Travel | The Daily Norm

Jul 4

Provence Odyssey | Avignon: Day Two – Le Pont et Les Papes

It was one of those mornings which you would like to lock up in an alarm clock to be projected outwards at the start of each day. Awakening to find not the dark groggy skies of an English summer, but the bright blue cerulean sparkle that can only be found in a Mediterranean sky, early sun streaming through the window, broken only by the shadow of a fresh-smelling pine tree standing quite still in the street outside, and the sound of birds and the awakening bustle of nearby cafes filling the air. To this slice of heaven we awoke on our first proper morning in the beautiful city of Avignon in Southern France, an optimism buoyed in the ultimately satisfying knowledge that this was our first full day of a holiday that would extend for another week and a day.

The brilliancy of the light made waking so easy, and I was soon up, capturing the view in watercolour in my newly purchased notebook. Yet before long, hunger came knocking, and strolling the brief 100 metres or so out to the Place de l’Horloge just outside the hotel, we picked one of many cafes in which to sit and order a petit dejeuner – breakfast which came handily in a pre-determined formular of fresh crunchy baguette, buttery croissants, sweet sticky confiture, jus d’orange and of course, a frothy thick coffee – and all a mere snip at 6 euros each. We very soon thought the better of our initial English naivety at making straight for the sun, skipping to a table in the shade away from the already intense morning heat (the nearby temperature gauge said it all), and there enjoying the simplicity of this very French breakfast, we watched this now sleepy great town wind slowly back into life.

Le Petit Dejeuner!

Hotting up for the morning

A whole day in Avignon meant that two inevitable bastions of the city needed to be covered: the Papal Palace and the world-renowned Pont d’Avignon itself, although our initial stroll en route took us past a small park set within the ruins of an old medieval church, its trees and fragrant flowers bursting with such piquant colour against the blue sky that you would swear that our eyes had been somehow tricked into seeing light through an almost fictionalised lens. Yet these photos do no injustice to the clarity of that colour, and the beauty of the floral path which led us steadily towards the vast Papal palace that dominates Avignon.

I said something of the Papal palace in yesterday’s post – a vast complex built by some 9 successive Popes when they swapped a tumultuous Rome for the comparative tranquility of Avignon back in the 13th Century. But today we ventured inside, and only then could we properly appreciate the vast scale of this Papal compound, whose very rooms were so large that one barely noticed the multitude of tourists flooding through its gates, and its courtyards so voluminous that an entire temporary auditorium had been set up within its four walls.

The inside of the Palace, while now empty, was a sight to behold, and the informative exhibits gave us a captivating history lesson both of the Papal heritage of Avignon, but also of how the palace slowly developed to become the mammoth structure which stands today. However, far from embracing the past, Avignon showed itself to be every bit the cultural leader for which the town has developed a worldwide renown (Avignon hosts a comprehensive cultural festival every July – sadly we just missed it), by daring to incorporate within these hallowed walls an exhibition (Les Papesses) of very modern sculpture, including the likes of Louise Bourgeois (famous for producing large spider sculptures), Camille Claudel, Kiki Smith, Jana Serbak and Berlinde de Bruyckere. Some of the sculptures were a little raw, somewhat gruesome for some tastes, particularly de Bruyckere’s rather ghastly corpse-like forms, but I loved the playfullness of the huge pile of duvets, the oversized glass marbles and of course the Bourgeois spider.

Having taken in a drink and the admirable views from the palace’s roof-top terrace, we headed back down to earth, retreating into the maze like streets that surround the Papal complex like a silk wrap, and into one such street settled down on the charming rather chic little terrace of Au Vent d’Agnes (4 rue Saboly – Tel 04 32 76 26 45) for a couple of super fresh salads: mine was a caprese salad with a modern twist of basil mousse – quite superb and washed down so satisfyingly with an ice cold glass of local white vin. As we were in the area, we skipped dessert, heading instead for the Musée Angladon which, thanks to the generosity of its founding family collectors contains the only Van Gogh to be found in all of Provence (despite his completing so many hundreds of canvases during his year or so here) as well as an impressive collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masters, with Manet, Degas, Sisley, Cezanne and Modigliani amongst their number.

Imposing the Spanish siesta upon this sunny day, we rested (and I painted) until temperatures cooled slightly, and headed out finally to the second of the city’s most famous sites: the renowned bridge of Avignon, about which the eponymous song which goes something like this: “Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse, l’on y danse, Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse tous en ron”…was written.

The Pont d’Avignon is actually called the Pont St Bénézet, named after the shepherd boy who supposedly commanded angels to build the original bridge on this site across the River Rhône. Yet today, it is not only the bridge’s name which has fallen out of use: The bridge itself was catastrophically damaged in the 17th century, as the majority of its arches were swept away in a flood in 1669, and the bridge fell into disrepair, leaving only the four arches which remain standing today. But of course, today, it is no doubt the city’s greatest pull: that is until you get here and realise that Avignon has so, so much more to offer in terms of charm and beauty than this old crumbled relic, but a visit to the city would not, of course, be complete without a stroll along its remaining length. Just be sure to buy a combined ticket for both the bridge and the Papal palace if you follow our lead and head to this wonderful city – for a visit to the bridge is worth very little of the full admission fare charged.

What a day, what a city: Avignon was the huge surprise of our trip – because what was planned as merely a station stop on our train journey south had actually been the source of cultural and historical inspiration and an all round feast of visual and sensual delights. Of course that’s not where Avignon ended for us. We spent the remainder of the day strolling through the lavender planted before the famous bridge, to then smelling the lavender sachets and soaps aplenty which pack the ample selection of souvenir shops nearby. And then of course there was the wonderful dinner we ate that night… But more on that another time.

À bientôt!

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Provence Odyssey | Avignon: Day One – Journey South (daily-norm.com)

Jul 3

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Provence Odyssey | Avignon: Day One – Journey South

There is something inherently romantic about making a European journey by train. For what you may gain in time by way of flying (IF things are running on time) you surely lack in the kind of convenience promised by a railway journey, which, with very little check-in hassle, sweeps its passengers to the very heart of their destination in a single fast-moving trajectory. And it’s not as if trains even take that long these days, with a sophisticated network of high speed trains spreading over Europe and growing every year.

So when I considered a holiday destination for this summer, my decision was very much influenced by the ease with which, during the summer months, one can catch a Eurostar from London St Pancras direct into Avignon in the heart of French Provence in just under 6 hours. And as we were to find as we took said train early on the penultimate Saturday of June, the length of the journey literally flies by as one is immovably distracted by the slowly changing French landscape outside the window, and lured by the ripe promise of long hot sunny days and floral scents of the Provençal promised land. While a flight may whisk you above the clouds and deliver you from one mediocre out-of-town airport space to another, the Eurostar option affords you the unique opportunity to see a country literally change, at speed before your eyes.

The Provençal promised land beckoned

And so it was that as we began our Provençal Odyssey we watched with wonder as the grey flat lands of Northern France became progressively more undulating, and colours literally ripened before our eyes, with clearing skies, the reappearance of sunshine and finally the much promised shots of purple emanating from a tapestry of lavender fields which cultivate the region. As the purples and yellow and bright greens increased it became clear that we were nearing our destination, and when the train began to slow over the sparkling snaking form of the river Rhône in view of the nearby silhouette of a majestic medieval citadel, we knew that we had arrived: in Avignon.

First glimpses of Avignon

The guide books will tell you that Avignon is the gem of Provence and that much became very clear as soon as we entered the tightly walled old city centre. For Avignon’s unique beauty arises from its equally unique history, characterised by the period when, in the 14th century, the Papal enclave fled the turmoil of savagery in Rome and set up a new capital of Catholicism in Avignon. The result of a line of 9 Avignon popes (2 of which ruled in tandem with a duplicate pope back in Rome during the time of the Great Schism) is a city made great in medieval times: surrounded by dense barricaded walls in order to protect tv the Papal city, within which a quaint maze of winding narrow streets all leading to the central magnificent heart of the city: the super-imposing Papal palace itself.

Of course the city has developed since then, and the city’s Hotel de Ville facing outwardly onto the bustling restaurant filled Place de l’Horloge is a grand testament to Neo-classicism. However there are very few modern scars on this UNESCO protected heritage site, and our hotel, the Hotel Horloge was situated right in the middle of it.

Delighted at our first glimpses of the city, by our location at its heart, and by the heat pervading its squares and streets, we rushed out into the city, pulled by the cafe bustle of the Place de l’Horloge and the promise of a chilled glass of wine after our railway trek from one end of France to the other.

Mary atop Avignon’s Cathedral

And the park affording views across the city

Ice cream in the park 🙂

Already drunk on the sheer beauty of the city, and now Dizzy with the delights of a little afternoon wine, we were close to being hyper with the magnificence of the city we saw before us. From that first glimpse of the imposing and almost fairy tale like Papal palace, and the golden Mary looming over the city, to our discovery of a pretty shady little park, the Rocher des Doms gardens, set up on a hill next to the palace. From these gardens, full of families picnicking, playing, children peddling around on old fashioned horse carts and young couples sipping coffees and eating ice cream by a duck pond, our first views were afforded of the famous Pont d’Avignon (real name: Pont St Bénézet), renowned because of the eponymous rhyming song (sur Le pont d’Avignon etc) but today a mere relic of what it once was, reaching out into the Rhône but now, a ruin, resolved to never quite making it more than halfway across the wide expanse of water.

The Pont d’Avignon

and the Rhone

As if further validation of the magic of the city were needed, one event after another occurred as the day turned into night, confirming Avignon to be a true reflection of the good life: First a wedding party, dancing their way to middle eastern music through the town, the crowds of tourists joining them in their merry parade; second the long shadows cast upon a building’s magnificent decorative facade as the sun shone its day’s final rays across the exquisite architectural details; third: dinner – a rich French feast of aubergines in tomato sauce, delicate sea bream, and a cookie pannacotta for dessert enjoyed by candlelight before the pinkening facade of the Palais des Papes at sundown; fourth that same sunset over the Pont d’Avignon, the pink light reflecting off the calm waters of the Rhone; and finally, in the main Place du Palais, an open air concert from which the harmonious melodies of orchestra-accompanied opera filled the warm evening air and bounced off the vast medieval walls of the Palais des Papes behind it.

What a city! So rich in its offerings, and providing us with such sights and sounds after only a few hours’ visit. From London to Avignon, our experience of life had undergone a perceptive change. We had found ourselves in the warm, spirited and culturally enriched city of Avignon, and as darkness fell, we could do little else but head to bed full of excitement for the days that were to come, and the opportunity that would be afforded to explore this Provençal gem to the full.

More about that, tomorrow. See you then!

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Jun 27

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Sunflower Spectacle

When you read this post I should be somewhere around Arles or Saint Remy-de-Provence, breathing in the fresh balmy air of the South of France, and following in the footsteps of one Vincent Van Gogh, who painted some of his most famous canvases in these parts. I therefore thought it appropriate that The Daily Norm’s photo of the week, published in my “absentia”, should be a suitably summery shot, and what better way to bring you the warmth and vitality of the rolling fields of Provence than to feature one of my photos of the unblemished glory of the intricately patterned head of a sunshine-yellow sunflower.

I actually took the photo last summer in Tuscany, rather than Provence. My partner, who had gone out ahead of me had found a field bursting full of “girasoli”, and was anxious that we should go along to see them before the flowers began to wilt under the roasting Tuscan sun. And so, on my first day out there we headed along to the field, surrounded by pine trees and the rousing chorus of cicada cries, and ran straight into the centre of this incredible field full of flowers. It was such a moment of epiphany to be surrounded by these wonders of nature, stretching for as far as the eye could see.

But of course the rolling landscapes of Provence are equally renowned for their sunflowers, and proved to be such an inspiration to Van Gogh when he lived in Arles that he painted what are perhaps now his most famous series of works as decoration for his home, now known as “the Yellow House”, in preparation for the visit of his artist companion, Paul Gauguin. And little wonder. The flowers, with their complex faces, delicate bright yellow petals, and strong fleshy green stalks turning the flowers towards the sun, are the very epitome of a glorious summer’s day.

I have no doubt that once returned from Provence, I will be inspired in equal measure. See you then.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Trout Pout (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – London in June (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Reflected Metropolis (daily-norm.com)
Chelsea Flower Show (ii) A festival of flowers (daily-norm.com)

Jun 17

Going Khoo-Khoo for la Gastronomie Française

In a few days time I am leaving the windswept wet isles of Great Britain behind me in the woosh of a high-speed train all the way from London to Avignon in the South of France. I am practically delirious with anticipation, already envisaging my stripy blue and white t-shirt set amongst the rolling Provence countryside with a little black beret to match; spending my long sweaty journeys on the tube with teach-yourself-French flowing firmly into my ears; playing old French favourites Piaf and Trénet around my home; and now, super-indulging in la bonne vie of ultimate gastronomic excellence: French cuisine.

I don’t know all that much about French cuisine, being firmly inducted as I am into the Spanish school of cookery, but I do have one exeedingly pleasing French cookbook on my book shelves, and even that one I bought more for the fine pictures of Paris than through any hope of mastering French gastronomy. However, as technique goes, Rachel Khoo‘s Little Paris Kitchen certainly makes things less intimidating, and opening the book up for the first time in months, I set about creating a weekend fully loaded with French delights.

You’ll have to excuse what follows as being something more of a pictorial indulgence than an ingredient-by-ingredient recipe rehash. While I will try to stay faithful to Khoo’s recipes where I can (and of course reminding Daily Norm readers that the recipes are entirely her copyright, and of course urging you to buy her picture-perfect book ;-)), or otherwise link up to them where I can find them already published online, this post is really an unapologetic celebration of food, of the beauty of ingredients, of fresh produce, of flavour combinations and of the results that can be achieved through a toil in the kitchen.

So first up was a simple Gratin au poisson fumé, a rather simple little light lunch to make, once you master the creamy rich béchamel sauce. It’s also a great way to use up odds and ends from your fridge. For the béchamel, you need to melt 30g of butter in a large pan over a medium heat, adding 30g of plain flower and beating hard until it becomes a smooth paste. Take off the heat, leaving to cool for a couple of minutes, before gradually whisking in 500ml of milk. Place back on a medium heat, add 1/4 peeled onion, a clove and a bay leaf and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Finish by removing the onion, clove and bay leaf and seasoning with a little salt, white pepper (if poss) and a pinch of nutmeg. Then it’s just a case of mixing this with around 750g of cooked, sliced baby potatoes, 200g of smoked haddock or other smoked fish, a handful of chopped parsely and sprinkling a handful of comté or gruyere on top and then popping into the oven or 200 mins at 180C. Serve with a fresh salad to cut through that creamy, cheesy sauce. I sprinkled my bake with a little pimento (you can take the boy out of Spain, but not Spain out of the boy…).

An alternative use of the béchamel is to mix it with 300g of cooked macaroni, and placing that in the oven with a load of cheese sprinkled on top – it makes an awesome macaroni cheese which easily beats the supermarket favourites thanks to Khoo’s welcome addition of aromatic flavourings in the sauce.

My macaroni

Onto the plat principal, which in anticipation of our voyage south just had to be a fresh summery fish dish. I wanted to make Khoo’s Trout en papillote dish, but failing to find any trout stocked in my local fishmongers, settled on a freshwater char, which I gather is a close cousin of Monsieur Le Truite. I did however opt for the en papillote technique, the masterful and easy method of cooking fish efficiently, ensuring that the moisture and flavour is all locked in and doesn’t escape the dark cavernous entrails of an oven.

My Char and her fellow ingredients pre-papillotte

My Char and her fellow ingredients pre-papillote

Basically, all you need to do is take one trout per person (or one large char did it for the two of us), and rub its insides with a marinade of the grated zest of one lemon, salt, pepper and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Then fill the fish’s belly with finely chopped fennel, and rest slices of almost cooked baby potatoes alongside the fish (sufficient for the number of people the fish will serve). Then that’s it – lie the fish & co. on a large piece of baking paper and seal closed ensuring that those juices can’t get out – and if you’re wondering how this should be done, check out Rachel Khoo demonstrating herself! I served the fish with a good dollop of thick creamy crème fraîche and a little salad by way of pretence that I am in fact very healthy (and pigs will fly etc etc). The fish was unctuous, tasty, moist and so beautiful to look at – well before it was cooked anyway.

Pre-papillote

All wrapped and ready to go

The less beautiful but delicious finished dish

Finally, les desserts, and I went for two French classics which, while a little technical, are made pleasingly approachable in Khoo’s book. The first was Îles flottantes (floating islands), which I can very handily give you a link to to save me trying to unsuccessfully summarise what are three fairly complex processes to make this well-worth-the-effort delicious dessert. I first had some floating islands – unctuous soft meringue floating in a creamy vanilla custard soup – at La Bofinger in the Marais in Paris. After making may way through an indulgent multi-tiered mountain of oysters and seafood, this seemed easily the most decadent way to close a French meal, and now having made it myself, I am delighted to have so easily mastered what is surely one of life’s most decadent of desserts. I particularly love Khoo’s almond praline touch – sprinkled on top this gives the subtle eggyness of the meringue extra sugar and a much needed crunch.

For dessert number two (made the following day I might add – we’re not that greedy), I decided to indulge cataclysmically, with a creamy, ambrosial champagne based dessert, perfect to accompany the glasses of champagne which were already bubbling away in the hands of my partner and I by way of celebration of our fourth anniversary. Rachel Khoo’s ultimately delicious Sabayon de Champagne avec fraises just had to be the winner of the weekend. It was quite simple to make, and way too simple to eat – we finished off this exquisite elixir in mere seconds, but it was worth those few mouthfulls of pleasure.

Anniversary champagne

To create this delight, simply whisk 4 egg yolks with 25g of sugar over a bain marie (heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water) until the mixture is thick and pale yellow in colour. Then add 100ml of champagne and whisk until the sabayon is very thick and foamy – this takes around 5-10 minutes, and you know when it’s done when you draw a shape in the mix and it stays put. Then simply pour into bowls and serve with stawberries. Oooo la la what a summer’s delight!

Vive le France! We’re coming to get you!

For more details of Rachel Khoo’s cuisine check out her BBC series page.

‘The Little Paris Kitchen’: Rachel Khoo puts a fresh spin on classic French fare (o.canada.com)
https://daily-norm.com/2012/04/12/madeleine-melody/
Salmon en papillote (feedthepiglet.wordpress.com)

May 31

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Mallorca in May – A photographic miscellany

While Mallorca’s capital of Palma may exude elegance, the surrounding island competes in charm, beauty and manifest variety. Who cannot be wooed by the picture-perfect hilltop town of Valldemossa, with its mélange of old stone town houses and green window shutters, topped by the turqouise-tiled campanile of the Real Cartuja de Valldemossa, the monastery made famous for the short stay of Frédéric Chopin and his lover George Sand during an embittered winter now immortalised in Sand’s book A Winter in Majorca. And if that idyllic town does not exhaust your capacity for admiration entirely, don’t forget Palma’s stunning coastlines, such as the view of the Illa d’es Malgrat from Santa Ponça, or the charming sight of a traditional fisherman’s vessel, laden with ropes and nets in the old fishing port of Andratx.

Despite only a short weekend trip to Mallorca, and my attendance at a whole series of lunches, dinners, and meetings during that time, my camera was never far from my side, enabling me to add yet more new shots of this magical island to my growing collection. Of particular interest to me this time round were the new sights and experiences – for example the brand new Port Adriano – a vast new complex which lacks the natural aesthetic charm of the Ports of Andratx or Soller for example but which, with its Philippe Starck designed street furnishings such as quirky street lamps dressed as standard lamps and chic glass and steel staircases, makes for an interesting sight, especially when enjoyed with a glass of something sparkling from one of the many swanky (but rather empty) bars that line the yacht-filled marina front.

So without further ado, here are 30 more shots of Mallorca in May – the island which very evidently never stops giving.

: This buoy looks like a Norm!

: Valldemossa

: These colours are stunning

: Philippe Starck’s street lamps

: I want to eat at this table!

: The Port Adriano

: Valldemossa’s monastery

: Fishing boats in Puerto d’Andratx

: Valldemossa

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Mallorca in May – The elegant streets of Palma (daily-norm.com)

May 30

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Mallorca in May – The elegant streets of Palma

The weekend before last, I was lucky enough to travel back out to the beautiful balearic island of Mallorca to discuss various exciting artistic commissions. The trip came only 6 weeks after my last stay on the island, and I was ecstatic to once again sample the delights of this magical Spanish island, to savour its delicious food and its chic restaurants, to fill my eyes with the stunning views which traverse both the island’s mountainous landscape and surround its craggy coast with picture-perfect view points, and to fill my nose with the heady scent of its floral Spring.

While the weekend was a busy one, the occasional opportunity to walk around the island’s gorgeous capital city of Palma reminded me of just how elegant a place it is, and no more so than in May, having undergone the verdant changes which accompanying the warming days of Spring. Thus, already beautiful buildings were now dappled with golden sunlight, strained as though through a kitchen colander between the gaps in the fresh verdurous leaves of trees and ample flowers beds which have burst into life across the city. The lengthened lighter evenings provided an extended period of warm buttery light with which to admire the city’s many squares, fountains and palaces; while ancient religious monuments, elegant wrought iron balconies of modernista masterpieces, and the exquisite street decor that makes Palma such a joy to behold can all be enjoyed with double the pleasure, as these fine architectural details are further reflected in long summer-extended shadows.

As ever, my camera never had much of an opportunity for rest as the enhanced beauty of Mallorca in May inspired a series of new immortalised moments. Here are just a few shots of the elegant streets of Palma.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Mallorca (Part X) – Photography Focus 3: Favourite Shots (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Sketch: Norms take the tram in Soller (daily-norm.com)

May 28

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The Daily Sketch: Norms take the tram in Soller

Travelling from Palma de Mallorca to the little town Soller, on the old rickety Ferrocarril railway, is like stepping back into the time of Agatha Christie. You fully expect someone in a trilby hat or a feathered tiara to shout murder! at any second. After making it to the charming little town of Soller, set near the North coast of Mallorca deep in a vast mountainous valley, further rickety old wooden trams, running from the Ferrocarril station down to Soller’s picturesque port, give the town its undoubted charm, taking tourists and locals alike back to the good old days when transportation was slower, yet undoubtedly more reliable.

Norms in Soller (2013, © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown)

Take a glimpse in Soller today, and you can see the Norms trying the tram out for speed. Queuing in a little group, waiting patiently in the shadow of the imposing facade of Joan Rubio i Bellver’s Sant Bartomeu church, and besides the town’s charming little restaurant-filled square, these Norms are all prepared to take a ride on Soller’s iconic tramline. One Norm has even dressed for the occasion, bedecked in top hat as befits such a classical mode of transportation. There’s really no beating the good old golden age of the trams, as these Norm-packed carriages prove. Happy tramming Norms!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Norms at Cappuccino Pollença (daily-norm.com)
Mallorca (Part X) – Photography Focus 3: Favourite Shots (daily-norm.com)

May 13

3 Comments

Marbella in May: a photography experiment (iv) – a Marbellan Miscellany

Marbella has very sadly become synonymous in the British vernacular with the orange Essex tans, hedonistic lifestyle and flashy gaudy inhabitants of its brash z-list celeb-stuffed suburb, Puerto Banus. Yet Marbella the town, which is a good 10km along the coast from that rather vulgar port, is one of the true gems of Andalucia.

It’s picturesque positioning between the sparkling blue sea and the prominent mountain landscape behind it provides the setting, while a charming little old town full of quaint narrow white washed alleys, impressive ancient churches and grand old squares is the ultimate in authentic Spanish attractiveness.

Being lucky enough to benefit from a family home just north of the old town’s central orange-tree lined square, I get to stroll around Marbella’s postcard-perfect old town on a daily basis but never tire of its scenic charms, from old cracked stone fountains to crumbling white washed walls, elegant wrought iron window grills hung with ceramic pots and bright red geraniums. I must have photographed it a thousands of times, but it never stops inspiring me to take a few more.

So here, in the final post of photos from the recent Marbella test run of my new Song Cybershot HX20V, here are some of my favourite shots of the town, from historic centre to the beach beyond. Once again, the camera’s 20x optical zoom proved a real treat when capturing far off details such as the little dog looking like it was about to dip into a glass of beer, and an impressive sailing ship, passing by while I was munching upon those delectable fried aubergines.

The camera’s test run is complete. I can confirm my purchase has been a success. And now I look forward to bombarding you with new photos throughout the summer taken with the camera which will never be far from my side.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Marbella in May: a photography experiment (i) – my patio garden (daily-norm.com)
Marbella in May: a photography experiment (ii) – Cappuccino Cocktails (daily-norm.com)
Marbella in May: a photography experiment (iii) – Park Life (daily-norm.com)

May 10

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Marbella in May: a photography experiment (iii) – Park Life

Like many Spanish cities, Marbella is not short on shady spaces, a necessity for surviving the savagery of the searing Spanish sun. But thanks largely to the efforts of a corrupt former mayor, who paved much of the town in marble, Marbella’s parks are as grand as they are green, the many voluptuous tropical plants reflected double in the shiny polished pavements below, and curving elegantly over large ceramic-decorated fountains from which water arcs and spouts and dances whimsically all day long.

The central Alameda park is the gemstone in a series of green sprawling spaces, and has become an appropriate meeting place for Marbella’s locals and tourists alike. It’s various parallel avenues provide plenty of space for a refreshing perambulation, all paths leading to one of the parks two large fountains, while alongside the plants many a bench invites sitters to rest and imagine themselves sat in a richly verdant jungle.

Second only to the Alameda, the Parque de la Constitucion hosts at its centre a semi-circular open air theatre characteristic of those popular in Ancient Greece, while in the park surrounding it, a distinctly moorish feel envelops the fountains, paving and layout. I adore these gardens which, being slightly off centre, exude calm and lack crowds. Strolling between the tall shady cypress trees and besides lawns and flower beds, one could almost be in an English country garden – except for the key addition of sun.

I love Marbella’s park spaces, and more particularly the rich plump tropical and Mediterranean plant species which flourish there. Sitting beneath them I am reminded of an Henry Rousseau paintings albeit only metres from Marbella’s beach on one side and historic centre on the other.

Beyond the park, Marbella is a festival of floral colour and richly leafed greenery. I was struck by the sheer abundance of colourful flowers planted alongside roads and pavements, as well as the sheer volume of newly born leaves upon the trees (no doubt the result of an especially wet winter). I don’t think I’ve ever seen the town look prettier – and luckily my new camera was there to capture it all.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Marbella in May: a photography experiment (i) – my patio garden (daily-norm.com)
Marbella in May: a photography experiment (ii) – Cappuccino Cocktails (daily-norm.com)

May 9

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Marbella in May: a photography experiment (ii) – Cappuccino Cocktails

You join me on the second post sharing my photos from a little weekend’s experimenting with my new Sony Cybershot DSC-HX20V camera in Marbella, Southern Spain. By lunchtime on day one of our stay, I was already at ease operating this simple to use camera, and taking full advantage of its excellent 20x optical zoom facilities.

Today’s photos see me catching the mellow halcyonic lunchtime atmosphere in the sun drenched pine tree sheltered garden patio of my favourite of all cafe-bars, Cappuccino Grand Cafe Marbella, which is situated in the beach side grounds of the plush Gran Melia Don Pepe hotel.

Sitting in the sunshine sipping upon a cool glass of Albariño wine and indulging in that always satisfying past time of people watching, I became captivated by the vividly colourful cocktails, green bottles and fruity rose wines being carried around by the crisp model-like waiters. With a long zoom at my disposal, I was able to capture the kaleidoscope of colourful thirst-quenchers, their jem like glow augmented when shimmering against the potent midday Marbellan sun.

I love the ability of the camera to focus out the surrounding diners, concentrating on the vivid colours and the clarity of light. And of course I have to thank Cappuccino for providing the most chic of all surroundings as inspiration for these simply satisfying images.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.