Croatian Market – Arches 140# coldpress
I’ve been away for a little while. The Husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Galapagos. (I was a child bride…LOL) Our anniversary isn’t until October, but we decided February would be a better time to be in South America. The water was calmer and the critters were moving and mating. We spent approximately 7 days on a 90 foot yacht. (Yate in Spanish) I kept telling everyone I was on a 20 foot yacht until the Husband finally corrected me. He told me a 20 foot yacht is called a rowboat. Ok, I was never good at math.
We had a wonderful, magical time. The Galapagos is one of those “trip of a lifetime” places! We hiked each day, most times twice a day, and also snorkeled each day. We saw giant tortoises and green sea turtles, land iguanas, marine iguanas, fur seals, sea lions, all sorts of fish, sharks and even a few Orcas. I don’t know much about birds but we did hear about the 14 different species of finches in the Galapagos. (I drifted when the naturalist was talking about them so I can’t tell you much.) I prefer my birds to have blue feet like the blue footed boobies or big red balloons under their beaks like the male mating frigate birds.
The painting above is a work in progress from a Croatian Market from a trip two years ago. (It seems like yesterday.) The woman reminds me of some of the older women in my family and the fruits and vegetables were gorgeous, yummy and plentiful. I will go back and put in some darks in the spaces between the fruit and maybe delineate her face a little more.
More to come about the Galapagos, but in the meantime here are some photos and a link to my friend’s website who was with us on the trip.
Blue footed booby doing a mating dance
Sleepy fur seal pup
Male Frigate bird with the red mating balloon inflated to attract females
Sandy Sea Lion
Sally lightfoot crab hitches a ride on a marine iguana
And here’s the link to my friend Mary’s super duper website: http://www.theotherdaytoday.com/?p=862
31 comments
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March 3, 2013 at 10:58 pm
kk2n777
And you both have a beautiful tan. I am sooo jealous!
March 3, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Carol King
And that was with SPF 70 AND a big floppy hat. xoxo
March 3, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Padmaja
I am enjoying all the details of this market painting, it is always a pleasure to study such a subject that involves various hues, vales and shapes..look forward to the finished piece Carol.. Great time spent away on vacations can result in more such paintings , I am sure you are going to try out some from Galapagos:-)
March 10, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Carol King
Hello Padmaja, Thanks for your comments. I’ve started some Galapagos sketches. I’ll post one soon.
March 4, 2013 at 12:31 am
violetski
Your market sketch is really beautifu, Carol ! Love the colors , details❤
March 10, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Carol King
Thanks Violetski! I am happy you stopped by.
March 4, 2013 at 1:46 am
Dana
Wow, so lucky! I guess the flights were alright, too? Really does sound like a trip of a lifetime!
March 10, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Carol King
The flights were fine. I took a tranquilizer, but was pretty relaxed.
March 4, 2013 at 2:42 am
nic McLean
Wow Carol. I’m so incredibly jealous which is never a nice emotion but seriously the Galapagos is my dream destination! David Attenborough did a 3 part programme on it recently and it is just so awe inspiring. How fabulous that you got to go and I’ll enjoy reading your friend’s blog on it too. Great painting-i love the vast array of vibrant colours.
March 10, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Carol King
Hey Nic, you would LOVE the Galapagos. And I’m sure you will make it there someday. There was a 3 part program on TV here as well. I wonder if it was the same show. Thanks for your comments on the Croatian market. Another place I can’t wait to go back to someday.
March 4, 2013 at 6:19 am
judylobo
Terrific photos and the start of another great Carol painting.
March 10, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Carol King
Thanks Stalkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
March 4, 2013 at 9:29 am
RHCarpenter
How great for you to go on this trip for your anniversary! Hope you took tons of photos for future paintings
Sweetie went with a biology group just last year and loved it. He had been once before. As I am no longer a world traveler (my limit for airplane flights is about 3 hours now), I stayed at home and he brought back so many photos, we’ll never remember them all.
March 10, 2013 at 6:06 pm
Carol King
LOL Rhonda. My limit for airplane flights is getting shorter as well, but I sooo wanted to go to the Galapagos I just medicated and went! It’s cool your husband got to go to the Galapagos twice. He’s an excellent photographer so I’m sure he’s got tons of great photos too.
March 4, 2013 at 2:40 pm
sam
Thanks for the travelogue and the trip to the market!
March 10, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Carol King
I am to please, Sam.
Glad you enjoyed the trips.
March 4, 2013 at 3:27 pm
Irina
It feels like I am watching “Animal Planet” and “Discovery” at the same time.
Welcome back!
March 10, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Carol King
Haha Thanks Irina. Those are some of my favorite shows so I’m glad you feel like you are watching them when you stopped by for a visit this time.
March 5, 2013 at 11:52 am
lesliepaints
Great photos, Carol! I am so jealous! Galapagos is a place I would really like to see. Blue footed Boobies make me smile when I see them on TV and your photo is superb! That crab is as colorful as those I’ve seen in watercolor. Amazing!
It is so cool you included a shopper in your painting. You did an excellent job and am not sure she needs any more delineation than you have. Her dress is very like my Grandmother’s favorite dress. Love the color and the shapes in that painting!
March 10, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Carol King
Leslie, thank you so much for your comments on the Croatian market. I’m so glad you like it. Blue footed boobies make me smile too. They were great to see in person.
March 6, 2013 at 10:20 pm
joantav
I was wondering if you were away when you hadn’t posted for so long. Happy Anniversary!!! You always pick an unusual place to visit. Love the photos!!! I don’t think that one creature with the balloon is so attractive, but apparently his mating ritual must work. Nice market sketch. The markets in foreign countries are always such great places to capture on paper. This is coming along really well.
Your friend has some wonderful photos.
March 10, 2013 at 6:10 pm
Carol King
Hi Joan, I was away and before I left was swamped with work and when I returned I was swamped with work. Ugh! Work is sucking the life out of me. The male frigate birds with the big red balloon was very cool! If I was a female frigate I would be seriously attracted to him.
Thank you for your visit.
March 7, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Barry Coombs
The painting looks great. I’m trying to imagine what else you’ll do to it. I too have Galapagos envy.
March 10, 2013 at 6:12 pm
Carol King
Barry, thanks for your comment on the Croatian market painting. I do appreciate it. Galapagos Envy! I’ve had it for many years since I had a few friends who went. You know what the solution is? Go! When’s your next big event? Birthday? Anniversary? Start saving and then go! You won’t regret it. We made the decision and then saved for about a year. It was worth it.
March 7, 2013 at 9:33 pm
hannekekoop
That’s a wonderful break, Carol! Thanks for sharing those lovely coloured animal photos. That first one makes me smile so much
. Did you start the market painting after the trip? It looks so colourful too, beautiful.
March 10, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Carol King
Hi Hanneke. I think I started the market painting before I left for the Galapagos, but never posted anything. Work has been super busy and time slips away. Glad you like the photos. The Galapagos was a very cool place to visit.
March 10, 2013 at 12:24 pm
Cathyann Burgess
Carol, great photos and good story. I was thinking the same thing about your lady in the blue dress! Gonna check out your friend’s site. Thanks!
March 10, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Carol King
Hi Cathyann, I’m sure you have relatives that look like that lady in the blue dress! Glad you like the photos and story.
March 10, 2013 at 6:05 pm
cathy
lucky you going on such a special trip. I bet it was delightful. The painting of Croatia is really good. I have always wanted to paint a painting like that but i think i have come to far away with my crazy abstractish painting. Still i would love to try it.
March 10, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Carol King
I think you should try a painting like this Cathy. You would do an amazing job of it. The trip was amazing. And even though our 25th wedding anniversary is in October we just figured why wait?
March 25, 2013 at 12:30 am
napabelle
What patience you have!! All these fruits would drive me nuts! Well done;