To me, Malaga was so much more than tourism

"Why Malaga, just a bunch of tourists, eh?" My streetie friend, Jan Rockar, was critical of my choice for a January, 2017 street photography trip.

But those ten days in early January were so much more. My hopes and dreams about a Malaga trip turned out to come true. All of them. And I didn't even see that many tourists...

I needed to get away from the cold and darkness of winter in northern Sweden for a while and be able to enjoy life with exercise and great food, and I always liked Spanish food!

I was also convinced I could find some inspiration from modern art displayed in the city of Pablo Picasso's birth.

And last but not least, to do some streeting! Malaga is a city of 500 000 after all, there should be Spanish people around to photograph.

Q: And how did it turn out?

A: I’m glad you asked.

Obviously I was satisfied with all my expectations:

I was lucky with sunshine my entire stay and warmish temperatures.

I did four sessions at the gym, and a lot of walking.

But I didn't lose any weight, the food was that good!

The Picasso Museum, The Centre Pompidou, The CAC....wow! Modern art tends to get me inspired to create. And it worked this time too.

And wonderful street art everywhere! I did shoot some street photography.

You can see the results in this Progressive-Street feature story ...

All in all, a street photography trip with a big dose of mindfulness. Enjoying relaxation on the hotel terrace in the afternoon sun, throw in some strawberries, some wine, some olives and tomatoes. Breathing exercises on a pier a hundred meters out in the Mediterranean. Even the streeting is a bit slower and more thoughtful than my usual experiences.

To me, Malaga was so much more than tourism. A city very much alive.