Just when i arrived Busan i bought a bus ticket to the popular Haeunde Beach with it’s famous beach train. I didn’t take a ride in one of these colorful capsules, but took a walk along the train route.
Later on i took a streched beach walk among many other weekend visitors on the beach. Just to collect some more impressions from the beach life.
Just before i checked in my flight to Bangkok i decided not to see the hustling city but go to the nearest beach from the airport first. Since there was a direct bus link from the airport to Jomtien Beach, just next to Pattaya, it was a good decicion.
A few days on relaxing beaches, nice walks trough forest hills nearby, visiting temples and lookouts, eating at local night markets and having a beer in the street of bustling nightlife.
Bangkok with its skyscrapers, the green lush parks, but busy, noisy traffic, is a whole different story. I ended up in the famous-infamous Khao San Road, a backpacker area even long since my first visit here 30 years ago. When i went for a stroll there among the nightly, crazy party folks i thought literally: ‚New generation, same shit!‘, but enjoyed it.
After a long drive trough the Negev desert along the Jordan border, the road ends in Eilat at the Red Sea.
It appears as holiday destination like so many others on this world. Israeli and tourists all over the world coming here for some relaxing days, parties or a foodie weekend at the sea.
There’s not much more than the beaches in front of big hotels, food courts and bars. The landscape around is stunning tho. If you get on an elevated point you can overlook the Red Sea and its riparian states, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. All within a coastline of approximately 35 km.
„There must be a place to access the Dead Sea, isn’t it?“ I asked the nice young lady at the entrance of En Gedi. I had that experience of floating in the highly saturated salty sea twice when i traveled Jordan in 2014 (click here). Since i’m so close to that unique waters, i wanted have at least another short dip on this side of the sea.
„There’s a spa at seaside nearby, but it costs a fortune to get in“ she replied. „Better drive south to En Bokek. There’s a public beach without an entrance fee.“ she advised me. Thankfully i drove along the coast. The sun already was near the horizon when i arrived at that beach. The town provides changing rooms and fresh water shower at the sandy beach. Behind the beach are a few big, modern hotels and even a shopping mall. People enjoying to float on the water or sunbathing in the late afternoon sun.
Quickly i got myself into the water, and once again felt that strange sensation of the strong buoyancy. Literally lying on the water surface and looking over to the reddish mountains of Jordan, it felt like being on another planet, where gravity is different and light shines from an another sun. That thought carried on when i traveled into the night, followed by a cloud shaped like a space ship.
Talking about beaches i’d rather prefer a lonely spot under a palm tree, where i could read and enjoy a sea breeze.
The city beaches of Tel Aviv are certainly different. That means not less interesting. In the opposite, it’s not even mainly a beach to sunbathe and for swimming. The latter is officially forbidden on many stretches anyway. But it’s the place to meet people, going for a run or any other sporty activity, including playing ball sports with friends.
On a Shabbat, the Judaism day of rest, commonly known as Saturday, the public transport aren’t working and most shops, bars and restaurants are closed as well. The beaches, on the other hand, are always open. So they become the meeting points. People come with friends or family to picnic, roam in the park, listen to street musician or gathering for whatever their interest is.
A group placed a huge tripod on a place, attached ropes and rings on it and started doing acrobatic performances for the spectators.
A bit further i heard drums and followed the beat sound. At least a half dozen men practicing Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art, where the participants rather dance than really fight. It looks spectacular anyway.
More peaceful sounds from a saxophonist, who’s sending the descending sun his last greetings.
It doesn’t mean the day comes to an end quickly now, but while in some places another party starts, i join a group of sunset watchers on a quite corner and look back on another beautiful day in Tel Aviv.
Do you do photo shoots? That question aroused when i took a picture of that young lady with her friend at the beach of Ponta Do Ouro. I do for fun, not professionally, i replied. She explained to me, she never did a photo shoot in bikini but like to have some pictures. So it came to her first bikini shoot on next day.
And she did very well, right? Naturally and confident she moved at the shore of the Indian ocean. Smiled, laughed or gave me a stern look. It was pure fun even when more people arrived and gave us a curious gaze. The crowd also attracted the police, which said, it’s too much water around our feet. So we had to stop. But hey the result is impressive, isn’t it?
The waves crashing to the rocks at the shore. Uninterrupted, everlasting energy of mother nature. It’s the first sound I hear when I wake up. The cool breeze brings me to the sandy beach. A tractor is pulling a boat for a fish trip to the sea. Those fishermen are early birds too, or are they called ‚early fish‘ then?
At the end of the beach the sun rises between the rock and the ocean. Very slow and deliberately the first rays hit the rocks, caress the waves and finally warm my skin. Beautiful colors unfold and pushing the dark of the night aside. The day started just now.
It’s weekend and since Maputo isn’t too far away from Ponta Do Ouro, many weekend visitors are expected. Loads of pick-up cars with picnic-families, sun-seekers and partygoers falling into town and beach. There’s just one obstacle: the beaches are closed for swimmers and sunbathers due the covid pandemic. It is allowed to walk on the beach, though.
Couples, families and groups of friends are moving along the beach. Among them are police forces watching no one steps into the water or even dare to swim. As soon a few dove their toes too deep in the water a sharp whistle brings them back to dry sand. But this is not stopping them from chitchatting, playing in the sand and making photos from each others.
With my camera in hand, I notice the gazes of three friends making selfies. Do you want me to take a photo of the three of you, I asked. A quick answer confirmed it. And so begins the first of many spontaneous photo shoots. There are kids, jumping around, friends want to immortalize themselves in the picture, families enjoy an image as souvenir. Other photographer showing proudly their camera, while girls showing me their best beach poses. I can’t tell when I saw last time so many smiling faces, so much laughter by jumping for the photos.
Only when the sun sets, the last light was fading, the beach emptier from the day visitors. The silhouettes of the last group disappears in the dark and the hidden crabs taking over the beach again. In the distance party music echoes across, but soon even this ends due the curfew. The last thing I hear are waves crashing to the rocks. Uninterrupted, everlasting.
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Nach der Zeit in der staubigen Maasai Steppe und dem quirligen Leben vom touristischen Arusha sehne ich mich nach einem ruhigen Strand. Ich fand ihn in der Nähe von Tanga. Ein Camp in der Zwischensaison verspricht Ruhe und Abgeschiedenheit. Mein Landy durfte ich direkt am Strand unter Schatten spendenden Bäume stellen. Strom bekam ich von einem nahen Unterstand und hatte somit meinen Kühlschrank versorgt. Nun folgt nur noch ein kurzes. erfrischendes Bad im Meer und dann in den bequemen Stuhl mit einem Buch in der einen, einem Getränk in der anderen Hand. Relaxing pur.
Das Personal der Lodge, zu dem dieser Camping gehört, lässt mir meine Ruhe. Nur das Wachpersonal hält sich in meiner Nähe auf. Neugierig beäugen sie jeden Schritt und jede Bewegung, die ich mache. Im Schatten sitzend sprechen sie untereinander in ihrer gutturaler Sprache. Englisch sprechen sie nur gebrochen, trotzdem versuche ich einiges aus ihrem Leben zu erfahren. Ob es an der Sprachbarriere liegt oder an ihrer Schüchternheit mag ich nicht richtig zu beurteilen, aber viel mehr als ein freundliches Lachen bringen sie mir nicht entgegen. Daher gehe ich zur Abwechslung an die leere Strandbar und halte einen Schwatz mit der Managerin aus Südafrika, die sich ebenfalls hier aufhält. Sie alle geniessen die ruhige Zeit, bevor wieder mehr Touristen sich in dieses paradiesisches Fleckchen verirren. Auch ich gehe zurück zu meinem ruhigen Strandstuhl, beobachte die vorbeiziehenden Dau mit ihren dreieckigen Segeln oder Strandkrabben beim Höhlenbau. Dann versinken meine Gedanken wieder in mein Buch und meine nackten Füsse in den Sand.
Lynda was traveling Tanzania, as she heard about my lifestyle. To my surprise she changed her travel plans, checked out of her five-star-hotel and pitched her tiny tent next to my Land Rover which was south of Daressalam that time. She wanted know more about how i live and travel. However, i brought her to my „hideaway beach“, where we started spontaneously a photo shooting. Not having my full equipment with me, i tried to give my best, as Lynda did too. And she did well, didn’t she? 😀
It was quite late when i arrived my camp in Bagamoyo. I grabbed my Nikon and went to nearby beach. To my surprise it was pretty busy there. Teenager played football or jumped in acrobatic style in the sand, bicycles and tricycles went around, a young, blonde teenager climbed a palm tree and collected coconuts. The main activities were the returning fishermen, who sold their catch right at the beach. Surrounded by a crowd, the men sold the catch of the day in bundles to the best offer. Right at the beach, the fishes were cleaned and carried home for fresh dinner.
rene bauer photography 