In Romania, parental leave is partly subsidized by the government. One parent can stay home with their child for up to 1 year and 10 months, receiving 85% of their salary, capped at around €1,700 per month. Thanks to a stockpile of vacation days, I was able to extend mine to exactly 1 year and 11 months.
To celebrate the end of this time at home, my wife and I wanted something simple and relaxing: beaches, pools, sun, and a few places to explore. Most importantly, it all had to fit around our little daughter’s sleeping and eating schedule. We found just that in Cala’n Bosch, a peaceful resort town in southern Menorca. Grupotel Aldea gave us everything we were looking for, and the island rewarded me with a chance to reconnect with photography.
As much as I love every camera and lens that I own, this wasn’t the kind of trip where I could, or wanted to, bring a full kit. It had to be light, quick to set up, and easy to carry while chasing a toddler or heading to the beach. Every piece of gear needed a purpose, and everything had to fit into a small shoulder bag.
Here’s what made the cut:
All of this fit snugly in a K&F shoulder bag I bought on Amazon a few months ago.
A Short Stop in Barcelona
Before reaching Menorca, we spent a day in Barcelona, a familiar place for me, though I hadn’t been back in ten years. It was my fourth visit, but this time, we had no must-see lists or tickets booked. Just a loose plan: wander, find parks with playgrounds for our daughter, enjoy the weather, and eat something good.
I brought my cameras along, but didn’t overthink the photos. A few frames here and there, snapshots of simple moments to remember this quiet stop before the island.
Touchdown on the island
Although there’s no direct flight from Bucharest to Menorca, getting there via Barcelona was easy and surprisingly quick. After just 35 minutes in the air, we touched down on the little Balearic island. Picking up our rental car was straightforward, and in about 50 minutes we had crossed the island to reach our hotel in Cala’n Bosch. Just like that, we were settled in.
Rediscovering the stars with the Samyang 12mm f/2.0
I’d almost forgotten how fun an ultrawide lens could be. On the a6300, the Samyang 12mm behaves like an 18mm on full frame. Sure, my iPhone’s ultra-wide camera covers even more ground, but it doesn’t let me do what I really wanted to: capture the night sky.
I used the PhotoPills app to plan my shot, scouted the location during the day, then returned around midnight. My setup was minimal, just the camera and the K&F shoulder bag to prop it up in vertical mode. I aimed for two things: a clean vertical frame and a stitched vertical panorama.
Even if you don’t have a camera, you should really experience the Milky Way under a dark sky. To find one near you, check out lightpollutionmap.info.
Exploring Menorca
Though most days were about slow moments, we did venture out to a few spots that were toddler-friendly and worth the drive. Renting a car made everything easier (we used Autos Menorca) and the process was smooth and convenient. We visited Aqua Center Menorca, Cala Galdana, Cala en Porter, and the Centre Zoologic.
Back to Barcelona
Sadly, it was time to head home. Our first step was flying back to Barcelona, where we planned a little outing to the Aquarium. Honestly, I think we were more impressed than our daughter, but if you have a few hours to spare, it’s definitely worth a visit.
During this second stay, I also noticed something funny; I’d only shot about half of the 72 frames on my Kodak Ektar H35. Somehow, that camera always makes me feel like 72 photos might be too many.
Since not many dads take parental leave to raise their kids, I hope these photos help make the case for it. Imagine getting to watch your baby grow into a toddler—and then, before heading back to work, being able to take a vacation that looks this good. It doesn’t look that bad, does it?
