Summer in Film (I)

There's something about film photos. About their texture, their colors, their grain, their everything. They are perfectly imperfect. There's also something about the waiting, for me specially I reckon. I usually wait a long time to develop my film pictures, not for any particular reason but my usual distraction. It takes me ages to take the reels to the photo shop, and some more ages to pick them up. In the meantime I usually forget what's on the reels, so when I finally got the photos I end up with a handful of surprises.

Some photos arrive just in time to color your day with beautiful memories. Some photos are like a delayed mini epiphany that arrive a little too late and that's part of their perfect imperfection.

Well, I said too much, except that this photos belong to the gorgeous towns of Sidmouth, Lyme Regis and Durdle Door in the wonderful West Country in England.




PS: I know that I took one too many photos of that Mr. Whippy, but come on, look at it, is the most beautiful ice-cream ever, isn't it?

West Country Tour (IV): Durdle Door

It the coast of Dorset, facing the English Channel you got this very special place called Durdle Door (a combination of words really dificult to be pronounced properly if you happen to been born in a place other than the UK). The name Durdle is derived from an Old English word 'thirl' meaning bore or drill.

The door is an arch made of stone located in a beautiful peaceful beach (despite the big amount of tourists coming and going). They say that eventually the arch is going to collapse leaving just a bunch of rocks piled at the sea.

One thing I didn't know when I went there is that all that area is privately owned by the Welds, a family who own 50 km2 in Dorset in the name of the Lulworth Estate. I read that on the map though. Fortunately this amazing place is open to the public.

The water is cold, very cold, but not impossible cold. Being there and knowing that is possible that I might never come back I took my chances and went for a swim even though I had no towel, it was part refreshing and delightful, part painful, but overall it was definitely worth it. Who knows if I'm going to have that chance again.

So, if you ever around this part of England you definitely have to go to Durdle Door. A lot of amazing sights, delicious water, gorgeous sunset light and the best Mr. Whippies ever. And as Douglas Adams would say: don't forget to bring your towel. 

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