the story of a boy and a girl

Turkey In Colour

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Turkey in Monochrome

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:46:00 +0000

isaac

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:51:00 +0000

isaac, a set on Flickr.

{i met isaac for the first time and eeek! i loved every moment of it!}

Fort William, Ben Nevis, Isle of Skye, Scotland, May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 16 May 2011 21:05:00 +0000

This was the second part of our four day trip to Scotland. The first two days were spent around Inverness. We based ourselves in the town of Fort William. On the first day we spent the day cycling around the Ben Nevis mountain range. This is where the World's Downhill Mountain Biking Challenge is held every year. On the second day we drove up to the Isle of Skye and made our way around the whole island. We discovered the bestest cake shop in Scotland! Jann and her team are foodies at heart and everything they do, is filled with love and lots of wholesomeness. We started out by sitting in the sun but by the time my second organic hot chocolate came round, we moved inside and started chatting to the crew behind the counter. A one hour lunch stop turned into an afternoon of delight. From there we discovered Highland cattle with their furry coats and huge horns. We played on the grounds of a castle that has been so well preserved I could easily imagine myself as a princess in a tower. I mean, it even had the original trap door with its scary spikes in place! We decided to take a nap in a graveyard where the sun was shining beautifully and the wind was rustling through a giant oak tree. And somewhere along the Whiskey Trail we discovered old boats and nets that had to be photographed. Oh and there were lambs everywhere, just everywhere. They are skittish creatures, but really playful in a cheeky way.

{Thanks Babe, I really enjoyed being surprised. You plan holidays really well.}

Inverness, Scotland, May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:15:00 +0000

This Scotland trip was a surprise for me. Calvin had planned four days away and we left a day after I arrived back from South Africa. Every part of the trip remained a surprise and so I was all girlish every morning wondering where we were headed for the day. We took the Ferry from Belfast to Stranraer and from there we road tripped into the Scottish Highlands. We spent two very special nights at the Water's Edge Bed and Breakfast in Fortrose, just outside of Inverness. We have spent many nights in many Bed and Breakfasts and this one stands in the number one position without a doubt. It is by far the warmest welcome we have had in a long time. Bill and Gillian, if you are reading this, please know that you both hold a very special place in Calvin and I's hearts. When we drove away from your place, I said to Calvin that it was as if I had come home from a year at college. Everything about your place: the view, the bedroom, the decor, the breakfasts, the bathroom, the extra special little things, your home, your love, your generosity. Memorable in every way. Thank you over and again.

Castleheath, Dublin, May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:55:00 +0000

a few people have asked about our new home and our new village. we live in malahide, a seaside village just outside of dublin. it seems tucked away from city craziness but dublin life buzzes just down the road. these photos are snapshots of what evenings are filled with in our home: books, music, cooking together in the kitchen while one of us usually lazes on the daybed. there is light and lots of love here. friends fill the rooms with laughter. and i feel a deep satisfaction here. i feel safe here.

Italy, Spoleto, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:44:00 +0000

Spoleto was navigated in the rain but was well worth the views. We made our way up through the cobblestone streets and stopped along the way to admire the little cars that had somehow made there way into gardens. We got to the top of the town and spent time in the castle/jail/museum.

Spoleto was quiet. It lacked the conversation and the people that we discovered in the other places.

I did however enjoy getting lost in the roads and the side streets, that eventually led to a bakery that was unfortunately closed for the afternoon siesta.

We went home and ate freshly made pasta that we bought at the local grocery store and if I remember correctly an afternoon nap featured after coffee.

Italy, Orvieto, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:52:00 +0000

Everybody was talking about Orvieto. This usually means we do not go. I try and find the places that very few people, except a few older locals, are talking about. We decided to go anyhow. I almost regretted the decision when we arrived and there was a never ending escalator up the side of the mountain. I mean? An escalator in an ancient hill town. But yes, everyone, needs to see this town and especially its cathedral (Domus). The escalators are very necessary.

The Domus is first seen down a street as you approach it and at first it does not impress, but once it comes into full view it takes one's breath away. It requires time: time to sit from afar and appreciate it as a whole; time to walk close by and inspect each piece of art and the thousands of hours laid into its structure; to be silent in its belly.

I found myself mesmerised by people's reactions to it. I sat for a long while on the steps, soaking the life about me in. Calvin eventually tugged at my sleeve and motioned onwards when the rain drops started falling.

Italy, Umbria, Trevi, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:11:00 +0000

Trevi is an ancient hill town in Umbria. It is a forgotten, remembered place. Many of its homes are empty and in very serious disrepair but people, longing to get out of Rome, have discovered this jewel and many builders are at work to do the necessary renovations to make it a bustling place once again. In the meantime, the market square is an active, happy place to find yourself. We discovered the best pizza in all of Italy, in a family run shop, just off of the main square.

We returned twice because of the incredible views across Umbria that can be seen from Trevi's cobbled streets. We intentionally lost ourselves in the alleys and walkways. The arches and the windows especially fascinated me.

On the way out, I was sort of dancing in the street when I looked down and saw the "lace" pattern my dress was making on the tar. It was fun playing with shadows in the sunshine.

Italy, Umbria, Casa Turrita, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:08:00 +0000

Italy is the picturesque place that everyone writes about. I remembered it correctly from when I travelled there many years ago with my parents.

I was amazed at the roses. There were roses everywhere: in gardens, in churches, in windowsills, along the road, in vineyards, just everywhere. Rich reds. Deep pinks. Mingled with Bougainvillea and Fuchsias.

We stayed with Susan Armstrong at Casa Turrita. She lost her husband a few years back and decided to move to Italy. She has a deep passion for the culture, the language, the art, the cuisine, the people and especially Umbria. The doorway to our apartment was arched with Jasmine. Its fragrance sweating its way into the night each time the doorway crushed its petals.

Susan has an insatiable love for books and her house and our cottage was full of them. I read one of the most depressing, but excellently written books by an Italian author in one sitting. It is the story of a woman who loses her husband to another woman. It describes in detailed accuracy the spiral of depression she slipped into and than recovered from. I was in the book when reading it and today its realities and metaphors still linger within me.

We chose the local shops over larger food chains and the fresh pasta and cheese we enjoyed can just not be come by anywhere else. One day while we were travelling to a neighbouring village we bought two truckles of cheese and a kilogram of cherries. Feasting is an understatement...

Sardinia, St Theresa, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:44:00 +0000

St Theresa is a separate island off of Sardinia but it is connected by a long bridge. It is known for its rare plant life and very interesting rock formations. The aquatic colour of the water is magnificent. It is a lighter blue than anywhere else on the island.

Queen Ann's lace was in bloom everywhere and I had a lot of fun capturing it in the glare of midday. The heat drove us to rock alcoves where we rested our bodies against the cool underside of the rocks.

After that we explored an ancient boat house of which only ruins remain. It was very interesting to see the ancient, artistic work that went into an outbuilding. I discovered a small octopus in the water while I was cooling my feet down. It made me realise that I need an underwater camera.

Sardinia: Loiri, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Tanzy and Giovanni invited us into their home and very quickly became friends. We were invited for "spaghetata" one evening and Giovanni told us many tales about Sardinia in the older days when the Mafiosi still ruled the operations.

He told us about the shepherds that used to live in caves and huts made from sticks and stones. He shared about his childhood and the differences between Italy and Sardinia.

Tanzy is a horse trainer. We would wake every morning to the sound of the horses galloping in the ring while Tanzy trained them. Due to the heat, the flies become a real problem and so in general the horses are actually quite fidgety which makes training harder during the summer months. The ground also becomes too hard for their hooves and so training slows down a lot. She was very interested in Ireland and how horse training happens here due to the difference in climate and soil make up.

Before marrying Giovanni, Tanzy owned her own yacht and chartered small tours around the Med. She told us about the hard work involved but also how she misses it.

Giovanni built their home in Loiri. It is nestled between two mountain ranges. Unfortunately while we were visiting with them, one of their horses were stolen. Through connections they found out who stole it but by the time we left, a plan had not yet been put together to get the horse back.

Sardinia: Capo Cado Cavallo, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Capo Cado Cavallo was my favourite beach in Sardinia. It is very isolated and hidden away within a nature reserve that juts into the ocean. It can only be reached by dirt track. The sun was scorching hot and we had to hide under the brambles during the hottest time of the day.

Nude tanning is very common on Sardinian beaches. Women are almost looked upon strangely when they are not topless.

This particular beach had a very beautiful debris strewn across it for the days that we spent on it. It looked like shavings of grey stone but it was a type of sea grass that had washed into the bay.

Sardinia: Cala Ganone and Cala Luna, June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:26:00 +0000

Sardinia is an island just off of Italy. Sardinians are fiercely proud of their own heritage and consider themselves to be Sardinian, not Italian. The country itself is vastly different to Italy in climate, landscape and people. It is one of the few countries that I could see myself returning to for an extended period of time.

Cala Ganone and Cala Luna are two beaches in a series of many enclosed beaches that can be found at the foot of caves. The caves run deeply into the mountains, through which deep underground rivers run. The beaches can only be reached via boat.

Calvin and I caught a boat with the locals who dropped us off at the beach and showed us the caves. The formations and patterns within the rocks are intriguing. Unfortunately graffiti lines the caves that are easily reached by those who access the beaches.

We spent the day on the beach and then caught the boat back to the little town where we parked. During the day, German children played nearby with their dog. They made castles and jumped off of them. They caught fish, their naked bottoms bobbing about the water. The dog got buried and then dug out.

A rock climber held my attention for hours as he made his way up the rock face. If I was to return, I would do so with climbing gear.

Raghley, County Sligo, Ireland, August 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:26:00 +0000

when the world is shut away, when it is just you and me and the deep blue sea...

Pearl's Airport, Grenada, West Indies, April 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:03:00 +0000

decaying metal rots

remainder

of what was

True Blue Bay, St George's, Grenada, West Indies, April 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:42:00 +0000

Grenada, Isle of Spice, Nutmeg Processing and Cocoa/Chocolate Production, April 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:21:00 +0000

Each nutmeg seed is sorted individually by hand once it has been removed from the pod.

After being sorted it is left to dry in a room, filled with light through which the ocean breeze blows.

After drying, the nutmeg is shelled by hand and tested for quality. This is done by dropping it into water. Nutmeg that floats is not used, the ones that sink to the bottom are retained.

Each bag is stencilled by hand, before being sent away to the docks for exporting.

Mace, which is the flesh that is found around the seed of the nutmeg is retained, dried and packaged for exporting.

Cocoa plants are ripe when the pod is yellow in colour. The inside of the pod above reveals a green cocoa bean. The white flesh is delicious to suck on. Cocoa farmers take their ripe, wet beans to the Grenada Chocolate Company, on the Blemont estate every Wednesday. Their beans are weighed and they are paid in cash. After that the beans are left to ferment in a hot box. From there they are placed on huge shiftable, outdoor trays where they are dried in the sun. Workers walk barefoot through them every half an hour to ensure airing and turning takes place. From here the beans are ground and turned into a paste for the purposes of chocolate making. Grenada is the world's second largest producer of Cocoa. It is also, next to Africa, the producer of the best quality cocoa. Grenada's chocolate is used by the likes of Black's and Black's, Lindt and Toblerone. Apart from chocolate they also produce Cocoa Tea which is pure hot chocolate, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Absolutely delicious. A cocoa ball which is the size of a ping pong ball is boiled in a pot with a cinnamon stick and a bay leaf. After that it is strained and milk and sugar is added.

Cinnamon is bark. It is shaven off of a tree and left in the sun to dry. It only curls during the drying process.

Bathway Bay, Grenada, West Indies, April 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:20:00 +0000

thank you for allowing me in. thank you for changing me.

Grenadian Girl on Beach, La Sagesse Bay, East Grenada, West Indies

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:23:00 +0000

little one, keep dancing...

Snow at Cabra Brook, Donegal, Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:48:00 +0000

sky

changes

moves

minutes march

rehearsal

role change

angry,

placid,

quiet,

forlorn.

listen to sky

{For those of you are new to this blog. This is where I document the travels that Calvin and I undertake on a yearly basis. At present we are in Ireland due to a work transfer that Calvin accepted here.}

her wedding day

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:50:00 +0000

father God,

please bless this marriage. please protect this marriage. please sanctify their love, their unity.

please be their all.

amen

welcome to the family

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

cocoa and buttons are the latest edition to the burge family.

Madrid, Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

we went to see a flamenco show after having tapas at alemendro 13, a recommendation made by locals. the evening was a beautiful blur of red and white and black. the music is haunting and powerful. the movements leave one mesmerised.

calvin and i spent the evenings on the plaza mayor playing around with the camera and the different lights. this was taken just outside of the royal palace.

the metro stations are filled with buskers. my favourite was two jamaican looking men who had bongo drums and the biggest grins on their faces. virtually everyone who walked past started swaying their hips and tapping their feet.

madrid is characterised by its art and architecture. it is rich in history. this particular piece really spoke to me.

reine sofia is the modern art museum where picasso's work can be found.

afternoon siestas and time spent on the local square is very important. it marks each day.

the prado museum holds important art works dating back to the early 15th century. what amazed me most was how my emotions mirrored that of the paintings as i passed from one exhibition hall to the next.

we are off to granada next where we have booked a cottage in a white village. i am thinking that i might need to learn how to speak spanish.

Canal Du Midi, France, Day 2 - 7

noreply@blogger.com (Claire Burge) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:23:00 +0000

tucked away villages, forgotten churches, hidden towns, ancient cities, castles with motes, fresh farmer's markets, cafes by the canal, blue shutters, interesting people and unexpected discoveries filled the rest of our week along the canal.