Stone faces

I left something in that island, that I still haven't managed to get back... Even if since then I've covered thousands of miles looking for it. Must have fallen into the ocean. Maybe those Rapa Nui guys knew better than us and knew that looking in was always wiser than looking out...

I'm heading to...

Today, I was going to post a Central Europe pic which I found very 'artistic' and then I thought... isn't it boring? And went to my archives and looked for Tulum instead. After all, that's the place I can't wait to go to. Only... 2 more days!

PD.- Yes, I know, beach pictures overdose in this blog these days...

Moai

The first moai I got to see at Easter Island. Moais are the one and only claim to fame for this little island in the middle of nowhere (literally). Funny enough all moais look inland, not outland. Which I'm not sure I understood, as if I where living in such a tiny place... I'd probably want to set my eyes somewhere offshore...

Jokes aside, I hold a soft spot for this island. It is an special place for me.

You can never have enough sunsets...

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.

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!

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.

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

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...

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!

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.

Tulum ruins at sunset

Trying out my new Nikon D300 and 18-200 zoom lens, at sunset in Tulum. Still playing with my new equipment, and very happy with the results so far.