Traveling Home

Traveling home always resets my brain and my thought pattern. It’s as if I receive a shot of realism and a reminder of what I am made of. A reminder of how much I need to be close to nature and how one day, I will have my own garden and have my loved ones really close to me. It is starting to almost feel like a necessity to live.


Autumn was in full force with gorgeous blue skies, changing leaves, but also the rain and the north wind that are so characteristic of the Basque Country. We experienced all of those, which allowed me to photograph beautiful colors. Here are some photographs of places where I grew up and spent my childhood in. Amorebieta, Bermeo, San Sebastian, Dima, Gernika and more.



It was also a gastronomic tour as usual. Nothing fancy this time. No Michelin star restaurants, only local markets, good ingredients and my mom’s touch. Fresh fish right off the boat, farm eggs, apples right off my uncle’s tree, plentiful squash, green lemons from Lezama, endless.



And I have many more photos to sort through and a wonderful ‘blind date” to tell you about with Esti. Lovely.


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62 Responses to “Traveling Home”

  1. nadia says:

    What beautiful pictures aran, it all looks so lovely. you were missed but i am glad that you have had a lovely time and those things you speak about are wonderful!

  2. karolcia says:

    What a beautiful place!!! Looks wonderful there and the pictures are just lovely. I like what you wrote about the ‘shot of realism’. Living far away from home is like living in a different world, we get used to it, but then, when we come back home we realize how different it is and what we’ve missed…

  3. May says:

    Lovely indeed!
    Your pictures are beautiful and it is great to see a different place I’ve never been too.
    Thank you.

  4. Anonymous says:

    welcome back aran!!

    my week has had a big void without ur beautiful blog to de-stress with. what wonderful pics, especially those with ur parents and baby j.
    cant wait to see u
    love
    deena

  5. Emily Rose says:

    The pictures are beautiful! What a lovely place to be able to go home to.

  6. Bridget says:

    What beautiful pictures! I can see where you get your eye for beauty and nature….it looks like you were surrounded by it growing up!

  7. wow that s really nice place to live in and the photos are really nice. You made me dream.

  8. pia says:

    you’re back! welcome back to your ‘other’ home. I adore your photo collection thus far – I’m in love with the colorful buildings, and the water! Oh the water. And the fruit stalls! And I love those pumpkins. Stunning. I can’t wait to hear more about your trip. px

  9. Vera says:

    Aran, welcome back! What gorgeous photos! I’m waiting impatiently for more!

  10. Helene says:

    This morning I’m sipping my coffee and looking at your gorgeous pictures. Thanks for sharing with us.

  11. limonana says:

    really magical places…you captured them beautifully!

  12. Mobula says:

    Espero que durante tu estancia en casa hayas tenido dias maravillosos y llenos de sentimientos. Tu tierra es preciosa, soy una enamorada del País Vasco. Me encanta Bermeo y su puertito lleno de barcos esperando salir a la mar, salir por el casco viejo de Donosti a comer unos pintxos y tomarnos unos zuritos de vino o cerveza…Pasear y verlo todo verde, algo de lo que en mi isla carecemos un poco…

    Bienvenida de nuevo a tu otra casa!!!

    Ana

  13. Trixy Tran says:

    What a beautiful place – everything is so serene and peaceful. Thank you for sharing! (:

  14. Tartelette says:

    Welcome home! Thank you for the virtual trip and I am looking for many more! Enjoy your guests’ company!

  15. Thanks for sharing your photos with us!

  16. Wonderful to see you back with so many beautiful memories. Love the pictures; each one steeped in beauty, character & history. Welcome back Aran!

  17. Incredible. Thank you for posting those pictures. I’m so glad you got to go back home. Welcome back.

  18. Elizabeth says:

    What beautiful scenes, and what color!

  19. cindy* says:

    beautifully picturesque, what a lovely trip.

  20. pea & pear says:

    Aran, Your photos tell a beautiful story. what a oure gastronomic tour you had by the sounds of it, I can not help but be envious :) Lucky girl :) Ali

  21. Sunshinemom says:

    I am at home and yet your pictures want me to go to my Maternal home…but then the best part of any vacation is home coming:) Welcome back!

  22. Esti says:

    qué bien elegidas las fotos… me gusta mucho la de tu familia dando un paseo entre el verde… Y ese punto final a tu post, ja, ja… lovely indeed!

  23. Anonymous says:

    Sie sind eine unglaublich begabte Fotografin! Ihre Bilder sind mir anregend – Danke, Aran!

  24. Candace says:

    Simply gorgeous… sounds like you’re having a fabulous time!

  25. Jesse says:

    What gorgeous photos – it looks like the trip was amazing. I can completely empathize with your need to be near nature. I have a garden and I visit it in the morning right when I wake up and in the evening before dinner. It feel like it grounds me.

  26. Aran,
    I love all those gorgeous photos! What a wonderful place to call home. I’ll have to add that to my list of places to visit. :)

  27. Preciosas fotos! Se ve que has disfrutado mucho estos días, me alegro mucho!
    Un beso grande

  28. ainara says:

    Ay… Yo hoy me he comprado un vuelo para ir a casa el sábado. Creo que para mí también se está convirtiendo en una necesidad. A Ane por fin le mandan de vuelta a Bilbo y estamos tan contentos que nos juntamos este finde semana para celebrarlo! qué bonita la foto de Jontxu con aitite y amama, se le vé contento.
    Un mosu grande!

  29. Loved looking at the photos! Your certainly grew up in a beautiful place! My husband lived in San Sebastian for 5 months during college and loved it!

  30. Cakespy says:

    What a lovely essay on what home means. It’s humbling, comforting and what a lovely reminder of who we really are! Of course, this is a helluva lot more romantic and lovely than my hometown in suburban NJ. :-)

  31. Bea says:

    Lovely feeling, and photos, Aran. Welcome back! I bet the transition must be somewhat harsh, so take it easy! I always need a few days to adjust back!

  32. Anonymous says:

    Bienvenida!!!
    Aunque soy una silente visitante de tu blog, me encanta.
    Gracias por ser tan especial en todo lo que haces!!
    Verdaderamente bellas tus fotos del Pais Vasco. Tantos recuerdos de mi padre….
    Tu vecina de Broward,
    Ana

  33. Aran, how absolutely wonderful. Your pictures just bring me there. And I agree that going home is so soothing. I am certain the markets were amazing and so glad that you had a wonderful time, break, experience. Hugs.

  34. ahhhhh so pretty! those boats are so cool!

  35. Pero que fotos preciosas! El Pays Basco es precioso! Se ve que te lo has pasado muy bien!

  36. Ash says:

    Love these pics!! so nice!!!

  37. giz says:

    Such beautiful pictures. I’m especially in love with the picture on the top right. This one could be a painting – the face just tells a whole story of a hard life. I love it.

  38. Aran! These are like magazine shots–soooo beautiful–looks like an amazing place and an incredible trip…just beautiful and so glad to have you back…

  39. cookemila says:

    me alegro de tu vuelta.Y no conozco bilbao a pesar de que he pasado por alli de camino a francia varias veces.Pero casi me gusta mas verlo por tus ojos.Bienvenida

  40. Eileen says:

    Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos, Aran. I hope you will post more from your trip. Welcome back!

  41. monica says:

    So beautiful Aran. Is great to be close to the family again, right?
    I hope you´re having a great time!
    Kiss

  42. Anita says:

    What a wonderful travelogue! Thanks so much for sharing your trip!

  43. There’s nothing like going home. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.

  44. Irene says:

    Welcome home! We missed you!

  45. Welcome home! Those are some beautiful photos–especially the sardines, for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on. Very nice

  46. Alexa says:

    I have traveled through your gorgeous pictures. Thank you for sharing the beauty of your roots.

  47. Mrs.French says:

    Yay!!! I have missed you…first you were gone, then me..feels so good to be back! This post is stunning in everyway…thank you for sharing your home with us…I can’t wait to hear about the blind date…cheers!

  48. Y says:

    Such beautiful photos.. looking forward to seeing and reading more about your holiday.

  49. Zoe Francois says:

    Absolutely fabulous pictures! I was so hoping to see the gorgeous place that inspires you so. Welcome back! I’ve missed your creations and can’t wait to see what this trip will bring.

  50. Helena says:

    The photo below the beautiful pumpkins, on the left side – the buildings look like they came out of a painting. Your hometown is very captivating. Thank you for sharing your trip home.

  51. C.L. says:

    Oh Aran! Breathtaking! Seeing your pictures and hearing you (well reading what you have to say) I feel such a sense of calm and happiness. Thank you for sharing :)

  52. chezus says:

    Aran, welcome back, I won’t say welcome home as it is clear from these beautiful photos you left home! Your trip looks wonderful – making me want to get over there to explore my roots!!! Basque country in the spring maybe? ;)

  53. Oh, what stunning, stunning, stunning photos. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to leave. Thank you so much for sharing your home with us. It’s such a pleasure to see all these images and dream about what your journey must have been like. I’m absolutely drooling.

  54. Beautiful! The pictures of the farmers’ market (is that what it was?) remind me of one I went to this morning. Those tiny gourds are so adorable.

  55. morgana says:

    Qué maravilla de fotos, me ha encantado el artículo.

  56. Christy says:

    Your pictures of the mountains remind me so much of Montana where I’m from! I would love to visit the Basque countryside.

  57. Wow, those photos are amazing. I only spent a week or so in the Basque country, on my Camino de Santiago, but it was such a beautiful area, with excellent food and wine, and I found the people to be so kind and helpful I’d love to go back and spend a little more easy going time.

  58. What beautiful pictures! You really have a good eye.

  59. Michelle says:

    Oh wow, I knew there was something so familiar about your food and…something. I NEW you were Spanish (well basque), San Sebastian is my favorite place on earth (been there 15 times!, my family used to live there, before me, and it is a magical place so special, and the food….) gotta go eat….

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