Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon 14mm f2.8 lens, 1/125 @  f9, ISO 400

There’s a seaside town in north-west Galicia called Muxia. The town has a church (Virxe da Barca) built on a rocky outpost facing the sea. On the rocks below it is a stone (Pedra d’Abalar) which people crawl under for luck. Muxia is on the final leg of the Camino de Santiago from the city of Santiago to Finisterre (or Fisterra in Galician, the local dialect). Pilgrims and tourists pass through, visiting the church, taking selfies, crawling under the lucky rock –and getting in the way of photographers like me who would just like to take a photo without anybody in it.

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After leaving China we flew on to the UK to visit family. Now we are spending a few weeks in Galicia in north-west Spain. It’s a fascinating region, green and mountainous, mostly rural. There’s a mixture of gloriously beautiful unspoilt beaches and dramatic rocky coastline. Inland there are country villages, ancient monasteries and lots of old stone churches.

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View from the City of God Pavilion, Hangzhou, China. The predominant colours are green and grey.

Fujifilm XT-1, 35mm, 1/180 @ f5.6, ISO 800

I may have been showing you my photos from China too quickly.

The main benefit of waiting between taking photos and processing them is to view them with a more objective eye, away from the excitement of taking them.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 18mm lens, 90 seconds @f11, ISO 200

This photo is taken from the moat that surrounds the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was made with a 18mm lens, a shutter speed of ninety seconds and the aperture set to f11. No neutral density filters required as it was dusk. The orange glow on the brickwork is from the street lights on the other side of the water.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 35mm lens, 1/400 @f10, ISO 1600

The Forbidden City is one of Beijing’s most famous attractions. And rightly so – despite the crowds and the heat exploring the temples, alleyways and buildings of this fantastic structure is a very enjoyable experience. If there were less people it would be easy to imagine life in the Forbidden City in ancient times when it was the Emperor’s residence.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 56mm lens, 1/250 @ f4, ISO 800

Today’s photo was taken in the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an. The streets are lined with food stalls. This one was selling fish – perhaps you could call it fish on a stick?

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Fujifilm XT-1, 35mm lens, 1/250 @f7.1, ISO 800

Today’s photo from China was taken in Prince Gong’s Mansion, Beijing. Also called Prince Kung’s Mansion, the complex includes temples, residences, gardens and even an opera house. It was built in 1777, and has been recently renovated.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 56mm lens, 1/250 @f1.2, ISO 320

The city of Xi’an is one of the oldest in China. At one time it was the country’s capital and is positioned at the end of the Silk Road. Referred to as a gateway to the west (even though it’s located in the eastern half of this enormous country) it is a city where the Islamic cultures and peoples found in north-west China merge with the predominant Han Chinese population.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 35mm lens, 1/250 @ f8, ISO 200

It amused me to see recently married couples having wedding photos taken in the picturesque spots of Chinese cities. The couple above were being photographed at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Nobody seemed to mind when I made a few photos for myself.

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Fujifilm XT-1, 35mm lens, 1/250 @ f8, ISO 800

The Temple of Heaven is one of Beijing’s major tourist attractions. And so it should be – it’s a beautiful structure. Like many places in Beijing the site is huge and includes a park with numerous buildings. One of these is a long, covered walkway with benches along the side.

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