Sunday Post : Silence

My friend Jake has come up with the theme of Silence for this week’s Sunday Post challenge.  Hush!  I’m searching for the sound.

How rare is silence!  At home, with the TV and radio turned off, still there’s that intermittent ping of the fridge, a gurgle from the central heating, or the steady breathing of my laptop.  Walking down the street, my head buzzes with thoughts and words, never mind the rumbling of the traffic.

So where do you find silence?  For me, the gentle Algarve countryside is peace and quiet itself.  Bird song, or maybe the rustle of the eucalyptus, is all of the sound.

Rio Arade, with Silves in the far distance

Even the Algarve villages can be a place of refuge and silence.

Looking out from the village of Salir

A quiet corner in the village

Empty beaches on the Ria Formosa, with sandbars that stretch for miles, have no lapping tide to disturb the stillness.

Ria Formosa at Cacela Velha

Wide, open spaces characterise the west coast, but peace there can often be disturbed by the crash of the waves.

Still, there’s always an empty cove to be found, at the right time of the day.

The beach at Burgau

And as the day ends, sunlight, glinting on the water, carries no sound.

Algar Seco, near Carvoeira

Cliff tops have always held appeal for me.  High above the water, I revel in the silence.

Clifftop near Staithes, North Yorks

Far from the Algarve, the North York moors owe their restorative powers to the stillness of their ridges and valleys.

Ruggedly beautiful, the Moors can be a bit of a scramble

But so worth it!

Roseberry Topping in the far distance

And when the colours roll in…

August’s riotous colours

…there’s no place like it.  Even the bees hum quietly.

So where do you go to find your silence?  It’s something to be treasured.  Something that all of us need.

Jake has given so much pleasure in providing this opportunity to look at and experience our world.  Many thanks to him.  You will always be welcomed to Jakesprinter’s world.  Please, just follow the link.

67 comments

  1. Pingback: Sunday Post: Silence | this man's journey

  4. I know what you mean about the chaos of everyday life which make finding a place to be “silent” golden. You have some very nice places to go for peace, but for me I like your selection of the beach at Burgau. Cheers.

    Like

    Reply

  5. You have picked some excellent photos to convey the theme Jo, they really give a sense of tranquility. The very best silence that I ever heard (?) was some years ago when I was perched atop a rock in the middle of a Saudi desert. There was just nothing to be heard, no birds, no wind…just nothing except my own breathing. It was so beautiful and yet so strange.

    Like

    Reply

    1. I have a photo of the full beach with just my footsteps on it. Alas, I am also in shot. If I was skillful I’d photo edit me out, but that’s learning for another day.

      Like

      Reply
  7. Pingback: In Comes Silence « Simply Charming

      1. No, we’re back again, and now I’m trying to fill the house with food and clean clothes while dealing with auto repair. Ah, yes–it was great while it lasted!

        Like

      2. Aw, shame! Start planning the next one, when you’ve recovered. I’m off to Wroclaw with Dad next week and the amount of preparation and catch up that goes into leaving my beloved (who doesn’t cook) and son, is hard work. No gain without pain, huh?

        Like

  11. These are beautiful photos and places of refuge and silence. Somehow natural sounds…ocean, birds, etc. are soothing to me and make me feel part of the environment. It’s the human dis tractors that invade my ability to appreciate silence.

    Like

    Reply

    1. I’m very bad at concentrating when it’s noisy, Lynne. I hate the burble of the TV, etc if I’m reading or writing. But you’re right- lapping waves are no distraction at all. (except if I want to paddle!)

      Like

      Reply

  14. Beautiful silent places. As much as I try to find the quiet, I can still hear birds chirping. But that’s ok. I’ll keep looking. 🙂 Thanks for lovely photos and words to match.

    Like

    Reply

  16. Lovely scenes of the Algarve countryside, Johanna. In past years, I found silence and tranquil moments while hiking high in the forest overlooking Heidelberg, Germany’s old town. Such a beautiful spot!

    Like

    Reply
  17. Pingback: SUNDAY POST : Silence « Flickr Comments by FrizzText

  19. WOW! I love your silent places. I wish I had your gift of telling a story or explaining a place. Your words had me seeing, hearing and feeling each place you took us. Nice post for the challenge.

    BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.