Drifting… Acquacalda

[He’ll never know but this is my favorite photo from this trip]

I was sitting near the beach on a rock, right after sunset, thinking about my travels over the last two weeks when I saw this old timer. He was just sitting, thinking, taking in the beach and waves and sky… just like me. When I approached him to take a photo I used the international symbol for photo – thumb and index finger shaped like a C, moving my finger in an up and down like motion, saying “photo?” and pointing in his direction – this always gets the point across. He nodded slowly, smiled slightly, removed his hat and brushed his hair to the side with his hand- a very respectful gesture by him even though the hat was pretty great. I didn’t argue. I took a couple photos and was grateful he had allowed me to take his portrait. He then wandered off back up the hill seemingly in slow motion. Our paths will most likely never cross again but these are the things I remember. These 2 minutes of interaction made my entire trip.


After the first man wandered off, I wish now I had gotten his name, another old timer with 100 years of character and history in his face sat down. I didn’t quite make the connection as I had with the first man. Same approach, same result. He gently nodded and I captured a couple images.

The perfect way to top off the trip.