You know us teens; we're bad at giving things a chance before deciding whether it's fun or boring, and I honestly thought it would be boring. But no, it was incredibly fun!
And not only was Di a good teacher, she is also one of those people who is easy to kind of connect with. And for me, that is very important. She taught us a lot more than just photography.
It was a great experience and I definitely have been inspired to photograph more.
I had spent time processing the photographs I took in Norway ... needing to get them out and back to people there.
Today, in a terrifying moment where Ihavenoideawhatjusthappened, I managed to delete the entire Norway folder ... while deleting 3 smaller folders of photographs I couldn't access, sent by someone else.
I never ever delete folders in my Super JPG program but today I did.
Never ever again.
I managed to recover almost all 1,853 images via one of those incredible rescue programs. My punishment was that each file needed individually clicked to have to restored. The day has been long.
But anway ... some Norwegian scenes.
Here's another view of Antwerp's city cathedral - Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal.
I discovered it reflected in a puddle out on Groenplaats one day. And loved it. And quite possibly looked insane as I stalked the puddle edges, searching for the best angle to capture the reflection at ... but I was compelled to.
Antwerp city... otherwise known as 't Stad, is a city with staying power. Quietly determined, she has stood here, growing, since Gallo Roman times, fighting off every kind of invader. A steenezel perhaps but so solid. Always solid, despite the Spanish, the Dutch, the Austrians, the Nazis and all kinds of other folk too, attempting to rule her.
The story goes that the city got its name via a legend that involved a mythical giant called Antigoon. He lived near the Scheldt River and demanded a toll from those using the river. If people refused, he cut off their hand and threw it into that river. The giant was eventually killed by a hero called Brabo who, in the way of mythical stories, cut off that giant's hand and threw it into the river.
Antwerpen or hand werpen, as in the Old English hand and wearpan (to throw), became the name of this city way back in those days when mythical giants existed ... somehow.
There are all kinds of other, more practical, stories regarding the name but this is my favourite.
Below is a glimpse of the famous river, giant-free, at sunset. You can see the exquisite Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, (aka Cathedral of Our Lady) in the background. Construction finished way back in 1521. The one finished spire stands at 123 metres (404 ft) high, and is the highest church tower in the Benelux. The largest bell in the tower requires 16 bell ringers.
It's a city where I've been lucky to find all the pretty ways home because there are pretty ways. And I do love the ancient heart of the city, its perfectly walkable, cobblestoned and full of all kinds of surprises. It's as quirky as you can imagine. Let me show you.
I believe that half the trouble in the world comes from people asking 'What have I achieved?' rather than 'What have I enjoyed?'
Walter Farley
A wholehearted yes to this quote, found over on Terri Windling's beautiful blog, Myth & Moor.
I have decided that to die rich is stories is another way to measure a life. I have never 'achieved' in the normal sense of the word but I like the way my life has played out so far. I've lost everything twice but not in a traumatic way ... it's more that I simply stepped away from 'stuff'.
I read of people desiring, quite desperately it seems, to declutter their lives and I think, 'move countries' and take only the 23kg limit allowed by most carriers out of New Zealand. It was the same when I moved from Istanbul. What you can't leave behind becomes clear ...
I discovered a graffiti park, here in the city, once upon a time ...
Of course developers took it over, 'fixed' it, and these days it's a shadow of its former luscious self. But here's a photograph I made before it was fixed.
