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The Horses of Sargentes
In 2017, while I had one of those news broadcasts playing in the background, the kind that shine for their lack of interesting stories, I was genuinely surprised to learn that Spain had an oil field, and that it was shutting down after 53 years of operation. The mere sight of the Castilian plains (Sargentes de la Lora), dotted with pumpjacks like a scene straight out of West Texas, instantly set my imagination alight. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to visit such a unique place in person. My interest grew even more when I did a bit…
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The Viewpoint and Its Flowers
Viewpoints are usually places of great beauty or, at the very least, spots that offer charming panoramas inviting you to stop and take it all in. Some are enjoyed for just a brief moment, long enough to stretch your legs and carry on. Others, like those in the Ribeira Sacra, leave you speechless. Sometimes you cross paths with someone, and almost without realizing it, a pleasant conversation arises, one that, interestingly, rarely revolves around the landscape itself. Personally, I enjoy them deeply and try to visit whenever I can. However, there’s something most viewpoints have in common: despite their beauty,…
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Architectural Volcano
If there’s one architect who stirs up controversy, leaves no one indifferent, and whose works are a notorious waste of millions, it’s Calatrava. The Palace of Exhibitions and Congresses in Oviedo is a perfect example. You don’t need to look for it among the buildings, it finds you. It doesn’t hide or play coy; when it appears before you, it’s like a volcanic eruption. You can’t take your eyes off it, and it evokes both horror and admiration in equal measure. But beyond the controversy, the cost, the overrun, the mega-cost, and beyond the aesthetic, ethical, and practical dilemmas (because…
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The Decline of Architectural Mastery
In recent months, I’ve visited various mining sites across Asturias, and every time I stood before one, I felt a deep sense of respect and admiration. Their towering headframes captivate you with their intricate structures, it’s hard to look away. I think of them as portals to other worlds, like a Stargate of the industrial era, though unlike the film, this one leads to the deepest darkness. The miners who worked there are the true embodiment of human endurance and the capacity to push physical limits. Those people were made of something else entirely. Some of these sites are exceptionally…
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Goat’s Gaze
There are looks that seduce, and looks that kill. I’m not quite sure which one this goat was giving me. In any case, I truly appreciate that it bothered to show even the slightest interest, since animals in the countryside often greet you with absolute indifference. Goats, while not quite on the level of donkeys, are naturally curious, and interacting with them is relatively easy. This is one of those photos born from sheer chance. At the entrance of a nearby village, I was heading toward a railway bridge that promised a good shot, and to be fair, it delivered,…
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Discovering the Winemaking Hobbiton
Those of you who live in wine regions are probably used to seeing this kind of construction, but for a northerner like me, where we raise barnacles and enjoy great seafood, coming across these structures embedded into a hillside was more than surprising (my ignorance truly knows no bounds!). When I arrived in Valdevimbre and noticed those little chimneys poking out of the ground, I felt like I’d stumbled into Hobbiton. Granted, they don’t have the round doors of the friendly hobbits’ homes, but otherwise, they’re quite similar. Despite their simplicity and ruggedness, which reflect a purely functional, rather than…
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Personal Story
One of the most charming and historically rich parishes in Asturias is Bandujo, located about 37 kilometers south of Oviedo. It’s accessed via a series of mountain roads, a winding route that must be a joy for motorcyclists. By car, it can feel a bit tedious, but the effort is well worth it. The little village is incredibly picturesque, with its stone houses and medieval aesthetic, which goes beyond appearances, as its history and roots truly date back to that era. The Tuñón Tower, part of what is known as “El Palacio,” is one of its main landmarks. Originally a…
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The Wary Stork
The Ruta de la Plata is still on my list, and as soon as I get the chance, I’ll give it the time it truly deserves. For now, the most I’ve managed as a kind of preview was to drive a few dozen kilometers, heading down from Gijón past León, like a movie trailer before the actual film. It left me craving more, eager to cruise endlessly down the legendary N-630 without rush or schedule. The photo I’m sharing today was taken right by that road. After passing León and continuing for a few kilometers through consistently flat but detail-rich…
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Beautiful Decay
Almost everyone has a kind of fetish object, something that sparks an inexplicable attraction. For me, that happens when I see a caravan, especially if it’s been around for a while and its travels have left a patina (a very elegant way of saying wear and a considerable layer of grime). That’s exactly what happened as I was crossing Asturias on the N-634, lost in thought (you don’t need another lens, you don’t need another lens…) and enjoying the landscape. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash, a hidden gem tucked beneath a bridge. As a…
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The Spanish Wild West
I’ll admit this photograph is incredibly typical, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Castildetierra, in the Bardenas Reales, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Spain, and for good reason. This peculiar desert landscape in Navarra transports you straight into the kind of Western films we all carry in our memory, without even having to board a plane. Surrounded by bizarre formations sculpted from clay by erosion, with sparse shrub vegetation and an endless horizon, the experience is unforgettable. It doesn’t matter if it’s a popular tourist spot, trendy, or teeming with people, you simply can’t miss…
