SLIDING DOORS

Previously, I touched on the difficulty of inadvertantly making the same shot at a given location. In some instances, I have deliberately done this, as the means to show the passage of time. On one of my first trips to the island, I was taken with the wonderfully ornate doorways which seemed to be all over the towns and villages, many in states of serious disrepair, but still in active use. Since then I have made it a priority to try and photograph as many of the original architectural features as possible, as certainly on this trip, I have noticed a massive increase in modernisation and redevelopment.

2024

2022

However, some parts have changed little over the last few years and thankfully I was able to re-photograph two of my favourite shots (shown above) of back street entrances to buildings long deserted.

2022

2024

Other buildings are clearly occupied and kept in good order, although signs of life are very minimal.

2015

In the provinces and the old town, there are lots of buildings which again appear to be deserted, or locked up - but now and then show signs of activity.

2018

Cats are in evidence everywhere, some domestic, some feral - but all apparently adapted to the relaxed lifestyle.

 

Amongst all the change going on in the new town and surrounding areas, it seemed that the outskirts were barely affected by redevelopment. The large villa that we have regularly stayed in near the village of Pegeia, which is one of a small row of private dwellings just off the main road, has remained unchanged since the last visit. It sits on a side road, opposite a farmed field and behind it is a long gorge, with other dwellings on the far side and at the end of the row, sat Costa's Tavern. Costa's was a restaurant almost in the middle of nowhere, but which served surprisingly good food. We visited it only once, in 2022, although it has always sat opposite the villa, its bright neon signs twinkling in the evening sky, but never really appearing to be very busy.

Personally, I loved the place from the outset, as it had a sort of american highway diner kind of feel to it, being so lonely and remote and it took some persuasion from me to get the rest of the family to visit. Each time I have stayed at the villa, I have taken a shot of Costa's and last time it resulted in one of my most favourite images, which shows the left hand side of the bar area - seemingly deserted even at a weekend - with a definite ethereal Edward Hopper kind of feel to it.

Costa's was usually closed up tight during the day, with blinds down to keep out the relentless heat, which would usually be raised early evening, when the green palm tree signs and red letters would illuminate.

I was looking forward to another evening in the tavern this year, but when we arrived it appeared that lack of trade and the remoteness of location had forced Costa to close the doors one final time. All that remained of the tavern when we arrived earlier this month was a large pile of concrete and rubble and some busy excavators and cement mixers.

A shame, but not unexpected given the way things seem to be moving lately, the evening sky over Pegeia is now so much less colourful without Costa's inviting signs. I wonder what we will be faced with when we return in 2025?