Darkness in the Calle Juan Bethancourt Alfonso ...

The Calle Juan Bethencourt Alfonso was in darkness by the time we left the bodega - 

I'd eaten cherne in a stone cellar - 

Three grizzled bravos were drinking in the courtyard - 

Wrought iron lamps cast pools of light - 

The silent houses kept their secrets - 

There was a waxing moon in the sky - 

A cypress tree was stirred by the wind - 

A television set shone inside a low ceilinged room - 

21.30

Thursday March 26 2015

Calle Juan Bethencourt Alfonso 

San Miguel

Tenerife

Kite surfers at El Medano Beach ...

I'm drinking a capucinno in a beach cafe - bright surfer pop is playing very loudly - 

Kite surfers are swooping over the dark sea - 

Sirens drape towels around their shapely bodies - 

I can hear the sound of waves breaking upon the sand - 

I can smell brandy in a cocktail - 

A boy in a wet suit walks across the beach - 

Bright sails whirl upwards into the pale shining sky - 

12.50

Wednesday 25 March 2015

Flashpoint

El Medano Beach

Tenerife

Sendero de La Fuente de Tamaide...

We sat, with our backs to the cool stone of the basin, on the floor of the ravine - I ate half a green apple - 

Water dripping from the wall of the ravine filled the basin - 

Above us was a zig zag of blue sky - 

A lizard ran across the path - I caught a glimpse of his eel like glistening body - 

Man high cacti cast strangely shaped shadows - 

The higher slopes of the ravine were terraced - ancient vines were like dark knotted limbs - 

All was silent, the air still, the clouds at last uncovering the sun - 

11.45

Thursday 26 March 2015

Path of La Fuente Tamaide

Tenerife Sur

Kite surfers at El Medano ...

I'm drinking a cappuccino in a beach cafe - bright surfer pop is playing very loudly - 

Kite surfers are swooping over the dark sea - 

Sirens drape towels around their shapely bodies -

I can hear the sound of the waves breaking upon the sand - 

I can smell brandy in a cocktail - 

A boy in a black wetsuit walks across the beach - 

Bright sails whirl upwards into the pale shining sky - 

12.00

Wednesday March 25 2015

Flashpoint

El Medano beach

Tenerife Sur

The walled garden of Eduardo's house

After breakfast this morning, we sat reading in the walled garden - 

Anne made coffee - we listened to bird song - carp slept in the dark water of their pool - 

The leaves of the banana trees brushed against terracotta roof tiles - 

A strange orange flower glowed amidst tangled greenery - 

Later, Anne lolled in her steamy bath - 

Thick walls enclosed our sanctuary - 

17.52

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Eduardo's house 

San Miguel de Abona 

Tenerife 

Clear Air Turbulence ...

Looking out of my window, I can see shining clouds - the sea is empty of ships - we are being shaken by turbulence - the wings are quivering silver blades - 

Anne looks up from her William

Boyd - 

I'm aware of the delicate curvature of the earth - 

We're told to keep our seat belts fastened -

We are all silent, trying hard not to imagine the unimaginable - 

The wind is coming from out of Africa the steward says - 

The captain apologizes for the lumps and bumps - 

13.27

Monday March 23 2015

Monarch Airlines jet

35 minutes from Tenerife Sur

 

Phoning my parents in the silver Golf ...

Driving past The World's End, I rang my mum - 

Hello hello she said - 

Tell her we'll be there by ten thirty Anne said - 

She changed gear, glancing into the rear view mirror - 

My dad picked up the phone in the lounge - hello hello he said - 

I heard their two voices, my mum's and my dad's, both speaking at once, both precious, both moving away from me, into shadows and memory -

9.14

Sunday March 22 2015

In the silver Golf

A31

near Verwood