The New Year
January 4, 2018
The last week or more has been variable and interesting with visits and walks to quite a few villages and other areas. It’s interesting how even though we spent two weeks in this exact location in 2009 we have seen some beautiful spots already this time that were unknown to us then, thanks in part to recommendations of locals as well as our own explorations, and revisiting other places has resulted in a new outlook on them - the perfect way to take in a region in my opinion. My photos here in Cap Corse are, of course, dictated by the environment and are therefore mainly landscapes and villages. If I were to produce a book on Corsica in the way I have for Spain and Japan I think the theme (my take on the essence of a place) would definitely revolve around stone but alas I think that project will have to wait for another time.
From a photographic perspective the lighting has been mostly favourable with the sun being lower in the sky and the short days allowing for later starts and earlier finishes to catch the best landscape lighting. The moon has figured prominently recently with views over Porticiollo and Piazze, and on New Years Eve we watched the almost full moon rise behind the old crumbling Santa Maria watch tower near Macinaggio and still managed to return to the car without needing our torches. Then in the evening of the first day of the new year we watched the now full moon rise over the Luri Valley from the village of Castello just below Liccetu. A wonderful end to 2017 and start to 2018!
Yesterday we went for a walk up the mountain and in a circuit back around to Liccetu via the Sénèque watch tower. The morning looked promising but unbeknown to us there was a wind warning for later in the day. By the time we reached the top the wind was strong, although not unusually so for up there, but unfortunately at over half way through the walk one of our companions slipped and hurt his ankle. By this time we were on the west side of the mountain, which was the windward side, and it must have been blowing a constant 60-80kph with sustained gusts of maybe 120kph+. This made it very difficult, especially if you are hurt, but we eventually made it safely back to Liccetu without being blown away albeit with the photo of the watchtower below being the only image I got worth showing.
Today the wind is still howling outside so we are are having a quiet day at “home” and I can write this from our warm and comfortable studio. With the acquisition of a few photos I consider worth including on the gallery section of my website there will be a “Recent” category added in the menu where the photos will stay for a month or two before migrating to their relevant gallery. These will be in addition to what I post in the travelogue so if you’re interested in still more photos then that’s where to look.
I would also like to note that for the sake of consistency I am using the Italian spelling of place names rather than the Corsican as some places only have the Italian way as far as I can tell.