After a good nights rest, it was a slow start to the day. The plan was to go out and explore the town. The weather was sunny and hot and I tramped around the town to literally see what I could find. I always like to see if I can find a thrift / second hand store or market, as there are usually objects and books that can tell a unique and different history of a place. However sadly there were no such outlets in Blanca. I thought this a little strange. I explored more most roads in Blanca lead to the river and there are paths along the banks. I was looking for a spot to do some sketching and painting. Drawing and painting are such important processes and somewhat vital for kickstarting the creative process. I came across a little cafe beside the river and ordered up a coffee and then began to sketch.
I spent a good few hours sitting making a drawing of the river and the craggy cliffs above it. So mesmerising sitting watching the river. Constantly in forward motion, always something new. I always like to do some sketches of a new place. It allows the memory to capture details of sensory information that can be accessed many years later, long after the associated sensory info of taking a picture has long disappeared. The sunlight and the subsequent colours of the landscape are very different from the colours of a Scottish landscape. I’ve always admired the artists who travelled to Morocco in the early 20th century to bath in it’s light and be inspired by the colours. Artists such as Paul Klee visited Morocco and also Scottish artists such as JD Ferguson.
After finishing the painting and walking back it was interesting to see small pieces of geology by the roadside. The colours of the soil were amazing.
The day was finished off by grocery shopping and then enjoying a beer and watching the sun set and the moon rising. Sunset in the Mediterranean is also as much of a listening pleasure as it is a visual pleasure, as the village or town comes to life after sheltering away from the intense day time heat. The sounds of coming to life, people laughing, dogs barking, meals being prepared echos all across the town from one end to the other. It is an anthropological feast.