Ballesteros de Calatrava, Spain

Driving through rural Spain can not be overestimated. I’ve been fortunate to make several trips through the countryside by car. Each of them took different paths, revealing parts of the country that are definitely not on the tourist agenda. One such place was a small town named Ballesteros de Calatrava. There is a castle there, perched high on a small mountain. Here’s a look.

This place is straight from the Templer Knight playbook on how to let people know you’re a serious feudal lord. It’s mostly ruins now, but well worth the stop. The drive up the hill takes about 10 minutes because the road is rough and narrow. When you get to the top, however, this is your view:

You can see why they built the castle up there. The commanding view of the surrounding valleys left no chance for any army passing by unnoticed. Of course, then the Templers would be on the march, heading out to break some skulls.

My wife and I stayed at a fantastic hotel in Ballesteros called the Palacio de la Serna. I highly recommend this hotel and its restaurant. Every room is different, every meal excellent. It is owned by an artist who uses some of the outbuildings as his workshops. Thus, you have the benefit of seeing his work, both finished and in progress. It may not be on the itinerary for your first or second visit to Spain. Nonetheless find the time to get there. You won’t be disappointed.

Published in: on September 13, 2008 at 2:08 pm  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Plaza Mayor, Madrid

The Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain, is a fun place. The photo below is your basic tourist shot. No matter, it would take dozens of photos to document the area.

At street level, there are a wide variety of shops selling everything from old stamps, to hats, to post cards. There’s also a number of restaurants that put their tables in the plaza. Many of these are very good and should not be overlooked. Just a few streets away, you’ll find more restaurants and shops as this area is still the heart of the “old city.” On Sunday mornings, stamp and coin collectors set up their tables under the cloister around the edge of the plaza. I’ve seen some amazing old stamps, stock certificates, and coins on these days. That type of market gives a deeper glimpse into the culture of a place like Madrid.

Last but not least, take a look at that blue sky. It’s one of the simple, and yet stunningly beautiful, things about Spain.

Published in: on September 10, 2008 at 2:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , ,

Hamilton, Bermuda, 1911

It was Mark Twain who said, “You die and go to heaven, I’ll stay here in Bermuda.” He might have been on to something. Of course I love the island of Aruba, which is a more raucous place than the more dignified Bermuda. Still, I appreciate the difference and have enjoyed several visits to Bermuda in my travels. So it was that I found this old photograph of Hamilton in the archives at the Library of Congress, where regular readers of this blog know I scour up some good finds now and then.

This photo was taken in 1911. My how things have changed! You don’t see any cruise ships in the harbor. Plenty of small buildings, the scale of which seems appropriate to a place like Bermuda. I can’t be certain, however, I think I was in that church on left side of the frame. Back in my days of photography that used film, I made some images of the stained glass windows there.

This photo is also a time capsule of sorts. It shows us what was, which can then be compared to what is today. It might also give us a glimpse of the future or at least a sense of the trend of things to come. I hope people take the time to print their digital photographs. If for no other reason, someday someone will find them and be able to do what I’ve been doing with these photos from the Library of Congress: Take a look at the past. One of my fears is that all the digital photos we take will be stored (invisibly) on a chip or CD or some other media that will become inaccessible. As the computer industry changes, compatibility is always a problem.

The best thing to do is print the good ones, and a few of the not so good ones as well. Hey, you never know. Some guy may be writing a blog or a novel and use your pictures as source material. If you’re really lucky, they’ll end up in the Library of Congress.

Published in: on September 8, 2008 at 12:23 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Signpost in the Sand

This signpost stands on the edge of Palm Beach, Aruba, on the promenade by the Radisson Hotel. Check out all those places and distances. Maybe your home city is on there.

This post actually reminded me of the one that was frequently seen in episodes of MASH. I used to watch that show years ago. I remember the last episode and the one where the colonel died. They were poignant to say the least. These days I don’t watch much television so I don’t know if there is a comparable show on. For one thing, I despise these make-believe reality shows. Once in a while I’ll view pieces of the ones on Discovery like Deadliest Catch or Ice Road Truckers. Still, too much is over-dramatized. Please, there’s enough drama in the real world. You want to impress me, make me laugh. That’s a tough assignment.

Back to the signpost. It’d be nice if there were such things in life to point you in the right direction. Maybe there are. I can remember people giving me very good advice along the way (not that I always listened or heeded it). There are things like graduation ceremonies, promotions, demotions, epiphanies, and revelations. These are signposts of a certain kind. They mark a beginning or an end, deny or permit passage on to the next stage of life.

Perhaps the key is not so much to be looking for the sign, but rather to interpret it correctly when you find it. Believe it or not, there’s plenty of wisdom out there to be had. It comes in all forms from the Bible to your grandfather’s remarks. The question is, what do you do with it? What is important and what isn’t? That’s a more difficult assignment than the first one. And the trouble is, life keeps moving while you’re standing there contemplating your next move. There’s no “pause” button, no “rewind,” and certainly no “undo” function. Or maybe there is. After all, people reinvent themselves all the time. It takes courage and willpower to go down the right or wrong road and then make another turn without knowing exactly what the destination will be. The only thing that’s for certain is that it will be different. Whatever the case, it’s better than standing at the curb while the world passes by.

Published in: on September 4, 2008 at 10:52 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »