Due to the dreaded COVID, it had been almost 18 months since I have last seen our mum who resides in Southern Spain. Well you cannot believe how excited I was back in October of this year, when travel restrictions to Spain eased and Mrs. C and I were finally be able to book flights and set off to beautiful España.
Now I have to say that Mrs. C and I consider ourselves to be extremely fortunate in life. We have worked very hard for everything we have, we are blessed with a most wonderful family and at our time of life (of course Mrs. C was a child bride and remains within those magical 20 years that women seem to have between the ages of 39 and 40!) we have decided that we will splash out and try and ensure we have “COVID friendly” travel and whenever possible turn left when entering the plane. Damn, better put the purchase of the new Leica 35 Apo Summicron on a long-term hold I guess!
For those of you who regularly follow my ramblings you will recall that our previous COVID flight was back to good old Blighty (The U.K.) and involved ten days enforced hard labour (hotel quarantine) at H.M.P. Heathrow (The Radisson Edwardian Hotel). This time there were no such requirements. As we were both double vaccinated we just had to load the Spainish “SPTH” travel app on to our phones, have proof that we were fully vaccinated and Bobs your uncle, Fannie’s your father’s sister, the bar was well and truly open and our Spanish cousins were happy to welcome us with open arms, (well at least a cold San Miguel and an Iberico Pork Baguette).
Even better was that our daughter Anna was able to join us for the trip and it was quite emotional as we all met up. Nothing like a hug from the people you love the most to make the world a happy place.
So for us the next week had no schedule, it was simply an opportunity to catch up, eat, drink and basically make up for all that lost time.
From my perspective I was determined to include as many images as possible, not of my usual travel photography, but instead of capturing images of the people I love the most. Indeed, Mudge always complains that I have no images of her on my website although in my defense, that is mainly due to a lack of opportunity and a wish to capture her naturally rather than posed.
Given that I was after portraits I went all out on the camera front and took my Leica SL2 and the Leica 50mm Noctilux F0.95. I also bought a theft proof shoulder bag to transport my precious gear on the basis that we had to pass through Barcelona which has form on the bag stealing front, it does not look like a camera bag and was also slash proof and had all sorts of built-in anti theft devices. Its a sorry world in which we live!
Our daughter Anna wins the prize as the most willing model of the week as she was after a new profile picture and was happy to have a go in all settings. Here are a few of my favourites:
In terms of Mudge she proved more difficult in that she always wants to pose, which to me does not seem natural. However, over breakfast at La Encarcion by the shores of the Mar Menor I finally managed to capture her as I wanted to see her.
As for the elusive Mrs. C, well the image I love the most was captured in the first class Lounge at Dubai Airport. As you can see our trip was so less stressful than the last time and her morning Champagne seemed to be slipping down with consummate ease.
Having made my quota of family images I did turn my attention to a bit of travel and street photography by the shores of the beautiful Mar Menor.
The Mar Menor is basically a sea but with a narrow inlet connecting it to the Mediterranean. Indeed, it is like a huge lake. With super cloud cover acting like a huge softbox I was able to capture some minimalist imagery:
The Los Alcazares Corniche, on the shores of the Mar Menor, provides a glimpse of “old-school” Spain which is rarely seen today in the modern resorts where tall concrete monstrosities cluster to gain the best view of the beach and the glistening Mediterranean. In Los Alcazares time seems to have stood still:
As we arrived at Barcelona EL Prat Airport to catch our flight back to Dubai I reflected on what a wonderful week we had enjoyed. If only our son Simon could have joined us it would have been absolutely perfect. Alas work comes first but we will be seeing him over the Christmas break when we shall do our best to pay homage to the Chivers family motto,”Be Jolly lets crack open the Bolly”!
Above all Mum and Brian were looking and feeling great and I felt such a personal sense of relief that all was well on the family front. Indeed, it makes you realise that in the new world of Zoom calls and WhatsApp, the physicality of a good old-fashioned hug and being actually together in the flesh, can never be replaced or replicated.
So it was “Adios” for now and “Viva España” until our next visit.