Here's one of my new friends. I was lucky enough to meet a guy the other week who offered me the opportunity to ride his racehorse whenever I wanted to, for no cost, just because he doesn't have enough time for it himself. Now "my" horse had just lost one of his shoes so there was no riding opportunity this time, but at least I got introduced to the horses at the ranch and hopefully the farrier will have the new shoes fixed soon after the holidays so I can get back to the stable and get out riding in just a few days. I haven't been in the saddle since I was in Bahrain last time, and that must have been at least two years ago now. Can't wait to get out in the woods with big red, as is the throughbred racehorse's name (it is not the horse in this pic though, will introduce you to him a bit later).

Guys, I would need your help a little. I have for a long time been thinking of adding destination wedding photography to my photo portfolio. Why? Because I love transmitting the beauty of life onto a still portrait which will live for years to come, I feel for those romantic moments that lovers share and because I believe that it is one of the greatest challenges there is to be find - to actually capture the feeling of true love and highlight its strength through an image. And since I haven't had the opportunity to attend a wedding in these last couple of years, I would need some help from you. To get this thing started I would need to have at least one reference to show to future clients, but as none of my close friends or family members have decided to get married in the nearest future, perhaps some of you guys will?

I would like to offer the first couple that I photograph a complimentary wedding collection with personal photography in both color and black and whites. All delivered in high-resolution on a DVD for you to print in whatever way you'd prefer. One only condition is that you would get married somewhere close to where I am, on one of these islands here in the Caribbean. Perhaps you have plans of exchanging vows with your partner or maybe you're just about to renew them on some idyllic Caribbean isle and you want to have this beautiful and special moment of your lives captured and kept for years to come.

If this is the case, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Just let me know of your plans and location and we'll work the details out together. Rest assured that I will do my very best to capture the beauty of your special day in the most elegant, artistic and romantic way, and as I know it can be quite costly to hire a professional photographer for a wedding, this might be your good chance to get it done professionally, but for no cost. Think about it and get in touch if you'd be interested. This is my email. I look forward to hearing from you. /Taru

Oh and I forgot one thing on that list... I will most probably be drinking a couple of my delicious homemade Piña Coladas. I'm pretty sure they contain something like 500 calories each or so but I can't be bothered, they are too delightful to resist. Especially when served ice cold, they're simply to die for in this tropical heat. The sweetness of the pineapple, the coconut flavor, the sweet crema.... aaaaaah.

This is how I mix them:

Hello friends! Thank you all wonderful people who have already started to support my photography and this blog by the postcard and photo service I'm offering below, I'm so glad you seem to like it!! 

So the weekend is here and this is what I will occupy myself with:

- Work on the tan.

- Ride a thoroughbred racehorse.

- Snap some creative shots for a couple of postcards for our readers.

- Prepare a fabulous three course dinner for my man. He's been working crazy hard in the past few weeks here in Antigua and on the boat and he deserves nothing but the best for the whole weekend to come. 

- Swim, swim, swim and..... r e l a x. Enjoy the moment. Kick back with a good book. Soak it all in. Life is good!

What are you all up to this weekend? I've heard summer is here to stay in the US, Canada and Europe, so I assume you will do more or less the same type of things?! Tell me in the comments, I'm curious to hear what all of you are up to! /T 

I have also added another option for you. If you for some reason would like to have a personal, signed photo-postcard from me and/or Alex hanging on your bedroom wall/fridge door/hallway or perhaps you want to send it to someone you like, there is now also a possibility to get a personalized high quality photo sent straight from us from these warm Caribbean islands. Maybe you'd like to surprise your brother with an image of sailing boats from a regatta, or a birthday card with colorful Caribbean flowers for your mom or why not a classic wish you were here card from a deserted beach to someone you miss. Choose either a photo that is already published on the blog or give us your suggestion and ideas of a new image you'd like us to create.

We are up for making something unique and different for each one of you but please understand that not completely everything will be possible. The photos will be taken by me or Alex and will be printed with our own quality photo printer on high qualitative photo paper with postcard features.

Procedure is very simple:

1. Choose in the sidebar to the right if you want a high res photo or a personal photo-postcard
2. Click on "Click to place your order" and you will be transfered to Paypal
3. Choose amount of photos and please proceed with the payment
4. Send us an email explaining what photo/s you wish for your high res/postcard. Own idea or from the blog? If it is a postcard you've chosen, what message do you want to be sent with the photo?
5. An email will be sent to you with the high res/a personal photo-postcard will be sent to you on your preferred address.

Drop me an email if you have any questions or if you have any photo suggestion you'd wish to discuss. 

Now let's get creative together! /Taru

Please be aware of that my photos are only for private use, not for commercial purpose and would you wish to publish the photos anywhere online, you must always make sure to mention, and add a link to, the photographer.

We made a quick stop in St Barths the other day. It is off season there now as in the rest of the Caribbean. The high season being the contrary to the European one in terms of time of the year and therefore are all these cities and islands a bit more slumbering than the busy period between December-May. 

St Barths was very similar to our expectations. Felt very St Tropez in many respects. St Barts is the most Northern of the French West Indies, as blooming and colorful as the neighbors. What is unique to this island compared to the rest of the ones in the Caribbean, is that St Barths was never used as a plantation area which meant that very little slaves were brought to this volcanic land, and therefore is also the vast majority of the population today French. It definitely felt like we were back in France for a while, much was similar in architecture, culture and ambiance. Originally settled by the French, it was traded to Sweden in 1784 in exchange for port rights in Göteborg/Gothenburg. King Gustav III decided to call the capital of the island for Gustavia, a name which is still the official one for it, and he laid out and paved the streets, built three forts and turned the community into a prosperous free port. There are quite a few Scandinavian features remaining in town and all of the streets are still signed with antique Swedish plates. Sweden who got fed up with the island, sold it all back to France in 1878 for 320.000 Francs and ever since it has been the French island in the West Indies where the jet set crowd and yacht people from all over the world have gathered for world famous regattas, for luxurious retreats, stylish beach life and other entertainment. Much similar to what is offered in St Tropez like I mentioned.

We will for sure be back when the season begins again and I can't wait to have some of our European friends joining us for a week of party and play when the summer officially is over back home in Europe.

Until then...

So it seems like we finally might have found our next boat (YES!!!). She's a bit bigger, has quite some more LWL and she is a real head-turning beauty. I don't dare to speak too much about it all right now before everything is set, but in order to proceed with the purchase, we need to get our beloved Caos sold. I think you all know how much hard work and love we have put into this precious boat, our home, so it is quite hard to let go of her, but we're confident in knowing that her next owner will be very happy with all of her qualities and features, especially considering the fact that she is fully equipped and practically ready to go a couple of turns around the world, straight away.

If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in making this beautiful, reliable, strong and comfortable Hallberg Rassy 352 your next boat - please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can get in touch with us through our Facebook or by e-mail. Only serious buyers please.

More info of the boat and its equipment can be found here. /T

Alex surfing in Lanzarote on Christmas last year

So extremely many of you have asked for videos, and although we have a very good camera for HD vid capturing, we have still missed one very important tool. A waterproof wearable action sports camera with HD video option which we can bring with us in all kinds of weathers and conditions. Many of you have recommended the Go Pro HD Cameras and I'm glad to tell you that we've finally clinched the deal. A GoPro® HD Surf HERO™ Camera is now on its way to us and we can't wait to give you all a ride through waters and waves - both while diving, surfing and sailing in any kind of weathers.

There must be a very good reason to why there has been more than 30 million of these cameras sold in the world and the quality of the videos we've seen so far has been absolutely terrific. Do I even have to say that I'm dying to get this thing started. I have even promised Alex that I will publish my very first surfing lesson in HD video, here on the blog, with the video camera mounted right on the board. But only if you promise not to laugh!

Let's go surfing in Barbados baby! /T

Click onto their website to find out more and to get your very own GoPro® HD Camera. These quality cameras are not only very affordable but they're also supposed to get delivered super fast to wherever you might be in the world.

As we had imagined this island to be somewhat empty, and because no one had ever spoken about the colors of the actual town, we got very surprised when we got off the dinghy in the little fishing harbor and got greeted by a bunch of kids hurrying to buy fruits and snacks for their lunch break. They were so beautiful in all their colorful school uniforms and they were such friendly and curious little people. Giggling they asked if they could be in my picture and who am I to say no to such initiative.

Lovely boys. One obviously very shy. You see the one to the far left? He really cracked me up with his amazing facial expressions, I have a couple of photos of him where he changed posture and face from one to another in a twist.

We met a beautiful woman while waiting for the customs to open, she was one of the most friendliest people we met thus far on this Caribbean tour. Evelyn, as is her name, spent almost an hour with us while we were waiting in the steaming sun and she told us her story about the island, some history about the slavery and that her grand-grand parents were some of the first ones that were delivered here from Africa in the 1600 century. I read some more of the interesting history of the island after our meeting and found out that her surname appears in all of the early documents of the slave trading on the island.

Evelyn told us about her two daughters who she had sent to Canada for studying medicine and about her lovely grandchildren. Mrs Evelyn had spent most of her life in England and Canada and she was a very smart and well educated lady who now spent her days designing clothes and fabrics in her home here in Barbuda. She also gave me one of her favorite recipes consisting of land turtle, and before she left she hugged me and asked me to send her this photo taken of us. Her address being only her full name, Cordington, Barbuda - easy as that, why would one need street codes and postal numbers when the population practically all know each other and there are only around 400 households to deliver the mails to.

Do you remember for not so long ago we were talking about the fact that we miss our beloved Mediterranean a little? The ambiance, the people, the colors and artistic patterns and the stylish riviera atmosphere will for ever be deep in our hearts no matter where in the world we decide to steer our boat. And no matter what adventures we have laid in front of us, the Mediterranean parts of the world will always be home to us. So when we got to hear about Porto Cupecoy, a Mediterranean village built in the Caribbean, we couldn't resist but visiting it.

Porto Cupecoy is just that, a stylish European village, built in the middle of a tropical island, just a few minutes walk from the beachside, the warm turquoise ocean is practically just around the corner. The village offers everything a weekend visitor, a residence or a vacation traveler could wish for. 184 luxurious condos in size of one to four bedrooms are scattered around the area, a full-service marina is right in the heart of the village, there is a gym and a tennis quart, a European spa, the plaza with its many restaurants, bistros, bars and boutiques are right where you need them and the gourmet food market with the perfect selection of fresh produce, wine and imported goods is about 2 minutes walk from your own kitchen. All nestled in an absolutely stunning cove of the Simpson Bay Lagoon, perfectly accessible by boat (leave your boat outside in the anchorage if you prefer) or by plane, with the runway just a few minutes walk from the Porto Cupecoy village.

We were truly astonished by the perfection in details and the feeling they managed to create with the oh so familiar Mediterranean flair and our three days and two nights swept away way too fast. The condo we stayed in, and the others we had the chance to visit, were all designed to perfection with either a very traditional style or with brilliant European modernist features. 

There are possibilities to either buy your own real estate within the village or rent a condo for months or per night. I must say that the prices for a weekend or a vacation stay is very competitive when compared with hotels in the same category. Nothing beats this way of vacationing where everything is close on hand and instead of staying in a tight hotel room, you have a whole home to your disposal. Comfortable, accessible and extraordinary chic within reach of everything you could be wishing for. And the best of two worlds are combined in one village.

Thank you Porto Cupecoy for having us and making us for a moment feeling like we were back to out beloved home across the ocean. /T&A

Feels like we're back in Europe for a while. Very riviera style over here in this little village. We're loving every single second of it. Laters, dear readers, I need to put on some more sunscreen. It's seriously hot over here! 

(Bikini is from Lauren Moffatt and necklace is vintage, in case you'd wonder)

Chilling down with a 2008 Saint Emilion in an astonishing weekend apartment in Porto Cupecoy, our home for the next few days.

We had a very long and tiring passage from Barbuda to here for the past 24 hours so not much else than this to report for tonight. Bubble bath, cheese and wine and some chill music in the speakers is just what's needed. Doesn't get much better than this after an exhausting day and night at sea..