Ben Bowler

Ben Around the World Diary – Day 46 – 19th September 2018

In turkey the earth takes on colours I’ve never seen. The earth rises thousands of metres between purple and black to the neon blue of the sky. Starting a deep grey on the morning with grizzly clouds licking the summits. Opening up onto ochers from life and death. The full spectrum of wine white to burgundy.

As the day reaches its peak the clouds clear and the light takes on a direct burning glare. The difference in the depth of ozone layer is perceptible in a quality of light as different as a mantelpiece candle to surgery strip lighting. Even if the air is cool the light turns your cheeks a bright red of exposure.

As the sun ends it ark – chasing your shadow out ahead of you – the day ends with a final flourish. All colours come on at once. The mountains in shadow or shine. Bare or dressed in trees, shrubs and towns. The sky puts on a full show. Jet trails and rain clouds mirror the colours of the earth below in their own performance.

Finally when you think the show is complete the milky way curtains across the blank stage. The scale of the universe laid out in display. A shooting star intercepts a satellites steady motion across the sky.