time for love
Harsh and cold
autumn holds to it our naked trees:
If only you would free, at least, the sparrows
from the tips of your fingers
and release a smile, a small smile
from the imprisoned cry I see.
Sing! Can we sing
as if we were light, hand in hand
sheltered in shade, under a strong sun?
Will you remain, this way
stoking the fire, more beautiful than necessary, and quiet?
Darkness intensifies
and the distant light is our only consolation —
that one, which from the beginning
has, little by little, been flickering
and is now about to go out.
Come to me. Closer and closer.
I don’t want to know my hand from yours.
And let’s beware of sleep, lest the snow smother us.
Distant light
by Walid Khazindar
Walid Khazindar was born in 1950 in Gaza City. He is considered one of the best Palestinian poets; his poetry has been said to be “characterized by metaphoric originality and a novel thematic approach unprecedented in Arabic poetry.” He was awarded the first Palestine Prize for Poetry in 1997.
Barcelona Marina
Barcelona Marina
Marina Port neighborhood is around the current Paseo de la Zona Franca next to the harbor.
The Port of Barcelona has a 2000-year history and great contemporary commercial importance as one of Europe’s ports in the Mediterranean, as well as Catalonia‘s largest port, tying with Tarragona. It is divided into three zones: Port Vell (the Old Port), the commercial/industrial port and the logistics port (Barcelona Free Port).
The Port Vell area comprises two marinas or yacht harbors, a fishing port, a maritime station for ferries travelling to the Balearic Islands and other destinations in the Mediterranean and other stations or landing areas for cruise ships, and it abuts the industrial port.
More info: Wikipedia
Portbou (Catalonia)
Portbou
It is located near the French border in the Costa Brava region, and frequently serves as a dropping off point for SNCF trains coming from Cerbère in France. Portbou is situated in the most mountainous area of the Costa Brava, and the closely-packed houses slope steeply up the valley from the waterfront.
The peaceful bay has been called a ‘natural amphitheater.’ It shelters an uncrowded, and stunningly beautiful pebbled beach. Uncrowded because though Portbou has some hotels, a tourist office and other tourist facilities it is not (yet) a major tourist destination.
Portbou was a small but important point for the republicans during the Spanish Civil War, as it was one of the few places from where they could get supplies from abroad.
Portbou is also where German philosopher Walter Benjamin committed suicide and was buried in 1940. There is a monument in his honor, by Dani Karavan.
More in Wikipedia.
Portbou (Catalonia)
Portbou beach in summer
Castelldefels beach
Weekly Photo Challenge: Muse
What subject keeps me coming back? There are several places I come back again and again looking for inspiration. One of them is the beach where I live, Castelldefels.
Castelldefels is a municipality in the province of Barcelona in Catalonia, noth-east of Spain. Its population is 63.255 (2014). It is located about 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Barcelona. The town is famous for its long beach (more than 5 km).
Castelldefels beach
I love the sunrise and sunset moments, and some days I need to go to enjoy of this beach. I always do some interesting photo.
I’ve posted this same beach two times: Sports on the beach. Kite-surf and Sunset in Castelldefels.
Castelldefels beach
Forces of Nature
Water that flows on the Earth’s surface in streams, rivers and seas, is the most powerful natural agent operating on the surface, and changes the face of the Earth.
Waves, generated by storms, wind, or fast moving motor craft, cause coastal erosion, which may take the form of long-term losses of sediment and rocks, or merely the temporary redistribution of coastal sediments; erosion in one location may result in accretion nearby.
In these photos, taken on the island of Mallorca, we see how the water, repeatedly hitting on this rock, will slowly erode its base and and over time will break.
Forces of Nature
sailing under the rain in Venice
This picture was taken a rainy day in the waters of this wonderful city that is Venice.
I was curious to see these Venetian sailing with their umbrellas in the rain.
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 117 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges and certainly its inhabitants seem accustomed to water wherever it comes …
sailing under the rain in Venice
Early Bird
“At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.”
Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
“What breaks in daybreak? Is it the night? Is it the sun, cracked in two by the horizon like an egg, spilling out light?”
Margaret Atwood
Early Bird
“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”
Jo Walton
the boat
Quiet Waters – Poem by Lee John Siebritz
Memories of happy times
Flood my head
As the boat rocks on and on…
Kids are laughing
Kids are smiling
Enjoying the blue skies
As the wind angrily
Blows the waves against the boat.
A moment of stillness fills my mind
As I think of Cape Town
My birthplace, my home, my life.
I can’t help but feel sad
As flashbacks of the past
Pop into my mind.
Watching these kids being happy
Makes me feel sad
As it takes me back
When that was once in my life.
I am happy where I am
I am happy in my soul
But the little boy’s life
Was cut off so soon.
Nights of terror.
Nights of the unknown
That little child
Had to mature quickly
Or die young.
The boats jerks
Kids plague me for a picture.
I smile though the pain
I smile through the heartache
They are happy
I am sad
I wish I could be like them
But that time has passed me by.
As we pass the
Last turn off
I feel a sense of peace.
Maybe it is my late grandmother
Speaking to me.
“Forget the past”
“Move on with your life”
“So that you can be happy”
I have to follow the star in my heart
For years its light has faded
Over the years it has dimmed
I hope it returns for me to move on…
Again, the boat jerks
My stomach turns
I feel my inside trying to come up.
But soon we arrive at our destiny.
I say goodbye to the mountains
To the trees
I am thankful to God that
I have lived another day.
And so my journey continues…
This is the last Post of the Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge.
Penguin
Penguin Humboldt
Penguin Humboldt
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds, that is, they have lost the ability to fly but have adapted to marine life thanks to their dense plumage and fin-like wings, which make them fantastic swimmers. They feed on fish, crustaceans and squid.
Penguin Humboldt
Penguin
Penguins
All the species live in the southern hemisphere and are characteristic sight in the cold Antarctic regions, although the Humboldt penguin lives further north on the coasts of Chile and Peru, in the area of the Humboldt current. The Humboldt Current is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the west coast of South America from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru.
More info in Wikipedia.
Penguin swimming
The Penguin
I am a bird you know quite well,
All dressed in black and white.
And even though I do have wings
They’re not designed for flight.
I waddle, waddle, waddle,
On my funny little feet.
Across the icy snow I go
To find a fishy treat!
Penguin swimming
Penguin
I know a bird
That cannot fly:
Penguin is its name.
It cannot fly,
But it can swim
With speed that wins it fame!
I know a bird
That lives on ice
And waddles by the sea.
It looks so cute
In its black-and-white suit,
As handsome as can be!
Penguin
First Post of the Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge, invited by my friend Berryduchess from berryduchess.com. As I said her, I’m not good at writing but I’ll make an effort to not detract her confidence.
Sorry for my english, I’m neither good at it.
Poems for kids from teachingfirst.net
Penguin
Penguin
Castelldefels beach. Kite-surf
Playing sports on the Castelldefels beach at 20 km from Barcelona in Catalonia. Young sporters doing Kite Surf.
Images edited with Adobe Lightroom 5 and OnOne software.
Castelldefels beach. Kite-surf
Castelldefels beach. Kite-surf
Castelldefels beach. Kite-surf
Jellyfish
Jellyfish or jellies are the major non-polyp form of individuals of the phylum Cnidaria. They are typified as free-swimming marine animals consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate for locomotion, while stinging tentacles can be used to capture prey.
Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. Scyphozoans are exclusively marine, but some hydrozoans live in freshwater. Large, often colorful, jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide. Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years, and possibly 700 million years or more, making them the oldest multi-organ animal.
Jellyfish
Istanbul Harbour
This is a view of the Istanbul Harbour as you can see today. There is a project to revitalize the harbour. The idea of the project was to create so-called attractors and to locate them directly at the waterfront. These attractors incorporate the already existing Haydarpasa trainstation, a new museum, an expansion of the existing harbor building and a new congress centre which includes hotels and other programs. Works that will modernize the port but will make lose all its taste.
Istanbul Harbour
bCL Photography 