An intimidating fellow
Nifty photo a day: Day 20
An intimidating fellow
This is my buddy Pete. You see him on the street and your first thought is, man… I would not want to cross that guy. Then, he strikes up a conversation with you and you realize he’s a gentle bear. He’s funny and friendly and kind, but he’s also the kind of guy who stands up when standing ups what’s called for. He’s always there for his friends and his girl and he’s one of the few pals of mine who’s made the journey over to Spain to visit. While here, Edurne, Jess, Pete and I traveled all over Andalucía together. Everywhere we went people were staring at Pete. Can you blame them though!? Just look at this photo of him on the beach, then imagine him dressed like a lumberjack and let him loose in a foreign country where people are already a bit smaller than your average American guy. Lots and lots of stares. I love hanging out with Pete, I always feel like someone’s got my back when were together.
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Uploaded on Dec 2, 2009
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Rural pyrotechnics
Nifty photo a day: Day 20
Rural pyrotechnics
I shot this photo last year during the opening festivities of the Fiesta de San Luis, the patron saint of Albondón. This fella was the pyrotechnician (or possibly just somebody’s brother) hired to set off around a hundred M-80s right in front of my house. Now, M-80s were originally created by the military to simulate artillery fire during training exercises and later became illegal fireworks in the US. Like any good kid, I’ve set off a few in my day and I remember them being pretty damn loud. That said, my boyhood bombings were nothing compared to standing 4 meters away from this guys detonation. Hell, in hindsight, I’m not even 100% sure those were M-80s, they could very well have been half sticks. The bang was so loud that I could literally feel my eardrums and eyeballs push back into my skull a bit. I’m still surprised none of the older folks in the crowd had a heart attack! The pyrotechnician was amazingly calm through it all; maybe even just a bit bored. A standard days work I imagine. Maybe if I’d had a chance to share with him the nonstop thrill ride that web design and development had been for me that very morning he would have offered to trade careers for a little while. One can dream…
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Uploaded on Nov 18, 2009
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Battling the elements
Nifty photo a day: Day 19
Battling the elements
Ever since I was a boy I’ve been fascinated by things that fly. Planes, helicopters, kites, you name it. If it flies, I can’t take my eyes off it. When my brothers and I were kids my parents took us to Mackinac Island for a family vacation. Mackinac Island is a touristy kinda place, but in a nice way. You can only bike on the island, no cars are allowed, and in addition to its delicious homemade fudge, the island also has a ton of custom kite shops. My parents, being the awesome parents that they are, bought a kite for us there and I remember being absolutely mesmerized whenever my dad flew it. To me, flying kites is like riding a bike or sledding down a snow covered hill in winter, it makes you feel like a kid again! Last year I finally got my hands on a 3 meter power kite and a 2 meter trick kite and I haven’t looked back. Flying the power kite is a far cry from the tranquil afternoons flying the trick kite; it’s a constant battle against the elements. It’s hard to maintain control once the wind gets going and I’ve had some good days and some bad days out on the beach. One day I’m in total control, swooping and jumping the kite like a pro, and then the next I’m being dragged an entire kilometer down the beach… head first. I’ve ruined a few pairs of pants that way. This is a photo of Edurne manhandling the power kite on our first day out last year in Cabo de Gata… she’s a tough cookie. There was quite a bit of wind that day!
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Uploaded on Nov 15, 2009
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Albondón in the winter
Nifty photo a day: Day 18
Albondón in the winter
Albondón is gorgeous when it snows. All the dull grey roofs turn brilliant white and the town becomes still while everyone hunkers down, trying to stay warm. One by one fires are lit and eventually smoke is pouring out of each and every chimney. The homes aren’t built for such cold, they’re not insulated well and there is no central heat. We heat our place with a few electric and butane heaters and let me tell you, the winter is long and cold! We’re close enough to the coast to get snow only a few times a year, but when it eventually falls, all the roads become impassable and for a little while, Albondón becomes truly isolated. I love when it snows here. For me, it’s comforting to know there is nowhere else to go, even if for just a day or two. It calms my constant desire to keep moving.
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Uploaded on Nov 13, 2009
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Rainy day in Barcelona
Nifty photo a day: Day 17
Rainy day in Barcelona
And who says the sun always shines in Spain? Up in the north it’s a far cry from the sun soaked almond groves of the south. Compared to the United States, Spain is small, but it’s surprisingly diverse in its compactness. Say you live in Chicago, if you want to visit the desert, you’ve got a three day drive ahead of you. If you want to spend some time on the Pacific, you’ve got 2000 miles to travel. In Spain, the journey from the scorched beaches of Andalucía to the rainy, dense forests and mountains of the North is a mere ten hour drive. It’s amazing really. In just half the time it takes to drive from Chicago to New York, I can visit Portugal, Morocco, France, Italy or even drive across Spain, twice. But, like any convenience, it comes with a price. There are LOTS of people in these comparatively small countries. Just last month, a friend and I went camping during a long weekend in Spain. After a four hour drive we were more than a little surprised to find ourselves in the middle of a fifty person crowd hiking through a remote canyon in Castilla-Leon. I couldn’t believe it, we’d driven all afternoon to get away from it all… and in the end, we were surrounded by people.
I will always love the sheer size of the United States… it still feels like you can get lost there. In Spain, I imagine someone will always find you no matter how far you think you’ve gone off the beaten path. On the other hand, I’ve had days where I’ve been riding my bike in the mountains and then enjoyed the afternoon on a beach on the Mediterranean. So here’s to both both big and small, they both have much to offer.
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Uploaded on Nov 9, 2009
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