and reason to explore the narrow country roads and even narrower village streets. Again, great fun. A spot of sunbathing sounded like a good idea, so off the Grandella beach, about an hour away. For  E28 you hire (actually Michael did, thanks) 2 deck chair things and an umbrella from those all set out out in rows

 

La Granadella is a small cove set between spectacular rock cliffs all round. the beach is stones and packed more tightly than a can of sardines. Off course when people are so close interesting events occur. Like I’m sitting on my deckchair minding y own business and become aware of something quite large around my left ear, gingerly turn my head to come face to face with some guys quite ample arse in the bright orange beach shorts I’ve ever seen. For a moment I thought the sun had dropped in. Couldn’t help worrying that he had full control of his bio-systems. It was close, but then after he had adjusted his arrangements his misses stood and revolved her over-ample butt into that same space, just mm’s away I’ll swear, now my worry was about her sense of balance. It’s all very close around these beaches, if you know what I mean!

 

 

People and shade silhouettes on the crowded beach of La Granadella.

 

 

It’s hunting season here and we are living in the Coll de Rates mountains. There’s the almost constant sounds of barking dogs and gunfire. Pretty hard to spot any wildlife, tho’ I did see a small squirrel scurrying along the power lines. He’d better be careful, we’re told they shoot anything that moves around here.

From our abode in the mountains

 

 

 

 

Just love driving around these little villages with their narrow roads, never knowing whats around the next right angle corner. The street scenes are quite picturesque, the people though are something else. The odd old lady with greet you with and hola, or buenos dias, in the main, no smiles, acknowledgements or even the cursory wave when you give way in the car. Strange.Found a couple of open churches today. Very austere exteriors and extremely ornate interiors, similar to Italian I suppose.

Interior and main alter inside Parcent Catholic church. Was originally a Mosque, but when the Muslims got done the last time the Christians took as their own. 17th Century I believe.

 

Hope you’ve been picking up the other images posted on Instragram too. Instagram address; briansphotography

Adios amigos.

What a stunner

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Papamoa Beach at sunrise yesterday along with a new series in my Tauranga gallery.

It was a stunner of a morning as winter sun rose across, beach and dunes with many great photographic opportunities.

SONY DSC

Beach grass abstract defocused.

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Papamoa Beach, outlok to horizon beautiful golden glow into sunrise

Cyclist in blurred motion sillouette on Papamoa Beach, outlok to horizon beautiful glow into into sunrise

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http://www.brianscantlebury.com

 

Route 66- not a another guide, a photographic essay.

Tags

brian scantlebury, brian scantlebury photos, brianscantlebury.com, buttes, Coca Cola, Coke, corny, dust bowl, Erick, farms, gift book, HArley, heritage, kitsch, land, landscape, Lowell Davis, Main Street America, mesa, Mother Road, old buildings, photographs, photography, prairie, road trips, roads, Route 66, Sandhills Curiosity Shop, scenery, scenic, travel images, US 66, Will Rogers Highway

“Brian,an absolute gem of a book,it’s our Route 66 trip in a nut shell. Thanks so much. Ross” An appreciated and unsolicited comment from buyer of our book. Thank you.

Please check it out; http://bit.ly/Route66bookfreepreview

Available online or by contacting me direct. Also all images available in print, just let me know your desired size/s and the image/s for a quote.

Route 66 

Hi there, just thought is was time you took a break, have a coffee, or similar, and take in the free preview of our new book on our recent wee adventure, ROUTE 66.

“Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way it’s the highway that’s the best
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66″    

Here’s the link;  You may even see a gift opportunity in our book. Hope so, either way do enjoy the free preview.

http://www.blurb.com/b/6612645-route-66

Please feel free to leave a comment, send a comment, share etc.

We have not set out to produce another guide for Route 66 travelers. As we found, there are simply dozens of these already. Many very good.
We do hope this collection of images will serve as a memoir for you if you have traveled the route, or perhaps prepare you for what to expect if you plan to take the drive. If you have, you’ll surely have many fond memories of the scenery, the sights and your experiences. Perhaps images we’ve captured will take you back.
Planning to go? You are in for a wonderfully entertaining, educational and nostalgic time.

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The historic route goes by a number of names, US Route 66, the Will Rogers Highway, Main Street of America, the Mother Road and reference to all of them can be seen along the way.

The roads rise and fall and rise again as an important thoroughfare from Chicago to Santa Monica, Los Angeles is legend. All 2400 odd miles (near 4,000 kilometers) entertain and educate as you pass through the incredible variety of landscapes, towns, and gift shops.

 

From the expansive scenes and landforms along the way, the newer interstate highway system and railroad that parallel the historic route near all the way, the left behind towns, the dilapidated signs, deserted motels, revitalised buildings and tourist magnets, the quirky, the queer, the corny, the kitsch and the characters.

 

Red Oak II just outside Carthage Red Oak II farm Carthage, Missouri founded by famous American artist Lowell Davis in his home.

Characters Harley in his home in  beside the Sandhills Curiosity Shop, a must drop in on the Route in small town of Erick.

And if you do not find yourself singing the songs of 60’s as you pass through the towns imortalised in so many lyrics then you might just have missed an amazing time in our history.

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Also available in ebook;  http://www.blurb.com/ebooks/553896-route-66

To check the Route 66 photo library please go to; http://www.brianscantlebury.com/Travel/Route-66

 

Take a detour, New Zealand’s South Island it’s really worth it!

Tags

"travel image", #newzealand, autumn, brian scantlebury photos, lake, landscape, stock image

“The really happy person is the one who can enjoy the scenery, even when they have to take a detour.”
― James Jeans

Great stock landscape for backgrounds or canvas prints to adorn any room or office.

Check this image, with others from the region,  just uploaded to http://www.brianscantlebury.com

Such wonderful landscapes are certainly worthy of a detour. Image shot in February 2015, HDR post processing used to give a vibrant deep image highlighting the turquoise snow-feed lake water with the golden dry summer grass around the lake banks.

Lake Pukaki, Canterbury, South Island NZ.