Missing the Beach - When the Weather Turns Cold

It's been rather chilly outside lately and my thoughts are drawn to the memories of Spain and beach, hot sun and waves.. I have been slowly going through some more photos from our April trip to Spain (I did bring a couple of thousand of them back, after all...) and I thought I'd share some of the images of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the beach in Almerimar, where we've spent some time enjoying the sun, waves and pebbles, not mentioning a beautiful sunset. So here they are, with my hope that they'll warm all of us up just a bit ;D.  Enjoy! Kasia

Goodbye Spain....

Our last day in Spain was spent driving.  It is a 6 hour drive from Almerimar to Madrid, and on the way we were planning to stop in Granada to see the famous Alhambra Palace and it's gardens.  That part of the trip did not go so well.  We didn't realize at the time, that if you want to get in you should be buying tickets online well in advance, as there are ques stretching for miles.  Also our GPS unit decided to take us right through the center of Granada.  After getting lost, because a lot streets were closed due to construction, and narrowly avoiding collisions with abundant motorcyclists and scooter-ists on the streets, we finally arrived.  Like I said above, the amount of tourists was staggering, so of course we did not get in.  So we decided to go for a little walk outside of the Palace walls.  It's quite impressive, the Palace, even from the outside.  Here are some images from that walk. Few words on the Fuji X-Pro 1, to add.  The shooting conditions were not ideal.  High, late morning sun, and beautiful blue skies, with out a cloud, and Fuji did remarkably very very well.  Auto focus was spot on, and the biggest plus... carrying a small camera with small lenses, and knowing that I have the same control over images as I would get from a much bigger an heavier DSLR system.  Knowing and trusting, this little mirror less wonder, and using it on our trip in Spain was a pure, unadulterated, pleasure!

After leaving Granada, and finding a much easier wayout , then we came in, we headed to Madrid.  After returning the car at the airport and catching a taxi to the hotel, we barely had some time to go for a little walk around.  It gave me an opportunity to try the Fuji X-Pro 1 at night.  So of course high ISO, since I did not bring a tripod.  Color me impressed.  The images came out clean crisp, and surprisingly I did not have problems with the auto focus at all.  Another big point for Fuji.  After our little walk we go ready for bed, since we were catching a flight in the early morning to start another leg of our vacation.... Scotland.  Here are some night street images from Madrid.  Enjoy!

The last day in Spain

With a great sadness we have said our good-byes to our friends in Almerimar and undertaken the long drive back to Madrid.  The views, again, were quite lovely and I have taken a few shots (again) of the lovely wind turbines that make the scenery even more picturesque..

We have chosen slightly different route this time and were hoping to be able to stop on the way in Granada and visit Alhambra.

The palace of Alhambra is rather famous for it's great Moorish architecture and rich history and I always wanted to visit it. Unfortunately we were unable to gain entry to the palace itself.  To preserve it only a certain amount of visitors is allowed daily and we were just too late.. When we approached the entry they were just announcing that fact over the loud speakers.. During the high season, in order to visit the place one has to book tickets on line well in advance, otherwise there is no way to get inside... So... since we have planned to stop there anyway, we have decided to, at least, visit the grounds and took a long walk around the palace.  The weather was gorgeous and everything was blooming and so green that it was a delightful break in our long drive. Of course, I was not only interested in the architecture of the place but, as usual, gave in to my fascination with plants so different than what I am used to.. And here is a few shots from there:

We were given only glimpses of the palace buildings, stolen through shrubbery and walls.. I'd love to see them closer, but, will have to wait for the next time..

Being located on top of a hill Alhambra has a wonderful view of the surrounding Granada, which we could spot also from our walk:

It was very pleasant there. Quite a restful place, where you can be surrounded with greenery and listen to the sounds of trickling water..

But, as everything, this little respite in our journey had to come to an end and we left Alhambra, promising that one day we shell be back!  For now Scotland was waiting for us, with it's wonderful mountains and heavy skies and a promise of yet another adventure..

Kasia

Cabo de Gata - As I Saw It.. Part 2

After spending a short time at our first stop at Cabo de Gata (some images from there you can find both in my post Cabo de Gata - As I Saw It.. and Mac's post  Cabo De Gata and more Fuji X-Pro Landscapes) and taking some more shots of plant life as well as views of surrounding cliffs and rocks we've decided to try and find a way to get to some of the interesting rock formations we have noticed from the hight of the cliff down by the sea.

So here we were, travelling the narrow roads in search of views and experiences.  Looking for more places to visit and things to see. At some point we have spotted a trail leading down to a little beach and we've followed it to the end.  The land was very ragged there. Sharp volcanic rock eroded into fantastic shapes and the colours of it varied greatly as if Mother Earth decided to enhance the design of the vista some more.. As if it was not pretty enough ;) And all this surrounded by the bluest waters ever!!

Well, of course I was still trying to catch the best wave so took a few more shots of that  ;)

as well as tried to capture some of the strange rocks that erode into "bricks" giveing people a chance to leave some mark behind, saying that they were there and appreciated the beauty of this place..

And than it was time to say good-bye to Capo de Gata and take the road back to Almerimar to spend the last moments enjoying this lovely, lovely place before we started to head back to Madrid...

Kasia

Cabo de Gata - As I Saw It..

You've all seen Mac's wonderful landscapes in his post Cabo De Gata and more Fuji X-Pro Landscapes.  It always makes me amazed how different two photographers can see the same place.  When Mac was concentrating on landscapes I took time to look closer at flora of the place as well as the wonderful and so different scenery. Of course we have stopped by the beach somewhere between the villages of Cabo de Gata and Almadare de Monteleva. It was with a great pleasure that we have all taken a walk there, searching for some sea shells that would make a great picture, looking at the waves and the blue sky. Such a lovely time to listen to the waves crashing on the beach. The wind was still strong and was ripping water off the waves to carry it inland, creating a haze that was obscuring the view...

On the way to the lighthouse I was asking Mac on occasion to make a stop by the road when I saw something interesting. As always the poppies were my favorite. Such wonderful islands of colour in this dry land! The grasses made for an interesting accent to the scenery as well as interesting rock formations emerging from the sea..

We took a short walk at some point in our trip. It was great to see the blue of the Mediterranean Sea meeting the volcanic rock.

And as we were leaving my boys decided to leave a little mark of our visit (don't worry, all environmentally friendly :))

It's a lovely, lovely place and well worth visiting, if you are ever close by..

Kasia

Guardias Viejas

About 20 minutes from Almerimar by car there is a charming little castle at Guardias Viejas. We went there one evening to see it in a setting sun. Mac has already shared a few images from that outing in his post Fuji X-PRO1 at the Beach and Another Spanish Sunset. It was a wonderful eveing, though the wind was rather cold and we were quite happy to get back in the car and drive back to our apartment at the end of the shoot ;) Here is a few pictures from that evening. It was truly beautiful there with the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea as a back drop and a gorgeous sky, hazy mountains and amazing sunset colours! I really hope you like it as much a I did... Kasia

Almeria and Alcazaba Castle

We have decided one morning to go for a ride to Almeria and visit Alcazaba castle located on one of the hills in the middle of the city.  Our friend Sandra was kind enough to be our guide and led us through the city to the castle grounds.  Mac has already shared some of his pictures from that trip in his post Spanish Streets, Castle and Fuji X-PRO1. And here is what I saw that day..

Yes, I know, this is quite a pink place. The colour was so startling mids the more earthy palette of all the rest of the buildings that I had to take a picture of it ;)

The view from the castle located on top of a hill is quite remarkable. The blues of Mediterranean Sea contrast beautifully with the greens of the gardens and the pinkish rock that was used to build the castle.  Unfortunately great part of it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1522. Restorations started in 1950s.

Hope you have enjoyed this short tour. If you ever are close by I heartily encourage you to go and visit this lovely place.  It's too bad part of it is still in ruin, but I can imagine just how lovely it was during the time of it's glory.

Kasia

Sunset by the Sea..

It looked like it was going to be a lovely sunset, after we've gotten back from our Sierra Nevada adventure, so after a brief rest and some food (and boy, what a good food they have there!!!) we have decided to go for a walk on the beach.  It was still windy and with sun going down the temperatures were sure to drop as well, so we bundled up (well, just grabbled long pants and jackets, after all what is a little Spanish wind to hardened by winter Canadians!?), grabbed our cameras and took the kids for an evening stroll.

As you can see, we did not even get to the beach yet and the colours and light were already changing and making the world look magical.

And than we walked towards the sea..

And, as the night was approaching, the lights came up and it was a different sort of magic all together...

Kasia

Spanish streets, castle and Fuji X-Pro1

Almeria  lies very close to Almerimar.  Yes I'm talking North American distance standards, and not European.  Here driving anywhere 40min away is considered close.  Over in Europe it is an event :)  We decided to go and visit an old Moorish Castle - Alcazaba, which is located in Almeria.  I thought that it would be a perfect time to test out the street smarts of the Fuji X-Pro1.  I was quite impressed that the Fuji focused quite fast and accurately, even when shooting from the hip.  The only problem I found was that my thumb kept pressing the Q-Menu button, or the macro button.  I guess that's what happens when you have big hands. :)  Here are some street shots, and landscapes from Almeria and the Alcazaba castle.  Enjoy!

Sierra Nevada

Holiday is a wonderful thing! You are free to do whatever you want, whenever you want. One morning we have decided to go for a ride in the mountains. We have chosen a road that would lead us toward Enix and Felix - two municipalities in province of Almeria in Andalusia.  We encountered a series of beautiful views from the road. Hills cultivated as much as possible, where almond trees grow on man-made terraces right next to small fields and villages are settled either in the valleys or are plastered to the sides of the hills.  Lovely, picturesque drive. The weather was great, the sky marvelous. Just what we needed to enjoy ourselves a lot!

We have stopped at a village called Felix for a little tour.  It's a charming little town in Andalusia with narrow streets, passages going up and down and houses built very close together just to utilize the limited space.

On the way back we have made a few stops here and there just to capture some more of our surroundings...

It was a marvellous trip and we have enjoyed both the vista and the weather immensely! Sierra Nevada is simply beautiful!

Kasia

Fuji X-Pro1 at the beach and another Spanish sunset

Tired after all days driving into local villages, and exploring the wonderful landscape of southern Spain, we decided to spend the day at the beach.  We were at the shores of the Mediterranean sea, and I think it would be wrong not to get wet, at least our feet :)  The boys had great fun running around and chasing waves.  This time getting completely wet.

We also got busy with collecting shells and little pebbles from the beach.  It was quite difficult not to pack up tons of these, as all were quite unique and beautiful.  After almost a whole day at the beach, we decided to visit a local castle at Guardias Viejas, a short 10 minute drive from Almerimar.  It was a great time to try HDR on the Fuji X-Pro1.  Here are some shots from that outing.  Enjoy!

Welcome to Almerimar

It was a beautiful, though very windy first morning in Almerimar.  The rising sun has painted surrounding buildings in a lovely light and I figured it's a great picture opportunity, especially with the lovely clouds creating a very nice back drop for the surrounding buildings ;)

We were to meet our friends: Chris and Sandra, who made Almerimar their home for late breakfast and have a look around the town and head to the beach. The wind was quite strong and we were sure we would see some waves.

I must have  taken over a 100 pictures during just this outing alone. I have found out that, as usual, timing is everything and it takes a lot of tries to catch the best splash :). After a lengthily walk we've decided to head back for some food - it was getting close to siesta and the kids were getting tired as well..

After some food and a little rest, in the early evening we have returned to the wind breaker. The wind have not diminished and the waves became even more interesting, spraying us with salty water even from  quite a distance. This has produced an unexpected result of creating a filter on my lens. Made for some interesting light effects.  The world around us was covered in a haze made of sea water ripped away from the waves by a very strong wind. The sun was about to set and added a golden glow to everything... Just lovely!

I was a bit concerned about possible damage to my camera and tried to protect it as much as possible. The last thing you need, while away from home is to break your equipment... One thing is for sure. I was very happy I've had a long lens with me and could take close ups of those waves from a safe distance. An angry sea is noting to laugh about!

Kasia

Spain Day 2, Spanish Sunset and more Fuji X-Pro1

I wanted to try the 18mm Fuji lens on a Spanish landscape.  I mean that's the main reason I took a wide angle lens all the way to Spain.  On the drive to Almerimar from Madrid, I did not have a lot of opportunities to take pictures, as I was dodging crazy spanish drivers, and trying hard not to fall down the mountains on their narrow roads.  It definitely something to get used to.  To do a little more driving training we decided to visit some of the little villages, that snuggle the mountains of Sierra Nevada.  Let me tell you,  there are some streets that you can barely squeeze your car through, or get stuck on a one way dead end street.  A bit nerve racking, but the views are just spectacular.  They soothe your rattled nerves, the blood pressure goes down, your breathing slows, and you smile.  Maybe that's why the Spanish are so laid back, friendly and smiling?

In the last image, my kids had a lot of fun, because they could be in a bar, with adults.  An actual bar, where people drink.... alcohol!  I wonder if the kids are  going to become an alcoholics now.... And it was quite a place, with walls filled with pictures of past bull fighters, and newspaper clippings.  Great atmosphere.  I managed to "steal" some images with the Fuji.  I guess I didn't have to be sneaky about taking pictures.  Most people are used to tourists snapping away.  Since my Spanish consists of a couple of words, which probably would not help if I was told not to take pictures, I rather refrained from doing to much.  I guess that's why I compensated this with outside images of the Spanish country side.

At the end of the day, we decided that it would be great to catch a Spanish Sunset.  The wind has died down considerably, so we went down to the beach.  The kids had a lot of fun chasing and running away from the waves, getting soaked in the process, but that's being a kid, right?  Me and my wife concentrated on the picture taking :)  So the whole day spent with Fuji X-Pro1 and a 18mm Fuji lens.  Any regrets?  None what so ever.  Just at times I wished that it was a little wider, but not often.  The camera performed admirably and it was a pleasure to carry around.  Light and portable.  It made me focus more on the scenery outside, instead of wishing I could go home and take the load off.  Here are some images from the sunset I captured on the beach in Almerimar.  Enjoy!

First day in Spain with my Fuji X-Pro1

Our vacation time has come and gone, in a flash.  My wonderful wife and partner, in this photographic journey, already started showing off our pictures from the vacation in Spain.  I decided that this vacation will be a great opportunity to test out the new Fuji X-Pro1.  For the first time I did not take any other camera.  At first I was a little worried that I have made a mistake, by not taking the heavy dSLRs, and their lenses, but after a couple of first shots with the Fuji and I knew I was right!

We arrived in Almerimar, a lovely little town on the south of Spain, on a very windy day.  We got settled into the apartment and decided to go out for a walk around town, and maybe to get some food as well.

After food and drink and brilliant company of our old friends, we headed out to see the town.  It's not hard to get to the beach from anywhere in Almerimar, and that's what we did.  Because of very strong winds, the waves on the Mediterranean were higher and bigger than I ever saw them, when I visited almost 5 years ago.  Definitely a photographic opportunity.  Fuji X-Pro 1 was performing very well.  I was very happy that I brought it along.  It was light to carry and so much fun to use.  I think Fuji hit a home run with that one.

After being blown around by the wind we decided to head back to the apartment.  This also provided some shooting opportunities to test the Fuji, again.  It is an amazing camera, that's all I'm going to say about it.

From Madrid to Almerimar

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Spain - the road to Almerimar 1

We have been very fortunate recently to be able to spend 2 weeks traveling in Europe. We have started our European adventure in Madrid and taken a roadtrip to a little town in the south of Spain, called Almerimar.  It takes about 6 hours to drive from Spain's capital through La Mancha and Andalusia to get to this little coastal town and the land is so very different from Alberta. The colours of spring - rich, juicy greens of the field contrasting nicely with reddish browns of the soil and silver green of ever present olive trees made it very interesting.

We have seen the white windmills of La Mancha, bringing instantly to mind Cervantes and his Don Quixote, the fields full of solar batteries and groupings of wind turbines ( I wonder what Don Quixote would think about those?! ;D) spread along the way through Andalusia as well, the images of El Toro spread here and there along the road.

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Spain - the road to Almerimar 4

From the highway we could see an occasional castle with surrounding it village or a little town tacked neatly into a mountain valley..

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Spain - the road to Almerimar 5

When we did stop I could not resist taking some pictures of flowers and foliage whether in the mountains or when we reached the coast..

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Spain - the road to Almerimar 3

Spain - the road to Almerimar 6

And before the end of the drive I got to see the Mediterranean Sea for the first time! I have enjoyed watching from the top of a cliff turquoise waves hitting the rocks down below.

Spain - the road to Almerimar 9

Spain - the road to Almerimar 7

Spain - the road to Almerimar 10

Many times we have been lamenting the lack of both the stopping places on the highway as well as time for the views were quite often very picturesque. But still between me and Mac we have managed to bring back with us about 8 thousand images..

I have shared today some of what we've seen on the way to our destination in Almerimar. I hope you've enjoyed this part of our trip. And for several more weeks, I am sure, we will try to give you a glimpse of the wonderful places we've visited...

Kasia

Almerimar Spain Day 7

After a relaxing day spent in Almerimar(almerimarlife.com), Chris and I went to Almeria. This is one of the larger cities on the southern coast of Spain. It is a very old port city, as it was founded around 955. Took as a little time to find a parking spot, which is quite normal in any European city, with it's narrow streets and almost no room for vehicles.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 50mm

First historical site we visited was the Cathedral of Almeria. It designed and build by famous Spanish architect Diego de Siloe in 1524. It was completed in 1562.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/7.1, 34mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/7.1, 66mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/7.1, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/7.1, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/320 sec, f/7.1, 59mm

After walking around the cathedral we found an entrance inside. While we were paying for the entrance, we noticed a big sign that said "No photography allowed". We were both carrying our DLSR camera, which are not really small and inconspicuous. No one said anything about them, no one reminded us that "no photography is allowed". We figured that we might be able to sneak in a couple of shots before security came and thrown us out. I did not bring my flash, and was a little worried that the picture might not turn out. I set my camera to ISO 1600, opened the aperture to f/2.8 and proceeded inside. I must say that the inside of the cathedral was spectacular, and we managed to take a few shots. No one came and thrown us out, and we found a few people snapping pictures.

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, 32mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/500 sec, f/2.8, 32mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/30 sec, f/2.8, 27mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, 63mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/200 sec, f/2.8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/60 sec, f/2.8, 46mm

After leaving the cathedral and it's wonders, we continued towards the second largest Moorish fortresses of Andalucia, the castle of Alcazaba. I could not help myself to take a few pictures of the streets of Almeria.

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/320 sec, f/2.8, 32mm

The castle of Alcazaba was constructed in the X century by Califa Abderraman III. It towers 90m above the city of Almeria, and it's a very impressive structure.

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1250 sec, f/8, 50mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1600 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/800 sec, f/8, 43mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/500 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1250 sec, f/8, 35mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 35mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/160 sec, f/4, 52mm

Canon 5D, ISO 1600, 1/1000 sec, f/5, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 100, 1/1250 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 24mm

I must say the castle is very impressive, and very nicely restored. I provides great views on the whole city of Almeria. Once we left the castle, we went towards the main square of the cathedral. We noticed that a photo shoot was being setup for Harley Davidson motorcycles. So we settled ourselves in a little bistro on the square, had a couple of nice cool beers and watched with interest. I managed to secretly capture the models for these bikes, who were constantly talking on their mobile phones. For one of these shots I borrowed Chris's camera, as he had a better zoom lens.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 70mm

Nikon D80, ISO 400, 1/200 sec, f/8, 135mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 66mm

I was a little self conscious taking these photos, but the models either didn't see us, or were so used to cameras, that they didn't pay any attention.

The whole trip was wonderful. I just wished I could spend more time in Almeria. There are a lot of places to see, and a lot of great photo opportunities. I guess I will have to leave them till next time.

Almerimar Spain Day 6

After the excitement of the previous two days, one would think that it was a boring day. I must disagree. Finally had a chance to actually go to the beach. Mind you, not to swim. It was quite windy, and finally I got to see that the sea actually had some waves.

Canon 5D, ISO 100, 1/800 sec, f/9, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, f/9, 24mm

After the beach we arrived at the marina, where I had a lot more time to spend taking photos.

Canon 5D, ISO 100, 1/800 sec, f/9, 24mm

Almerimar is a very nice and clean town. Although it fairly new, is still has a lot of spanish/european charm.

Canon 5D, ISO 30, 1/3200 sec, f/4, 46mm

Canon 5D, ISO 50, 1/250 sec, f/4, 70mm

The marina in Almerimar is actually considered one of the largest in Spain. I found it really interesting that the boats stay moored for months or even longer. Maybe it's my ignorance, but I thought if one has a boat, one would take any chance they have to actually use it as a boat should be used. Obviously I was wrong.

Canon 5D, ISO 50, 1/2500 sec, f/4, 40mm

Canon 5D, ISO 50, 1/1250 sec, f/4, 24mm

Walking around I also noticed the different flowers and plans growing all over the place. Considering that this supposed to be a desert, it looks very green.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/7.1, 46mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/7.1, 34mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 52mm

Also found this little house that was quite interesting. As you may notice, there are no windows. A monk lives there.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/3200 sec, f/7.1, 30mm

As I mentioned before in a previous post, Sandra Marshall has been doing a lot for the stray cats in Almerimar. So in the afternoon we went to a Rescue House to help with the cleaning and document some of the cats living there. You can find more about this wonderful endeavor here. This was an interesting experience to say the least.

Leica D-LUX 3, ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/4, 56mm

Leica D-LUX 3, ISO 100, 1/25 sec, f/2.8, 28mm

Almerimar Spain Day 5

Day started quiet and relaxing, until Chris Soroko from Long Way Round Andalucia called and invited me to another drive around Andalucia.This time we just took the 4x4. First we went to Cabo de Gata, but we did not take the usual highway through Almeria. Chris seems to like going the long way round. Right out of Almerimar we passed through a huge bird sanctuary.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/640 sec, f/8, 400mm

Then we followed a road right along the beach, with a few interesting sights.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 38mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 400mm

Finally we arrived at Cabo de Gata. The views from there are absolutely stunning. I think the only thing missing was huge waves crashing into the rocky coast line.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/8, 70mm

We wanted to drive up to what looked like a weather station, which you can see a little of in the previous picture. The drive took a little longer, because of a herd of goats that decided to walk on the road. There were about 100 or 150 of them just walking around, making the road almost impassable.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/320 sec, f/8, 58mm

Once we made it pass the goats, I was able to walk around the structure on top and just click away with the camera. I was in awe!

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/640 sec, f/8, 27mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 400mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/8, 400mm

The goats were still on the road!

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/8, 400mm

On our way back from Cabo de Gata, and towards hot Roman baths, we stopped for coffee at a road side restaurant, where I found this interesting view. It definitely reminded me of old western movies. I was half expecting a couple of cowboys to come riding out from behind the house :)

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/11, 250mm

We passed a few interesting villages of names I cannot remember now. Chris tried really hard to show me as much as he could.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 70mm

Arriving at the old roman baths, Chris showed me a few interesting dwellings. They are cave houses. To my surprise they are still in use today!

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/8, 60mm

Again the views were quite amazing.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/320 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/8, 65mm

We arrived at the "Top of the World", in the late afternoon. This was the main purpose of this trip. Chris was really proud showing me the amazing scenery from the top of this high mountain. There were a few trails leading into the surrounding area, but we were pressed for time, and the weather was turning for worse. I still managed to capture a few pictures.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 640, 1/2500 sec, f/4.5, 24mm

On the way back, Chris showed me this old ghost mining town. I found the structures "glued" to the side of the mountain quite interesting.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/160 sec, f/8, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/8, 160mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/160 sec, f/8, 400mm

Too bad they were on the other side of a valley, that very quickly turned in to a deep gorge. I could have spent a whole day exploring that place.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/80 sec, f/8, 200mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 120mm

This was another amazing day, filled with awe inspiring views, and great company of a very knowledgeable Chris Soroko. Arrived back at the apartment just in time for dinner, which again was quite amazing. After dinner I managed to convince Chris Marshall to drive out again to Guardia Viejas for some night shots of the castle.

Canon 5D, ISO 400, 0.4 sec, f/11, 24mm

Another day, another adventure in Spain! Great time with great company.

Almerimar Spain Day 4

Saturday was a very interesting day to say the least. In the morning we met with Chris Soroko and his team from Long Way Round Andalucia. They were taking a couple of clients for a little off road motorbike adventure. My friend Chris Marshall and me went as photographers. Chris's pictures actually end up on a DVD that the clients take home with them. I must say that I was quite impressed with the quality of images he produces for the clients. We traveled to a town of Berja to get ready for the adventure. I had no idea what adventure this would be, so I started with couple of shots around the villa, or the base camp.

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/400 sec, f/6.3, 400mm

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/400 sec, f/6.3, 70mm

Chris Marshall went as a real photographer, and I really went to see the country side. Chris Soroko, is really a great guy that knows the country side like the back of his hand. He was navigating the little 4x4 SUV around the little maze like streets and back roads with amazing skill and knowledge, while the guys on the motorbikes took a little different route.

There were a couple of spots along the way where we stopped to take picture of the riders. I managed to shoot the photographer, and the rider. With the camera of course :)

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/500 sec, f/8, 100mm

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/500 sec, f/8, 135mm

Later we drove deeper into the mountains of La Alpujarra. First stop was a village called Murtas. Before we got to the little village situated high in the mountains I was able to get some shots of the surrounding areas.

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/1000 sec, f/7.1, 100mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/320 sec, f/8, 400mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/400 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 43mm

Murtas is a lovely Spanish village with narrow streets and a lot of old building and very friendly smiling people. The riders took a short break there, and I managed to walk around the village a little.

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/500 sec, f/8, 35mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/1000 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/320 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/320 sec, f/11, 24mm

Next stop was a bigger town of Ujicar. This was a much easier route, more on the tarmac then off road. Still the scenery was breath taking.

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/60 sec, f/11, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/500 sec, f/11, 59mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/320 sec, f/11, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 250, 1/500 sec, f/8, 70mm

In Ujicar we stopped for well deserved break and lunch. While everyone went to get more fuel for the vehicles I went exploring.

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/50 sec, f/4, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/11, 38mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/11, 24mm

After filling up we continued on our journey. We stopped at a bridge spanning a dry river bed, for another photo oportunity for the riders. They must have been pretty tired by now, because I was able to explore the area much longer this time. Right by the bridge there was this old abandoned house with a few almond trees growing right beside it.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/800 sec, f/7.1, 70mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 25mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, f/8, 32mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, f/8, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/260 sec, f/8, 200mm

We ended our trek with the riders trying their luck on Guinea Hill. There is a long story why this hill is called that, but I will leave the telling of that story to the boys of Long Way Round Andalucia.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/400 sec, f/8, 400mm

An amazing day, with amazing people. Chris and his knowledge of the countryside, and his son Kris, who is pretty spectacular on the bike. If anyone wants to see Spain, the way it should be seen, I would definitely recommend giving Long Way Round Andalucia (link) a call. A trip I will never forget.

Almerimar Spain Day 3

On day three, Sandra and me went to El Ejido to run some errands. El Ejido is a an much older town than Almerimar. We did visit a few places, like the main town square, and visited different shops in the area of the main square.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/800 sec, f/6.3, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 800, 1/400 sec, f/6.3, 68mm

I think the highlight of the excursion to El Ejido was the town market. It's a round building with all kinds of market stalls, from fresh fish, meats to fruits and vegetables. It's quite an amazing sight.

Leica D-LUX 3, ISO 100, 1/30 sec, f/3.6, 52mm

Leica D-LUX 3, ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, 28mm

We returned from El Ejido in the early afternoon. Again on the balcony of Sandra and Chris's apartment I hooked up my 400mm zoom lens and scanned the town of Almerimar for some interesting things to photograph. I found these interesting looking orange tv antennas.

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/400 sec, f/7.1, 285mm

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, 400mm

Also managed to snag a little portrait of Chris, while he was working on his computer. I really like this picture, and I think it works really well in B&W.

Canon 5D, ISO 125, 1/80 sec, f/4.5, 100mm

We also did a little errand to feed some stray cats, which job Sandra really took to heart. It is really awsome what Sandra is doing for these abandoned creatures. I had a chance to capture "The Big Daddy", who allegedly is the father of many little stray kittens in Almerimar. As you can see he's the boss, the big kahuna.

Canon 5D, ISO 640, 1/100 sec, f/5.6, 400mm

After all these errands and little jobs Chris and me took a drive to a small castle in Guardia Viejas.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/60 sec, f/5.6, 24mm

This is more of a bastion than a castle, but still very nicely restored and presented. We tried to get there for the sunset, but our timing was a little off, plus with construction around the castle we got a little lost.

Canon 5D, ISO 200, 1/50 sec, f/4.0, 24mm

Canon 5D, ISO 400, 1/125 sec, f/4.0, 17mm

Canon 5D, ISO 400, 1/60 sec, f/4.0, 17mm

Canon 5D, ISO 400, 1/13 sec, f/4.0, 17mm