Nina and Pascal's Wedding in Tuscany

This picture beautifully summarize those days we got to share with Nina and Pascal in Tuscany. It was the most unusual wedding I've been too. And the sweetest too! It was crazy, good crazy, to reunite us all at a borgo near Siena for 3 days to celebrate the happy union of these two wonderful friends.

We got to explore the countryside together, to enjoy the many flavors of the local cuisine (I still miss that prosecco!), and to see again friends that now live far away from us, in places such as Switzerland, Argentina or Brazil. And of course to celebrate!

I also had the chance to take some wedding pictures too. I remember well how little I used to like to take wedding pictures, as for quite sometime, while at college, weddings were my main source of income. But I did enjoy to portrait Nina and Pascal. And this picture brings good memories and a big smile to.

All the best for you my friends.

Cenote diving

It's becoming a tradition. After each bicycle ride we end up swimming in a cenote. This time, last Saturday, it was underground, deep underground, and Mario ended up using his diving gear looking for a non-existent entrance to the great underworld.....

Spring

I received an email from Ivan last Sunday. He wrote about Germany, about going to London, about his plans... and about Spring. He was saying something I always say about Northern Europe and Spring: How you can clearly tell when Spring has finally arrived.

There is a day. A day in which the sun is shinning and everybody is smiling. A day in which you break away from winter and start feeling different. A kind of rebirth after winter. Everybody hit the streets, lay on the sun, sit down outside the pub with a beer... and girls change their clothes and their expressions to the point that you barely recognize them any longer.

For a southern soul it's all pretty amazing to contemplate for the 1st time...

My 1st "real" spring day was in 1999, St. Patrick's Day, in London. The day I took this picture. The day I took Valerie's pictures as well.

I woke up early today. I was reading something from Kyoichi Katayama, looked out of my window and saw that our garden tree is finally blossoming. And thought about Ivan's email. And thought about you too...

Postcard to Jessica

I'm not a big fan of "postcard" images. In fact I actively try not to take that kind of pictures, and if I can't resist it and end up doing it, I try not to display them. What could be more "touristic" than a view of the Alhambra from San Nicolas? I guess only a view of San Marco in Venice...

But, Jessica asked me to send her a postcard from Granada, so here we are! Also yesterday was the day my "cofradia" hit the streets of my town... I hate not being there for Semana Santa and to miss the parade once again. But I guess that's the price you've to pay for living on the wrong side of the Atlantic ;)

Happy Monday everyone!

Porra de Tacubaya

"Porra" is the Mexican name for a group of supporters that get together, use the same colors, and cheers for the same team, or fighter like in this case.

Another picture from the Arena Mexico. Of this one I like the warm lighting, the texture and the fans expressions when their guy lost his combat...

Sunset door

A last ray of sun caresses an ancient door at La Estancia. A beautiful restaurant in Cuernavaca, Morelos, not too far from Mexico City.

A beautiful afternoon and eve.

Sometimes, a glorious spring evening it's all a dream is worth.

Lucha Libre!

At the Arena Mexico, a couple of weeks ago. They don't allow anyone to take pictures, so I had to sneak this one. I was really moved by the entire atmosphere of the place. Can't really be described with words... It was my first visit, I'd to wait a long time before finally convincing my friends to go.

Have been thinking about doing something in the Arena. The place and the people are amazing. Would fit nicely on the exhibition about Mexico that I'm currently working on. Now all I need is to get a permit to get in there with my Nikon!

It has been a crazy month of March. Way too intense. Too much work too and no sight of slowing down.

Tulum's Moon

On a January eve, just after sunset. It's amazing what you can do with a handheld little digital camera these days... No teleconverter, or tripod, or postprocessing. Just a well worn Canon G7, in Manual Mode.

With crystal clear skies, Tulum is one of the best places on Earth to contemplate a full moon.

Albaicin, a window

I had forgotten how beautiful the Albaicin was, how full of little details, corners, passages, trees, towers, churches, plazas... is. Every little thing is in harmony with its surroundings. I guess that's why I love Yucatan so much. Something, a deep sense of beauty, of equilibrium, is present here as well.

And yes, I have something about windows...

That angel at the top of Granada's Cathedral

This is my first post in a while. In the meantime I've been to Mexico DF and back to Spain to meet my newly born nephew and attending my dad's birthday... Not to mention a very hectic period at work.

But I'm back and reloded.

More pictures to follow soon!

PD.- The image is of St. Michael the Archangel

Fellow travelers

A happy picture! We met fellow travelers Betina and Joel in Izamal. I went there with Ros and Frank on our way back from Rio Lagartos (as these two are avid birdwatchers), and we all stayed at the Green River. A little hotel with a lavish garden and charming staff (Francis is most helpful), I very much recommend it for its reasonable price and relaxed atmosphere. Rooms are a little past their best, but they're currently working on them.

Joel was not only a fellow traveler, but a keen tennis player and a certified car nut too, proud owner of a fab Mercedes 280 SL (Pagoda). So I could only but like him. We all shared lunch at the unique Restaurante Kinich (Bruce's eatery of choice when visiting these latitudes), and I helped them to find a hotel in Puerto Morelos. As I haven't heard back from them, I'm fearing that they didn't survive the treacherous drive through the storm... or that they completely hated the hotel I booked for them.

It's always cool when you meet nice people like them when you're on the road. Traveling is the single best thing in life.

Dia de la Candelaria

One of last weekend's faces... I love the colors and the expression. Izamal was celebrating the festivity of the Candelaria, and she was part of the parade that arrived to the monastery.

Rio Lagartos

I know, I have quite a soft spot for pelicans. And I find this image particularly charming for some reason.

On Sunday I took Frank and Ros to Rio Lagartos, for a boat ride and some bird watching. We got to see the flamingos, although from a considerable distance, and many other species.

It was a lovely afternoon spent by the sea...

Inca girls

After all the (unfair) criticism that Sebastiao Salgado received for his Refugee Children book and exhibition, I don't feel that comfortable exhibiting pictures of children. This one I took in Peru over 2 years ago, and for that same reason, I still haven't publish it.

Innocence is lost forever it seems. At least in the eyes of way too many beholders. Fortunately not in the smiles of these charming little Inca girls.

Henri Cartier-Bresson Interview

We all have a hero, somebody that inspires us, somebody we'd like to be. For me, and for thousands of photographers around the world, this person is Henri Cartier-Bresson.

He invented photojournalism as we now know it. We all are Henri's children in a sense, and even so he remained a remarkably subdued figure during all his life. Always refusing to appear in public or being photographed.

That's why when I discovered this one hour long interview I was so thrilled. To being able to see inside this giant of a man, it's a very privileged thing.

A wonderful interview by Charlie Rose, with the most enthusiastic introduction by Richard Avedon (another master). Don't miss it. It'll be your best spent hour ever.

Winged Warrior

This is a well known sculpture at Ek Balam.

However impressive as it is on the outside, it's the inside of Utik Kan Le'k Tok' tomb what it's set to change many of the views that we currently hold about Mayan culture.

Little has been published about what the archeologists have found, but expectations are pretty high. Much has been said about Ek Balam, but little is known for sure as it's a relatively new archeological site. Works only started in the mid-eighties, and 2 big structures have not been excavated yet.

This impressive winged warrior is one of the tomb's guardians. The entrance to the tomb is guarded by Kukulcan's fauces and it's meant to be an entrance to the underworld, probably used for initiation rites.

Today I met with Mario for the 1st time in months... Our Mayan project it may still have a future. More to come!

The Albaicin at sunrise

Cold January Day

Yesterday it was as cold as it will ever get around here... it really was chilly. Yet these kids were having a great time and didn't seem to be worried by the very cold sea water.

Went to Puerto Morelos for a fish meal and tequila (it was way too cold for beer). That pretty little place never fails to make me feel good.

This week...

...that rain never seems to stop... I can't wait for a bit of sun to get out, stretch my legs, and take some sunny pictures. It's even cold down here! And I miss the pelicans!

What the duck...

It's not that I don't have any new pictures to show... but yesterday I bought my 3rd external hard drive... and yes! space is becoming an issue.

Also my little homage to Aaron Johnson and his great WTD comic strip (see more at http://www.whattheduck.net).

More Ek Balam...

This is the Oval Palace at Ek Balam, as seen from the main pyramid. The fact that this building has an oval back, tells us about its Peten (Guatemalan) influence. Another peculiarity of this city is that it has strong defensive walls, unlike most Mayan towns. Quite remarkable too are their cisterns to preserve rain water. One of the theories about the Mayan demise it's actually that they suffered a very severe drought and its consequential scarcity of food...

Whatever the reasons are behind Ek Balam's architecture, the real truth is that this is a very special place.

It was a beautiful afternoon spent driving, walking, taking pictures... Today I went to change my truck's internal fluids and filters, as I can't wait to hit the road again and wanted to have a hassle free ride. Bronco is at 120,000 miles and never missing a beat. What is it with men and their old vehicles? Why do we get so attached to them?

Bronco Days

Yesterday I took my big and old truck and went for a long drive to Ek Balam, a Mayan site close to Temozon (around 20 miles from Valladolid and a 330 miles drive all in all).

This is one of my favorite archaeological sites as it's a pretty compact, and normally deserted (although yesterday the parking lot was full). It has some of the most impressive, and unusual, sculptures ever found in Yucatan (including winged warriors). Most puzzling are the hieroglyphics that can be found at the entrance of Utik Kan Le'k Tok' tomb, by looking at them you'd believe that you were somewhere in Egypt or the British Museum, not Yucatan...

After 4 hours and a hundred pictures I headed to the little Mayan community of the same name, that it's located just up the road from the site. I wanted to see if they could fit in my photography project, and was also curious to meet those crazy Italians that had decided to open up a restaurant and a hotel in the middle of that wilderness ("Dolcemente Ek Balam" it's called the place).

The Mayans and the Italian food proved disappointing (it was a rather sad Mayan community and the restaurant, ended up being one of those places run by people who prior coming to Mexico had never cooked anything), but the hotel was cute with well looked after grounds and clean rooms (but executed in a motel kind of style, without the boutique feeling that I was expecting). At least the meal was inexpensive.

On the way back it occurred to me that this was my first (non-business related) solo trip since I live in Mexico. I've done loads of leisure trips here, but always with friends. Next weekend will be the second, with a scheduled weekend trip to Yaxuna's Mayan community already on the books. That one should be exciting, it's one of the few Mayan sites that I haven't seen yet.

New Year's Eve in Playa del Carmen.

And first picture of 09. A kind of Mayan Riviera Times Square, but with no clock on sight to kick the year off... it was funny to see how each little group of people decided to start their celebrations at different times...

Happy 2009!