I’m sure it comes as no surprise to my usual readers that I am a color fanatic. I root it out no matter where I am, though usually I’m drawn to places that wear it right on the surface. As part of the Capture the Colour competition with Travel Supermarket, I have selected five photographs from my travels to represent five particular colors: blue, green, yellow, white, and red. Enjoy the photos and wish me luck!
Blue:
Jerusalem, Israel: This city had nearly as much blue as Greece, which isn’t surprising considering their shared Mediterranean roots. Blue is the color of water and clear skies, and brings to mind a fresh sea breeze, something in short supply in a desert city. This small shop in the center of the Old City was full of beautiful blue and white Armenian pottery, and the owner was a kind young Palestinian man who was thrilled to be able to practice his English with me and the cute Greek woman reflected in the mirror above.
Green:
Jerusalem, Israel: I don’t mean to over-do the Jerusalem theme, but is there a city more full of contradiction, conflict, beauty, and color in the whole world? This alley in the Christian Quarter was as tranquil as the aqua-green walls that lined it, despite being in the (sometimes volatile) center of a historic blend of cultures and beliefs. In the backdrop, you see the dome of an Orthodox Christian church. In the foreground, a sign written in Arabic. And somewhere in between, a conservative Jewish woman walks by in the shadows of so much history.
Yellow:
Cartagena, Colombia: These brightly colored women are Palenqueras, reigning from the mysterious and unique town of Palenque. Most of the residents of Palenque are descendents of African slaves, and they still use their own language, maintain their own style of music and dance, and are known to practice a sort of voodoo, according to local legend. In Cartagena, they make a living taking photos with tourists in their brilliant dresses and selling tropical fruits and candies.
White:
Cuzco, Peru: This may look like snow at first glance, but these are in fact salt mines on the outskirts of Cuzco, Peru. Each square is owned by a different person or family, and consists of a hard layer of white crystallized salt covered in a thin layer of warm salt water. I was surprised to find that the water was warm to the touch, unusual given that it appeared to be flowing down from nearby snow-capped mountains. At a small tienda nearby, you could purchase plastic baggies of Flor de Sal (flower of salt) for an inflated price.
Red:
Moscow, Russia: Everyone expects to see a lot of red in Moscow (what with the communism and all). In fact, the Russian words for ¨red¨ and ¨beautiful¨ are nearly the same (¨krasniy¨ and ¨krasiviy¨). What I didn’t expect to see was a bright crimson Spiderman wandering aimlessly around Revolutionary Square amid tourists and tributes to the past. Epic photobomb.
And to complete the Capture the Colour competition, I’d like to nominate five other bloggers to take part in the challenge:
Find more info here: http://www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/capture-the-colour/
Your photos are beautiful! But, all residents of Cartagena are not just “descendants of African slaves”. In the US, I am basically considered a mulatta (caramel skin, soft wavy hair, etc,). While I’m sure my ancestors were African slaves, they were also Native Americans and white Spaniards. Not just “descendants of Africans”. We are COLOMBIANS. And I am not sure where you got your information from, but around 90% of people in Cartagena speak pure Spanish, not SOME AFRICAN language. But SPANISH, as they are HISPANIC/LATINO regardless of skin color.
Hi Mariposa, I think there must be a misunderstanding here of what I wrote about Las Palenqueras. Vivi en Cartagena casi 6 meses del año pasado, y estoy consciente de la diversidad en Colombia. Me refería sólo a la población de San Basilio de Palenque. El palenquero es una lengua criolla que se habla allá, y entiendo que la gente de allí mantienen muchas tradiciones africanas también. He escrito mucho sobre Colombia y Cartagena, y creo que puedes ver en mis otros artículos que tengo una buena comprensión de la cultura colombiana, por lo menos en la costa. Espero que vuelvas a leer lo que escribí para que no haya malentendidos. Gracias.
I just love your blog.
Thanks Franco!
Loved the pics! so unusual – marvellous colour
WOW Meghan these pictures are amazing! The green Jerusalem photo is my favorite, I love the color and tranquility in it! I’ve always wanted to travel to Israel…!
Wow, amazing! The images are so sharp and the colours so vivid. My favourite has to be the green one from Jerusalem, I love the way the bright green is contrasted against the neutral backdrop. Fantastic, good luck in the competition! G.
Hey, I loved your photos! Made me want to dig out my own travel pics and compile a similar selection so thanks for the inspiration. Keep blogging I enjoy reading your posts. Peace x
this is beautiful, is an explosion of colors! I invite you in my beautiful Puglia (Italy), so you can enjoy the wonder of our nature, the beauty of the landscapes and the amazing range of colors that will offer you this small world!
Reblogged this on PC Tipster's Blog and commented:
As you know I’m very much into photography…not only does this person take great photos, take a look at the use color which you can use not only in photography, but in designs be they graphic, interior, or as an inspiration for your future artwork.
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The fact that we have made so many colorful memories together gives me hope. We do dream in color. I love the photographs you selected and the stories behind them. More than anything, I love exploring the world with you.
Absolutely fantastic photos. Would love to see more from you! :))
Absolutely stunning, Meg. I knew you’d have truly gorgeous photos for this competition. 😀
Thank you Ceri!
Meghan, these are amazing photographs. Just breathtaking, really! I wish you luck with the contest.
Oh wow, what a superb entry! You just made it but it was worth the wait.
Thanks Jo! I’m a world-class procrastinator. 😉
This is beautiful. I love the idea behind the shots. I also must admit that I’m a fan of color myself! Coincidentally I wrote a post about the color red in the Russian culture, and since red is the protagonist of your photograph of Russia, then I’m pretty sure you’d be interested to read more about it 😀 hahah check it out if you dare call yourself a color fanatic! http://innamazing.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/russian-red/ btw, you got a lovely blog.
Thanks for the link, Inna! I’m looking forward to checking it out. Russia was one of the most surprisingly colorful places I’ve been, and I love sharing that fact with people who haven’t yet visited.
I absolutely love these photos! The Blue Jerusalem one is my favorite. It kind of reminds me of a market I went to in Ephesus, Turkey.
Thanks stacaleigh! That’s one of my favorite photos of mine as well. It was actually a really cool moment, talking to someone who has lived through a lot of conflict in his relatively short life and bonding over simple things… like pretty blue ceramics. 🙂
I’m loving all these last-minute entries!
Haha quite literally last minute on my part! Thanks for checking it out, Michel.
Amazing entry Meghan! I love them all especially the yellow and green! Thx also for nominating me! I did this on thirdeyemom but not thirdeyeworld. Perhaps I will give it another whirl!
Thanks Nicole! I’m going to have to search back and find yours so I can check it out. You have so many amazing photos!
Thanks Meghan! If you go to the top of my blog and do a search under Capture the Color I think you will find it. If not, let me know. I need to do a huge revamp of my blog and organize all my posts better so they are easier to find. I’m working on it! 🙂
Very cool!
Thanks Phil!
Great pics, good luck! £2000 would be nice to win!
Yes, I could use it right about now! 🙂
LOVE the yellow, and learning about the Palenqueras!
Thanks Edna! They’re outfits are gorgeous. They usually walk around carrying those huge bowls of fruits and dulces on their heads. I can’t understand the physics of it!
Lovely pictures Meghan, good luck with the competition!
Thanks so much, Su!
Loved the colors! Mr. Spiderman even blended well with the red buildings in Moscow.
Haha yes, I guess it would be a great strategic pick if he were to choose a city in which to fight crime!
Your GREEN photo of Israel makes me want to visit there even more! Good luck!
Thanks a lot Kiki! I had so many Jerusalem photos I wanted to include, but felt like I should keep it diverse. I hope you get to travel there some day! It’s definitely worth the trip.
Reblogged this on chuckwullah.
Thanks for the reblog Chuck!
Great colors.
Thanks Tom!