My friends ask me why do I surf?

My friends ask me why do I surf? I do not have a proper answer! I do it because I like it. Makes me feel good. I love the sea. Sea is freedom. Sea if fear. Sea if passing your limits. Sea is respect. Sea is challenge. I feel that surf is one of those things that won't leave us indifferent. Surf is not just that thing you do! On the contrary, surf gets under the skin if not in your blood. Surfing become part of you. Surfing, like everything else in life, is filled with immense difficulty and unpredictability where the keyword is "perseverance". Maybe that's why it's so attractive. I really like the connection between man and nature. I like the fact that a tinny small moment (seconds on a wave) can enrich your live so much and give you so much pleasure. The truth is, for that small moments you do a lot. You wake up early, you drive to the beach, you change from your comfortable clothes for a bad smelly wet suit no matter where! Most of the days, you put yourself in a frizzing cold water…just for that amazing seconds. After that, nothing really matters, just that amazing seconds. You fell so grateful after doing it. W. Somerset Maughan is correct “Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.“. I just surf. Thanks Nuno Santos for the pictures. You made those moments even more special.

Unveiled Corsica. Sainte-Lucie-de-Tallano. Couvent St-Francois

In my trip to inland Corsica I was attracted by Sainte-Lucie-de-Tallano. Sainte-Lucie de Tallano is an small mountain village, perched high above the Rizzanese Valley in Corsica's Alta Rocca, famous for the charming view of its stone houses with red tiled roofs set against the mountains. I get there and I that it has a pleasant village square with a fountain, lined with a handful of good restaurants where you can watch the locals play petanque, whilst soaking up the quintessentially Corsican atmosphere. In my search for a good picture of the village I went to the Couvent of St-Francois it looks to be Sainte-Lucie's famous viewpoint over its rooftops. But, I was lucky, and some locals just open the old green door and let me in. The convent cannot be visited for the moment because is in restoration works. The works are being planed, and soon will start. I appreciated this opportunity and we said good buy with promise that I will return one day to see it done. Besides this, it’s still an amazing place, full of story and charisma.

Corsica. France. The land of geographical diversity.

Part of the spirit of traveling is discovering and be surprised. This feeling is even more fascinating when you can do it so close from your one country. I just arrived from Corsica, and I’m was amazed with the diversity of this island. Corsica resembles a miniature continent, with astounding geographical diversity. Within half an hour, the landscape morphs from glittering bays, glitzy coastal cities and fabulous beaches to sawtooth peaks, breathtaking valleys, dense forests and enigmatic hilltop villages. Holidays in Corsica will therefore be incredibly varied: from hiking and canyoning to working your tan, enjoying a leisurely cruise, delving into the island’s rich history and sampling local specialties. Shamelessly seductive and fashionable, Porto-Vecchio is dubbed the Corsican St-Tropez, and it’s no wonder. Sitting in a marvellous bay, it’s the kind of place that lures French A-listers and wealthy tourists. Its picturesque backstreets, lined with restaurant terraces and designer shops, have charm in spades, and are presided over with grace by the photogenic ruins of an old Genoese citadel. Although there is no beach in the town proper, some of the island’s best, and most famous, beaches are close by. With its glittering harbour, dramatic perch atop creamy white cliffs, and stout citadel above the cornflower-blue waters of the Bouches de Bonifacio, this dazzling port is an essential stop. With a Sardinia neighbor Bonifacio has a distinctly Italianate feel: sun-bleached townhouses, dangling washing lines and murky chapels cram the web of alleyways of the old citadel; down below on the harbourside, brasseries and boat kiosks tout their wares to the droves of day trippers. Bonifacio’s also perfectly positioned for exploring the island’s southerly beaches and the Îles Lavezzi. But if you go to Corsica, do not miss the Col de Bavella (Bavella Pass) is overlooked by the imposing silhouette of one of the most striking and beautiful landscape features in the south of Corsica: the sharp points of Aiguilles de Bavella, also called the Bavella Needles. And food, yess, food. Please do not miss the Brocciu cheese. Mild, crumbly and white, not a million miles from ricotta, Brocciu made from the petit-lait of either goat’s or ewe’s milk. Brocciu can be eaten fresh, as a creamy fromage frais, baked with the zest of oranges or cédrat (a sweeter type of lemon) in a fiadone cheesecake, or drained, salted and aged for use in savoury dishes. Be sure to try an omelette of Brocciu with some Pains des morts (Bread of the dead!)…. its amazing!

Is great to be back. Praia da Consolação. Peniche. Portugal.

I’ve been spending my holidays here for the past 46 years. My first child memories are from this place, and probably the best ones. Long summers with my family, going to the sea with my uncle, endless beach days, learning how to swim. The first surf steps, skimming all day! Things that I will never forget and shaped who I’m today. I’ve grown up here; I had my best and crazy young experiences here. I’m linked to this place forever. I had to go for a wile, see the Word, discover, learn, experience other things. But now, I feel that this is my place, my refuge. Is great to be back.

TOP 5 MADRID. Spain

 

1. VRL Paco Varela - www.paco-varela.com - Fashion and stylist based in Madrid, which is a mixture of classics and the latest trends. Very good taste and t-shirts full of inspiration. Paco Varela is the most hipster you can find.

2. Eduardo Rivera - www.eduardorivera.es -Very elegant clothes, a super stylish look current. Trendy looks, for men and women, who enjoy  the perfect weekend.

3. KIKEKELLER - www.kikekeller.com  - Exhibitions, factory and coffee, all in one with an incredible modernity. Unusual pieces that altogether make up a harmony hard to explain.

4. La Bicicleta – “Cycling café and workplace” at MALASANA - www.labicicletacafe.com - "Our space is born from the passion for bikes, art and coffee to equal parts. From here our intention is to be a place with personality, concept and soul. We want to be a site to which want to enter. And stay (long). And back (often) " they say.

5.Grand Via! Always. This "calle" never sleeps says my dear friend Juanjo. Gran Via is one of the main avenues of the city of Madrid. Starts at Alcalá Street and ends at Plaza de Spain. Important commerce area and the entry for MALASAÑA neighborhood the place where all seams to happen nowadays. MALASAÑA is the place to be!

The Lisbon Connection. Figaros Barbershop. Lisbon. Portugal

The Lisbon Connection is done, but the best is yet to come. It was amazing to work with (all of) you guys. We visit fantastic places, but the Figaros Barbershop in Lisbon just get into my skin in seconds. Our memory is a fantastic thing. A detail or a smell can bring you to your past in seconds, and create you immediately a very comfortable sensation. Shooting the “The Lisbon Connection” was fantastic for a lot of reasons, with a lot of lessons learned in between. But what I confirmed the most, is that, in the end, is all about persons, emotions and get to know each other in life.  This is the most important add-value: the true connection off all the persons involved, definitely “The Lisbon Connection”.  It was a pleasure to have you here “mates”! I can’t wait to see it done and publish by the two talented boys: Tim and Sven.

Expect the unexpectable. #0 Gliding Barnacles. Figueira da Foz

Guess what! Gliding Barnacles! August was almost gone, but the best was yet to come: the Gliding Barnacles festival at Figueira da Foz in the last days of the month. The prompt idea is the promotion of Figueira da Foz as destination of the world surf through the interaction between artistic culture and surf, with the city as background. A big program was design having has the event headquarters the old car Garage of Auto-peninsular, transformed into a multifunctional artistic display. From a shaping room to a rock star gig, we had a bit of it all. The surf was up scaled with the presence of renamed longboarders:  James Parry came along all from California; Michael Lay from England and Matteo Fabbri from Italy. Take it back to the roots was the major statement of these days. Amazing surfers and fantastic classic boards from BING surfboards had to prove their resistance and good trimming in the perfect wave sets of Buarcos and Cabedelo beach.  Tree days of fun, fantastic atmosphere, high level surf (sub)culture, surrounded by friendship, free spirits and rock and roll, in the celebration of what is gathering us, the passion for surfing. From the Barnacle Boys…. just expect the unexpectable! Well done boys.