Avilla, Spain. Near Segovia, this town has some small but
magnificent gardens, and also boasts the only intact medieval town
wall left in Spain. No other old town wall in the country still runs
continuously around the city.
magnificent gardens, and also boasts the only intact medieval town
wall left in Spain. No other old town wall in the country still runs
continuously around the city.
Arcos de la Frontera (translates as the "Gateway to the Frontier").
The ancient Spanish used to build their towns on these spectacular
cliffs to make them more easily defensible.
The ancient Spanish used to build their towns on these spectacular
cliffs to make them more easily defensible.
Dawn breaks over the Naval
Station Rota flight line. (These are
not clickable links.)
Station Rota flight line. (These are
not clickable links.)
Paragliders sailing over the frontiers near
Algodonoldes, one of the most beautiful places in
Andalucia. The near-constant winds in this
mountainous country make paragliding and hang
gliding popular sports. At right Michael, one of
my lifelong best friends, flies gently over the
farms.
Algodonoldes, one of the most beautiful places in
Andalucia. The near-constant winds in this
mountainous country make paragliding and hang
gliding popular sports. At right Michael, one of
my lifelong best friends, flies gently over the
farms.
Ronda is a small town about three hours from Rota. Ronda sits astride a deep,
steep-walled gorge through which flows the river that acts as the city's water
supply. The town's cathedral, the Sandra Maria la Mayour, is built with over 12
different styles of architecture and houses some superb chandeliers. The site
originally housed a Roman temple, probably to Zeus, and later was a Christian
church. During the Moorish rule the church was converted to a mosque. After
the Moors were driven out the mosque was turned back into a church.
Somewhere in this structure is one archway left over from that mosque to have
survived the nearly ten centuries of renovations and expansion.
The gorge is spanned by the "Puenta Neuve" (New Bridge...of course it was
named that centuries ago when it was built). Like many old Euopean towns, one
can have a sense of double vision when seeing the modern cars rolling along the
ancient roadway on the medieval wall through the Felix V gate towards the Iglesia
Espirtu Santo (Church of the Holy Spirit).
steep-walled gorge through which flows the river that acts as the city's water
supply. The town's cathedral, the Sandra Maria la Mayour, is built with over 12
different styles of architecture and houses some superb chandeliers. The site
originally housed a Roman temple, probably to Zeus, and later was a Christian
church. During the Moorish rule the church was converted to a mosque. After
the Moors were driven out the mosque was turned back into a church.
Somewhere in this structure is one archway left over from that mosque to have
survived the nearly ten centuries of renovations and expansion.
The gorge is spanned by the "Puenta Neuve" (New Bridge...of course it was
named that centuries ago when it was built). Like many old Euopean towns, one
can have a sense of double vision when seeing the modern cars rolling along the
ancient roadway on the medieval wall through the Felix V gate towards the Iglesia
Espirtu Santo (Church of the Holy Spirit).
Looking west from Rota. 5.000 miles over the horizon seen
here the United States and the rest of the Americas lie across
the ocean, just as they did in 1492 when Columbus
accidentally opened the age of European exploration.
here the United States and the rest of the Americas lie across
the ocean, just as they did in 1492 when Columbus
accidentally opened the age of European exploration.
