Category Archives: Europe
The quest for the best road.
There are countless articles singing the virtues of this or that stretch of road, claiming it to be “the best in the UK/Europe/world” (delete as applicable). So what’s the point in writing another one? What’s the use of increasing the … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged Ólafsvík, Borgarnes, Creedence, DJ Krush, El Búho, Eldborg, Europe, Fortress of Fire, Grundarfjörður, Iceland, Icelandic horse, Kirkjufell, Music, Road, Road Trip, Route 54, Route 56, Route 574, Saxhóll, Sea, Snæfellsnes, Snow, Stykkishólmur, Suzuki Vitara, Tourism, Travel, Video, Vitara, Volcano, Winter, Xica Xica, Ytri-Tunga
26 Comments
The worst-named animal in the world.
As far as names are concerned, few animals have had it as bad as the Orca. Popularly known as “killer whale” – a connotative appellative if ever there was one – they don’t fare much better from a scientific point … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged Ólafsvík, Blackfish, Calf, environment, Europe, Fishing, Fjord, Herring, Iceland, Killer whale, Láki, Láki tours, Mammals, Marine Mammals, Matriarchy, Mountains, North Sea, Orca watching, Orcas, Orcinus orca, Photography, Sea, seagull, Snæfellsnes, Snow, Tourism, Travel, Trawler, Westfjord, Whale, Whale watching
26 Comments
Grundarfjörður.
Iceland doesn’t score very high in terms of cityscapes. Granted, there are corners of beauty peppered here and there in Reykjavik but there’s no denying that, besides those exceptions, towns and villages all around this island have a utilitarian air. … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged Aurora, Europe, Fjord, Grundarfjörður, Harbour, Iceland, Island, Kirkjufell, Light, Lights, Mountains, Night, People, Photography, Snow, Stargazing, Stars, Street photography, Trails, Travel, Winter
17 Comments
Snæfellsnes wide-angle.
The 9-18mm lenses I’ve just bought are, in the words of the photographer who won the chance of endorsing them, “perfect for panoramas”. In a rare astronomical conjunction where marketing met reality and they both shook hands with user requirements … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged 9-18mm, Ari Þorgilsson, Íslendigabók, Ólafsvík, Búðir, Beach, Columbus, Cristopher Columbus, Europe, Grundarfjörður, Guðriður, Guðriður Þorbjarnardóttir, Hellissandur, Iceland, Ingjaldshóll, Island, Kirkjufell, Laugarsbrekka, Lýsudalur, Mountain, nature, Neil Young, Olympus, Panorama, Photography, Sea, Sky, Snæfellsnes, Snow, Víðförla, Wide angle
24 Comments
The first globe-trotter.
We live in an age where travel is becoming a commodity. £300 return fares, London-New York, non-stop. £60 tickets for the train to Paris. Competition has brought low fares and low fares have shrunk the world: the jet set is … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged Þorfinnur, Þorfinnur Karlsefni, Þorstein, Canada, Christianity, Drakkar, Eirik, Eirik the Red, Far travelled, First Nations, First white, Globe Trotter, Greenland, Guðriður, Guðriður Þorbjarnardóttir, Iceland, Laugarbrekka, Leif Eiriksson, Leifur, Middle Age, Norway, Nun, Pilgrimage, Pope, Rome, Saga, Sailing, Ship, Snæfellsnes, Snorri, Travel, Traveller, Víðförla, Viking, Vinland, Well travelled, X century, XI century
27 Comments
Beyoğlu’s resilience.
I’ve since long harboured the dream of having – or, more modestly, staying at – a house on the Bosporus. Something with balconies abutting the waterfront, or perhaps a terrace with a view of the passing ships, a bottle of … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Turkey
Tagged B&W, Beyoglu, Beşiktaş, Bukowski, Busker, Colour, Dolmabahçe, Europe, Galata, Galata tower, Genoa, Greatest show, Istanbu, Istiklal Caddesi, Karaköy, Music, No ticket, People, People watching, Pera, Police, Turkey, Turks, Vodafone arena, Water cannon
19 Comments
Faces of Ortaköy.
Today’s a popular day to be in Ortaköy. Day-trippers are flocking to the waterfront. Outnumbered, the locals have made a hasty retreat to the fishmonger’s. Better let the tide ebb away. Only one thing is for sure: tomorrow, they’ll all … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Turkey
Tagged Artichoke, Örtaköy, Bosporus, Europe, Fish, Fish Market, Greengrocer, Istanbul, People, People watching, Photograph, Saturday, Turkey, Urban photography, Water, Weekend
9 Comments
Vapur abstraction.
There’s a concept I sometimes hear from my software engineer chums: abstraction, or the process of removing all sorts of attributes – be them physical, spatial, temporal – to get to the root of something (usually a system, since we’re … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Turkey
Tagged Asia, Atatürk, çay, Balat, Bosporus, Conscript, Crow, Eminönü, Europe, Eyup, Fener, Ferry, Golden Horn, Istanbul, Karaköy, People, People watching, Platoon, Sea, seagull, Sehir Hatlari, Soldiers, St Mary of the Mongols, tespih, Turkey, Turyol, Vapur, Water, Yusufpaşa
13 Comments
Istanbul 6 AM
Les travestis vont se raser Les strip-teaseuses sont rhabillées Les traversins sont écrasés Les amoureux sont fatigués Or so sang Jacques Dutronc in his masterpiece Il est cinq heures, Paris s’éveille It’s 6AM in Istanbul, but we’re a couple of … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Turkey
Tagged Aksarai, Ayasofya, Dutronc, Galata, Golden Horn, Hotel, Il est cinq heures, Istanbul, Morning, New Mosque, Night, Paris, Paris s'éveille, simit, Street, Suleymaniye, Turkey
17 Comments
