Last September we spent 2 weeks in Spain. One week in Barcelona and one week traveling across the country in a rented car.
The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia cathedral
Flamenco Dancer
Local Color
La Rioja wine region
a wine lover's paradise at very reasonable prices (not that you can't break the bank on monster bottles)
a spectacular Bodega (winery)
a roast leg of lamb in Haro, served in a restaurant roasting lamb by the same family for over 125 years!!! They have perfected their craft.
The Guggenheim Art Museum in Bilbao, north coast of Spain on the Atlantic Ocean
on to the Pyrenees...
unnamed Catalonian village
first day of Boar season and hunters were everywhere, many in these very cool Toyota diesel powered 4 by's
11th century castle
our room in Getaria for 3 nights, built in the 15th century
AmoPescar - 1-26-2011 at 11:27 PM
VERY NICE PICTURES!!!!
Really enjoyed the colors and composition of them. You've got a good eye!Must have been an amazing adventure that you will never forget. makes me want
to go and see for myself
Miguelamo Ken Bondy - 1-27-2011 at 06:33 AM
Magnificent portfolio Ken!! Bravo!! I love Barcelona, but every time I see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia I can't help thinking what an incredible waste of
talent and resources it is. As you wander around the poorer parts of Spain you see much better uses for those resources.Russ - 1-27-2011 at 06:44 AM
Next time you're here I really want a photography lesson! What a journey!
Waiting for part IIIMarc - 1-27-2011 at 07:33 AM
Wonderful pictures. Let's see more!
My Father was born in Caceres, west of Madrid. We drove the Avila, Salamanca, Caceres, and Toledo loop from Madrid in 2007. I have family all along
that route. My father went to school in Salamanca. The roads were all first class and the towns and cities spotless. After a few days more in Madrid
we rode the high speed train to Barcelona.Natalie Ann - 1-27-2011 at 07:48 AM
Wonderful images of Spain, Ken. I liked every one of them - very much!
The architecture is amazing - the Guggenheim, that winery, and of course La Sagrada Familia Catedral... each unlike anything I've seen before. And of
course laundry is always an interesting way to dress up a facade.
Mostly, though, I envy you time spent in that 15th Century room/hotel. Did you have amazing dreams dating back to days of hand-plowed fields and wine
grapes squashed with your feet?
Thanks for posting these. I'm lookin' forward to the next batch.
nena
[Edited on 1-27-2011 by Natalie Ann]David K - 1-27-2011 at 09:53 AM
I wanna go! Awesome views, thanks!!DianaT - 1-27-2011 at 10:03 AM
That first photo is a real hook ---- just wonderfultripledigitken - 1-27-2011 at 12:22 PM
Thanks to all for the kind comments.
Diane..I take a heavy bag full on a trip from 12 mm to 300mm and a pocket camera as well. A choose 1-3 lens depending of what I want to concentrate
on that day usually it is two, 12-24mm and a 24-70mm 2.8 both Nikkors. Sometimes for street shots I’ll carry a 50-135mm 2.8 Tokina.
Sunman..Las Ramblas is a very cool place to hang out I agree. I can’t wait to get back for another visit.
BajaGringo..I try very hard to accomplish just what you mentioned, sometimes I do better than others. I’m working on getting better on that front.
Thanks very much.
Ken…I’m not sure I agree with you about the reconstruction of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. It’s mind boggling to witness, nothing I have seen even
approaches the scope of it. The fact that the construction will last another 40+++years to complete his design is testament to how proud those
Catalans are of him, as well as all of Spain. What struck me most about Spain is the apparent absence of poverty like we see here in our country and
especially Mexico. The roads and bridges are beyond what we have in our country, and other countries in Europe too. (I spent my career in the heavy
highway industry so I notice those first) I applaud them for the commitment to complete the cathedral. There will always be other needs to fulfill,
but in some cases some projects just need to be done. I respect your opinion though.
Nena…we both enjoyed the three hotels we stayed in that were in buildings dating back to the 12th to 15th centuries.
By the way the costs, exclusive of getting to Spain, are comparable to a Mexican vacation in a larger city. Hotels costs were from $50-$100 night for
2-3 star type properties. Food costs were comparable to eating in any of the larger cities in Baja. Rental car was about the same. The only thing
more was diesel fuel which was around $6 US. Even that was mitigated by the Citrone we drove got between 35-42mpg. Cost was comparable to driving my
truck in Baja.Ken Bondy - 1-27-2011 at 12:38 PM
Ken
I agree that Gaudi's work is spectacular and that he is an inspiration to the Catalans. I just think that that type of talent, and those resources,
could be much more valuable to society if applied to something other than a church. One thing for sure, your photography is fabulous.durrelllrobert - 1-27-2011 at 02:26 PM
Did the Madrid to Costa del Sol trip a few years back, stopping at every place in between. Wonderful, beautiful country. Only sour part was at a stop
light on a 4 lane divided highway in Seville where a young well dressed man came up to rental car, looked inside, took a large rock out of his jacket,
smashed the passenger side window and snatched my camera bag with camera, lenses and exposed film off my wife's lap. Sorry, I have no pictures to
post.Bajahowodd - 1-27-2011 at 02:26 PM
Wonderful photos, Ken. Frankly, I refrain from posting pics on here because compared to your work and that of several others, I'd just be embarrassing
myself.
Did want to chime in on a comment you made about the lack of evidence of poverty in Spain. Can be said for Europe in general. Mostly, it's due to that
old bugaboo called Socialism.tripledigitken - 1-27-2011 at 02:49 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Wonderful photos, Ken. Frankly, I refrain from posting pics on here because compared to your work and that of several others, I'd just be embarrassing
myself.
Did want to chime in on a comment you made about the lack of evidence of poverty in Spain. Can be said for Europe in general. Mostly, it's due to that
old bugaboo called Socialism.
Thanks for the comment.
Don't buy your thesis though. Germany, France, Italy, Belgium to a lesser extent all have similar governments yet all those have a more visible lower
class and run down neighborhoods. Not true in the area of Spain we traveled. They, like Greece, are going to come to grips with their government
spending and excessive pensions soon.stimbo - 1-27-2011 at 07:00 PM
Ken -- REALLY nice portfolio of work. That was a pleasure to look through. Thanks for sharing your photography. JimSkipjack Joe - 1-27-2011 at 07:15 PM
The cathedral reminds me of
(a) the walls of Carlbad Caverns
(b) the lava rocks around El Moro, north of Guerero Negro
I like art that imitates nature.
10, 9, 8 .....tripledigitken - 1-27-2011 at 07:30 PM
Jim,
Thanks very much.
Igor,
Gaudi's work is very organic in style, I agree 100% with your impressions. Very few 90 degree angles. It's amazing how they even get it built. I
think he might have dabbled with LSD..............
7,6,5....
Ignoring for a minute our grand daughter. That's Gaudi's idea of what a iron fence should look like.
Skipjack Joe - 1-27-2011 at 07:34 PM
The numbers are for the time left before GN spelling is corrected.
It's geocache for David K.
[Edited on 1-28-2011 by Skipjack Joe]tripledigitken - 1-27-2011 at 07:35 PM
10/4Steve&Debby - 1-30-2011 at 08:43 PM
Great pictures.I went to Costa Del Sol in 1982, took the ferry over to Morroco. Loved Spain,But Morroco not a good place to take a woman.I guess Morroco has changed though.Bob H - 1-30-2011 at 08:57 PM
Very nice photos. I lived in Rota, Spain (Navy) for two years from 1968 to 1970... great times on the beach there. Had an apartment on the beach
for $50/month, for real. For $5 a month I had a house cleaner (uh... and whatever).
Had a great time living in Spain back then, for sure. A San Miguel beer cost me 25 pesetas... which was about 50 cents US. Oh man!
Bump... for BajaBlanca
tripledigitken - 3-28-2015 at 12:21 AM
Sorry no Valencia, but a ringing endorsement for Spain. Our favorite country to visit in Europe.vandenberg - 3-28-2015 at 08:34 AM
Magnificent portfolio Ken!! Bravo!! I love Barcelona, but every time I see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia I can't help thinking what an incredible waste of
talent and resources it is. As you wander around the poorer parts of Spain you see much better uses for those resources.
How right you are.
However, we would be without all those beautiful middle age cathedrals all over Europe if it had been considered wastefull in those times.
The Sagrada will join the likes of Saint Paul, Notre Dame and all those famous buildings.
We spend 3 weeks on the Costa del Sol. Stayed in Torremolinos on the Mediterranean. Had a rental and went to Granada, Malaga, Sevilla, Marbella, the
Alhambra and many other places, before we took of for the Netherlands. Drove through Madrid and spend several days in San Sebastian before crossing
into France.
On the way back (we were flying out of Madrid) we did some sightseeing in the Pyrenees, another delight.
Never made it the Barcelona or Valencia way, but maybe next time??
BTW, according to several Spanish tour guides and travel people
Salamanca is the most interesting and picturesque city in Spain.
[Edited on 3-28-2015 by vandenberg]BajaBlanca - 3-28-2015 at 07:58 PM
Next time you're here I really want a photography lesson! What a journey!
Waiting for part III
not a good place to take a woman.I guess Morroco has changed though.
