Tenerife - Ghost Town near Abades 1

Back again from a two week vacation on Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands.

The first all digital photo trip, with its own set of new challenges. Anyway, after some changes to my photo database and related scripts, the new images from Tenerife will be posted here in the photolog. Beyond simple vacation photographs I will try to show some different, maybe even strange aspects of Tenerife. And what would be a better starter than this ghost town …

Hallig Gröde - Nightfall

And then the light faded away, leaving a deep purple reverberation on the sea.

There will be a break in the Gröde series, as a visit to another island is about to commence. As I certainly will post some images from there first, it will take some time before new Gröde images will be available. But there many more in the queue and waiting to the scanner. So stay tuned. ;-)

Hallig Gröde - Sky on Fire 2

Close-up with the silhouette of Langeneß.

Catching this kind of sky, which completely fills your field of vision, on a photograph is an almost impossible task. A close-up such as this gives the glory of the gorgeous colors, but none of the vastness while standing at the edge of the sea.

Hallig Gröde - Sky on Fire 1

Back to the landscape. The climax of this beautiful day, the sky on fire some time after sunset.

The sunset itself was not special at all, the sun disc being very bright, not suitable for photography. But then came this wonderful, colorful sky.

Hallig Gröde - Butterflies and Dragonflies 3

After the butterflies came the dragonflies, zig-zaging through the garden.

To frame the dragonflies was quite difficult, only once in a while they would “sit down” on a flower.

Hallig Gröde - Butterflies and Dragonflies 2

And even more butterflies, which – like me – enjoyed the flowers in the gorgeous rural garden.

Lacking a macro lens, I dared to attach the 2x extender to my 70-200/2.8. This combination allows to fill the frame with the butterflies at the minimum distance of 1.4m. (This picture as well as the previous one is a crop, though.) Image quality is halfway decent, but of course this can’t stand against a macro lens.

Hallig Gröde - Butterflies and Dragonflies 1

During those strange days with only a wee bit wind, Claudia’s garden was turning into a butterfly and dragonfly romping place.

In the lee of the house, the garden had almost no wind, and suddenly there were a vast number of butterflies and later also dragonflies. I’m not that much into these insects, so if you know the exact species, please let me know.

Hallig Gröde - Sailing

Now that must be fun, low tech sailing with this two master in the wadden sea.

The ship was sailing south of Gröde, most likely heading from the mainland towards the island of Amrum or beyond.

Hallig Gröde - Sunrise Birds

Most of the time I was wondering where all the birds were gone.

During our first visit to Gröde in spring, we were very much impressed by the enormous number of birds on the holm. In comparison, in September they seemed to be almost absent. Well, they are still there, as you can see here: an oystercatcher swarm at sunrise. The stripe of land on the left horizon is Hallig Habel, the wind generators are on the mainland.

Hallig Gröde - Postman

And here we have another canonical picture of Gröde.

The postman – or better postboatman – on his way back from the “post office” to the wharf. Everything, including mail delivery and pickup, on the holms is run at a different pace than our hectic modern life.