Already in Tilcara

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We passed the first day in Jujuy right there where we were staying, in Tilcara. The car stayed parked at the hostel, and we visited everything by foot, starting with the ancient village of El Pucará, and after that hiking to La Garganta del Diablo, a waterfall at about 5km from Tilcara.

The visit to the Pucará was impressive: the place, its situation and also the explanations by the native guide, who already from the first moment gave us a nice perspective about the place we were in. And yes, Jujuy is The Earth, and the Human connected to it, a profound bond that travels back in time to the most ancient civilizations. Jujuy is the earth, the dust, the mountains and its canyons open like if they were wounds. Jujuy is color contrast, nature and ancestral cultures. And still many things I could not finish to describe.

While children were playing among the reconstructed houses of the Pucará, I managed to sketch the view of the valley towards Humahuaca. Light wasn't yet at its most, but what a wonder anyway.

Then we got lost in the streets of that ancient town that in its best times was home to a thousand, enjoying the landscape, the stones, and the giant cactus (cardones). 

After the Pucará, we bought some tortillas with ham and cheese and started our hiking towards La Garganta del Diablo. Even in winter, there, in the north, right in the tropic, with the sun over our heads, weather was ideal for an excursion. In the way in I stopped at a crossing for a quick sketch, while everyone took a sip of water.

We finally got there, had lunch and spent a bit playing with the water. My husband and I ran to the natural waterfall together with a street dog that had accompanied us since Tilcara. He was black as our dog Ludo, and it almost felt like having him with us. In the way back to Tilcara I stayed a bit longer to sketch some little stands by the road, and ran part of the way back to catch up with the family. That day was great. 

En Route!!

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The road to Jujuy from Buenos Aires is long. In fact almost everyone looked as us as we were crazy because we were going by car. We were 10 in total, my family of 5, plus my sister's family of 4, plus their little dog Cambá. We rented a van for the trip, which worked wonderfully. The trip passed very well for everyone, despite the large distances.

It is a bit more than 1500 km from Buenos Aires to Tilcara, in Jujuy, which we did in two stages. The way-in route is marked in red in the map below. The first night we spent it in Fernandez in the province of Santiago del Estero, and then the day after we arrived in Tilcara, where we spent 5 nights.

To avoid the big cities beltways, at some point we deviated from the main Route 9 and took a smaller one. We weren't super lucky because the route was full of trucks. Really full. Like it must have been a ban for trucks some days before and they left all at the same time, together with us. Right after passing Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, already the first trucks...

We arrived late in the night to our hotel, but happy.

The day after things were calmer, and we traveled much faster. In the afternoon we were already in the beautiful Jujuy, in Tilcara. Oh, that was a moment, really. During the trip we also passed interesting places. For example Güemes, where its multiple red lights allowed me to sketch its main road :) 

Already quite in the north, weather was also getting warmer, sunnier, and we felt welcome and happy for the days to come.

Argentina

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It is already a week since we came back from our family holiday to Argentina, and it is now when I find everything I need to post the first entry. Because it is not only time that I need, but also to put in order my head, and to find some calm. Going back to Argentina is not like going to anywhere else in the world, but it is going back to my origins, to understand many things, to confront many others, to see the family, and, in this occasion, also to travel around the country.

I have many drawings from this three week trip. I don't think I will share all of them, I also do not have a specific plan to share them. So I will just post what I feel like when I feel like, and see what it comes out of it. But anyway, today, I will start from the beginning.


The trip

We flew to Buenos Aires from Geneva via Frankfurt, two planes, and in the end making a 24 hour trip from our house door in Crozet, to my sister's Djas home, in Buenos Aires. Because the secret to draw in a trip is to start drawing right away, I did a few drawings already at the airport.

View from the Airport Gate in Geneva.
Everyone is so excited, and I wonder where my husband is.

As always at stations, trains, or I should say everywhere, people at the gate were taken away by their phones, and not at all aware that I was drawing them!

In the first flight I took a seat in the corridor, so I could draw some more. I've done this kind of sketch before, and I always like it. My children behaved wonderfully and I could draw with no interruption.

It took another flight to get to Buenos Aires. Then a huge line in immigration, and then some traffic from the airport to the city. But finally we made it to my sister's house. But that was another day, and so it will be another day here :)

Drawing in London VI: People!

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Traveling with other people who's not sketching, the best moment to draw is usually while commuting. And that's what I did. Sketch people in the train, in the tube, from the airport, to the airport, from the house, to the house... 

Usually sketching people from that close is challenging, because you never know how they will take it if they notice, but I should say that in the train they were mostly all so deeply taken by their screens that they didn't notice a thing. Only one, the second day, he was reading, and with his smile invited me to continue drawing.

So here a small sample of the people in London :)

People in the train, going back home the first day, and to the Harry Potter studios the day after: 

Women in the train to London Bridge, the last day.

PEOPLE IN THE TRAIN,

They look at their phones...

while I draw them

WHO IS HAVING MORE FUN?

A couple of men going to work, in the same train, after I had changed seats looking for some more models...

People in the tube, Piccadilly line to Heathrow, also the last day. We headed towards the airport at around 16:30h, and the tube was full ;)

And, to finish, a little riddle for these two last sketches which are actually in the same double page of my sketchbook:

More people in the tube
All of them looking
   at their phones....
EXCEPT ONE!

Can YOU guess WHO??

And this ends my London series... until next time!

Drawing in London V

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Last Wednesday April 19th was our last day in London. It was sunny and a bit cool when the wind blew, but otherwise even staying in the shadow felt quite good. We walked across the Thames in London Bridge, and went to see St. Paul's Cathedral. There, my daughter and I took a moment for a sketch under the sun of its stairs.

Corner between Dean's Court and St. Paul's Church Rd from St. Paul's Cathedral entry stairs

After that we went to Camden Market where the girls were happy to look around the shops... and me I was happy to have a fish and chips right before heading to the airport! 

And this is basically our three day trip to London. I couldn't draw other places I'd wanted to sketch, like the Tower Bridge and others. But I am sure I will be back to London sooner or later. During all the commutings we made I drew people, because that is the other thing, London is FULL of people! I don't find that many people, different people, in these mountains around my house. But this will be for another entry. 

Drawing in London IV

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Day 2, 18 April 2017 was THE day for our girls: we were visiting the Harry Potter Studios! With the trip and everything else, we had little time in the city, just for a quick but nice beer in a pub close to the theatre where, already in the evening, we enjoyed The Lion King Musical.

So, not many drawings that day, but a great day nevertheless :)

Drawing in London III: hidden gardens

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I like English houses very much. Well, I guess there are quite a few different kind of English houses... but I like a lot English "city" houses, tall and narrow and attached one to another, with big and sometimes stained-glass decorated windows. They seem small but are usually quite big inside. These houses hide other surprises too, like beautiful backyards with wonderful gardens full with trees, plants and colorful flowers.

Becs and Angus home, where we stayed for our two nights in London, was exactly like this. A beautiful home, with beautiful people. Thanks Becs and Angus for the nice fajitas when we arrived, the beer, the nice conversation and the great musical the day after. And thank you very much for letting me draw your so pretty and somehow whimsical house, I love love LOVE it.

Drawing in London II

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Continuing with previous entry, day 1 of my girls trip to London early this week. I had to think this last sentence because yes, it was early this week but it already feels like I was there eons ago! How quickly do we reintegrate into our lives, it is just amazing.

So I had left it all inside the tube, from Heathrow to London, on day 1.
When we arrived in the city, first we had to put our little luggage somewhere safe and somewhere where we would not have to carry it around. After, we walked towards the city. Just by chance, we arrived in the Buckingham Palace and there were lots of people around for the Guards change. In all the times I'd been in London before I'd never been there to see that! (Maybe, next time, I'll get to draw it as well... ;) )

After the show, we continued walking through St James Park, had lunch, and arrived to The Big Ben and then YES!, I told my trip friends to go ahead without me for a quick glance to the Thames, and I stayed there. Finally, my first sketch in London!

They were back just as I was finishing, and we took a double-decker bus to Trafalgar Square. The bus was real quick, but our girls were so happy to be sitting in the top front of the mythical red bus. Just as we arrived, Maitane and Anouk climbed into the lions in Nelson's column, and I took a moment to sketch while Rebecca took pictures.

You can see the day was actually quite fresh and very cloudy. After lunch in the park we were still cold so we headed to Covent Garden for a hot drink. Drawing there was not possible, but, dear London, I will be back!

The day came to its end and it was time to go home. Our friend's brother and sister in law (and uncle and auntie) were so nice to take us in, and as always, we profited of a trip on a double-decker bus, with our two girls in the front. You won't believe it, but they managed to be in the front line in all of the buses we took!

Drawing in London I

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These three last days I left the mountains and villages that typically surround me for a quick and intense trip to London. I wasn't alone, but I did what I could and sketched any moment possible. Because it is not always that I can sketch in a big city with lots of people!!

I tried to sketch quickly to not make others wait for me, but my trip partners (my daughter, a friend of hers and her mother) were also very understanding and willing to let me draw. Thank you, girls!!

I documented this trip with a total 18 sketches, that I will be sharing in various days, as all of them would probably make too many for a single entry. 

First day: Monday 17/04/17

Before Getting to London

The trip started early on Easter Monday morning. And nothing to start better a trip, than to sketch its first moments!

Arriving at the airport before dusk, we got to see how the sun started raising behind the planes before starting our trip. Security was full with a huge line, but then people dispersed around and there was quite a good silence at the airport gate. I guess that 7 am is too early to talk much...

After a few moments we were embarking already. Plane was not full, so I could take a corridor seat to sketch. How lucky is that?

In the plane to Heathrow :

The flight Geneva - London takes about an 1h 45min, it is not that long... but I am not such a good waiting person. I get impatient after a few moments when I cannot move around. So when I finished the sketch I was really eager to arrive! 

And finally, we were almost there, we landed, we passed the passport control, and took the tube to London!

Here, in the tube, which at that moment I felt it moved like crazy. Then I think I got used to it. The two people in first plane are my daughter's friend and her mother. Then, a man was standing up behind, looking at his phone. And yes, people do look a lot at their phones while commuting, and most do not realise at all I am sketching them ;)

More drawings from London... tomorrow!! 

Holidays in Normandie

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Yesterday we came back from our family holidays in Normandie. We had a wonderful time, with even some days of intense hot and a bath in the sea!


Day 1: traveling, traveling

While Ernest drives, I draw, and time passes a bit faster. The whole trip was like 11 hours, with multiple stops for kids, dog, and ourselves. When we arrived we took our stuff out of the car and we visited the batterie allemande in Longues-sur-Mer, and the Plage des Falaises. It was high tide so we went back the day after.


Day 2: Plage des Falaises, and Bayeux

Low tide in the savage and beautiful Plage des Falaises, in Longues-sur-Mer. We found lots of small sea animals, dog swam and brought the stick back many times. Hot and sunny. Nothing like I'd been menaced Normandie would be!

In the afternoon, after an ice-cream, we visited Bayeux, its cathedral, and the ancient medieval quarter. Then my daughter and I drew a bit. This is a corner next to the cathedral. I couldn't draw the inside because at some moment someone closed the door, and it was getting late for dinner.

Day 3: Le Mont Saint-Michel, or "The Magical Mountain"

We didn't wait long for the Mont Saint-Michel, or the 'magical mountain', for the kids. While the kids and husband were visiting a terrarium in Beauvoir, I walked the 4 km of path between this town and the beginning of the passarelle of the Mont St.-Michel, with my dog. It was too hot though, and while I was looking for a place to draw, he was desperately looking for some shadow. In the end we found both, although I am left with the feeling that I have to come back in a more inspired day.
I had to wait for the family to come for a long time, so I drew and drew. The visit was great, we did it in the evening, so the mountain was quiet and we could walk around as we wanted. We had some moules there for dinner, and I could draw the dusk colors from the car. The Mont St.-Michel has indeed something magical in it, as do the long normand evenings.
Day 4: Arromanches and Plage in Asnelles

That day was super hot, we went to Arromanches, desperately looked for shadow after 5 minutes, but the windy north coast has no trees... so as soon as we could we went to the beach. Kids wanted to repeat the beach in Longues-sur-Mer, but then they also loved this one too. Next to Arromanches, the beach in Asnelles has some remains of the artificial port from the WW2.

Day 5: Honfleur and Étretat

Honfleur in the morning, some picnic lunch, and then we divide ourselves in two teams: husband + 2 kids go for a boat ride, daughter + dog + me go for some sketching. We find some shadow, dog lies down, my daughter draws one view, I draw the opposite one. Fun.

When everyone is done we take the car and go to Étretat to admire the coast. We draw the view of the falaise d'Aval and l'Aiguille Creuse. It's just magnificent. It's 18h and the sun is already coming down, the light is gorgeous. Then we walk along the coast and find some stairs going down in between the rocks, we take the path, go into a cave, and arrive to a stone beach, from where we can see the falaise de l'Amont. We spent some time there, what a wonderful afternoon.

Day 6: Caen

We are all set up, kids and dog in the car, house closed, back-packs ready. The car doesn't start, it's the battery. Fortunately we manage to get it fixed and we only get to Caen a bit later than planned. We visit the old city, the castle, do a quick drawing with my daughter and go to a park to watch some shows in the street. There's a big playground, show is funny, everyone is happy.

Day 7: Rouen

That day we managed to get out the house in the morning, and we got to Rouen by noon. Rouen is so beautiful, full of medieval houses "en pan de bois", all in different colors, and gothic churches and cathedrals. That day, with my daughter, we only wanted to draw everything we saw, and we spent like 7 hours in Rouen, and left with envy to draw a bit more...

Day 8: Barfleur, and beach

Barfleur is a small fishing town right up in the peninsula of Contentin. It is classed one of the most beautiful beaches of France, and it is true it is so authentic, with its granite stones and the harbour. That day was cloudy and windy, and after a bit of drawing in the breeze it felt a bit too fresh.

Later in the day the wind took the clouds away and as we moved back south we stopped in one of the long beaches between Quineville and Utah Beach. It was empty, low tide, and while kids looked for crabs, seashells and other beasts, I put my foldable stool in the sand, everything on my knees, and drew them in action. Quickly, and afraid I would drop something into the water...

Day 9: Pont L'Évêque

At this point I think we were tired of driving, and we had started thinking of the long drive back that was awaiting us at the end of the corner, so we spent the two lasts days a bit closer to where we were staying. That day we payed a short visit to Pont l'Évêque, the little town famous for its famous cheese. Pont l'Évêque is full of ancient medieval houses, and crossed by three rivers. Husband took the two small kids to one of these rivers, while my daughter and I took the dog to do some more sketching.

Day 10: Port-En-Bessin

Last day in Normandie, we went to Port-En-Bessin, the town next to where we were staying, a beautiful fishing town. We strolled in the harbour, and also along the cliffs facing the sea. A wonderful day to finish our trip.

Day 11: Traveling, traveling... back home

Driving, stopping, driving... We managed to get out at the time we wanted to, and didn't find major problems in the highway during our trip. At noon we were already passing through Paris, where we got a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, then we did a longer stop for lunch in Auxerre. Kids played in the river, I took the dog for a walk, and stole him 10 minutes for a quick sketch. Auxerre surprised us, it was welcoming and beautiful. 

 After lunch it was Ernest's turn to drive, so I took my shoes off and did the last sketch of the trip. In the car, as I had started 10 days ago. It's been a great vacation, and I've enjoyed so much sketching shoulder to shoulder with my daughter.