Welcome to 2019 one and all!
I am so happy to write those words.
What a privilege to be alive and well and still moving forward in my journey.
Each new day and each new step up the tall ladder of my dreams is a day well spent, and I regret not.
To celebrate the New Year, and also Diary of an Aesthete reaching its first 5000 subscribers, in over 150 countries, I have put together a little collage of pictures from my journey thus far, starting way back in 2014 with my first steps, all the way up to the present.
This really has been such an inspiring journey and I feel so blessed to have connected with such incredible individuals all round the globe, both on the road and through this blog.
Here’s to making dreams come true, to perfect imperfection, to life’s ecstasy, bliss, to chasing skies and taking the long way round…
“It is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts.” – Qur’an.
Eternal love <3
Ad Infinitum.
Rabat, Morocco 2018.
Tuscany 2015.
Self-portrait, Agonda, India
Ghent
India
Self-portrait. Ghana.
Florence
Fez, Morocco, 2018.
Missahoe Orphanage, Ghana
Venice
On a slum in Ho, Ghana
at the Missahoe Orphanage with my babies
dancing with Bagbor Tribe around the fire
2017 Mount of Olives
life-modelling in Florence, Italy
The Blue Pearl ~ Chefchaouen
India
with the rangers… Digya National Park, Ghana, 2016.
Fathala Wildlife Reserve
Monasterio, Fiesole
Morocco
Plaza de Espana, Sevilla
Florence 2018.
Mediterranean Waters, Greece
on a nomadic Berber camp, Morocco
Tuscany
Lady of Rufisque, Senegal
Me and my boy, Ghana 2015
Venice, Italy… back in 2013.
alone in Western Ghats Jungle, India
J.F.P.Clayton.
Grand Place Brussels
This llama spat at everybody else but me… I never doubted him.
Running barefoot through the desert
Florence, Italy. 2016.
Digya National Park, Ghana.
Ghana
Jerusalem 2017
in the Power of Wli Falls
Oxford University, England
My very own turban being fitted by Tuareg, Erg Chigaga, Morocco.
Charcoal Tattoo, Ghana
Gambia
Athens, Orthodox Priest
Capitoline Hill, Roma
on top of the Glastonbury Tor.
Ghana 2015
Senegal
smile…
India
Sunset, Verona
at an oasis, Sahara, 2017
Reflecting at Avebury, Womb of the Earth Chakra point.
Touching The Light, Madrid, Spain.
In the desert, 2017
He Who Walk, Bangalore, India.
Florence
Sahara 2017
Shaking hands.
bathing child with fevers from malaria in Africa
The Gambia, 2016
A wild horse in the New Forest national park.
eating my way through Rome…
Venice
Hunsur, India
Sunset Ghana, Kpando
Ghana, 2017
Dalai the Lama. Rest friend…
with modern Bedouins, Israel
On a slum in Ho, Ghana
Seville
Staring out into Rainforests, Western Ghats, India
My good friend in Hunsur, India, after swimming in the lake together.
Athena
The Eye
La Almundena, Madrid
Ghana 2017
Deep in the jungle, Maharashtra, India.
Trekking through Digya Jungle, Ghana.
Charles, who led me up the mountain…
He Who Walks
– after being submerged in the Holy Chalice Spring, Glastonbury.
Mona monkey
Great Britain
India
Wild elephant, Maharashtra
Bangalore
Italy.
Athens Central
Bathing in sacred crocodile pool, The Gambia.
Erg Chigaga, Sahara, Morocco
Hindu Temple, Bangalore, India 2015.
Ghana Nov 2017.
Wli Jungle
Feeling Freedom of the World’s Greatest Desert
Sacred Banyan Tree, Bangalore, India
Pavel Colon, Seville.
Venice, Bridge of Sighs
Missahoe Orphanage, Ghana
At Missahoe Children’s Home, Ghana, 2015
San Pellegrino
My friend from
San Lorenzo, Florence 2015.
India
Aire de Sevilla
Vatican
Fez Medina.
Agonda, India
in the might of the Wli waterfalls, Ghana, during monsoon season.
L’erba magica.
On Fathala Wildlife Reserve, 2016
Ponte Vecchio
India, Jungle Reatreat
Holy Water
Before a Hindu wedding, Bangalore, India.
Jungle, India
With ‘Prophet George’ The Gambia
The power of sea. Agii Apostoli, Greece. pc – Frederick Peters.
With Muslim family, The Gambia.
Tafi Atome, Ghana
Bedouins, West Bank, 2017
Bangalore, India
Lompoul Desert, Senegal
Tuscany, Fiesole.
Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount
Florence, Italy, 2016, Rose Greenfield
Casablanca, Morocco
Connecting with the riches of the past, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
Autosave-File vom d-lab2/3 der AgfaPhoto GmbH
Sahara Sky
W. Bagley.
Chef, Morocco, June 2018.
Masai the Lioness
Madrid, Jewish quarter
Ancient temple, Mysore.
‘le grand meaulnes’… Brussels, Belgium
the Python and the Man, The Gambia,
Followed her down to the river to collect water…
Accra, Ghana
With a greek farmer, Agii Apostoli.
Ghana
Florence, Italy.
Richmond Park, London
Bangalore, India, 2015
Tagounite, Morocco
in a Bedouin Tent in the Negev Desert, Israel
Gambia
Rome
Vatican City
Lompoul Desert, 2016
At home, Florence, in my birthday suit.
Jungle Prince… he outdid me.
Venice
Santo Spirito, Florence. Rose Greenfield
barefoot at the base of a sacred banyan tree, Bangalore, India.
Il Davide. Mon amico.
people of the village who asked me to take their photo
Ghana
With my slum warriors in Ho, Ghana, 2015
Sitting beneath ancient trees at Avebury, Womb of the Earth
J.F.P.Clayton
Me and my precious boy
Venice, 2014.
Giant standing stone at Avebury.
Sahara Camp
Brussels, Grand Place.
The Gambia, 2016
Croc, The Gambia
Pavel Colon, Seville.
Monas
Hindu Temple, Karnataka
Dragonfly, India
Wild bat colony in flight, Ghana
in the might of the Wli Waterfalls, Ghana Africa
She was the lady who sold flowers at the temple, Bangalore, India.
a Dieu
Crossing The Gambia river.
Richmond Park
Ghana.
2016. Wli Forests.
Chefchaouen, 2018
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem
bathing baby elephant, mudumalai national park, India, 2015
Wild Cobra, India, 2015
With Ethel and Mary
June Morocco 2018.
Rescuing a baby squirrel in forests of Tafi Atome
Lago d’Iseo
Venice…
at the Grande Mosquée Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
Ghana, with my boy. 2017
London
Ghana 2017
India
Wild Vultures
Feeling the winds of freedom on the Evian Gulf, Greece, 2014
wild zebra
In the desert, Senegal. 2016
Morocco
Temple monkeys, Mysore. 2015
Florence, 2015.
Greece, 2014
With my God Child, Ghana.
England
Venice
Florence
Holy Red ‘Chalice’ Spring
Wli, Ghana.
pc – Pavel Colon. Seville, Spain.
life-modelling in Florence, Italy
self portrait, jungle, Maharashtra, India.
Wild peacock
My Tuareg brother, Noureddine
Tagounite, Morocco
Venice, first time.
Abdou, my brother
Avalon
Berber Boy, Sahara Desert, Morocco
In hilltown Coorg, with nuns from Catholic Convent, India.
One skin…
Bobor tribe dance which I partook in.
Burning sun, Agonda, Goa.
Bracciano
Self portrait.
Bagbor dancers, 2016.
Como
Ghana 2017
Bergamo.
Venice
Ghana
Deep in the jungle, Maharashtra, India.
The Light, Indian Sky.
Sahara with Berber flag, 2017
With Desmond, my Ghana Starchild.
Agii Apostoli, Kalamos
Plaza de Espana Seville – a great moment of liberty for me.
Florence, Italy, 2014.
White man of Erg Chigaga
Bracciano
Nov 2017 Ghana
Mysore, India
Lompoul Desert, 2016
Children of remote village in Ghana
At a Hindu wedding, Bangalore, 2015.
Ghana Africa
Seville
Sorisole, Italy
People of Tafi Atome
Ghana, Africa
Young Boy, Senegal, 2016
Bangalore, 2015.
Erg Chigaga
Seville
Ghana 2017
River children, Adaklu.
Avalon
Greece 2014
Venice
My Italian city… 2015
Bridge of Sighs… apparently not for me!
Holy Light, India.
Greece 2014.
Hunsur, India
Lompoul Desert, Senegal 2016
Senegal during Monsoon season.
Holy Light, Hunsur, India.
Casablanca, Morocco
Jungle Retreat, Masinagudi
Lion pawprint, 2016, Senegal
Tuscany
Cape Sounion
Slef portrait in Agonda, India.
Morocco
Remote village, name and location unknown, Ghana
San Miniato, Florence
On the Farm, Hunsur
Bergamo, Italy.
Ho, Ghana
wli lower falls
Read my latest full story Palace of Earth here.
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My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Thank you much!!
A pocket full of life!
It’s been quite a ride…
What glorious photos. You are such a beautiful man in all ways. And what a journey you’ve had friend. I’m so glad your health has allowed you to continue this amazing path of yours and to support you in sharing it with all you meet and all of us! I look forward to crossing paths someday and perhaps sharing the road for a bit 🙂
Many blessings for a joy filled 2019. May this be the year, and soon, that the shift into the light is finally and fully ushered onto this planet forever more.
Thank you!!
I have been very blessed indeed, and you bless me more-so. My health has held up and I’m so thankful for that fact. My soul has a fire that, if fuelled, cannot be overcome. I’ve felt this so many times. I just have to manage my fire; sometimes it burns a little too low. Creating things and connecting with people and places brings me to life, quite literally.
Life meanders much this year, already bringing me a host of unexpected treasures to look forward to… it’s so lovely to have already done so much ~ now I have nothing to prove, can sit back and wait for the stars to speak to me their truth and plans… I’m always ready for the call.
I have every confidence that we will cross paths, my friend. When the stars speak it so.
Love Jx
A beautiful kaleidoscope of photos. If we were to sit somewhere in the sky watching mother earth turn around slowly I guess we would have this view. It’s got everything, man, woman, the five elements, flora, fauna, edifices, everything brimming with a mystic quality, as it shall be if we see them with our five senses and our heart, putting aside our judgement. Beautiful inspiring work.
Thank you 🙂
That’s such a lovely image you have created in my mind. Thank you for understanding my vision so well.
Jx
You must be, in some not normal way, blessed. Your way has been amazing, to see all those places, to feel them…
Do you ever feel fear?
The photo collection is breathtaking. It has been very interesting to travel with you, in my armchair.
Have a great year 2019!
Perhaps, you’re right… I don’t profess to know. I know only that when I travel alone something very special happens in the air around me… I feel different, everything feels different. I even move differently… speak differently sometimes.
But, yes, I feel Fear all the time. It’s like every emotion ~ it passes. I don’t nurture that feeling. I discard it at the first chance… like I do with all useless things.
I think that is the only key really, I feel fear, I don’t pretend not to, and, yet, it doesn’t stop me. Once I am ‘there’, the other side of dreaming, the ‘reality’ part, then the magic takes over… and I enjoy the ride.
Wishing you all the best with the new year.
<3
You had wonderful journey. It had been pleasant to follow you throughout the year. I’m looking forward to your next stories..
It really has been!
Thank you for following this tale.
Jx
Thank you for your beautiful collection of visuals from your life’s adventure,
Deirdre
________________________________
My absolute pleasure.
Thanks for commenting.
Jx