(Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net)
So the prompt is writing about the place that inspires you most in 555 words.
I don't think I'm going to send my entry in, since I don't live in the US and therefore would forfeit the award IF I had won because they don't post to outside the US yet.
There’s nothing all that flash about it. The bungalows are
white, square, flat-roofed; fairly unpretentious. Each bungalow has an arched, terracotta tiled
balcony with rounded, steel railings in reds, blues and yellows. A plain,
creaky old plastic chair and a small round glass table is the only company on
the balcony.
It doesn’t sound fantastic, or look all that lush, but you can
melt into that chair and stare at the view just beyond the railing for hours.
The Atlantic licks at the white, sandy crescent of beach, and you can watch
dolphins play closer to the horizon. Sometimes, you’d spot a seal or two – and sometimes,
one of them will waddle up onto the rocks and bake in the heat of the sun. It’s
always best to stray clear of them, and probably of the water, too, since Great
White Sharks aren’t shy about coming close to shore here.
Fortunately, just
beyond the rocks where the seals have a rest, is a clear blue swimming pool for
everyone to enjoy. It’s probably better, in my opinion, since the water is
bound to be warmer than that of the ocean. That’s just me. There are plenty of people out
in the water on body-boards and jet-skis. If it’s a windy day, it’s the best
place to fly a kite – or maybe not, considering some of the gale force winds
that randomly attack the enclosed area from time to time.
You can go for a walk
on the pier and take shelter under the white canopies of the seafood cafés that
line the small promenade, but I prefer the balcony. It gives shade at just the
right time of the day, and it gives sun and heat at just the right length of
the time, too. You can sit there and relax, let your mind wander across the
deep blue surface before you, and write to your hearts’ content. The only
interruptions are the occasional shrieks of enjoyment from the other patrons on
the beach, or a small flock of seagulls fighting over a chip.
The sun comes up
early and it goes down late. You’d be surprised how late. Chances are you’d
miss your regular bedtime because the sun will just be starting to tint the
horizon in orange and grey, when you’d suddenly wake up and realize that the
day should have ended an hour or two ago – and still, you’d sit there, waiting
to make sure the sun is really going to sleep before you let the shadows chase
you into the golden warmth of the bungalow.
You’d wake up the next morning with
a refreshed ‘ah’, and do it all over again. It’s a modest little piece of
paradise, and the best place to write.
If you're in the US and want to enter the contest, the deadline is 20th Feb. Go to Figment.com and sign up.
Happy writing!