There weren't any railings or gates up the stairs or on the platform at the top--kind of freaky.
I got a bit more daring.
Crests repeated along the inside walls--stark contrast to the decadent cathedrals and such I've seen.
Outside the preromanic Santa Maria del Naranco
This reflection fascinated me. I can't quite figure out how it happened because it wasn't actually visible, only something the camera picked up.
This is the same opening as I captured on the outside.
Not really that good of pictures, but it's just so neat.
Outside of Santa Maria. overlooking the capital of Asturias, Oviedo.
Whole view of Santa Maria del Naranco. Impressive that they had two floors so many hundreds of years ago.
Cathedral de Oviedo.
Plaza de Fontane in Oviedo. A cement park swarmed with little kids. Looks like she's tattling.
This was just cool looking.
Brilliant colors of night exposures in Ribadesella. That's the Cantabrian Sea.
View from the pathway directly in front of our albergue in Ribadesella the first night.
Our first instinct when we saw the sea--remove the shoes and get in.
Early morning worship of the sea.
The tide was pretty high the first morning.
Early morning surf anyone?
The water must have been about 2 feet deep.
Waiting for the Caves to open. We all bought blue ponchas, in anticipation of a canoeing trip in the rain.
Watching the lightening.
Super over-exposed, but it gives you an idea of the outfits we got to wear and thank goodness for them or we would've been miserable.
The sun came out after we saw the caves and we went on el Desenso de Ribadesella where we met some other canoe-ers and a few horses at our lunch break spot.
All the mountains that lined the river were like that one.
Ribadesella.
Broader view of the town. There was almost an island in the center where we were staying. Our albergue was one or two buildings to the right (outside the frame)
Now you can see our albergue--it's the orange-yellow one a bit to the right of the center. I told you it was right next to the shore.
Canons on the top of the hill. I think it was a strategic port at one point.
We climbed up that hill by the water from a few shots back to watch the sunset. View of the rocks from above in the sea.
Hermit used to live at the top of the hill in this place. The moon!
Sunsetting.
At least the clouds are neat.
http://www.asturiassalada.com/cpg1410/thumbnails.php?album=113 for the full set of pictures by Mingote describing the history of Ribadesella with these tile murals along a walkway in town. I really liked them.
These platano trees, supposedly from the Americas, are gnarly and without leaves right now, very Tim Burton-esque.
Sunday morning (last day) beach shoot.
Crooked because my camera is resting on the rocks.
Now we're straight.
Sea glass.
If only I were that tall.
Now we're in Leon on Palm Sunday. The palms were pretty neat.
Basilica of San Isidoro (hence, that's San Isidoro). Romanesque style.
Pantheon Real of the Basilica in the reflection.
See? Sweet palms. There were some plain straight ones, but then they were still neat because they were about 2.5 meters long and carried in a layered bunch.
Gorgeous, gothic church in Leon. Services were going on so we couldn't see everything inside, but the stain glass was fabulous.
Gypsies (I think) were selling balloons and they would just walk down the street against all the wind with these things waving everywhere. Some had them attached to strollers to keep from flying away.
Leon=Lion and there's a whole week dedicated to Easter in Spain called 'Semana Santa'
Floppy little dog.
Trying out the 'shooting from the hip' technique my friend just taught me. Worked ok, I think.
Stolen from Tracy.
Our class outside the preromanic temple. Stolen from Julie.
Also stolen from Julie--front and center.
Our professor, Beatriz, showing us the cookies she got that are called some “inappropriate word” of professors.
The machine for serving the cider. Stolen from Eileen.
Serving cider. Stolen from Tracy.
Serving cider. Stolen from Eileen.
