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Before adventuring out to Asia I lived a quiet, provincial life in the sleepy foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains - in Orgiva, the rural capital of Las Alpujarras in southern Spain. I rented a cheap but sizable, 150-year-old apartment where I drew a lot and welcomed visitors. We had spare rooms, long, sunlit hallways, high ceilings and doors, and the roof terrace would have been big enough to host a badminton tournament; we'd hoisted up an abandoned fake-leather sofa from the alleyway 4 stories below and created a chill-out space where we barbecued shrimp in the beating sun and banged on the African drums till the neighbors complained from somewhere across the sea of glaring-white rooftops. If this pad had been mine I'd have installed a breezy pavilion and planted grape vines and San Pedro cacti, turning the roof terrace with its fantastic 360 degree panoramic view into a shaded botanic garden with a workshop, home cinema and dance floor slash portal to any quantum alternative; alas I was just a tenant.

Down in the vega we'd lay amongst the poppies and listen to the olives grow. The sound of bleating goats and tinkering bells passing by was profoundly calming, if not to say mystical. And Miguel, the ancient goatherd, probably has the best smile this side of the Rio Chico.

After Asia, and after a brief stint in Hamburg, I ventured back to Spain to reconnect with the campesinos and also to take (and sell) stock because my stuff is scattered across three continents and that's not reasonable in the long run; I emptied my boxes, set up a garage sale for three people, sold all my sheets, towels, china, cutlery, pots and pans and made a solid 35 Euro.

Then I got roped into politics.

I know this man, a visionary architect and master of socio meta structural engineering and synergetic post Newtonian ultra geometrics whom I have to help with his DVD player from time to time. Marc V. has spent the past 4-5 years battling it out with the Spanish officials due to differences over the impending, three-lane urban bypass, summoned to alleviate the local traffic situation. The government proposal appears to destroy much of the natural reserve while also overlooking practically all aspects of informed city planning. Marc V.'s solution, on the other hand, is simply better (see schematic).

I photographed his drafts and schematics with the Leica M8 and 50 mm Summilux mounted on a tripod and vectorized them for public presentation in the town hall, where several parties, as well as a number of locals, foreigners, farmers and traders, were present. Afterwards, Marc's solution was made into posters and fliers and (hopefully) plastered around town - just in time for the acid-hot months of July and August, when the entire nation goes to sleep and decision making is left for "mañana... mañana."

The battle isn't won yet. The process has been in motion for some years and I suspect it shall continue for a while yet. I thoroughly enjoyed working with an architect and gaining some insight into local politics. Maybe my contribution made a tiny difference, I don't know. Let's see what September brings.

Photos taken during the public presentation of Marc V.'s alternative bypass proposal at the ayuntamiento of Orgiva, Andalusia.