Month: July 2015

Gorge of the Gaitanes

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El Chorro, or “the spurt”, lies an hour outside of Malaga, southern Spain.  Once a destination for 20th century miners, turned into a haven for adrenaline-seeking hikers.  What was once the miner’s footpath, the “Caminito del Rey,” became a decrepit series of railed walkways, leading to several deaths and the trail’s full closure. The boardwalk has been completed renovated as of 2015, so the fainter-hearted hiker like myself is now able to experience the beauty of the gorge.

Ronda’s Puente Nuevo

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Only in Europe would a bridge constructed in 1793 be considered a “new bridge.” The town of Ronda is constructed on the edges of the cliffs of El Tajo. Three bridges join the different parts of the town, plunging deep into the canyon. At night, the Puente Nuevo is lit up from below, creating one of the most scenic views I have ever had a pleasure of seeing while drinking wine on our B&B’s terrace, the Andalusian mountains in the background, the buildings perched on the ledges of El Tajo in the foreground.  

The Penyal d’Ifach

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In the province of Valencia on the Costa Blanca is the touristic town of Calp, visited not only for its long stretch of beaches but also for the iconic Penyal d’Ifach, a massive limestone outcrop emerging from the sea and linked to the shore by rocks. It is often compared to its southern counterpart, the Rock of Gibraltar, and is 332 metres high. You can hike up the Penyal d’Ifach thanks to a tunnel carved into the rock, though the steep cliff face and narrow pathway proves intimidating to some, as are the aggressive birds during nesting season.  I chose instead to capture the rock from below, where it rises from the Mediterranean Sea, sheltering and protecting the town below.

The Jagged Mountain of Montserrat

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50 kilometres west of Barcelona lies the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, nestled high up on the Montserrat mountain. The mountain cuts into the skyline like a handsaw.  In Catalan, Montserrat literally means “serrated mountain.” Funicular trains and hiking trails take you all around the imposing mountain,  once said according to Arthurian legend to be the site of the Holy Grail.  But for me, it is more of a holy grail of a view.