Visual Journeys
El Camino, or the Way of Saint James, a Christian pilgrimage, takes us to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James 'the Great' is said to be buried. With routes stretching throughout Europe, the journey is one of devotion, self-discovery, of community and global consciousness. The Portuguese Coastal Way follows the Portuguese coast, due north, until its final destination. The journey is the reward. The blessings are ours to share.
Segovia, the 'victorious city' from the old days of the Roman Empire. Today, it's a destination for tourists, but also to students searching for lessons from abroad. And then, Salamanca, Avila, and Toledo, all coming together to give us teaching and learning opportunities. As if it weren't enough, beauty, history and culture are everywhere.
Iceland shows us the evidences of a past that reaches for our present (ashes from fire), while already facing the prospects of a tangible future (from vanishing ice). One becomes an explorer in that distant and alien world, learning from an unknown reality. But one also becomes a painter, with a camera creating worlds of legends and fables about a land and its people forged on ice and fire.
Paris, my eternal love affair. In my late twenties I lived in this city for a year. I explored its streets, its beauty, its unique charms. I rode its streets in my bicycle, rode the Metro almost daily, learned the language, bathed in its culture, and met Parisians and non-Parisians alike, becoming friends with so many of them. In short, I lived life, intensively. In the process I became Paris, in heart and soul. When visiting France after so many years, I tried to re-connect, through my camera lenses, with a part of myself who never really left...
From up the embracing landmark I cannot resist and take a picture of the city below; seizing memories about the bay, my neighborhood. Then, from up the sweet mountain the view is reversed. This time I capture the redeeming spirit, protecting and blessing our tropical adventures from above, even during foggy times. Whatever the angle, the view is part of both my physical and emotional landscapes.
November 04, 2017
Exploring the Carter Caves State Resort Park with the Creative Camera Club.