Las montañas, Castilla y León, Spain.

After the grandeur of Las Médulas, we had to do a relatively long drive through quite different scenery. It changed from lush green verdant valleys full of vines, fruit and nut trees to an area much drier, but still mountainous. It looks green from afar, but up close and personal it is quite dry. Our host of our bed and breakfast told us that it had been a very dry spring/summer period and she was a little worried about fires and the impact on the wine grapes and fruit trees in the area. It was evident in how dry the place was when looking at rivers and garden beds. What will the future of this part of Spain be?

After leaving our accommodation we wanted to visit a local castle, but like many things in Spain it was open at 10, we were there like good corporate workers at 830.... so off we went on the road.

Yes, it's looking dry, there was also evidence, in some parts, of fires that had gone through this valley. I couldn't tell how recent they were though.

After a few hours of driving we really hit the mountains, and the villages were very pretty here. Unfortunately, when we stopped off for some soup and a wine, as our "fuel" for the afternoon, we didn't take the camera in. It was a shame as the small bar had an amazing view of the mountains, even funnier was no one was paying attention as Celta Vigo was on the TV.

Looking quite jagged but cool.

This little church was only a few hundred years old, and now in a place next to rock climbing cliff faces, all mapped out below with routes to climb.

This bridge reminded me of the Świętokrzyski bridge here in Warsaw.

I really like this photo.

A village that was once thriving, then underwater, and not exposed again due to the dry period I mentioned earlier.

Ourense, Galicia, Spain.

Ourense, is a quaint little town, we decided to stop off here on the chance that we would find something to eat. In the end we weren't quite on time to meet the lunch time hours. So, we had a glass of wine and some tapas in a lovely little bar on the central square, walked to the river and then tried to get out of town, that was indeed a challenge. It is a town full of crazy one way streets.

A sparkling rose and a glass of local red.

oh really?

A quaint little shopping arcade.

Photo number 7 million of food.

Once you leave Santiago the "Tarta de Santiago" becomes a normal old "almond tart".

Time for a diet for this statue, maybe a few less almond tarts......

The Ponte Vella (oldest river in town) over the river Miño which flows towards Portugal and then becomes the border between the two countries.

Magical Muros, Galicia, Spain.

Stopping off along the coast we visited the coolest looking lighthouse, in fact I would love to buy it and make it into a B&B. All I need is someone in the Spanish government to read this and get in contact! Please.

Faro De Lariño is next to a beautiful surfing beach and an old football field, at the end of a quiet street. Since the early 2000s lighthouses in Spain have been unmanned, there have even been a couple that have been "leased" to people to start some kind of business. There are of course limitations, and it doesn't appear it would make you a fortune, but I couldn't imagine much cooler than living in a lighthouse on the coast of death in Galicia. Architecturally I like the simplicity and balance, business wise I like the flexibilities and possibilities here.

Maybe we could even have a star wars themed football team?

Stopping in Muros the market had just closed, but it looks cool.

So, with no market to see, we popped into a restaurant to get our cups of wine.

And some baby clams in butter and white wine.

Some baby squid.

All the other things I could eat, maybe?

I love this juxtaposition of crazy 70s tiles, moss and ferns.

The calm Muros harbour.

Praia das Catedrais (Augas Santas), Galicia, Spain.

Wow, just wow. Our first night entering Galicia is staying near Praia das Catedrais (Augas Santas). It is an amazing place, and somewhere I must apologise for. The reason to say sorry, is because it is so difficult to limit yourself with photos there. Especially as an old photographing Geologist, rock formations are always attractive.

Allow me to explain; to gain the best access to the beaches you need to be there just before, during and after low tide, as high tide makes it very difficult to walk along and see the structures. Also, the water can be a touch chilly in the beginning of Autumn. You need to organise yourself early and apply online for an access pass to the beach as it is a national park, and they can have restrictions of numbers. You can do it on the day, but being around the tides means it is hard to get the timing right if lots of other people are also trying to gain access. Also, they may have reached their limit for that session.

I took nearly 150 photographs in the 2.5 hours we spent in the area. It doesn't sound like many when you look at how many selfies people are taking. But, I do try to limit my snaps, to make them easier to process later, to think about the quality of each photograph and also so that I can actually enjoy being where I am. I have to admit, I must be getting old, as I really cannot understand why people need so many selfies. Why do people now have to put themselves into the beauty of the landscape when photographing things? To me, I could happily never see a photograph of myself as long as I had some beautiful photos and memories of a location. The place is what draws me there, not the fact that I need to remind myself I was there.

So, in relation to the volume of photos, I was able to narrow it down to 39.... yeah, sorry, it is still a lot. But the light was amazing and the scenery fantastic. I totally recommend it.

The absolutely gorgeous coastal heath colours and contrast to the sky.

The geological obsession starts again.

When you sprain your ankle earlier in the day, the cool waters of the Bay of Biscay can help.

Layer cake

A fractured relationship

Soft and hard

Follow the light

One of the arches carved by waves

This weirdo kept touching the seaweeds, molluscs, rocks, you name it, he touched it.

Not got the mussels for it?

Flipper lady?

Is it just me, or does this light create the shape of an overweight gendarme in profile?

Human crab lady thing

In comes the tide, down goes the sun.

Holdfast, my friend. A kelpish foot

Bodies above

Photo of a photo of a photo. She was taking a photo of the couple taking a selfie and I took  one of her!

What better way to finish the day than with a glass of Galician red and a plate of Pimientos de Padron. A great Galician tapa.