Travel theme: Stillness

It’s that time of year when I begin to get restless and start looking at new and exotic destinations to add to my list of places I must visit soon. But until my next trip, I am resolved to embrace the beauty of remaining in one place with this week’s travel theme, stillness. To start off, some people who make a living out of being still, one in Edinburgh…

steel blue street performer edinburgh festival

…the other in Boston.

street performer boston ma us road trip usa america

They say still waters run deep and they’re not wrong. Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is the deepest lake in Central America. Here’s the spray from our boat dancing in front of us as we disrupt an almost smooth surface of water.

blue lake atitlan Atitlán Guatemala

It is pretty hard to catch a hummingbird standing perfectly still – but I’m always amazed at how still their body stays while their wings are flapping a hundred miles an hour.

hummingbird blue calfornia

Hummingbird silhouetted in the blue skies of California

Are you still up for the challenge of creating your own interpretation of this week’s theme? If you would like to join in (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:

  • Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Stillness
  • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
  • Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday (unless, of course, I get locked out again!)
  • Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.

xxx Ailsa

Be still like a mountain and flow like a river. – Lao Tzu

Nearly everybody I know does something to try to remove herself to clear her head and to have enough time and space to think… All of us instinctively feel that something inside us is crying out for more spaciousness and stillness to offset the exhilarations of this movement and the fun and diversion of the modern world. – Pico Iyer

 

About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.
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71 Responses to Travel theme: Stillness

  1. I’m hankering to take a little trip myself., But my funds tell me to be still! lol
    Nice post Ailsa as always.

  2. Miriam says:

    Love your pics and what a great theme. Already feel the urge to get away and I was only camping last week!

    • ailsapm says:

      I’ve actually been thinking about planning a mini camping trip, maybe a weekend or even one night, just to ease the Wanderlust, Miriam. It’s that time of year when my feet get super itchy. 🙂

  3. Sue says:

    Love the hummingbird silhouette, Ailsa!

  4. aj vosse says:

    We STILL have to meet!! We still haven’t shared the same space… well, in the same town at the same time! I’m still concerned that it will take more years to happen because you’ll soon be away again. 😉

    • ailsapm says:

      Fear not, AJ, we will meet soon, I promise. You know, I bet we’ve actually passed each other at some point on the streets of Dublin, it’s a small old world round this way. 🙂

  5. ClearDope says:

    Where’s my backpack? What a great name 😉

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  8. cocoaupnorth says:

    Lovely images, Ailsa. More especially lake water and the hummingbird. Here’s my contribution: https://cocoaupnorth.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/stillness/

  9. Pingback: Travel theme: Stillness | Oh, the Places We See . . .

  10. Even a stream can offer an unexpected stillness every now and then: https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2016/06/18/travel-theme-stillness/

  11. smilecalm says:

    wonderful encouragement
    to get out
    & see what awaits 🙂

  12. Pingback: Merry Maidens Stone Circle, Cornwall | Jaspa's Journal

  13. Jaspa says:

    Love the hummingbird, Ailsa, but those street performers freak me out! That said, all the dancers in my contribution were also still on this misty winter’s morning:

    Merry Maidens Stone Circle, Cornwall

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  15. tgeriatrix says:

    Lovely still collection! Lake Atitlan is my favorite. Here is my still lake: https://geriatrixfotogallerie.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/karersee/

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  19. Really nice. Love the quotes!

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  22. travelrat says:

    Sorry I was away last week; this week’s contribution at https://travelrat.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/travel-theme-stillness/

  23. Pingback: Still life… | gypsy life

  24. Tish Farrell says:

    Wonderful shots, Ailsa. I especially love the way they exactly emulate the Lao Tzu quote.

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  31. K2 in Canada says:

    Beautiful pictures as always. Especially like the hummingbird which inspired me to finally contribute once again. https://k2incanada.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/travel-theme-stillness/

  32. DailyMusings says:

    Stillness evokes such beautiful images. Here’s mine this week https://dailymusing57.com/2016/06/19/travel-theme-stillness/

  33. Leya says:

    Great choiceses, both theme and pictures. I will have to think about this one…

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  38. I liked these images from Galveston State Park on the Gulf of Mexico for this week’s theme – http://wp.me/p3CFsE-2Wk

  39. Pingback: Travel Theme: Stillness at sunset | anotherdayinparadise

  40. Great images for your theme, Ailsa. I don’t know how those street artists manage to stand so still for such a long time. They’re incredible. Gorgeous capture of the hummingbird. 🙂 Here’s my entry: https://anotherday2paradise.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/travel-theme-stillness-at-sunset/

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