Travel | The Daily Norm

Jan 15

Photos from Venezia: Capturing a city

I defy even the most inexperienced of photographers not to start snapping away, be it on a traditional camera or on a mobile telephone, when they go to Venice. It is, I would venture to guess, almost scientifically impossible for a visitor to the city not to become captivated by the beauty which exists at every corner, to fall under the spell of its utterly unique character, and to therefore attempt to capture themselves a little piece of the city, be it through photos or souvenirs (or usually both).

Regular readers of The Daily Norm have probably already noticed that I took a fair number of photos on my recent trip to Venice, even though it meant defying the cold and taking off my new comfy rabbit-lined gloves (bought on the Rialto Bridge) in order to do so. But despite the so often gloomy winter weather, it will come as no surprise that Venice inspired an entire flurry of photos, and I have plenty still to share in addition to those already posted.

And so in this last post looking back over my recent Venetian adventure, I am including a miscellany of photos which do, I think, effectively capture something of the essence of the place. Through the textures of the city – from crumbling walls to luxurious golden silk, and through the colours – ocres, yellows, the turquoise green water and of course the characteristic Venetian red; through its historical palaces, and even a shop filled with old waterlogged books…This is a selection of photos which is innately Venetian, transporting me back to that foggy, watery wonderland where a part of my heart remains firmly captured by the city in turn.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2016 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.

Jan 11

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Memoirs from Venezia, Part 3: St Mark’s from above, and within

As much as I have always opined that you can only find the real authentic Venice the further you travel out of the tourist centre, there is no doubt that the Piazza San Marco remains the heart and soul of the city, even though it also coincides as the epicentre of the tourist trade. And just as three previous visits had never seen me travelling on one of the city’s famous gondolas, I had likewise never visited one of the most important buildings in the city, the Doge’s Palace. There can be no justification for this shortfall, since the palace was, and remains at the historical core of what was one of the world’s greatest republics. And on this trip I was determined to put things to rights.

Walking through the main stone archway leading into the palace courtyard, passing one of the miscellany of ancient relics looted from all over the Eastern world, there could be no mistaking the grandeur of what had once been the centre of Venice’s administrative, political and legal core. But beyond the exquisite marble facades, the windows characterised by the iconic “Venetian Gothic” style and the impressive statues peppering every wall and corner of the exterior, the real grandeur was reserved for the inside. For up a heavily gilded staircase and into the pomp of the ceremonial rooms upstairs, our eyes sprung open in astonished amazement at the extent of opulence on display.

The Doge’s Palace outside

There, paintings by the very historical best of Venice’s artists were practically beaten into submission by the heavily baroque gilded mouldings which surrounded them. However it was the combination of both gilding and paintings on every surface of the walls and ceilings which created the real drama, and we were only saddened (and rather surprised) by the extent to which the condition of all surfaces had, like the city surrounding the palace, been allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair.

The splendour of the gilded interiors

One might wonder how the world outside this glittering palace could follow this magnificent display of splendour, but of course Venice always has a new treasure in store, and as we left the Doge’s Palazzo and saw a small queue forming across the square at the famous Bell Tower of San Mark’s, we had just discovered our next treasure… for from the top of the tower, mercifully reached by lift, you can enjoy the most astonishing views of Venice sprawling out beneath you.

I loved the fact that from the top of the campanile, you could get a flavour of the true personality of this fascinating island… the extent to which the city is packed into a tiny space surrounded by a misty, boggy lagoon; the consistency of the sprawling wave of terracotta rooftops; and the incredible beauty of the many churches and palaces springing up all over the skyline.

Venice from above the campanile of St. Mark’s

A day full of such beauty could only be concluded by a visit to the other of the Piazza San Marco’s famous gems; Florian’s café, where we rightfully treated ourselves to a tray loaded with tea, macarons and cakes fit for the festive season. And with that marvellous afternoon tea, taste joined the others of our senses which had been utterly enchanted by a further day in Venice.

A well earned visit to Florian’s and the Piazza of San Marco at night

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2016 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.

Jan 8

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Memoirs from Venezia, Part 2: Sestiere di Castello

Venice is not just any city for me. It was present at the inception of my teenage renaissance, when at the age of 18 I travelled to Italy with 20 likeminded young people to study art history. Venice was the first stop, and it was in that city that I felt myself transform, like a butterfly whose wings burst forth upon a mega-wave of sights, images and inspirations. So whenever I return to the city, there is always a part of me which yearns to revisit all of the sites which gave birth to that transformative experience. But at the same time I always want to see something new, and despite its compact size, the intricate labyrinth of the city always provides a new surprise around every corner.

On this trip, I was determined to discover some of the areas which I do not know so well, and there to expose myself to some of the lesser-known gems of the city. One such area is the Sestiere di Castello, which, tucked just behind San Marco, sprawls eastwards from the Rialto across to the Arsenale and beyond.

Gems of the Sestiere di Castello

It is easy to tire of the repetitiveness of central Venice, with every shopfront loaded with mass-produced masks and tacky souvenirs, but walk just a few canals beyond the centre, and a more quaint, authentic city is ripe for the discovery. Such is the case with the Castello, from the grand Campo Santa Maria Formosa with its curving church, to the impressive square in front of the Zanipolo church, the size and scale of which makes it a clear rival to St. Mark’s itself. All this we explored as we traversed the area on foot, gawping at the stunning stone mausoleums of the doges set within the walls of the Zanipolo, as well as being mesmerised by the haunting chants of a Greek Orthodox service on the Rio del Greci in a beautiful little church which has its very own leaning tower.

The Zanipolo and the Chiesa di San Giorgio dei Greci

But for me, the real star of the region is the Arsenale, this massive former industrial site which would have been the heart not only of the Venetian Republic’s economy, but also of its military prowess. Although sadly unused today, from the mammoth encircling walls, and the huge classical gates at its entrance, once can still feel the might and power of the place. For Arsenale was not only large, taking up some 1/15th of Venice’s entire landmass and giving employment to a huge proportion of the city’s population, but it was also a place of innovation, being the first to mass-manufacture boats with the kind of conveyor-belt style product output which can only be dreamed of by car factories of today.

The Arsenale

But beyond the hard lines of the Arsenale, a stunning city of view is always just around the corner, and as our day came to an end, we were treated to a glimpse of sunshine (in an otherwise foggy visit) over the lagoon, where Palladio’s masterpiece, San Giorgio Maggiore glistened in the light, and along the lagoon, the warm cosy interior of Harry’s Bar lay in wait. Most expensive amaretto known to man? It was surely so, but an apt treat at the end of an impressive day exploring the real Venice.

The lagoon and a rest in Harry’s Bar

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2016 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.

Jan 4

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Memoirs from Venezia, Part 1: Christmas on a Gondola

As most of us look, somewhat gloomily, towards a mediocre post-Christmas period with our homes becoming sparser as decorations are packed away and everything returns to normal, I am sustained by a head full of daydreams, as I recall the time I spent this Christmas in Venice.

I am no stranger to this utterly unique, magical floating city, but no matter how many times I go, I am equally if not increasingly held captive by its enchanting spell. For where else on earth can you find palaces whose golden doorsteps are laced with a layer of green algae; whose magical buildings appear and disappear within veils of mist as mysterious as the masked characters who walk the city’s streets; and where you can spend Christmas day on a gondola.

The jewel of the Adriatic, as photographed on Christmas morning

For with my partner’s mother making our Christmas a family affair, this festive season was going to be special for all sorts of reasons. And first on the to-do list of the day was to toast Christmas and the city from the luxurious comfort of a gondola. Despite its being my fourth visit to the city, I had never before been in one of these iconic vessels, fearing the grossly inflated prices and tourist traps. But when you discover that it is as expensive to remain on land in Venice as it is to embark upon the water, this cheeky half an hour on board one of the world’s most famous boats can be easily justified.

On a gondola for Christmas!

And so as families all over the world toasted the day over a roast turkey, we started ours floating gently over the milky green canals of Venice, gazing in wonder as we passed cracking palaces, rosy-pink street lamps and some of the most beautiful churches ever built. The day continued with indulgent feasting in the Taverna la Fenice, a stroll across the Accademia Bridge to the gentle Dorsoduro district, the purchase of far too many handmade glass santas from the island of Murano, and later prosecco bubbles with homemade Tuscan panettone munched in-between the exchange of presents aplenty.

Magical details, from the water and back on land

It was, in every way, the perfect Christmas day, and the memory I hold with me now as I reticently prepare to leave Christmas behind for another year.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2016 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.

Dec 31

2015: My year in photos (Part 2 – Beyond Paradise)

Living in Mallorca, there can be no doubt that we are utterly spoilt, for all around us, from the city of Palma to the beaches and mountains beyond, we cannot help but discover unhampered beauty wherever we go. And yet while we could quite easily have indulged ourselves for a year’s worth of admiration of the island, the travel obligations of work, a long planned weekend to Paris, and the most life changing of events – our wedding – took us further afield, to enjoy the incredible beauty of the world beyond Mallorca.

And so, in this second of my two photographic reviews back over the year of 2015, I feature just a few of my favourite shots of the incredible surroundings beyond the Balearics. For 2015 was significant not just for its being our first year in Mallorca, but also for the opportunity it gave us to finally tie the knot after almost 6 years of engagement. The honeymoon which followed made for the most unique of holidays, with a stay in the famous Riviera paradise of La Colombe d’Or in St-Paul de Vence rivalled only by a short but sweet spell in bustling Barcelona, and an acquaintance with the chic seaside spots of Cannes and Antibes.

But it did not end there, for months before our wedding, a trip to the world’s primary city of love enabled us a further reconnaissance with our most adored Paris, while post-marriage and still revealing in the new blushes of marital bliss, we were able to rest on the beaches of Marbella, indulge in the new cultural hotspot of Malaga, and drop into Madrid, onto Ibiza and back home again for the most magical of Mallorcan Christmases.

It’s been a magical year. Thank goodness I can relive it all in photos. Until the next… Happy New Year!!!

: The glamour of the Riviera

: Three muses, Paris

: Cibeles Palace, Madrid

: Fresh produce, France

: Sunset over the Riviera

: Cannes

: Big Wheel, Paris

: Putting out the laundry, Marbella

: Calder’s pool

: Returning to Barcelona

: Summer sunset, Provence

: The ultimate Paris shot

: Autumn in the Retiro, Madrid

: Christmas comes home

: Madrid rooftops

: St Paul de Vence

: Botanic garden, Malaga

: Unique rooftop, La Colombe d’Or

: Geometric baroque, Barcelona

: Dusky pink, Ibiza

: Fallen petals at the Colombe d’Or

: Getting ready for a Spanish Christmas

: Sunset over Ibiza Town

: The Gothic Quarter, Barcelona

: A friendly visitor, Ibiza

: The Puerta Alcala, Madrid

: Talamanca Beach, Ibiza

: Greenery, Ibiza

: Flying over the Riviera

: Love and marriage

: Ibiza sunset

: Sunbathing in the shadows of Alexander Calder

: Marbella shadows

: Getting married

: Jasmine in shadow

: Church detail, Madrid

: The Tulleries

: Ibiza ceramic

: The town of Vence

: Africa viewed from Marbella

: Calder ripples

: Biot

: A very summery wedding cake

: The best day of my life

: Leger mural at La Colombe d’Or

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 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.

Nov 19

The real inhabitants of Formentor

The Cap de Formentor – surely nature at its most dazzling; a mountainous peninsular which forms the crowning glory of Mallorca’s tramuntana mountain range, and its Northern most point. And while thousands of thrill-hunting tourists hit the winding roads of this most stunning of landscapes each year, it’s the mountain goats who can truly lay claim to this unique stretch of paradise.

With their incredible sense of balance and tendency to traverse the steepest of cliffs and the most hazardous rocky terrains, the goats which live wild within Mallorca’s mountainous landscape never fail to impress me; that is at least when I manage to catch a glimpse of them. For these wild animals are notoriously shy; one blink and they’re gone. But with a bit of luck and some respectful distance, you can catch a sight of these beautiful animals offset against what must surely be some of the most incredible landscapes in Europe.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 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.

Nov 6

Norms in the Caves of Drach

Legend has it that the Norms have lived on the earth for many millions of years, although over that time, it is thought that their bean-like gelatinous form has gradually morphed and evolved. In fact some allege that these famous white blobs once started off as a mere circular structure, although the biological reasoning behind this theory is heavily disputed.

Nonetheless, there is nothing that Norms like to do more (well apart from sip on a steaming cup of hot white chocolate perhaps) than reconnecting with their heritage, and owing to their tremendously long history, this connection can be no better realised than in a good set of caves, themselves the products of millions of years slow limestone dripping.

Norms in the Caves of Drach (2015 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, pen and ink on paper)

It is no wonder then that on a recent trip to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, the Norms were to be found happily visiting the famous Cuevas of Drach; gazing up in wonder at the multiple surreal forms created by the stalactites, and floating, awestruck, across the crystal clear lake, gazing at their milky reflection while a boat full of Norm musicians serenaded them across the water.

You could say they took to it like a Norm to water…,

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2015. 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. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacybrown.com

Oct 28

Discovering Mallorca: Porto Colom – Porto Cristo

The island of Mallorca is simply awash with little caves and ports, calas and bays, embarcaderos and beaches… after all, it is surrounded by the sea. But it is the uniquely mountainous, richly geological landscape of the island which means that where that land meets the sea, it does so with a series of stunning natural results. One such consequence of this relationship are the caves I featured a few posts ago, and those incredible underground chambers are far from unique on this island of plenty. But only a few minutes from those caves, and indeed extending all the way along the Eastern coast of Mallorca, are a series of little bays and ports all of which betray a certain tranquil nature much removed from the bustling city of Palma.

So now that the intense heat of the summer has past, we recognised that the time to set about discovering more of Mallorca was surely upon us, and with my mother’s visit in part coinciding, we set about discovering two of the ports on the East Coast.

Porto Colom

The Porto Colom was all about its embarcaderos… the little boat houses with their whimsically painted doors, lined up in a row just like the typical English beach hut, but having the distinctly Mallorquin advantage of plunging straight into a turquoise blue sea. Spreading across a zig zagging craggy coast line, the port had something of a dual character, with a charming old town, a two-towered church at its centre, on one side, and a more commercial fishing port lined by gently angled pine trees on the other.

Just up the coast, and 3 minutes from the Cuevas Drach, the Porto Cristo was an altogether more touristy affair. Chasing the nostalgia of my mother who had holidayed there in the 70s, the port remained in part exactly as she had remembered it, with a horrifying array of crass tourist menus displaying row upon row of numbered photos of food, without even a description to explain what the dish was.

Porto Cristo

However happily our initial shock was replaced by the happy coincidence of our discovery of the port’s beautifully sandy beach, with cerulean waters splashing gently against the cliffs which plunge dramatically into the sea along the beach’s egde. We were also glad to find that not all the restaurants relied upon a catalogue of photos, and a short walk along the waterfront led us to a more salubrious slice of town, where we wiled away the early afternoon with a glass or two of wine and a few delicious Italian dishes… with no numbered photo in sight.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 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.

Oct 16

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Discovering Mallorca: The Caves of Drach

The Caves of Drach, just outside Porto Cristo in Mallorca, sound like something out of a Count Dracula horror film. And in so far as they take the visitor far into the murky depths of Mallorca’s geological bedrock, they wouldn’t make for an inappropriate halloween backdrop. But the horror of visiting these sprawling caves on the East coast of the island was, for me, the fear of the tourist commercialisation which tends to haunt such sights. After all, the caves are widely publicised across Mallorca with a typically crass theme-park style poster of a westernised white-teethed family gasping in delight at the caves around them. My response to this vulgarity was consequently avoidance, and my preference, instead, was always to retreat to the idyllic solitude of the mountains. But when my mother came to Mallorca, and wished to relive the nostalgia of her 1970s holidays on the island, I was persuaded at last to visit the caves, tourists, tat ‘n all.

As it turned out, those gaudy promotional posters were where the last of the horror ended, for once we left the autumn sunshine behind and made our decent into these extensive underground chambers, there was nothing but a visual sensation to be enjoyed. Words cannot express the utmost wonder I experienced when I entered the Caves of Drach, and nor indeed can these somewhat amateurish photos come close to capturing the most incredible sights with which we were met. For in these incredible caves, believed to have been formed over millions of years by the sea forcing its way into Mallorca’s harsh rocky coastline, we were treated to visions which ranged from the brilliantly magnificent to the utmost surreal, as sinister twisting forms grew from the floor and dripped from the ceiling, rocks appeared to grow like a thousand interwound trees or like wafer-thin starched material, and turquoise waters glowed like precious gems amongst velvet black shadows.

And at the heart of it all, the Martel lake, which at 115m in length is believed to be one of the largest under-ground lakes in the world, provided the most touching spectacle of all. With the caves plunged into pitch blackness, we were treated to a floating classical concert of musicians floating on lit-boats, gliding along the water like a vision straight out of baroque Venice (sadly, photos at this point were banned). For an artist like me, obsessed as I am with ripples and the effect of light on water, this experience was truly startling, and with the tears of inspiration pricking at my eyes, those ripples seemed to refract and multiply as I entered a whole new level of multi-sensorial experience.

So out of this experience, I emerge into the light of day an artist truly inspired, with a lesson learnt for the future: don’t judge an attraction by its promotional cover… the most visited attractions are visited for a reason!

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 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.

Oct 14

Deia’s Autumn Review

Beautiful, wonderful Deia…the little village which clings so serenely to the vertiginous slopes of Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountains, but which has inspired so many artists, poets and writers a thousand times over. And such is the staggering beauty of this mountainside marvel that the manifesto of every artist should include a visit to the village, at least once in every season. So when my Mother recently came to stay, it seemed a perfect opportunity to once again take the winding coastal road from Valldemossa to this famous home of creative greats, not only to re-encounter my adored Deia for the umpteenth time this year, but to see it in an altogether new light: an autumn light.

Deia in the autumn did not disappoint. Shrouded in the golden light of October, it took on a new ephemeral beauty magnified by the sprinkling of clouds which cast strong pillars of light sporadically over the mountainside. In the garden of Robert Graves’ house, a must-visit for my erudite mother, Spring blossom had given way to rich orange bourganvilla, plump oranges and a fresh harvest of home-grown vegetables.

Meanwhile, down on the spectacular Cala Deia, which we descended in order to enjoy a phenomenal squid lunch down by the foaming sea’s edge, the low autumn sun cast dramatic shadows over the naturally surreal rocky landscape. And while the sun descended quicker than it had on my first visit to the Cala some months before, there were no shortage of people enjoying the beach. In fact at one point it was so full, it looked more like Brighton on a rare sunny bank holiday.

No matter how many times I visit the magical village of Deia, I cannot help but be touched by the mystical atmosphere which envelopes the place. Whether it be in the mysterious mists of morning, the balmy summer nights punctuated by the chorus of cicadas, or now in the melancholic light of October, I remain firmly magnified by this little Elysium by the sea. And having now experienced its magic for herself, I can confidently add my mother to the multitude of admirers who fall in love with Deia afresh each season.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 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.