Last night for this year's Workshops for Peace: tears for the kids

This year we only made it to the last night of this great project. This was the 11th edition of San Pablo de Buceite's magnificent effort that this year brought in some 180 kids from places like Cuba, Morocco, the Saharawi refugee encampments in Algeria and from various parts of Spain. Workshops went on for a a good fifteen days in all kinds of arts and crafts, ranging from pottery and photography to symphony orchestra and band, from theatre to percussion, from voice to foam rubber, and more. It's hard to describe the feeling we always have when it comes to the end - but the tears shed by the kids who'd never met each other and have become fast friends, not knowing if they'll ever meet again ... those tears say it all. (On a more political note: If this project is lost for any childish political reason, the politicians involved should be lined up and given a rope with which to hang themselves. The project desperately needs international repercussion - if you can help, or know someone who can, please let us know, no matter how small that help might be. It is vital for its continuation.)

Jimena-born Miguel Trillo brings his photography to Algeciras

ALGECIRAS Miguel Trillo was born in Jimena in 1953. He graduated from the Complutense University in Madrid with degrees in Image and Hispanic Linguistics and has become one of Spain's best-regarded photographers. Amongst other things, he has followed and photographed Spanish youth for many years, beginning at towards the end of the Franco regime, an era known as La Movida. This show is about that youth since the advent of democracy and the derogation of many of Franco's repressive laws. His pictures are full of intense colours, this series showing that the young have been converting streets and corners of towns, villages and cities into colourful background for their new-found aesthetics of freedom. The show, organised by ALCULTURA with the cooperation of UFCA, the photography collective, and the Centro Andaluz de la Fotografía, opens on Friday, July 12 at 9pm, at the Red Containers on Ensenada de El Saladillo, Avenida de la Hispanidad, in Algeciras (Access from the Paco de Lucía roundabout - but find your way here) For more info: www.alcultura.es; asociacionalcultura@gmail.com; or 956 572 508. (See also: Spanish Youth Through Miguel Trillo's Camera)

Photographer is censored by Facebook

See 'The Making Of' this 2010 photo

ALGECIRAS Mariano Vargas Castaño is in constant evolution, according to Europa Sur. He started out years ago with an analog camera but has taken the digital age to heart. His photos are interesting, provocative, sometimes erotic, and nowadays censored. He has made the fact public through the same Facebook page where he publishes much of his work - and where some of his work has been removed. But he says he's not really bothered, though he does mention - not just in passing - the double standard used by that social network where images of death and destruction are all too frequent; yet Facebook says that many of his photos do not meet its policies. The fact is that Mariano Vargas is a well-known artist whose work is sold via the prestigious Imaginart gallery in Barcelona, and which has been exhibited in Hong Kong, South Korea, Paris, soon in Venezuela and Colombia, on to Miami and next year, to London and New York.>>>

Big moon rising

Well, we enjoyed it!

Lucky to live and work here

JIMENA Prospero sees this tree every day out of his office window. It is in full bloom right now and looking better than ever. It takes but a second to stop and 'smell the roses'. However, below are a few pics of things he sees on walking to and from the office... Oh, yes, he's lucky to live here, though there are times when he has to force himself to remember that.

Top o' the mornin'

JIMENA Below is a slideshow of Jimena as it was this morning - misty, mysterious. If you don't have to drive everywhere, as Prospero doesn't, it was a beautifully photographic morning. The usual coffee stop was full of people saying how difficult the road was. The bread man came in announcing that he couldn't see the road to San Pablo at five this morning but had to deliver there. This is known as a Levante mist (niebla means fog, neblina, mist). Prospero was asked several times if this was what happened every day in London or England. "Quite often," was his answer.

Photography exhibition opens on Friday

JIMENA Casa Henrietta is holding the opening of an exhibition by Belgian photographer Chris Klees this Friday, April 5, at 7 pm. Titled Una Visión de Asia ('A Vision of Asia) the exhibition will remain at Henrietta's until the 27th.

Melissa also tells us that the new Tapas Bar is open from Thursday to Sunday, at midday and evenings.

Draft law: no more pictures of the police in action

(Law not yet in effect)

Passive resistance to get between 6 months to a year in jail

MADRID Spain's equivalent of the Home Office, the Ministry of the Interior, is the overall head of the National Police. The Director General of the police, Ignacio Cosidó, announced on Thursday that the draft of the so-called Citizen Security Law (Ley de Seguridad Ciudadana, part of, or an offshoot of the Spanish version of Homeland Security) is likely to include the prohibition of capturing, treating and publishing on Internet images, sounds and identification of the Police 'in the execution of their duties' if these put at risk the person or the operation in which he or she is involved. The announcement follows not only a meeting between Cosidó and the main police unions, but also films and photographs of police actions against demonstrations in Madrid and other cities, which show what has widely  been construed as excessive violence and repression.COMING SOON: SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Moonfire over Jimena, yesterday evening, by Renate Schubert

JIMENA Renate took this photo of the moon rising from her terrace at El Águila, in Jimena. It was quite a sight. And, for that matter, so was her party, where numerous -enormous numbers- of resident and visiting dogs barked about all over the place, chasing each other and having a lot of fun. The (human) guests were excited and having a great time, too. Food was fantastic (a couple of dogs agree), drinks aplenty (one alcoholic hound was barking with a slur, so we guess she agrees, too) ... Until it was time to say, hasta pronto, Renate. She has been instrumental in setting up the Jimena Animal Welfare Society (J.A.W.S.) as well as caring for a very good number of our four-legged friends (that's FOUR-legged, missus, not cross-legged, definitely not), five of which she's taking home with her to South Africa. She will be missed.

Plum ready, says the boss

We took this photo recently at the Parque de las Aves in Jimena (more about that soon, and, hopefully, an ad!). We like it and hope you do. We also like plums. We received a gift of four kilos of plums from a good friend, and we (Prospero memo to monkeys: stop this royal we, you're talking about your boss, dammit!!) proceeded to make some jam. He burned it. Then he added water and got a lovely almíbar (light watery syrup), which is very sweet and in the fridge. Then he reduced the mess and finally got enough jam to fill a couple of jars (which none of his friends will be getting for Christmas out of sheer embarrassment). He has tried the jam - it's bleedin' good, he says. (He recently received a lovely gift from some other good friends: a lot of figs. No jam, he says, not even for Christmas. Mean beggar, the boss.) (Prospero note: slow summer, have you noticed? Also, looking for some lemons...)

Sunrise over Jimena

Take a pic of your dog and help Spanish Stray Dogs

LOS BARRIOS / CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR (Via e-mail)  I am just writing to let you all know that from the 1st June we are running a prize draw to raise funds for Spanish Stray Dogs. Local artist Tony Artenimas of www.artenimas.com has kindly donated us a hand painted pet portrait. The winner will get to choose the pet of choice to be painted. And then Tony will paint it from a photograph. The painting will take around 2 weeks to complete and Tony has even offered to cover all postage and packaging.  See Tony's amazing work on his website. There is more, including the conditions of entry.>>>

Just a nice picture ...

This photo was taken by Gonzalo Polo when a belly dancer visited Jimena for a gig earlier this year. We asked him for it and he allowed us to publish it ... well, you don't go around pinching things, do you? Thing is, we neglected to put it up at the time, and as we were tidying up earlier this morning, we came across it. It's still a nice picture, isn't it?

Rock & Roll Sessions at San Roque

SAN ROQUE An exhibition of photos by Juan Ferrer, titled 'Rock & Roll Sessions', is happening at the Ortega Brú Gallery in San Roque from April 13 to May 4. Visiting hours: 11am to 2pm and 7 to 9pm, Monday to Friday. The opening  party is at 8.30pm on Friday, April 13, with DJ Riff Raff (using vynil discs only), and live music by Badrriles. Good pics, good party, Good Rockin'.

Photographers from both sides of the frontier get together to explore the caves

(Photo: europasur.es)

LA LÍNEA/GIBRALTAR (Agencies) Members of the photographers' society of La Línea, AFAL, were invited to visit their counterparts on the Rock, the result of a cooperation agreement between the two groups. The Spanish contingent got to see many of the caves, including those on the Upper Rock, which are rarely open to tourists. Other common activities are planned, including an outing to take photos of Gibraltar at night. Forty photos from each group of this visit will be projected on Monday, March 19th. For its part, AFAL wants to reciprocate the kindnesses by inviting the Gibraltar group to take pictures of Semana Santa (Holy Week) in La Línea, plus what it is calling 'gastronomic conviviality' - or a good meal.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS!

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR PHOTOS: Parties, Halloween, trips, journeys, travels, people, places, things - whatever, as long as the subject is Jimena or the photographer lives here. We'll put them up and make a feature of them, with your name and the title of the photo. Just attach them -maximum of ten up to 150 Kb and in JPG format, please- to an e-mail with your name (or anonymously if you like) and a little info such as where you live and/or where the pics are taken. Quality doesn't matter but we choose to publish or not. Write to this address: jimenaprospero@gmail.com. Easy!

Knockout nature photos with a Jimena connection

Swallows (c) Dean Moulton

JIMENA Dean Moulton is the son-in-law of a good friend of ours, who lives in the campo just outside Jimena. He is a nature photographer rapidly gaining a reputation for high quality. Most of his work is done in the UK but, as he said just the other day, he can't wait to come out to this area with his camera - we hope he'll be doing that soon! The patience involved in most of his photos is astounding, though no surprise to any photographer of nature; but without his talent, they would be nothing. We urge you to enjoy all his excellent work, which also covers portraits and lots more, on his Flickr Photostream.

Spanish photojournalist missing in Libya

'Manu Brabo' - EFE

LIBYA (El Pais) A Spanish news photographer who traveled to Libya to cover the civil war has been missing since Monday along with three other photojournalists, one of his colleagues confirmed on Thursday.

Manuel Brabo, 33, a native of Gijón, went to Libya to work as a freelancer about a month ago, his friend, the photographer Manuel Varela de Sijas Bravo, told Efe news agency. Brabo was sending pictures of the Libyan conflict for the European photo agency Epa, which was distributing his photographs throughout Europe and the Americas. According to the security advisor to The New York Times, who was interviewed by a La Vanguardia reporter, the four journalists were detained on Tuesday when Gaddafi's forces launched an offensive on a highway between Brega and Ajdabiya.

Spring is here, and so is Monday

Today is the first day of Spring, not that Nature can read calendars and almanacs. Officially, Spring arrives at the Spring Equinox, which is round about just now. So let's just celebrate the fact that there should be more sunshine until at least September (have you checked the WeatherWidget lately?), by which time we'll all be panting for Autumn and Winter again. About the photo: who else would have arranged the snails and the slug so carefully on such a lovely Spring photo, and then call it 'That Monday Morning Feeling'? You're right, none other than Phil Heinzl, our regular contributor of all things weird and wonderful (just for a lark, copy his name into the Search thingy at the top of the right sidebar and see what happens...)

Algeciras, the end of the rainbow

This photo appeared in Europa Sur's online edition this morning. The text that accompanies it says in part, "the majestic view to be seen from Algeciras with the Rock of Gibraltar imposing above the derricks at the port. A beautiful picture for which we can be grateful occasionally, and enjoy." Nice. (Click to enlarge.)