no tourists, no food, no Sand-Flies Photo

Photographer’s Note

I took that image 11 years ago from a top of an hill on the northern coast of Roatan, the main island of the Islas de La Bahia in the Caribbean Honduras.
This is Diamond Beach.
completely empty of people in August, the top touristic month!
Roatan in the 1995 was not famous as today and was completely unknow in Europe (today in Italy is one of the top destination thanks to some Italian villages all inclusive).
For many years it was a backpackers destination and a stop-over on the cocaine traffic from Colombia to Florida.
In the 1995 there were not more than 20 small (and sometimes poor and very dirty) guesthouses, and only 1 hotel, some cafè and restaurants. all located at West End Cap. The Garifuna villages are completely not visited from torusits, too dangerous for someone and whitout anithing to see or do...for all!
so, the 99% of the few travellers are located on West End Beach, a long wonderful white beach with fantastic waters...but...with too many Sand-Flies.
it was impossibile to rest on the beach also for few seconds!
there were long wood piers where all the people rests all the day!
the beach was too dangerous and painfull!

we rented a Jeep and we did the entire tour of the island, on terrifiant streets.
we arrived at Diamond Beach thanks to a hitcher!
that wonderful beach was completely empty and unknown to the tourists on the other side of the island.
and more, that beach didn't have Sand-Flies!

"no tourists, no food, no Sand-Flies".
explane us the hitcher, a local Garifuna guy!

*Scanne image*

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Sandfly is the common name of a flying, biting, blood-sucking insect found in many countries. Some socalled insects are a type of Midge.

The sandfly is the primary vector of leishmaniasis and sandfly fever. In the new world, leishmaniasis is spread by sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia. In the old world, the disease is spread by sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus.

Female sandflies suck blood from many warm-blooded animals because the blood helps to create eggs. One species attacks penguins as well. Only female sandflies bite. Female sandflies use their mouthparts to create a pool of blood, which is then sucked up. They inject histamine to prevent blood clotting, similar to the feeding habits of a female mosquito.

Sandflies are small (about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen), making them hard to detect. Their bite is generally not felt and leaves a small round, reddish bump that starts itching hours or days later. Use of insect repellent is recommended in areas where sandflies are present

From Wikipedia

pastadog, ChrisJ, ALIRIZA, PixelTerror, barrufeto_77, capthaddock, sam224, HNIK, AiresSantos, keribar, svo555, MLINES, serrano has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pastadog (12821) 2006-03-14 4:17

Hi Paolo, perfect Caribbean colors (esp. sea, but also sand) and superb POV from that hill; the nice compo with large sky conveys a message of freedom, liberation; TFS, Daniel

ChrisJ (69522) 2006-03-14 4:21

Bonjourno Paolo

A superb overview of this tropical paradise from the high vantage point. Excellent color, light, & sharpness. Ciao!

ALIRIZA (16195) 2006-03-14 4:23

Hi Paolo!
Excellent landscapes. POV, DOF, details, colors, and framing are marvelous. The composition is superb. TFS. Congratulations...
Ali Rıza

Luan (15935) 2006-03-14 4:30

Hello Paopla,
un peu trop saturee non ? ;o) mais ca ne gache rien a la vue sur ce paysage. Tres beau, idylique.
A+
Luan

PixelTerror (86026) 2006-03-14 4:39

Ciao Signore,
Vertical framing was for sure the obvious choice here, resulting in a deep photo following the choice up to the horizon. The paradisiac attributes are present, mabye the beach is a bit to deserted as I can't even spot a sunbathing beauty... I'm not sure I would have included so much sky but looking again it for sure adds to the spatious impression I get from your view.
Buona giornata,
Jean-yves

barrufeto_77 (25611) 2006-03-14 4:47

Hi Paolo.

Excellent POV. Superb view.

Congratulations!

Regards, Oscar

Modacolor51 (1309) 2006-03-14 5:51

Merhaba Paolo.
Beautiful colors and great composition, beautiful image indeed, my compliments.
Thanks.
yılmaz....

rbcy1974 (20742) 2006-03-14 7:37

Hello Paolo
Beautiful pristine beach,
lovely coloured waters,
wonderful POV
well done
regards
Daniel

feather (49848) 2006-03-14 10:00

This place looks idyllic. The colours are wonderful. The building has probably been converted into a Sandals resort now!
Kath

jrj (34779) 2006-03-14 10:29

Good scanner work and faboulous colours in this adventure like beach setting. Wow - a place to be in the cold winter...
Nice work

elBud (2211) 2006-03-14 11:18

Beautiful!
great colors, great composition, i love this views, would love to be there.

arindam_thokder (3946) 2006-03-14 11:36

Hello Paolo,

Nice blue...and that worked very well with the green, Nice Atmosphere and nice Holiday Mood.

Arindam

sam224 (5851) 2006-03-14 13:23

Wow Paolo.. le sfumature di colore di quest'acqua invitano a lasciare al piú presto l'Italia ancora in preda al freddo invernale per gettarsi in questo mare limpido. Bella prospettiva e composizione. Forse io avrei tagliato via un po' di cielo per rendere l'immagine un po' più bilanciata.
Bello scatto.

HNIK (1104) 2006-03-14 14:43

Hi Paolo!
What nice scenery and what nice colours,great POV and great work,11 years ago you was a professional photographer and now you must be a great great great professional photographer too. :)
I really like your pictures and i like this one so much,Thanks a lot for sharing.
Best Regards

tinamunk3 (6382) 2006-03-14 15:23

No no no - THIS is where I would like to be right now. Wow - what a view!! You just keep showing us wonderful places on Earth, Paolo. The colours are gorgeous and the beach and the beautiful water really looks tempting.

Oh and by the way - almost forgot to tell you how beautiful your frames have become - except for the 22/1, 11/2 and 15/2 of course.....but I assume that was a mistake :O)

:) Tina

gaby (19793) 2006-03-14 15:52

Paolo bonsoir - j'aime bien ta photo, la ceinture émeraude et, c'est vrai, la solitude des lieux - comme d'habitude, ta note est très documentée et interressante -
Merci et bonne soirée
Gaby

Fis2 (45194) 2006-03-14 15:59

Witaj Paolo!
Yuor photo is nicely. I like the composition, colours and light. Beautiful place!
Regards
Krzysztof

AiresSantos (41322) 2006-03-15 7:07

Hi my friend, great capture with wonderful colors.
Super POV and details.
TFS and have a nice day,
Aires

capthaddock (28640) 2006-03-15 9:12

Hi Paolo = we don't see many images from Honduras, this is certainly a beautiful one with an excellent POV overlooking a pristine triopical beach.

donluicu (23877) 2006-03-15 15:55

Hi Paolo
this is a paradisiac view..
i wish i can be there, now....;-)
no, sand-flies, that's great...and no tourists???how will we eat?lol

bye
loic

jinju (14265) 2006-03-15 19:26

Hi Paolo,

a bit of degraded quality from the scan but as usual you give us a fantastic view with these awsome colors and this great tropicality.

keribar (42718) 2006-03-15 23:11

Yes yes !I remember these colors I saw in Tulum a few years ago. Wonderful picture describing the nature of the place, and excellent note: I am not sure I will go there soon anyway...

Best regards - Izzet

MLINES (10842) 2006-03-16 4:22

Paradise by the sea. Great natural and realistic colours especially the water. A pleasure to see this composition.

cherryripe (18794) 2006-03-16 7:25

Hi Paolo
Is this to get us out of the winter doldrums. In any case it works. The colours are superb, I love that band of turquoise/green near the coast. The beach is very inviting.
Regards Nikki

thaprem (2458) 2006-03-28 6:23

Hands down!...A winner all the way...
A wonderful POV& Sharpness...
Cheers,
Prem.

veronika (6022) 2006-05-10 8:26

:) marvellous one Paolo with good message in title :)
I love!
Vero

svo555 (1028) 2006-05-10 9:05

Hi Paolo!
Nice compo and lanscape. Colours are vivid and full of strentgh.
Well captured!
Sergi

Ramy (771) 2006-05-16 4:13

Hi Paolo,
This is a real marvelous shot, I cant believe it was taken in 1995, very well captured. It seems like the perfect spot for my coming "Vacation" after my exams! lol
It feels like Tioman, Malaysia. A wonderful Island, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed tioman Island.
Regards, Ramy.

serrano (176) 2006-08-03 0:42

I love the textures you captured. Nice colours and composition! Just great!

Serrano