Christopher Columbus

Valladolid, (Castilla y León) Spain

This statue in Valladolid pays tribute to Christopher Columbus, who died in Valladolid May 20, 1506 and was buried here initially.  According to historians, his remains were then relocated to Sevilla in 1509, to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic in 1542, to Havana, Cuba in 1795 and finally back to the cathedral in Sevilla in 1898, where his tomb can be found today.

Plaza del Coso

Peñafiel, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

This medieval square, called the Plaza del Coso, is found in the middle of Peñafiel and has been used for bullfighting, among other things, since the 15th century.  This makes it one of the oldest bullfighting rings still used in Spain.  Surrounding the square are private homes; however, since medieval times the right to use their windows and balconies during bullfights are owned by the town who auctions them off to the highest bidders.  Access to the square is by means of two streets.

In the distance you can see the 9th century castle of Peñafiel which currently hosts the Wine Museum of Valladolid.

Peñafiel

Peñafiel, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

This castle perched above the town of Peñafiel dates back to the 9th century.  It sits atop a hill full of interconnected underground cellars (bodegas) which were traditionally used to store wine to maintain it at constant temperatures.  The bodegas have chimney vents and can be seen throughout the castle area as well as all around the town.  Many of these bodegas are still used today.  This medieval town is in the heart of the Ribera del Duero wine region, containing a large number of wineries.  Today the castle holds the Wine Museum of Valladolid.

Clay roof tiles

Urueña, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

There is a wall surrounding Urueña which was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.  This picture was taken from the wall-walk, which is still intact today, allowing you to stroll around most of this medieval town's perimeter from where you can see the Castilian landscape on one side of you and the clay roof tiles of this fortified town on the other.

I particularly like walking around the wall high up to get a glimpse of these typical tiles covering the entire village.  I love clay roof tiles!  (Catching a sunset from here isn't too shabby either!)

Notice the stork nest on the bellfry in the distance.

(Santa María de Azoque church - built in the 16th-18th centuries)

 

Stork nests

Barruelo del Valle, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

In all honesty, it is unusual not to see a stork nest on top of a church tower in Castilla y León!  White storks make their nests with large sticks and use them for several years.  They lay eggs once a year and can lay as many as four at a time, while curiously both parents incubate and feed the offspring.  Nests range in size from 1-2 meters deep and 1-1.5 meters wide, weighing anywhere from 130-550 lbs (60-250 kg)!  

I love hearing the sound of a stork.  If you've never heard one before, it makes a loud clattering sound by rapidly opening and closing its beak.

(Picture of San Pelayo church from the 16/17th century)

 

Las Médulas

Las Médulas, (León - Castilla y León) Spain

This unique area of Spain used to be the most important gold mine of the Roman Empire more than 2000 years ago.  The landscape you can see in this picture is the result of mining some five million Roman pounds of gold over a period of 250 years.  The Romans used a system of hydraulic mining by boring a series of narrow cavities into the mountains and subsequently using the pressure of large quantities of water, supplied from area streams and rivers brought in through a series of aqueducts, to break up the rock and extract the gold.

This area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

(Click on the picture to see it bigger.)

Castles

 Torrelobatón, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

This 13th century castle in Torrelobatón is one of many to be found throughout the countryside of Castilla y León.  It's worth it to go up the towers to feel the immensity of all that surrounds you and at the same time imagine what life was like back then.

the fields of Castilla

Urueña, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

It doesn't take long for the green fields to turn brown after a few days under the hot sun.  This picture was taken from the walls surrounding a very small Castilian village called Urueña, which was also declared Villa del Libro (Book town) in 2007, one of only two in Spain and over 30 in the world.  Standing at the village walls you have a 360º view of the fields surrounding this fortified medieval town with the majority of its houses made of adobe.  An 11th century Romanesque church/hermitage (Nuestra Señora de la Anunciada) can be seen in the distance along with two dovecotes, one square and one circular, a common sight in Castilla.

Image of the walls of Urueña taken from: http://mariocrespo.blogspot.com.es/2013/01/uruena-villa-del-libro-una-cronica.html

Castilian countryside

Tiedra, (Valladolid - Castilla y León) Spain

Castilla y León is covered with fields that produce several grains such as wheat, barley, oats and rye.  The landscape is also dotted with the structure you can see in this picture, a palomar  (dovecote or pigeonaire), which is usually circular or square in shape, containing pigeonholes for the birds to nest.

José Zorrilla

Valladolid, (Castilla y León) Spain

This square (Plaza Zorrilla) is dedicated to José Zorrilla, a Romantic poet and dramatist who was born in Valladolid.  Although he came from a well-off family, Zorrilla spent many years of his life in poverty as his father did not support his passion for writing.  He lived in different cities of Spain as well as countries like France, England, Mexico and Cuba.  Zorrilla's most well-known piece of work is Don Juan Tenorio.

Santo Domingo de Silos

Santo Domingo de Silos, (Burgos - Castilla y León) Spain

This Benedictine abbey, still inhabited with monks today, was built in the 11th century.  The cloister is a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture and every capital's decoration is unique.

It was here where the monks did their Gregorian chants and became internationally famous in the mid 1990s with the recording of an album entitled "Chant", making it as high as #3 on the Billboard 200 music charts.

Las Merindades

Pedrosa de Valdeporres, (Burgos - Castilla y León) Spain

The area of Las Merindades is filled with varying landscapes: from mountains, gorges, plateaus, valleys, beechwood forests and pastures to small lakes, abundant rivers, streams and waterfalls.  It's the perfect place for nature lovers!

Blue door in Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal

Walking up to the Moorish castle of São Jorge, I came across this old blue wooden door.  What's its story?  I don't know, but every time I look at this picture it makes me smile.

Door at the Alhambra

Granada, (Andalucía) Spain

This magnificent and mind-blowing UNESCO World Heritage Site (1984) is one of the most visited in Spain.  It was originally constructed as a fortress in 889 and then converted into an Islamic royal palace for the Muslim Emirs in Spain.  Their reign ended in 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs took it over.

Cathedral door in Valladolid

Valladolid, (Castilla y León) Spain

As I said, I love old doors!  So here's another one  showing detail from the unfinished 16th century cathedral of Valladolid.

door knocker

Ciudad Rodrigo, (Salamanca - Castilla y León) Spain 

In the Middle Ages door knockers were very common to decorate homes and often times were frightening faces of gargoyles, dogs or lions and, apart from announcing your presence, were meant to ward off evil spirits.  During the Renaissance era, they become more ornate and were cast into more delicate shapes focusing more on an interest in art and design.

The next time you knock on someone's door, imagine doing it with one of these!

old doors

Lerma, (Burgos - Castilla y León) Spain

I love old wooden doors!  I have photographed more than my share, some plain, others with ornate locks, hinges, knockers, knobs or other captivating decorations.  It always makes me wonder what lies behind them.

Frías

Frías, (Burgos - Castilla y León) Spain

This fortified town set atop a hill shows records dating as far back as 867 when the Moslems were conquered in this area.  It was strategically placed close to the Ebro River between the Cantabrian coastline and the plains.  As can be appreciated in the picture, the houses took advantage of the geography of the land and were built upon the rock, often times consisting of three floors using a type of limestone and wooden beams for their construction.

Towns like Frías marvel me and whenever I visit a place like this, I can't help but to imagine what life was like, let alone how they built these hanging houses sitting on the steep rock.

Castro de Santa Tegra

Monte de Santa Tegra, (Galicia) Spain

What can be seen in this picture is a pre-Roman Celtic hill fort settlement (castro), typical to the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula.  Many of these settlements lasted until the arrival of the Romans.  The Castro de Santa Tegra, dating back to the 1st century BC, or possibly before, is an excellent example of the castro culture which contained hundreds of huts laid out in neighborhoods and streets enclosed within a surrounding wall and ditches.  These circular shaped huts, each of roughly the same size, were topped with a cone shaped thatch roof.

The Celtic hill fort settlements were typically set on mountains and in elevated positions or close to the coast using the geography of the land as a natural defense system.  The Castro de Santa Tegra sits at 340 meters and has an amazing panoramic view of the Minho River estuary flowing into the Atlantic Ocean creating a natural border between Spain and Portugal.

Panorama view image taken from http://www.galiciaenfotos.com/tag/santa-tecla/

Rías Baixas

Rías Baixas - Ría de Vigo, (Galicia) Spain

The Rías Baixas, or Lower Rias, take their name from the six large rias, or flooded river valleys, which form estuaries along the southern coast of Galicia.  Portugal lies to its south.  

Galicia relies heavily on its fishing industry and as a result, the coastline is dotted with small and large fishing ports containing an array of boats.  My favorites, by far, are the small colorful wooden ones!

Cíes Islands

Cíes Islands, (Galicia) Spain

The Cíes Islands are an archipelago off the southwestern coast of Galicia declared a Nature Reserve in 1980 and, with other islands along the coast, make up the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park as of 2002.  The islands are very mountainous with rough vertical cliffs on one side and picture perfect sand dune beaches on the other.
  

Combarro

Combarro, (Galicia) Spain

Combarro is a curious little fishing village in southwestern Galicia known for its more than 30 hórreos lining the waterfront.  These hórreos were originally used to store grains, but nowadays they are mostly used for the storage of just about anything as well as for decoration.  If you walk along the street just behind the hórreos you will find many modest granite houses with stone balconies as well as small bars and restaurants serving fresh seafood and orujo (distilled spirits).

You really can't leave Galicia until you've tried at least one of the many types of orujo produced here.  As you walk up and down the streets of Combarro, it is not uncommon to see people selling it homemade right out of their home.
 

Hórreos in Galicia

Combarro, (Galicia) Spain

Hórreos, or granaries in English, can be commonly found throughout the north of Spain and Portugal, but with the highest numbers in the regions of Galicia and Asturias.  It is said that more than 30,000 can be found in Galicia alone!   Hórreos are typically made of stone or wood and propped up on pillars with a staddle stone at the top to keep its contents dry and free of rodents.  Depending on the geographic area, hórreos can take on other names; for example, in Combarro they are typically called palleiras.

Monte Igueldo

Monte Igueldo - San Sebastián, (Gipuzkoa - Basque Country) Spain

It's worth taking the funicular up Monte Igueldo just to see this awe-inspiring view of the city of San Sebastián and its beaches below.  At the top you come across a hotel as well as a curious old amusement park still in operation, inaugurated in 1911.  On a clear day, (not exactly the case in this picture!) you can also admire the surrounding coastline and mountains.

Altzo

Altzo, (Gipuzkoa - Basque Country) Spain

Picturesque villages like this one tucked away in the mountains are scattered all over the Basque countryside.  If you are a nature lover, you will never run out of things to do here as there are an unlimited number of hill walking and hiking possibilities.

Errezil

Errezil, (Gipuzkoa - Basque Country) Spain

Errezil is a town of a few more than 600 people set in an idyllic valley in the middle of Guipúzcoa, one of the three provinces making up the Spanish Basque Country.  The houses that appear in the picture are typical baserri, in the Basque language, or caserío, in Spanish, and can be found throughout the Basque countryside.  They are very large half-timbered stone-built farmhouses normally built with three floors, a sloping roof and large balconies.  The ground floor typically has the stables on one side and the kitchen, washroom and sitting room on the other.  The floor above is for the bedrooms which are normally located above the stables minimizing the need for heating.  The top floor is an attic used for storing produce or an area for indoor activities requiring more space.  These self-sufficient farmhouses are passed on within the family for generations.

The house on the left was built 500 years ago and has been recently restored to be used as a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) today.  B&Bs are a popular choice among people in Spain for a weekend getaway.  I, for one, love staying in them when spending time away from home.  They're a great way to explore an area, talk with the locals and enjoy the nature around you.

B&B Etxeberri in Errezil is one of my favorites!

Peine del Viento

San Sebastián, (Gipuzkoa - Basque Country) Spain

This sculpture by Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) is probably one of the most well-known pieces of his work, Peine del Viento or in English "Comb of the Wind".  It is made up of three massive pieces of steel (two of them are seen in this picture), each weighing over 10 tons, anchored to the rocky coastline at the end of the city's line of beaches.  The architect responsible for this layout is Luis Peña Ganchegui (1926-2009).

San Sebastián has always been a very special city for me to visit ever since I've been living in Spain and I can't think of a time when I was there and didn't take advantage of this magical place.  It's easy to lose track of the time when you're here gazing out to sea lost in your thoughts.  It's even more exciting when the sea is rough and the waves are crashing against the rocks stimulating all five senses.

Hondarribia

Hondarribia, (Gipuzkoa - Basque Country) Spain

Hondarribia is found only 20 kilometers east of San Sebastián, making it the last town in  Spain before arriving to France; the Bidasoa River separates it from this neighboring country.

The vibrant colors of the old part of town along with the charming fishing boats make for a delightful afternoon stroll.  Go to an outdoor café at the harbor and enjoy the stunning views of nature all around you.  You can't go wrong!