Colorful facades. Filligreed fences. Fruit trees in bloom. The sound of a C-17 overhead.

I have been meaning to capture our little town for photographic posterity ever since we moved here and it captured our hearts. But, with all the hustling between activities and adventure, it seemed I never had the opportunity. What better time than now, when the ‘Crona has slowed everything down? I have found, on my countless kilometers on walks and bike rides around town, that closing things down has opened things up in me. I am struck by the simple, historic beauty of this place we call home, and so I must preserve it. This is a unique time – one I want to remember with fondness, not fear. This is a visual journey through a town we love; a place where we have come to grow through what we go through. Perspective is everything. To me, this is beautiful. May you be charmed, too.

This is Pápa.

All photographs are property of the author unless otherwise indicated. Please do not use without permission.

I will be forever thankful for the time we have spent here. But we wouldn’t be in Pápa without the Air Base. The Heavy Airlift Wing and its 13 nations have worked together to execute countless missions of peace and support around the world. This unique season is no exception – relief efforts related to Covid-19 have taken our international teams back and forth across the globe delivering life saving materials to cooperative nations. It has been a ray of hope to see the good that is being done from this tiny town, one mission at a time.

Photographs below are courtesy of the Strategic Airlift Capability Facebook page and photographer Tamas Fekete.