The Basque Country Revisited | Biarritz

Magnificent Biarritz shot during a stormy sunset from my favourite spot up at the Lighthouse.

Finally!!...The last part of our 2016 summer vacation is ready to be published. I still have a couple "Hero Shots" to edit, but I don't wanna rush that process so I'll be updating this post later on when I've had the time and inclination to do so.

I feel that I've already praised Biarritz in so many previous posts that I'm out of adjectives to use and/or don't want to repeat myself. If you still haven't then here's the five part photo story I did as part our 2015 summer vacation. I'll just end this one by quoting myself and also...I can't wait to get back there in July this year!!

Here in La Côte des Basques, Biarritz is the last bastion of the South West bordering Spain and jostling with the Michelin stars of the culinary San Sebastián.  
Its mild climate and the beauty of its awe-inspiring scenery, its curved inlets punctuated by rocky outcrops, all those cozy boulangerie, patisserie & crêperie’s, and the great events that it hosts, make Biarritz a destination of enchantment to which we will return to over and over again!!

Later!!

The Untamed Islands | Lofoten, Norway

We returned from our lovely Italy voyage on a Thursday and the plan was to head back out on the road again two days later. There in between we made time for a couple washing machine batches, changes of outfits from summer to winter clothes and most importantly spent time with the Englund family whom we always miss dearly whilst away from home.

On the Saturday we flew from Stockholm to Kiruna, got the rental car, made a run for a whole lot of groceries and drove towards Lofoten. 8 hours later we had arrived at our final destination Reine.

We spent a week in Lofoten with our base in Reine visiting the surrounding locations such as Sakrisøya, Hamnøy, Henningsvær, Uttakleiv Beach and Rambergstranda. We loved every minute of being at this rare wilderness outpost!!

The Lofoten Islands are draped across the turbulent waters of the Norwegian Sea, far above the Arctic Circle and offer an unlimited landscape of majestic mountains, deep fjords, squawking seabird colonies and long, surf-swept beaches.

If you are seeking unforgettable nature experiences, Lofoten will definitely not let you down. Due to the area’s diverse landscape, you can go hiking, skiing, fishing, ocean rafting or scuba diving. Lofoten is also one of Norway’s best sites for surfing, and one of the world’s northernmost.

Fishing has been, and still is, to a degree, the reason why people have lived here and the region is known for its many small fishing villages. Here, you can as we did stay in a Rorbu – an old fishermen’s cabin.

The rapidly changing weather and magnificent light conditions have inspired artists and drawn them to this area for several decades, which is an absolute dream for any landscape photographer as myself.

This trip is by far the most adventurous vacation we’ve done so far and experiences we gathered are unparalleled for us. If I may quote my good friend Arnie, I’ll (most definitely will, many, many at times) be back!! 

Italy Part III - Elba

After the hustle and bustle of Cinque Terre and Florence we were looking forward to get some down time at our next destination Elba. 

We found ourselves following a nice little daily routine during our five days there. With the exception of me sneaking away with my gear before sunrise the rest of the day was spent together, as husband and wife and around sunset as photographer and assistant in charge wifey.

Yes I'm getting off topic, our daily routine; it started with breakfast at the hotel, followed by a veeery short promenade to the end of the quaint waterfront, our feet then steered us a few meters more all the way to the small white pebbly beach called "Bagni Capo Nord". There we'd rent two sun-loungers and hang out most of the day viewing over beautiful turquoise crystal clear water at the foot of the green slopes of Mount Capanne.  

Insert delicious Tuscan cuisine for lunch and dinner somewhere there in between including the mandatory cooling Prosecco on the former occasion and local white on the latter. Furthermore add to this regimen many, many, many scoops of heavenly creamy gelato (for him aka. boo) and nutella pancakes (for her a.k.a. bae). Well there you have it, that was our day! 

Elba is an Island best described as a green and blue oasis in the Tuscan Archipelago. It's an island of endless horizons and golden beaches overlooking crystal clear water. The sought after breeze tells stories of people through history blessed by the sun while passing by caressingly. 

This little heaven on earth rewards you in a variety of aspects, typically sensed all at ones; its beaches and its cliffs, its wind, its land, its perfume, its flavors, its hard working people, its hillside villages and its terraces facing the sea are all but the start of a journey where you discover an island that will never disappoint you. 

Sea, land, wind, and ancient traditions. Go there and experience it yourself!!

Italy Part I - Cinque Terre & Portofino

We've had a real busy summer packed with a 5 week itinerary including trips to Italy, Norway and  a do-over of last years' Barcelona-San Sebastian-Biarritz combo. We truly feel grateful & humble being able to travel & explore so many wonderful locations during 5 weeks straight.

So what's been going on since summer you make ask and where the heck are the photos?
Well, I've sure been buys. Except for a new day job and new photo projects I've been keeping myself occupied sorting through & post processing all the images in my catalog. 

This post is the first part of our summer vacation series which I probably will be sharing in the following order:

  • Italy Part I - Cinque Terre & Portofino
  • Italy Part || - Florence
  • Italy Part III - Elba
  • Lofoten, Norway
  • Barcelona
  • San Sebastian
  • Biarritz 

Ever since I got serious about photography, Cinque Terre has been on my photo bucket list. 
Ever since I got serious about eating delicious food, Italy has been on my radar. 
Ever since I tasted my first ice cream as a kid, the search for scoops of that heavenly creamy gelato has been my mission...I don't think any further explanation is needed to justify the reason for choosing Italy as one of the destinations of our summer vacation.

How was it? We loved it, it was great! We're definitely set on visiting Italy more in the future.
 
We had time to explore the following locations in Cinque Terre; Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia & Manarola. Also we made a day trip out to the luxurious Portofino and another day trip to Florence before spending 5 days in Elba. But more about Florence and Elba in the next post. 

Here are my favourite memories from our time in Cinque Terre and Portofino.

The Art Of Pintxos | San Sebastián

On the bus ride from Biarritz to our next destination both my wife and I were so amazed by this place that we felt anything else would fade in comparison. Biarritz had definitely raised the bar.

However, our next destination San Sebastián did not disappoint at all!

 It is said that it’s impossible to lay eyes on San Sebastián and not fall madly in love. This is indeed true, especially if you are as serious an eater as we are.

San Sebastián is cool, charming and well-mannered by day, graceful and flirtatious by night.

It’s a city that loves to indulge and has a food culture that’s unmatched anywhere else in Spain. There’s a reason why Donostia as it’s called in Basque frequently tops lists of the world's best places to eat.

In this region of Spain, the chefs have created their own cheeky version of tapas. They call it pintxos and this cheerful little morsel of Basque cuisine has been refined to an art form. The perfect pintxo should have exquisite taste, texture and appearance and it should be savoured in two elegant bites.

But just as good as the food, is the summer fun in the sun. For its setting, form and attitude, Playa de la Concha is the equal of any city beach in Europe. Then there’s Playa de la Zurriola, with its surfers and sultry beach-goers.

As the sun sets after yet another gentle summer’s day, you’ll find yourself jostling next to locals and tourists alike outside of bar Nestor.

Whilst enjoying the starter; a simple yet marvelous plate of Pimientos Verdes, you can’t wait to taste that first bite of the chuletón that’s prepared to perfection. You take a sip of that heavenly Ribera del Duero and realize that, yes, you too are in love with San Sebastián.

The Mic Drop | Biarritz Part V

This is the last part of my Biarritz photo story quintette in which I’ll try to wrap things up.

I kind of wanted to round off the whole story by including photos that didn’t really fit in the previous posts. Also, I usually try to incorporate a funny story in the posts from my everyday life. Fortunately for you, I don’t have any tales to tail for today’s episode.

In conclusion I just want to emphasize that my super-secret agent of wifey and I really had an amazing time at this beautiful location.

Lastly, in an attempt of “Dropping the Mic”, I’d like to go back to the first post and quote myself;

"Here in La Côte des Basques, Biarritz is the last bastion of the South West bordering Spain and jostling with the Michelin stars of the culinary San Sebastián. 

Its mild climate and the beauty of its awe-inspiring scenery, its curved inlets punctuated by rocky outcrops, all those cozy boulangerie, patisserie & crêperie’s, and the great events that it hosts, make Biarritz a destination of enchantment to which we will return to over and over again!!"

La Grande Finale

The City of Roses & Ruins’ | Gotland Photo Trip

In preparation of this year’s first photo trip I started going through my shooting-locations-bucket-list. After extensive research - what would I do without you google? - and considering the 4 days I had to spare the decision came to be Gotland.

Except for being a beautiful island and I do love to shoot areas around water, Gotland gets the most hours of sunlight in Sweden. Also I could fly to Visby in under an hour hence maximize my shutter-pressing-time!

The first 2 days I spent exploring the charming city of Visby on foot and on bike. Having literarily the worst sense of orientation in the history of orientation I gladly found myself lost in all the small adorable alleys. Thanks to this ability I stumbled upon Glassmagasinet, Europe’s biggest ice cream bar (Say Whaaaaat!?!?). So if you’re a sucker for ice cream as I am it’s well worth a visit. 

If wining & dining is your thang then you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by all the top tier restaurants that are offered. My favorite place was definitely Surfers. Here you get Sichuan inspired cuisine delivered tapas stile and beautiful cocktails served up by super friendly waiters in a chill locale. Check them out at surfersvisby.se.

During my third day I made plans to visit the neighboring island of Fårö. After a bus ride of 1.5h, I rented a bike before crossing over on the ferry. I then biked up to and back from the Digerhuvud nature reserve. This location is known for the rock formations called “Rauk” or sea stacks. These formations are a result of erosion during the Ice age and are unique to Gotland and Fårö.

To summarize, I think the perfect way to describe Gotland & Visby is a quote I found while researching: 

“Visby is the city of roses & ruins’, mythic and embodied with a romantic historic aura.
An idyllic small town and yet Gotland’s largest habitation.”
— gotland.net

Here are my favorite photos from the trip.

Visby

Fårö