Travel
I'm lucky enough to travel a lot but I also aim to understand a place in some depth. So I like to find out about the local history, sociology, wildlife and local arts. I prepare for a trip by looking up photos of the famous sights, they're usually a good guide both about the local visual interest and also a warning of what has already been done or over-done.
I try to use the tools of modern photojournalism and photography to communicate how I feel about a place. You’ll see that I have used Portrait, Street, Interior, Historical, Abstract, Landscape, Historical, Wildlife, Phone-camera and Selfie genres at different times for specific effects.
Generally pretty happy with this weekend’s hire car: the hybrid operates inconspicuously but giving a real brmm factor when pulling away. I drove this Fiesta ST-Line to get over the Pennines before the snow and then again for fun around the North Pennines between Teesdale, Alston and Hartside Summit.
A double sunset on flight BA369 north from Marseille. We saw the sun set whilst taxiing to the runway to take off. The sun came back up and showed itself again for a few minutes after the A320 plane had climbed to cruise altitude. Magic!
Snow on the upper slopes of le Garlaban (714 m.), the limestone giant between Marseille and Aubagne, which dominates the settings of the novels of Marcel Pagnol
Read more: Snow and tartiflette in Marseille - le Garlaban (714 m.)
Now in Marseille after another take off at dawn from Heathrow.
The border policeman at the airport checked my passport (heavily stamped) and replied to my « Bonjour » with « Bienvenu à Marseille Monsieur John », we then had a few words of banter, all of which I thought was unusually warm.
The window of the piano shop in Cours Julien has a striking display featuring a Pleyel instrument with a wonderful case. There’s a note commending its warm tone. And the nearest supermarket has plenty of salad, unlike the UK.
Weather a bit sad grey and stormy but a good few degrees higher than London.
Colourful sunset as the plane before us takes off on its way to Istanbul. We were next on runway 31R at Marseille-Provence airport, headed for London-Heathrow.
