Madrid on the Rebound

Smooth Jazz meets Fussy Monument : Parque del Retiro : Madrid, ES

Coming home from Fuerteventura, we overnighted once again in Madrid. We were too tired to go out the evening we arrived, but the next morning we went out for a couple of hours and visited the Parque del Retiro.

Real meets Imagined : Parque del Retiro : Madrid, ES

The walkways all feature names of countries in South and Central America. It was quite lovely and featured some unique art pieces and monuments. To see photos in the park, go here.

Clean meets Dirty (or, Window Washers in Silhouette) : Palacio del Cristal :
Parque del Retiro : Madrid, ES

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

100 Friends and Family : Fuerteventura Edition

Jan-Peter and Christa

Maya's uncle, Jan-Peter, and his wife, Christa, are originally from Germany. They're now retired and, based on a vacation taken long, long ago to the Canary Islands, have settled in permanently. Jan was an architect and engineer and Christa spent time in the theater and as a photographer. They were lovely hosts and we enjoyed staying with them!

Felix on the Sand Dunes near Corralejo

Jan-Peter and Christa at home with Candy

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part VII

Hernandez : Tuineje

Just some last, miscellaneous photos from around the island of Fuertaventura...

Laundry : Tuineje

Fixer-Upper : Tuineje

Oxidation : Tuineje

Fly over : Corralejo

To see more photos, go to my Picasa Web Album for Fuertaventura.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part VI + Post #300

 Felix

Some of Tuineje's animal life: Jan and Christa have two dogs named Felix and Candy. Their neighbors have donkeys. I don't know the donkeys' names, but they all sure were cute!

On a seemingly unrelated note, if I'm reading Blogger correctly, this is my 300th post on The F-Stops Here... and my 1,100th post as a member of the City Daily Photo community. (I clocked 800 posts on my former blog, D.C. Confidential.) Hm. I think this might be cause for a party!

Refusal

"I can hear you looking at me!"

Gentle giant

Candy

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part V

Triumphant

Some of the plant life to be found around Tuineje...

Cactus and Windmill

Platter of Prickly Pear

Date Tree

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part IV

 Weathered

Doors and windows on buildings and homes in Tuineje, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain.

Also, a note of congratulations to friend Peter in Paris whose photo blog, Peter's Paris, was chosen by Blogger last Friday as a blog of note. If you have a chance to visit Paris, Peter is a lovely guide. Last summer, several of us had the opportunity to meet up with him in the City of Lights and enjoyed a day of wonderful photography and backstreet touristing with this gentle giant. In fact, here's a great photo of Peter and Virginia at the top of the Sacre Coeur. Congrats, Peter!

 Shut Out

 Rainbow

 Shadows of O'Keefe

Red Rock Original

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part III

 O'Keefe : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Mountain shots today...

LOS : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

 Curvaceous :  Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Unbearable Lightness : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part II

Western sand dunes : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Jan and Christa and their dogs, Felix and Candy, often go for long walks out to the coast. They took us on one such walk our first full day on the island.

Sand and sea : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Volcanic rock and sea sand : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Fuerteventura was once covered in active volcanoes, which explains the mix of sand from the sea and volcanic rock from the island combining to make these dunes. Here are a few photos of Fuerteventura's west coast.

The Blues : Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Fuerteventura : Part I

No. 19 (Vertical) : Tuineje, Feurteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

I'm not 100% sure what I was expecting when the subject of a vacation in the Canary Islands came up. I think I had something akin to Greece and the Mediterranean or something similar in mind. Fuerteventura was none of that. That's not to say this vacation was a disappointment. Rather, it was a pleasant surprise.

 Circles in Ocean Blue : Tuineje, Feurteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

We stayed in the town of Tuineje with Maya's uncle, Jan-Peter, and his wife, Christa. The topography of Fuerteventura is similar to the U.S. desert southwest, but with a coast. The next few days will feature photos from this unique island off the west coast of Africa.

Today's photos, taken a week ago, feature shots from around the town of Tuineje.

No. 19 (Horizontal) : Tuineje, Feurteventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Catedral de la Almudena

Colorful ceilings and domes : Catedral de la Almudena : Madrid, ES

I love shooting churches and cathedrals and I've shot a lot of them as a photographer. From Notre Dame in Paris to the Abbey at Bellelay in Switzerland, from the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to the Mormon Temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, religious edifices fascinate me.

Contemporary stained glass : Catedral de la Almudena : Madrid, ES

The Santa Iglesia Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena, though, has to be hands down the most beautiful cathedral I have ever photographed. I'll let the photos and the slideshow (see below) speak for themselves.

Filli : Catedral de la Almudena : Madrid, ES

Organ : Catedral de la Almudena : Madrid, ES

... Slideshow ...

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Madrid! Redux

Metropolis : Gran Via : Madrid, ES

The next day, we had a little time before our flight to Fuertaventura, so we went out again to take pictures of Madrid in better daylight. Here are a few more.

Fallen : Madrid, ES

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

100 Unnamed Strangers: Arriba!

Mariachi : Puerta del Sol : Madrid, ES

October 12 is a holiday in Spain: Columbus Day. Yes, that Columbus. They, too, celebrate Columbus' discovery of the Americas. This mariachi, representing Mexico no doubt, was playing with his compatriots in the Puerta del Sol. I was fortunate that he looked right at my camera when I shot this. To see additional shots of some of Madrid's people, go here.

Watchful : Near the Plaza Mayor : Madrid, ES

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10

Madrid!

Madrid's heraldic symbols, a bear and a madrona tree :
Puerta del Sol : Madrid, ES

I have photos from Bern, Switzerland, to post yet, but I'm going to break from that to post photos of my recent vacation to Madrid and the Canary Islands. Madrid is Spain's capital and the Canaries belong to Spain. Maya and I went to the island of Fuertaventura for about five days and visited her uncle, Jan-Peter, and his wife, Christa. But first: Madrid! These shots were taken in the evening and night. See more here. Unfortunately, it was overcast and rainy most of the time, so these aren't the best photos.

Carlos III, Rey de Espana : Puerta del Sol : Madrid, ES

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 10/10