Hello Spain, I like to hike you!

It's been two weeks since i came to Spain and I have no return ticket to anywhere. I got here with two bags full of clothes to wear for every different season, same with shoes, my trekking backpack, my sleeping bag and a backpack full of technical devices - I don't know where I might end up after this exciting period of time! And I have quite a few ideas. Now what has happened? Helgoland became a place too far away from some people I care about, in this case my english dad Alex, with whom I wanted to spend more quality time as long as I'm less bound to responsibilities. It so happened to be that he lives in sunny Andalusia in Spain. To be more precise - in a mountain village around 750 m above the sea level, which quite often ends up to be caught in a layer of clouds. The mediterranean sea is seen for my eyes delight just outside the bedroom window. And on a clear terrace evenings Morocco is saying good night at the far end of the horizon. It is an off-beat location, but as long as I can take a hike around the Andalusian Sierra Nevada - I'm more then happy with that. So I tend to call this time as 'My Life in the Cloud'.

What's next - I can't tell yet. But if you need me at least as a photographer for any kind of memory or have a suggestion for any creative activity - hint me a message. In the meantime I'll be watching some TED talks and looking for the next trail to day-hike.

My first long hike around the 'hood' was a week ago. I asked a wonderful lady from New Zealand called Amanda if I can join her on her hiking day up along Mount Lújar. It was a warmer day than expected, vitamin D could float all over my bare leg and arm skin and made me overall happy after months of sunless german winter. In combination with my new favourite activity hiking and lots of fresh air - hallelujah! Bless the active holiday feeling and ecotherapy! We started at Amanda's place just a couple kilometres away from Castell de Ferro hiking the red rocky path along a bed river, flourishing with moisten greenery down on the left side of the path and occasional rock caves on the right side. Up in the village Lújar we had a little stop for sin-alc cervecita with tapas on a bar terrace. Out of the village the path became much more steep, narrow and at times not really seaming like a path at all. But I was surprised to see how good the trail markers where located - almost everywhere at the doubtful trail turns. I need to note here that the hiking world is new to me - I have so little experience, that every white-yellow trail marker is a very much of a happiness reminder that I am actually doing this.

Getting towards Mount Lújar we saw a deer family of around ten animals climbing up towards the peek probably after seeing us coming their way, even though we could hardly see them. The Landscape around the village right now is pretty bare, there's not too much green yet. In July 2015 a violent fire has burnt down many trees and partly peoples properties along the valleys. Even though some bush and grass had grown out again, most of the trees - almond, cork oak, olive - are still cole black. But when we reached our highest point to cross the mountain pass to the other side of the valley for a further hike to the village Lago a completely new scenery opened up. Green bushed with all colours of wild mountain flowers flourishing at their best, herbs and blossoms with wonderful scent. Luckily the fire did not reach anything on that side of the mountain.

The bar in Lago was open so we could have some icy cokes and tapas to cheer up the body after an up and down trail of 7,5 miles. After that we turned around and went all the way back up and down to Amanda's, a slightly different route. It was deep dark when we reached home and the stars were seen brightly in the rural countryside with almost none light pollution.

Challenge of the day: 15 Miles, around 25 Km, of a pretty rocky and steep hike. I slept very well that night and was overall happy to feel my lower leg muscles hurting for two days again.

So what's next expected on the blog? Hikes, sunny Spain and Andalusia impressions an a few abandoned photoshoots from the past year that haven't been aired yet.

Write me if you want to join me for a hike around, follow my blog/ photographers facebook page (readers support mean so much to every blogger!) and stay tuned ♥

back in time

i wish we could go on a hike again. i wish i could capture her movement, her heart, hear thought again and more often. i wish we could talk again sometimes. the labyrinths behind aquamarine eyes would soften and let the daylight through. i don't wish for anything to be the same. but for new ways. new hikes.

Photography Adventure #3: Meadow Magic

From my left way up to the dark sky and down on my right I see the borders of our galaxy. The milky way all blooming in an August nights gloom. I live my dream - I live at the sea. Not only at the sea - I live IN the sea. Helgoland isn’t set at the water, it is far away in the north sea and contains out of sea shores as it is such a tiny piece of land. Often I make a late night run or walk around the island just to remember where I am and what my personal paradise feels like. while letting some music on my earphones give the rhythm to my steps, with my hips I start invisibly dancing. The beauty and whole sense of living here is to have the treasure just seconds away from the home door. It is above fantastic to be able to reach the beach and escape to the meditation zone within minutes.

When I go out past sunset it is like going to my very own personal Church. Here is where in my mind I pray in positive vibrations rather than thoughts, and above all I sense gratefulness. Here I sense - God remembers what I crave for, and I don’t really need to think in sentences. Stars replace candles, last bits of the setting sun replace all the golden framed imagery and the the smell of salted waves seals the whole deal of sacredness.

My Church feels more like a safety zone that way. I remember my own dreams and my real me doesn’t have to hide anymore neither fit in some kind of shapes.

The lighthouse scans the sky in ever same steps reminding us of how far away we actually are. The windmills in the far north join my earphone music with their collectively blinking red lights.

When I start heading home I am clean and free again. Super free, filled with air and freedom for the eye in such a tiny closed pinch of land miles and miles away from mainland. No real place to escape, and yet feeling more free and connected than ever.

How ever life goes on and no matter how much longer I stay here, this island will always stay the place for me, where I found peace and for a few seconds there decoded the sense of life.

Photos underneath of when Indre Winterrain was visiting and we went out for more photographic adventure.