Tenerife on Film

04.10.19 — Tenerife

It’s been a good few months now since I visited Cami and her family in Tenerife, but today’s post takes the form of a follow up, albeit somewhat belated!

One morning during said visit, I headed out to the coast with Cami and her mum for a lovely shared breakfast. In my first blog post, I lamented having left my phone in their house and the fact that I therefore had no photos to share from that morning. I also mentioned, however, that this wasn’t entirely true, as I’d taken some shots on my film camera in the hope of subsequently having them processed.

As you have probably gauged from the title of this blog post, I finally got round to dropping off a couple of rolls of film to be developed just a week or so ago. I then received en email a couple of days back with the scanned photos attached, and so I’m happy to be able to share the lovely results with you all today!

Me and Cami's mum at the breakfast table.

Cami and her mum at the breakfast table.

As you can see, the breakfast was beautiful and the company was impeccable; the three of us had a wonderful time chatting and laughing under the morning sun! What you can’t see was that the food was as good as it looked, and we were lucky enough to enjoy it overlooking some gorgeous coastal views, scenery which it turns out I managed to photograph on my trusty film camera.

There were also a few photos of Cami and I which were taken along this coast, two of which I have included below. The typical tourist photo of me standing amongst the town’s name depicted in large letters must have been the last photo of the roll, however, as can be seen by the discolouration and black bar which dominate the left hand side of the pic.

I stand in between the letters spelling out the name of the town on the Tenerife coast.

When it came time to take some photos during the delicious BBQ, then, I knew that the fresh roll would need a bit of warming up, and so I was sure to take the group photos more than once. Thank goodness I did, as when I saw the amount of light leakage and misalignment of the first couple of developed photos, I thought there wasn’t going to be a single usable one in the pile!

A group photo is ruined by light leakage.

A group photo is ruined by misalignment of the film in the camera.

Although I find the errors of these first few shots rather beautiful, it was also nice to discover that there was one ‘normal’ photo from the meal – it’s just a shame that Cami took it and so doesn’t appear!

Cami's parents, Sam and I sit at the BBQ table.

We did manage to sneak another photo in after we’d eaten, though, and this time even Luke (Cami & Sam’s dog) makes an appearance alongside the three of us! It’s just a shame about my eyes – I can’t remember if I was being blinded by the sun at the moment the photo was taken, or whether it was just a very badly timed blink…

Sam, myself, Luke and Cami in the family garden.

The rest of the photos are then from our last evening’s trip up Teide, the volcano which dominates the island. The first couple come from a stop we made halfway up the mountain, where we took a breather to peer down over the towns and coast that we’d just ascended from.

Cami along the side of a road on Tenerife's Teide volcano.

The next are a series of shots which I took nearer the summit, consisting of martian-like landscapes and lunar textures. I think these shots are made even more otherworldly by the warm tones of the film camera, the light leakage, and the film’s grainy texture, which all come together to form a very distinct look.

A lunar-like surface on the tip of Teide on Tenerife.

A lunar-like surface and blue sky on the tip of Teide on Tenerife.

With the final photo, I really have saved the best until last. Realistically, this photo isn’t much different from a similar one I took on my phone and shared towards the end of the previous blog post, but the warmth of the film camera really makes all the difference.

It depicts the moment during our descent back to civilisation in which we realised that a layer of clouds had settled below us, with the peaks of neighbouring mountains resembling tiny islands in a sea of puffy clouds, all against the dramatic backdrop of a gorgeous multicolour sunset.

I once again ask that you take a moment to check out the detail of the photo, as it depicts a moment which we found ourselves in through sheer luck, and the likes of which I shall probably never experience ever again…

A sunset over the layer of clouds, taken from the side of the Teide volcano in Tenerife.

With that, I’ll round up by saying that I hope I haven’t bored anyone with this little recap of my Tenerife trip, but I know that I’m always a sucker for some lovely analogue photography. I also wanted to share with you the delight of receiving a batch of film photos, as I usually only have a very hazy and vague recollection of the specific photos taken, making the act of opening the envelope containing the photos one of life’s simple moments of joyous surprises.

I shall be back soon with more current updates, but until then please be sure to fill out my quick blog survey if you haven’t already. I’ve already had some really insightful responses, for which I thank everyone involved, but I’d love to get a full range of opinions. The more, the merrier!

Take the questionnaire

What’s Your Opinion?

18.09.19 — Madrid

Today I come not to speak to you all about what’s been going on, but rather to ask you all to speak to me!

I’ve been updating my blog regularly for at least six whole years now, and I’ve been lucky enough to receive plenty of lovely feedback in that time. Recently, though, I’ve been thinking of ways in which to spice up the blog content and become curious as to what you guys, the readers, think about my posts.

I shan’t ramble on longer and I shall cut to the chase: I ask that you – yes you – fill out this quick questionnaire. It shouldn’t take much longer than two minutes, and it will surely be of great help to me as I hope to continue running my blog for the next six years. Thanks in advance!

More Murcia Musings

12.09.19 — Murcia

It seems like just yesterday that I took my last trip down to Murcia to see my parents, but the blog entry from that visit reminds me that it was two months ago that I last pottered down to the southern region. That’s still not all too long ago, however, but it’s always a treat to take a few days off work and relax whilst catching up with my parents!

After leaving work last Friday, the now familiar routine was set into action, and I was soon aboard the train and heading southwards. I was reunited with my parents at the train station, from where we headed back to my auntie’s apartment in their hire car. Arriving just after midnight, it was naturally too late to start looking for restaurants, and so we dined on some sandwiches that I had prepared in Madrid.

Saturday morning was then spent lolling around the apartment, followed by an afternoon down on the coast by the Mar Menor. We had lunch at a spot that my mum had enjoyed last time (after discovering the wonders of ensaladilla rusa), wandered along the coastal town, and stopped for a drink overlooking the beach. I knew before we sat down that the restaurant offered a half-price happy hour, but I was still shocked when the bill came for a glass of wine and two large beers: 3.70€!

Three faded white shutters on a sun-bleached house.

Palm trees and sun-bleached houses on the Murcian coast.

Later, and with some ingredients that we picked up on the journey back to the apartment, I spent the evening preparing one of my recipes that always goes down well with my mum and dad: chicken quesadillas with pico de gallo and natural yoghurt. The enjoyment of the meal was somewhat marred, however, as we discovered that our plans for the following day looked set to be ruined by bad weather – as if I hadn’t had my share of rain and thunderstorms in Madrid by this point!

The dull clouds began to part as the following morning wore on, however, letting shine a ray of sun shine through – and with it a ray of hope that the day’s excursion might still go ahead! In the end, our luck did indeed hold out, and so we headed off to the gorgeous seaside village of Cabo de Palos.

I last visited this cape and it’s shoreline with my auntie back in January 2018, but this was the fist time that my parents had visited. To show them around a bit, I was sure to explore the harbour and coastal restaurant areas, all before dragging them into a little bar down a side street for some proper local food.

A handwritten sign on the side of a building.

The sea is seen between two houses, which is all seen through a portal window.

Once fed, we dived down the narrow gap between the coastal houses, and found ourselves on the coastal path which leads all the way to the lighthouse on the tip of the cape. We meandered upwards at a rather leisurely pace, but that didn’t stop the heat from getting to us, and so said walk culminated in a pit stop at a roadside bar for some beers and coffee.

Someone made a tasteful adjustment to this sign.

A sign warning of the risk of falling off a cliff.

With fresh energy, we then proceeded downhill along the other side of the town, taking in the sea views and peeking into the little coves and rusting houses as we went. As we descended, the clouds began to reconquer the sky, and so we thought it best to head back to the car and back to the apartment.

Over another meal that I’d prepared, this time spaghetti carbonara, we discussed the plans for the proceeding couple of days once we had retuned back to the apartment. The proceeding day would be my last full day in Murcia, and so we’d decided to head out for an evening meal to celebrate my last evening, but the question still remained as to what we’d get up to during the day.

The answer was, of course, rather obvious: thermal mud baths!

I last took a plunge in San Pedro del Pinatar’s natural mud baths around one year ago now, but that time I didn’t manage to snap a single photo of the experience. This time, however, and after coating myself in the foul-smelling sulphuric goo, my mum was around to take a photo!

After cleaning ourselves off with a quick dip in the neighbouring sea to clean off any stubborn remnants of mud, the three of us then headed to a coastal terrace for a couple of drinks in the sun. There, we nattered a good hour or so of the afternoon away, and then headed back to the car with a loaf of bread for lunch and our skin positively radiant.

Once we’d had some quick lunch, a nap, and some time around the apartment and pool, we bundled ourselves back into the car and down to a local Italian restaurant for our evening meal. I hadn’t been before, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the upbeat service, relaxed atmosphere, and the delicious dish of pork and mushrooms in a cream sauce that I had!

A block of apartments is lit up by the warm evening sunlight.

A blue and pink sunset is silhouetted by a tree and a block of apartments.

Tuesday then came around, and all too soon it was my last day down in Murcia. Opting for another relaxed day, we spent the morning back down at the coast, and then headed to another small town for a spot of lunch.

A jetty is seen in the sea, with mountains in the background.

The restaurant we visited was the same place that I lunched in last time before heading home – it seems to be on its way to becoming a little family tradition. Just as last time, we were treated to what felt like endless plates of delicious food, after which we spent another hour relaxing in order to digest!

With my time soon up, however, it was time for me to pack my bag, shower, and head down to the train station once again. After getting stuck behind a tractor on the journey down, we didn’t have too long to wait before the train arrived, and so I waved goodbye to my parents after four days which had passed in what felt like four minutes.

I’m sure I’ll be back down to Murcia again soon, through, probably in the new year at the latest. Before then, however, I’ve a quick weekend visit to Leeds lined up in November, and plenty of things to be getting on with back here in Madrid. I’ll be back very soon!

Summer Storms

05.09.19 — Madrid

Since returning from Valencia, I’ve been back to my usual routine of work, home, and terraceo (sitting around on terraces having a drink). Said routine has been broken a few times, however, both by myself and by the late-summer weather which has been wreaking havoc on some of my plans!

A couple of weeks back, me and Bogar headed off to the cinema, as we were intrigued to see what Disney had done when remaking one of their most beloved classics: The Lion King. I must say that I did enjoy the film, even if it really was nothing novel at all: it’s basically the same film but with “live action” (obvious spoiler: it’s all CGI). Most notable were the lines delivered by Billy Eichner as Timbon – this character single-handedly held up the whole film for me.

Interestingly, the little cinema in which we watched the film was one of the gorgeous buildings I had first spotted when I first visited Madrid. I remember thinking at the time that I’d love to see the interior, and now that I have, I have to say that it’s nothing like what I imagined! As well as being much bigger than expected, the interior is completely modern, which in hindsight is lucky for us – imagine watching a film without air conditioning!

The yellow facade of "Cine Ideal" in Madrid.

Another evening called for a catch up with a friend I hadn’t seen for a while, which involved a drink on a terrace to make the most of the pleasant evening temperatures. After this I headed off to Mercadona, my local supermarket, and was treated to a lovely sunset as I struggled back home with a full chicken in tow.

A low sun casts long shadows and illuminates the street in a warm glow.

Said chicken wasn’t mentioned for no reason, however, as it has been one of the defining dramas of my week! I’d seen that buying the whole chicken was cheaper than buying parts, and my friend Leo (a chef) had given me tips on how to make a good roast, and so I dragged one home and the showdown began.

I don’t know how I managed to get meat, bones, and juice all over the place, but my flat closely resembled a bomb site after just five minutes of trying to cut the thing up. The payoff came in how it tastes, however, as Leo’s tips worked wonders and I’ve a mountain of delicious chicken stored in my fridge. The problem now will be eating it all before Friday…

Friday is the day that everything has to be eaten by, as I am heading straight from work down to Murcia, where I’ll be meeting my parents for one of our increasingly frequent holidays! More on that to come later, however, as I’ve my first week back in the office with longer working hours to get through yet. At least the shock of the new schedule was been eased by a lovely sunrise as I awaited my train to work one morning…

A pink, purple, and orange sunrise over the train lines of a station.

Don’t be fooled, though, for the weather hasn’t been on its best behaviour as of recent. In the past week I’ve had to endure the sorrow of a Rodrigo Cuevas concert being cancelled due to rain, my hopes of going to IKEA to buy a rug being dashed because of a thunderstorm, and a trip to an exhibition being dampened when I left and walked straight into a downpour.

The rain left me alone during the working day but attacked every evening.

I still did manage to enjoy said exhibition, which was on a rather strange subject: it was a collection of bibles. Anyone who knows me will know that I have zero interest in religion, but the interesting aspect was that they were from a collection of a man who had tried to obtain a copy of the bible in every written language in the world.

Engraved text on the facade of a building in Madrid.

Pages of a bible in the Bhutanese Dzongkha script.

With my limitless appreciation for language, visual communication, and writing systems, seeing such a vast and varied array of languages and scripts in one place was absolutely fascinating. From the plain old Latin alphabet (the one we use) to the gorgeous and previously unbeknownst to me Dzongkha script from Bhutan, I spent a good while inspecting each script and exhibit.

There were even a few bibles which caught my attention for other reasons. The final exhibit box showed bibles illustrated with Japanese cartoons, bibles in Braille and sign language, and even a bible illustrated with Minecraft screenshots. Another bible was written in Korean but had nothing on the cover, which made it painfully obvious as to where it had come from: North Korea.

A bible with a blank cover and Korean text.

That pretty much sums up the past few weeks back here in Madrid, which will come to an end with an evening out with Bogar for tacos tonight and then my train bound south tomorrow. One I’m back in Madrid, I’ll be back with more updates, but until then I shall try to disconnect and relax for a good few days!

Illuminating Valencia

30.08.19 — Caudete

As repeatedly mentioned in my last blog post, one of the highlights of my trip to Valencia was the second evening spent with my friend Roberto, during which we set up and messed around with with a load of lights! We installed the spectacle in the back patio of his grandparents’ house, and I was sure to take as many photos as possible to document the evening – so prepare for a very visual post!

I previously touched on the fact that Roberto has also been fascinated with lighting from a young age, and so he has also amassed an impressive collection of lights and lighting paraphernalia throughout the years. Despite this rare similarity, the two of us have a slightly different approach: I have always been intrigued by designing a lighting ‘show’, and have therefore collected a range of disco/theatre lighting; whereas Roberto is more interested by Christmas lighting and the technical side of the whole affair.

This means that, to kick off the evening’s shenanigans, a real treat laid in store for me: boxes upon boxes of lightbulbs! Some of these were very old and undoubtably very rare, and I could barely contain my excitement as I took on the job of opening the boxes, testing the bulbs, and then sorting them ready to be put to use.

Four rows of lightbulbs atop a table are sorted into their respective colours: green, yellow, red, and blue.

This gorgeous box of coloured bulbs made me somewhat emotional.

As I spent my time gleefully testing lightbulbs in a corner, Roberto put the final touches to the system of cables we would use to hang up the lights, and then we set about installing a custom system the he had created. This consisted of two strings of what otherwise seemed like standard lightbulb strings (like this), but with a difference: a homemade dimmer sat in the centre of each string.

I’d love to dive into the technical details of how this works, but for this blog post I’ll just summarise that it meant that we could control every fourth light. This allowed us to use four colours of bulbs and control each colour individually along the string, something we achieved by using the same DMX system I used for my K’next Castle and Autokara projects!

A blue lightbulb sits against an old plaster wall.

Some of the lights had come all the way from the US.

Once we’d set up all the lights and connected everything together, we fried up chorizo and potato that we’d bought, throwing together a dish that we invented on the spot. This we then ate whilst waiting for the sky to fall fully dark, popping some music on and enjoying a glass of wine as the evening wore on.

A frying pan full of chorizo and potato.

Things really became interesting once we were plunged into near complete darkness, with only the moonlight illuminating part of the patio when all the lights were switched off. It was then when we could finally appreciate our afternoon’s efforts – after a slight hiccup regarding the voltage transformers needed to power the 110V US lights (in Europe we use 240V), that is.

A patio at night illuminated by a web of multicoloured string lights which decorate the walls.

The web of lights illuminated the remnants of our evening meal.

A web of lights on a wall sits behind a table littered with bottles and leftover food.

A string of red, green, yellow, and blue lights runs diagonally up a wall.

A red lightbulb against an old plaster wall and above an open doorway.

An old frosted-white lightbulb with cracks and holes appearing in the white paint used to create the frosted effect.

Anyone who knows me will, after having seen the photos so far, know that I was absolutely in my element here. To those who don’t know me so intimately: this is what I dream of doing every day for the rest of my life, however strange and niche it may be!

There’s plenty more photos, though, so I’d better crack on! You’ll notice in the photo below that we also integrated two LED spotlights into the system, which are positioned just in front of a black hole which is actually the access to the loft I explored in my previous post.

The corner of the patio decorated with lights.

One photo taken looking up at the loft, one taken looking down from the loft.

Looking down on the illuminated patio from above.

My silhouette showing the halo effect of having three colours of light (red, green, and blue) projected from slightly different angles.

A translucent green bulb is illuminated by a purple light.

A speaker on a chair, with walls full of fairy lights in the background.

As it grew late, Roberto headed off for a shower, and so I had half an hour to mess around with the lights by myself. I sat myself behind the DMX control panel, popped on some atmospheric music, and engaged in my favourite activity in the whole world: lighting design. This consisted of mixing colours to create moods, making the lights ‘dance’ in sequence with the music, and general buffoonery such as flashing everything on and off at once. It was bliss.

A panoramic shot of the patio decorated with lights.

I really cannot stress how beautiful it was to be sat in good company, disconnected from the outside world, and surrounded by lights.

A closeup of an orange bulb, with various out-of-focus multicolour lights in the background.

I really cannot stress how beautiful it was to be sat in good company, disconnected from the outside world, and surrounded by lights. This evening, along with the rest of the tomfoolery that we engaged in during my short stay in Valencia and Caudete de las Fuentes, made for a truly blissful holiday of relaxation and contemplation.

Once again, then, I feel obliged to say a huge thanks to Roberto and his family for being so generous as to let me stay in their flat and family home. We’d talked about meeting up in Valencia to do all this for some time, but actually being there in the middle of nowhere and reconnecting with a childhood passion made for four days of chilled enjoyment beyond anything I had imagined.

That said, I hope you liked the photos, and I look forward to bringing you all my next blog post, which may just turn out to be something a little bit different to the usual programming – I’ve yet to decide. If not, I’ll be back soon for more updates on another crazy summer in my busy life!

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