Alone in the night, in the pouring rain

Continued from One-foot-long sandwiches in Pasai Donibane

We managed to catch the 22.30 bus back to Donostia, arrived safely, and began the long walk back to Isabella's. The drizzling followed us from Pasai, and accompanied us during the walk, on and off. Just before the tunnel, I told my family to carry on without me as I wanted to take some night shots.

Compared to the amount of people that there were during the day, especially around the Boulevard, La Concha Promenade was deserted. I found myself pretty much alone, except for the odd couple or walker. Traffic was also scarce.

I spent a long time. Shot after shot. While trying to protect the camera from the rain, when it did. Deep down, I knew I wasn't happy. Something wasn't right. Because they were long exposures, some as much as 60 seconds, and another 60 for the camera to "develop" and save it, each shot, from setting up until completion took me about 5 minutes or so, I guess. I don't know how many I took. Some was deleted on the spot. Others travelled with me home.

I don't know what time it was when I decided to pack it in. Walked briskly towards Isabella's. This was to be the last night. I'm the first to acknowledge that I'm bad with orientation. You see I think I suffer from prosopagnosia, albeit mildly, and this extends to topographical disorientation issues. To cut the story short, I must have either taken a wrong turning or overshot a turning, or possibly both, and ended by some bus stops, and I knew it was wrong. I should have arrived by then. A blessing in disguise, in some ways. Because, without warning, the heavens opened up...

And I mean opened up. Even the bus stop shelter didn't provide 100% cover. If you've been to the tropics, you know what a torrential downpour is. Well, this was one. Except I wasn't in the tropics, was I? And I thought, gee, and I still have to take my shower, I still have to pack up...

It didn't let up. It went on and on. And I was getting more and more nervous. The battery on my phone was also dying. Finally, the rain appeared to slow down a little. Enough for me to make a dash without getting soaked to the bone. If I have trouble getting my bearings during the daytime, you can imagine how much worse it is during the night. Somehow, I managed to get it right this time and found my way.

Boy, what a day.

Tonight, I looked at the shots again, and I felt another surge of disappointment. What remained from previous purges also found their way to the recycling bin. All except two. Even the first one should go to the bin, really. Boats on the sea don't take too kindly to long exposures. Rivers and lakes may be calm, but seas move too much.

What do you think?

Ghost ships off Santa Clara

Vacant