Dutch Tiles

I really like tiles. Well, tiles of the quality decorative sort, rather than the hideous, cheap 1980s bathroom variety. The luminous colours in these ones caught my roving eye - I was particularly impressed that this gorgeous Art Nouveau porch was still intact, unblemished and hadn't been replaced with something cheaply attempting to be 'on trend'.

And how could I resist this thoughtful looking tile cat, cleverly blocking a small street fronting window. I wonder if there was a real feline snoozing somewhere behind the facade?

A List

My week has been about:

· Putting another year on my official age

· Wondering about boundaries

· Laughing with friends over glasses of wine

· Lying in sand dunes, listening to the sea and the wind

· New starts, both paid and voluntary

· Missing China, but loving my own country’s beauty

· Wobbling in self belief

· Remembering to live courageously

Perhaps a haphazard bullet point list isn’t the best writing style, but, right now, that’s how I feel: a bit whirly, a bit scattered.

What's going on in other worlds?

Sunday Lunch in the Suburbs

Street Food

I photographed these street vendors in my last week in China, as I tried to petrify my experiences into pixels. The hustle and bustle of provincial China is definitely something I find myself missing, along with the attitude exemplified by the sweetcorn guy: he might be poor, his life might be a struggle but look at him: the ambitious light and determination in his eyes, the humour and willingness to make the best of any situation he showed as he struck a pose for the crazy laowai.

I really admired the entrepreneurial, enterprising spirit that I met with in almost everyone, and the society that encouraged such dreams by not mocking people’s dreams and the proliferation of street vendors, allowing quite impoverished people to start their own business.

Feedback

I've been contemplating making some changes to this blog, but before I do I'm curious to know: is there anything you love/hate/want more of?

Let me know and you will be warmed from afar by my gratitude...

Domestica

Skywatch.

Husband and Wife

My friend Hayley is to be congratulated not only on her wedding, but on remaining (relative to her normal state) sane during the build up, so that I was looking forward to the event with excited anticipation, rather than feeling jaded after being forced to listen to treatises on the merits of different types of confetti.

It was fantastic: beautiful and simply, effortlessly elegant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so happy, and, at the risk of sounding sentimental, happiness and pride seem to radiate out from the bride and groom and their families.

Not to mention how adorable their daughter looked, even when she asked if the ceremony was over yet.

At one point, I had a slight lump in the throat and felt so proud of my friend, of all the wonderful things she’s done and does, and full of hope that their family would know more happiness than sorrow.

After the ceremony, the celebrations began, and exhorted by the groom to enjoy ourselves, and we did, in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. It was simply perfect – even the sun shone!

Congratulations to you both!