Julian Köpke

Always changing weather conditions is normal on Sylt, the northern most island of Germany. Heat, winds and rain alternate continuously. Just arrived I had to go straight to the beach, where clouds and sun welcomed me at the same time.

The on average better weather awaits one in the north, the so-called elbow, a peninsula near List. A lot of unused beach chairs with low numbers are standing there.

Some 40 km south one finds the south tip of Sylt with its characteristic lighthouse. Many lighthouses can be found on this island, which is surrounded by sandbanks and often changing flow conditions of the water at low or high tide.

A beach walk is accompanied by many birds, seagulls mostly, but also cormorants or sandpipers. Sometimes you flush them out unvoluntarily and they fly wildly confused.

Cyclists become tiny like ants against the seemingly overpowering clouds. Without mountains one loses any scale.

Experimenting with longtime exposure my first results of waves at the beaches are not yet convincing. Three seconds turn out to be a vivid interval of the time fusion on my sensor.

Why do I like Japan so much ? People are polite and friendly and you never get hurt. How great is that ! The Japanese like beauty for their eyes and their ears.

Fresh flower bouquets can be found in the toilets of the motorway service areas. Nice music in restaurants, in the streets, in shopping malls. Decorated vases in our hotels when leaving the elevator.

Entering the port of Takamatsu, I found this beautiful composition of an artwork with propped firs. This was a pleasant introduction to our stay on Naoshima.

The combination of an exhibition and nature is an essential feature of the Naoshima Island. Beside the possibility to visit very special and beautiful, but expensive Museums.

At noon we found a little rest at the Pacific Ocean near this Torii.

On our way back to Takamatsu nature itself showed a wonderful spectacle of the sunset.

Island in the sun

Japan, mon amour