A Moment in Riomaggiore

I'm not sure yet how comfortable I am with doing nothing. My mind wanders too much as my thoughts turn inwards and I have to constantly bring myself back to the present.

Here in Riomaggiore, I'm perched on an old stone wall overlooking the marina. The boats are stacked up waiting for summer adventure seekers but the sea is still far too choppy to take them out.

The sun is shining and I'm sitting in a light cardigan. It is the warmest and most content I've been in ages. Every now and then the wind picks up and the waves crash against the great rocks of the small cove.

Most of the time the rocks are an effective barrier although the wind carries light droplets of sea water up to me in my high vantage point. At other times, nature laughs in the face of such a feeble man-made obstruction and the sea comes rushing up the jetty, much to the amusement and surprise of the crowds relaxing there.

I look up and notice pale brown and tan tiles on the face of one of the houses. I don't imagine that tiles would be very much use with the winds and rains that beat against these sea-facing homes. Riomaggiore is known for its colourful houses in shades of verde, marrone, rosa and arancione but I wonder if tiles weren't once more prevalent here?

I slowly raise my camera to my eyes and gaze through the viewfinder. Words can't do justice to my experience here and I wonder if photos might. I slowly pan the camera around, landing briefly on the boats in the marina, the couple on the balcony, the narrow stairs leading off into the darkness beside me. It is no use, I cannot capture the allure of this place, the sounds of chattering families or the roar of the sea.

I cannot capture the essence of the tall narrow homes, the way they climb the hills in terraces and the way the bright paint peels away to expose the concrete beneath. They are perfect in their imperfection and yet my camera doesn't see that.

Soon I must move. The shade has fallen over my perch and I'm getting cold. I move into the sun and sit next to a local cat, negotiating his teeth and claws before he allows me to scratch him behind his ears.

The crowd has thinned and suddenly I am alone. I realise that I am comfortable doing nothing after all as I pack away my camera and notebook and stare out to the sea for the longest time.

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First Look: Cinque Terre, Italy

Main street Riomaggiore

We spent a glorious long weekend in Cinque Terre over Easter for Jen’s birthday. Well, perhaps ‘glorious’ isn’t the right word. For the most part it was rainy and not all that warm but we had a wonderful time nonetheless.  It was really easy to get to Cinque Terre by train from Genoa airport and once there, it was easy to travel up and down the coast by train too.

It is no surprise that I fell in love with La Cinque Terre. I adored the distinctive puzzle piece houses built on terraces up the mountainside. The secret passages and hidden alleyways enchanted me, as did the coastal walks and breathtaking views. And the food? I’m still dreaming about the best seafood, pasta and gelato I have ever tasted.

The Cinque Terre is located in La Spezia province on the north western coast of Italy just below Milan. Translated as ‘The Five Lands’, Cinque Terre is made up of the five coastal towns of Monterosso Al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. We definitely made the right choice – Riomaggiore was the best town and we enjoyed a day in Vernazza too.

This is a first look of my Instagram photos but have no fear, I took my camera along too and have some exciting posts planned!

   Just one of Riomaggiore's many secret passages

The view of Riomaggiore from the Marina

A narrow street in Riomaggiore

Shop front in Vernazza

Vernazza

An alleyway in Riomaggiore

High street Riomaggiore

Trattoria Via dell’amore Riomaggiore

Last glance, Riomaggiore

Can you see why I fell in love? Which is your favourite photo? Mine is the second one with the lamp and the secret passage.

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Portraits From Johannesburg

Johannesburg has so much to offer in terms of history, culture and entertainment but what makes this city outstanding is the people.  If you take the time to speak to them, you will find that Johannesburgers are friendly, helpful and above all else, curious.  These are my five favourite portraits from the time I spent in the city.

Security Guard, Braamfontein

I’d read a couple of accounts of security guards chasing photographers away in Johannesburg but there was nothing of that sort here.  As we walked past this security guard, I caught his eye and greeted him.  This is considered good manners in South Africa as we don’t ignore people and pretend we don’t see them as is the European custom.  Naturally, he returned the greeting in that open and friendly South African way and we continued on our way.

Of course, he was quite curious as to why we were taking photographs and a little intrigued when we said that it was just for fun.  I asked if he would like me to take his photograph and he quite proudly agreed to pose.

The pin that he is wearing on the left is a ZCC badge.  That means that he belongs to the Zion Christian Church, one of the largest African initiated churches.

Car Guard, Maboneng

It has been a long time since I’ve wanted to park a car in Johannesburg’s downtown, at least twenty years in fact, but that is precisely what we wanted to do when we visited the regeneration district in Maboneng. I rolled down the window and asked a man if there was a parking garage nearby and he contacted a colleague on his walkie-talkie. “Just drive down there”, he said pointing, “my friend there will look after you”.

And look after us he did.  This friendly car guard directed us into our spot and promised to look after the car for us while we explored The Maboneng Precinct.  We made sure to give him a very big tip when we got back to our car.

Once again, he was quite curious about the photographs I was taking and when I asked him if he would like me to take his photograph, he nodded and gave an emphatic “yes”.

Alternative Man, Braamfontein

This was the only photograph that I took in secret, without speaking to my subject first.  I thought I recognised this man and he surely would have run in the same circles as me, with his tight back jeans and Dr Martens boots.

I think he might have been working in one of the nearby shops because he didn’t seem to have anywhere better to be. 

It was strange that of all the people I encountered, it was this one that I was too shy to approach.  I thought this was a perfect moment to capture in monochrome.

Cooler as Ekke, Orlando Towers

I hope I’ve managed to capture this vivacious, bubbly, confident young woman.  I’d met her a week before the day I took this photograph when I’d gone to Orlando Towers to enquire about doing the power swing.  “No”, she laughed, as if I’d asked the silliest question on earth, “there is no power today”. Cable theft is very common in South Africa but it is slightly ironic that it put the Orlando Towers out of action when you consider that these giant cooling towers were once part of the giant electricity power station in Soweto.

When I went back a week later to do the swing, she laughed at me again when I asked her exactly what it was that I was doing. “Do you really want to know?” she asked with the distinct tone of somebody who knows that some things are better left unsaid.

This young woman was infinitely cooler than me and immediately struck this pose when I asked if she wanted me to take her photograph.

(The title comes from a song by a local comedic rap artist Jack Parow, “Cooler As Ekke”).

Taking a Break, Braamfontein

While I was taking some photographs in an alley way in Braamfontein, these two ladies asked me if I wanted them to move. I explained that no, they were more than welcome to stay and that I would make sure I didn’t take photographs of them.  They carried on talking and smoking and I carried on photographing.

It wasn’t too long before their curiosity got the better of them though, and they asked, “why are you taking photos anyway?”. I explained once again that it was just for fun but that I have a blog.  I asked if they wanted me to take their photograph and they said yes.

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Moments in New York City

Recently my friend Jay told me she was going to New York City for a week. After the usual exclamations of happiness and well wishes, there was a slight pause before she asked, "do you know what I can do while I'm there?"

I was momentarily speechless. I mean, it's New York City, right? There is so much to see and do. But then I remembered my own trepidation four years ago when I prepared for my own visit. I remember not having a clear idea of how the city was laid out and I also remember my confusion on that first metro train from JFK into downtown Manhattan.

Like I did in 2009, Jay is travelling alone and booked last minute plane tickets to New York on a whim. And like me, she is not worried about being lonely but simply wants to make the most of her time. The thing is, there is something incredible about experiencing a city solo and it is often the beginning of an enduring love affair. It wouldn’t be proper for me to draw up a detailed itinerary so my advice was simple: savour the moments.

And if, like Jay, you find that advice supremely unhelpful, here are the most enduring moments from my trip to New York:

Sitting on a Lawn Chair in Times Square

It had been the longest day and I had walked until my legs could no longer carry me. I emerged into Times Square and was stunned to see a pedestrian sitting area there, laid out with lawn chairs. I asked somebody if the area had always been closed off but was told that no, it was new. It was absolutely surreal sitting still while the city of New York rushed past me. It began to rain and I turned my head to the sky, amazed to see the big drops of rain visible against the dark blue sky. It was a moment I will never forget.

Walking in the Footsteps of Immigrants at Ellis Island

From the moment I stepped off the boat at Ellis Island, I was absolutely awed by the red brick and limestone Main House. The Great Hall took my breath away and I stood there for the longest time, imagining what it must have felt like to have been an immigrant, with this vast registration room standing between you and a new life. I spent ages walking through the exhibits of the Immigration Museum, taking time to read each and every inscription as I learned about Eugenics and the battery of mental and physical tests that immigrants had to undergo before approval. I learned about detention, incarceration and deportation, about Christmas spent on Ellis Island and about the millions of people whose fate was decided in those rooms. I was deeply moved and it was a moment that will stay with me forever.

A Tear Shaped Garden in Central Park

I can remember the day that John Lennon was shot as if it were yesterday. My mother was devastated and wrote a lot of angry poetry in the following days. It was no surprise that seeing the Dakota moved me but as I walked into Central Park, I was met by a herd of people chattering and jostling to take a photo of the iconic black and white Imagine mosaic. What most people don’t realise is that the mosaic is not the actual memorial to the slain Beatle.

I turned away and looked out over the pristine living memorial of the tear-shaped Strawberry Fields.  In a heartbeat, it was as if the chaos around me disappeared as I stood looking into this quiet and tranquil garden. I wondered if John would have liked it, whether he would have appreciated being memorialised here. Ultimately, I realised that if he could choose, he would have chosen to live and it made me very happy to be alive.  It was a life affirming and deeply moving moment.

Never Alone in New York

Of course, once I get started, it is difficult to stop. The people of New York are incredible. There was the friendly neighbour down the hall who gave me a massive bowl of dim sum to enjoy, just in case I got hungry during my stay (it lasted for days). The numerous people who rushed to my assistance every time I opened up a map or looked lost. The kind man in Brooklyn who let me take shelter in his garage for the longest time while it belted down with rain. The lovely family at Citi Field who spotted the bewildered look on my face and patiently explained the rules of baseball to me as the New York Mets beat the St Louis Cardinals. The very patient man at the hot dog stand who indulgently listened to me gush on about how this was my first New York hot dog. And the born and bred New Yorker who also spotted the raindrops against the sky in Times square and seemed almost as awed as I was. 

Each person, each connection, each shared moment meant that I was barely alone for any of the time I was in New York and it is an experience I will never forget. Now I dream of returning to New York but I won’t go alone again. Next time I definitely want to share it all with Stephen.

Have you ever travelled alone or been to New York? What were your enduring travel moments?

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Shepherd Neame: A Visit to Britain’s Oldest Brewer

When you come from a relatively young country like South Africa, it can be hard to grasp just how ancient Britain really is. Take Watling Street for instance. This ancient Roman road ran all the way from Kent through London to Wroxeter where it split towards Chester and Holyhead. It was on a stretch of Watling Street that the Romans defeated Boudica, Queen of the Iceni in 61 AD and it is believed that Chaucer’s 14th century pilgrims travelled along Watling Street on their journey from Southwark to Canterbury.

On the route from London to Canterbury lies the town of Faversham and it is here that you will find Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame.

Faversham’s monks were brewing ale as early as the 12th century, dipping deep into wells containing natural chalk-filtered spring water. Kent is also Britain’s ‘Home of the Hop’ and by the middle of the 17th century, more than a third of the country’s hops were grown in Kent. There could be no better place to build a brewery and Shepherd Neame was established in 1698. To this day, Shepherd Neame is a family-owned business and they conduct frequent tours and tutored tasting events.

Stepping into the brewery is like stepping into another era. There are deep ridges in the walls from where carriages were pulled through the narrow, cobbled passageways and we spotted a concrete name plaque bearing the name of the original founding family.

The age-old process of mixing heated spring water (or liquor, as it is known) with ground malted barley in oak mash tuns continues to this day. The resulting mixture, known as wort, is transferred to a copper where hops is added. Solids are then removed from the mixture and yeast is added before fermentation and finally cask, keg or bottling.

In the Millennium Brewhouse you will find the beautiful stained glass windows detailing the history of Shepherd Neame. There is a spitfire, reference to the brewery’s most famous ale, as well as a bishop’s finger, the old signpost that would have directed the pilgrims to Canterbury and yet another famous Shepherd Neame ale.

Don’t be fooled though, Shepherd Neame certainly keeps up with modern developments. The stained glass window was installed when the exterior wall had to be demolished to allow the massive lager copper that you can see in the photo above to be lifted in by crane.

It is no surprise that the fermentation room lacked charm after the perfectly pleasant journey through the history of ale making. It was damp and clinical and it smelt pretty awful (unless you like the smell of yeast, of course).

I was more interested in the lager room. There is very little light in this ‘room’ (warehouse might be a better term) but there is apparently so much beer stored in this room that you would need to drink two pints a day from the age of 18 to 65 to work your way through it. This seemed to be rather tempting to certain young men in our group.

During the tour, we had sampled some malted barley and breathed in the fine, sharp odour of the hops. The tour had taken just over an hour and it was now time to sampled the finished product. I’m not usually much of a drinker but I certainly appreciated the tasting experience and enjoyed taking in the colours and clarity of the beers. Most of the participants were pleased to learn that in beer tasting, you most certainly do not spit out what you taste!

We tasted six ales and lagers in all and Stephen and I both agreed that Amber Ale was our favourite. Amber Ale is a winter ale, brewed specifically in the colder months but strangely enough, we could both imagine supping it on a late summer’s evening.

The Shepherd Name brewery tour and tasting is a great day out and tickets cost £11.50. They also offer an evening tour complete with tasting and supper as well as recently launched beer and food matching evenings.

Shepherd Neame Brewery
11 Court Street
Faversham
Kent
ME13 7AX

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