Charles En Ibiza

I went to Ibiza with my friend Philippa Stephenson to celebrate finally leaving TOPMAN after 7 years and I had forgotten just how pretty it is. This time I stayed in San Antoni rather than Eivissa and the sunset really was one of the most amazing I've ever seen. Plus it was off season so we practically had the whole island to ourselves...

The sun lighting up the clouds over the rocks looks like a volcano dont you think....

Back in the Baltic... Again...

So here it is again... Tallinn... AND IT'S SUNNY!!

Such a beautiful city thats quickly becoming my favorite getaway spot. This time it was summer and the nights stay light - REALLY light!

Taken at midnight - this is about as dark as it ever gets in summer. Not only that, but I could still sit outside in a t-shirt untill the early hours as the sun keeps it warm! - AMAZING!!

A little different from the last time I saw it and everything was covered in snow! The old town is BEAUTIFUL at this time of year!!

My other Tallinn Posts... March 2011

Republika Hrvatska S Charlses

I spent 2 weeks in Croatia with my best friends and hopped from island to island on a sailing boat. The country is fabulous and each island had its own personality. Granted, I've had to be very selective with these photos as Im not sure if most of you would appreciate the ones of me and my friends after dark (It's not usually a pretty sight!).... but you can still appreciate how pretty this country is.

Welcome to Croatia!...

The streets of Zadar are immaculate, however the slabs are super slippy!!

Tanya welcoming you into (someone else's) home!!

 We arrived in Hvar town from the opposite side of the island at night... via LORRY!! (Funniest night of my life!)

The island of Bol was probably the prettiest (although it's difficult to single one out on its own!). This was the harbor in the evening, to the right of this photo were huge mountains and the weather was blazing hot. It was a good day for the Charlses :)

Marrakech - So Close yet So Far Away...

This is the amazing Moroccan city of Marrakech. The fact that it sits on a budget airlines route map from my local airport is amazing, mainly because culturally, it is miles apart from anywhere else I have travelled in Europe (Yes, I know it's technically North Africa, but you get my point...)

The arabic graffiti on the streets of town is probably the most noticeable difference from the experiences of my other travels. It really makes you recognize the cultural distance better than anything else.

Shoes & Spices in the Souks. Your senses are pulled in every direction and the whole place is like a maze - I got lost in here for about 3 hours and loved every second of it!

This is a small independent Moroccan cinema run by a charity. I spoke to the man who owns it and he showed me around (without speaking a single word of English!) He even showed me how to change the reel on the projector - fascinating!

Moroccan food is the main memory of Marrakech that will stay with me. Eating outside in the central square close to midnight, in shorts and a vest, in January! Tajine and houmous has now taken its place as my favorite food, however it will never taste the same at home! The food market in the picture is so busy all day and is a real stage show of colour and smell.

Eastern Europe 2009

This year I travelled for a month from Kyiv in Ukraine all the way to Istanbul, Turkey by myself.

It was possibly the most amazing experience of my life, and was an enormous source of inspiration for me.

I wanted to share a few of my favourite photo's from the trip that highlight my journey...

Kyiv, Ukraine.
This is part of the entrance to the Soviet History Museum in Kyiv. Of all the places I visited, Kyiv was the most influenced by the power which blanketed the region from Moscow. I have to say that I love the architecture which was produced in this time (purely on a VISUAL and FUNCTIONAL level!!!) The sharp cutting lines and greyness of the concrete forming the star really imposed a sense of power on the viewer as you walked through the tunnel into the museum.

Odessa, Ukraine.

Eastern Europe is full of quirky things like this. The caravan had been turned into a ticket office for a circus which was in an abandoned park overlooking the port. There was a bizarre atmosphere here as there was nobody around even though there was plenty to do - right in the centre of the town!

Chisinau, Moldova.

Moldova is the second poorest country in Europe, has 2 break-away self-declared states within its borders that no other country on the planet officially recognises and has the deepest pot holes I have ever seen!

I took this photo in the capital, Chisinau. I love the contrast between the shiny, well kept car and the crumbling building. I think there is a real mood in this image that jumps out at you and tells a story.

More to follow soon.......

İstanbul

When Michael Palin visited Istanbul in his 'New Europe' series, he says that you have a true sense of arrival in one of the worlds truly great cities. He's bang on.

The Turkish capital is, as you would expect given its history, a real melting pot of cultures, sounds, sights and smells. Packed to bursting point with people from all walks of life living together in this baking hot crossroads between the mystical East and modern West.

The minarets and domes of the Blue Mosque are the epitome of Istanbul. The imposing holy site rises up from the top of a hill - the call to prayer strikes you in a way that instantly calms your mood - its all very impressive!

Like I said, East meets West - the yellow cab's remind you of a scene in New York, yet Turkey's vibrant, Eastern flag spices up the picture. The Turks love their flag - it flies literally EVERYWHERE!

Journey's end... After a month on the continent, it was finally time to head for home - and what better place of departure than this fabulous city. Istanbul left it's mark on me - I'm desperate to return!