#monfrague national park

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Extremadura, Spain

‘We visited Monfragüe national park and saw 60-plus griffon vultures circling the Gypsy leap rock at one time. This handsome individual was kind enough to drop down about 40 metres away from us, and pose nicely.’

Photograph: Keith Allen

[ifreakingloveroyals]

Through the Years → Felipe VI of Spain (2,846/∞) 18 July 2022 | King Felipe VI greets during his visit to Las Hurdes to learn about the effects of the fires in the region, in xxx, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain. The monarch has travelled to Las Hurdes in order to know first hand the effects of the fires in the region as well as to take an interest in the people evicted from their homes. Infoex has declared as stabilized at 11.00 am today the fires in the region of Las Hurdes and in the municipality of Casas de Miravete, which has affected the Monfrague National Park, due to its "good evolution". Both fires maintain active the level 2 of danger. (Photo By Manuel Angel Laya/Europa Press via Getty Images)

[v4hive]

Fire engulfs Monfrague National Park in Spain

Fire engulfs Monfrague National Park in Spain

A fire that started on Thursday in the Spanish autonomous community of Extremadura has spread to the 18,400-hectare Monfrague National Park, the Spanish newspaper Público reports. The fire started on 14 July near the municipality of Casas de Miravete (Cáceres province). It has been given a level two severity rating. “Air and ground forces are making every effort to prevent the spread of the…

[dsandrvk]

Thursday, April 21 - Trujillo to Monsanto, Portugal

Today we left Spain for Portugal, where we will be for the rest of our trip. Technically, a Covid green pass (for vaccination) or a negative Antigen test is required to enter Portugal, but just like in Lisbon, nobody really seems to care or even acknowledge it. Our border crossing was on a tiny two lane, and while there were buildings on each side, probably originally for customs (the border is on a river), those buildings haven't been used in the years since the European Union was founded. We only saw one car cross in the time we spent photographing the bridge.

We started the morning by heading north from Trujillo (our host kindly drove our car out of the very tight garage) to the Monfrague National Park. This park is known for its birding, as it is a dammed area of the Tagus and Tietar river valleys, and the granite walls of the canyons attract many nesting birds, especially raptors and vultures. The prime viewing area for the black vulture (a different species than the New World black vulture) is by these spectacular cliffs, and was lined with people with spotting scopes and huge lenses on their cameras. I just had my little travel binoculars and travel camera, but it was still fun. We did see black storks, several kinds of vultures, a different kind of swallow, and more in our short time there. The park has plenty of trails, and the only village there is the park headquarters and support buildings with some lodging and food as the only services. It would be a lovely place to spend a few days and wander the trails. The reservoir was fairly low, though, which doesn't bode well for the summer.

From there we headed south and west around several arms of the huge reservoir on the Tagus, passing the Camino de Santiago that starts in Seville, passes through Merida and Monfrague, and basically follows the old Roman Road. At the little town (hilltop, of course) of Alcantara there is a marvelous Roman bridge with six arches, and a triumphal arch on top, built in 103 AD. It has had some work done on it over the years, but is still mostly original, and on the main highway. There are some nice interpretative signs, and a couple of trails that lead under the bridge or up and over the hill to the town, and it was a good spot to stop for a late picnic lunch. The bridge is located just downstream from the major hydroelectric dam in the region.

Further on, at the border, there is another Roman bridge that is also quite lovely, but doesn't seem to get the fanfare or notoriety of the Alcantara one, perhaps because it isn't as high or as long. It doesn't have the nice benches and trails, and the one customs place on the Portuguese side that was converted to a info center has closed.

From here we made our way up (and up) to our hilltop town of Monsanto. From a distance on the south it looks like a sheer little mountain, and the approach from the north is also quite steep. Eventually we ran out of drivable road, found a place to park, and met our host who led us to our little house. Monsanto has been described as "the most Portuguese town" and in a sense it seems to be of another era, with tiny houses tucked into every corner, all sheathed in stone and roofed with red tiles. The hilltop here is covered with granite boulders, and the houses have been built on top, under, and around the rocks. All the streets go up and down, and from our house, already most of the way up the mountain, we could see the castle still far above.

Our weather is supposed to deteriorate overnight into all day rain tomorrow, so we headed out to explore as much as we could before nightfall. We headed up towards the castle and were rewarded with spectacular views in all directions, including down on parts of the town. The castle, itself, was larger than appeared from below, and in surprisingly good condition. There was a trail leading out the back which we were itching to follow, but sundown was just 20 minutes away, so we explored a little chapel, the remnants of the old pig pens (more interesting than they sound - I'll probably include pictures tomorrow), and headed down as the street lights came on, which helped us find our way back through the maze of narrow streets and walkways to our house. We had just enough light to enjoy a beer on our little porch before it got too cold and dark. Our host had left us wonderful soup made with vegetables from her garden, which was lovely on a cool evening. Our place is quite rustic with a boulder taking up some space in our living area below and our bedroom upstairs, and the other walls are stone. It is furnished traditionally, but also has modern amenities, like a nice cooktop and a great shower - the best of both worlds. We are hoping to be able to explore more tomorrow between the rain showers, but if not, it is a charming place to just relax and enjoy.

[jmlfoto]

El zorro, o como lo llamaba el gran Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente “maese raposo”, lleva siglos soportando numerosas leyendas que suelen asociarse a su esquiva figura y su astucia. Todavía, a pesar de la persecución de que es objeto, es relativamente abundante en España. Parque Nacional de Monfragüe. . . The fox, or as the great Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente called him "maese raposo”, has endured numerous legends for centuries that are usually associated with his elusive figure and his cunning. Still, despite the persecution to which it is subjected, it is relatively abundant in Spain. Monfragüe National Park. . . . #nikonphotography #nikon #nikonistas #nikonphotographers #nikonspain #nikonD3S #ᏩᏯ #wahya #naturaleza #salvaje #jmlfoto #photowild #casicasiopea #wildlifephotographer #wildlifephotography #wildnature #zorro #fox #raposo #monfrague (en Monfragüe, Parque Nacional y Reserva de la Biosfera) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQpFoVMu1i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[josephbrooksjewelry]

Woodchat Shrike #laniussenator such a well dressed dapper bird perching up high in a tree waiting to pounce on an insect. #shrikes #woodchatshrike #birdwatching #birdinginspain @josephbrooksjewelry (at Monfrague National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_vA4QtpR2/?utm_medium=tumblr

[waywardwesley]

Monfrague National Park

[cuchufletas1978-blog]

#sunset #sunsetlovers #sunsets #sunsetcolors #ocaso #puestadesol #landscape #atardeceres #sun #sky #skyporn #clouds #silhouette #picoftheday #natureshows #dawn #dusk #backlit #outdoors #weather #light #🌅 #🌄 #🌇 #ig_sunsetshots #tv_backlight #tv_shilhouttes (en Monfrague National Park)

[tripstations]

Ryanair strikes: Thousands face travel chaos as pilots set for summer holiday walkouts

Thousands face travel chaos as Ryanair pilots plan to stage walkouts during the summer holidays.

There will be a two-day strike from just after midnight on 22 August until just before midnight on 23 August, according to the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA).

A second walkout will then be held from the early hours of 2 September until just before midnight on 4 September.

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.

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Balpa said 79.5 per cent of the votes cast backed the action, which was triggered by a dispute over pay and working conditions.

A union statement said: “Decades of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions has resulted in two things. 

leftCreated with Sketch. rightCreated with Sketch.

1/11 Grand prize winner and 1st place: Cities

“Upernavik is a fishing village on a tiny island in west Greenland. Historically, Greenlandic buildings were painted different colors to indicate different functions, from red storefronts to blue fishermen’s homes—a useful distinction when the landscape is blanketed in snow. This photo was taken during my three-month, personal photo project to present life in Greenland.”

Chu Weimin

2/11 1st place: Nature

“A gorgeous griffon vulture is seen soaring the skies in Monfrague National Park in Spain. How can anyone say vultures bring bad omens when looking at such tenderness in this griffon vulture’s eyes? Vultures are important members of the environment, as they take care of recycling dead matter. Vultures are noble and majestic animals—kings of the skies. When looking at them flying, we should feel humbled and admire them.”

Tamara Blazquez Haik

3/11 2nd place: Cities

“There are four runways at San Francisco’s International Airport (SFO). This is a rare look at the approach end of runways 28 left and right. I had dreams of documenting the motion at SFO and arranged permission to fly directly overhead. What a windy day it was. Winds at SFO were 35-45 miles per hour, which meant a bumpy flight, and it was much harder to control the plane while photographing. The flight was challenging, but it was also so thrilling that I couldn’t sleep for several days afterward.”

Jassen Todorov

4/11 Honourable mention: People

“I captured this layered moment during sunrise along the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. This boy was thinking silently, and visitors were enjoying the loud musical chirping of thousands of seagulls. The early morning golden light from the east mixed with the western blue light, creating an ethereal atmosphere. I am a regular visitor here and have photographed this place for the past three years. Now, many national and international photographers have begun visiting too.”

Navin Vatsa

5/11 Honourable mention: Nature

“A herd of ibex in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland cross a ridge above Lake Brienz. Their powerful and impressive horns show who the king of the Alps are. Ibex are ideally adapted to live at dizzying heights. The continuing ridge path and the rising fog show the natural habitat of these animals. After a few hours of observing the animals, I spotted the ibex herd on one side of the ridge. Several ibex stopped at the transition to view the world around them.”

Jonas Schafer

6/11 3rd place: People

“Every year on the feast of Saint Anthony the ceremony of the purification of animals, called Las Luminarias, is celebrated in Spain. In the province of Avila, horses and horsemen jump over bonfires in the ritual that has been maintained since the 18th century. The animals are not hurt, and it is a ritual that is repeated every year. To make the photo, I moved from Seville to San Bartolomé de Pinares because I am very interested in photographing ancestral rites.”

Jose Antonio Zamora

7/11 2nd place: People

“This photo was taken at a public park at Choi Hung House in Hong Kong. When I visited during the afternoon, it was very crowded with many young people taking pictures and playing basketball. But when I visited at sunrise, it was quiet and a different place. The area is designated for neighborhood residents in the early morning, and there was a sacred atmosphere. I felt divinity when I saw an old man doing tai chi in the sun.”

Yoshiki Fujiwara

8/11 3rd place: Nature

“Dusky dolphins often travel together in great numbers in the deep canyons of the Kaikoura, New Zealand in search of food. They glide through the ocean effortlessly, coming up only to breathe. Dusky dolphins are fast and will often keep pace with a speeding boat. I waited on the bow of the boat as the Dusky dolphin almost broke through the surface. Their elegance and streamlined bodies are built for speed and maneuverability—accentuated by the smooth, clear water of the New Zealand coastline.”

Scott Portelli

9/11 2nd place: Nature

“What happens before a wave breaks? That question has been my assignment this past year. On this particular day, I decided to shoot the sunset on the east side of Oahu, Hawaii. About 100 photographers were out in the morning, but I had the evening to myself. The textures from the trade winds created subtle colors from the west and blended well using my 100mm lens. I had to look into my viewfinder while this wave was breaking. Not an easy task when a wave is about to crush you.”

Danny Sepkowski

10/11 1st place: People

“Actors prepare for an evening opera performance in Licheng County, China. I spent the whole day with these actors from makeup to stage. I’m a freelance photographer, and the series “Cave Life” is a long-term project of mine. In China’s Loess Plateau, local residents dig holes in the loess layer to create cave living spaces, known as yaodongs, and use the heat preservation properties to survive cold winters. This series mainly records the life, entertainment, belief, labor, and other daily scenes of the people living in the caves.”

Huaifeng Li

11/11 3rd place: Cities

“People pray on the street in Dhaka, Bangladesh during Ijtema. Bishwa Ijtema is one of the major Islamic religious gatherings which is observed annually in Dhaka and millions of Muslims visit during this time. Dedicated prayer grounds are not large enough to handle this huge number of people, so large numbers of people come to Tongi, the main street of Dhaka. All the ground transportation and pedestrian crossings are suspended during that time.”

Sandipani Chattopadhyay

1/11 Grand prize winner and 1st place: Cities

“Upernavik is a fishing village on a tiny island in west Greenland. Historically, Greenlandic buildings were painted different colors to indicate different functions, from red storefronts to blue fishermen’s homes—a useful distinction when the landscape is blanketed in snow. This photo was taken during my three-month, personal photo project to present life in Greenland.”

Chu Weimin

2/11 1st place: Nature

“A gorgeous griffon vulture is seen soaring the skies in Monfrague National Park in Spain. How can anyone say vultures bring bad omens when looking at such tenderness in this griffon vulture’s eyes? Vultures are important members of the environment, as they take care of recycling dead matter. Vultures are noble and majestic animals—kings of the skies. When looking at them flying, we should feel humbled and admire them.”

Tamara Blazquez Haik

3/11 2nd place: Cities

“There are four runways at San Francisco’s International Airport (SFO). This is a rare look at the approach end of runways 28 left and right. I had dreams of documenting the motion at SFO and arranged permission to fly directly overhead. What a windy day it was. Winds at SFO were 35-45 miles per hour, which meant a bumpy flight, and it was much harder to control the plane while photographing. The flight was challenging, but it was also so thrilling that I couldn’t sleep for several days afterward.”

Jassen Todorov

4/11 Honourable mention: People

“I captured this layered moment during sunrise along the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. This boy was thinking silently, and visitors were enjoying the loud musical chirping of thousands of seagulls. The early morning golden light from the east mixed with the western blue light, creating an ethereal atmosphere. I am a regular visitor here and have photographed this place for the past three years. Now, many national and international photographers have begun visiting too.”

Navin Vatsa

5/11 Honourable mention: Nature

“A herd of ibex in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland cross a ridge above Lake Brienz. Their powerful and impressive horns show who the king of the Alps are. Ibex are ideally adapted to live at dizzying heights. The continuing ridge path and the rising fog show the natural habitat of these animals. After a few hours of observing the animals, I spotted the ibex herd on one side of the ridge. Several ibex stopped at the transition to view the world around them.”

Jonas Schafer

6/11 3rd place: People

“Every year on the feast of Saint Anthony the ceremony of the purification of animals, called Las Luminarias, is celebrated in Spain. In the province of Avila, horses and horsemen jump over bonfires in the ritual that has been maintained since the 18th century. The animals are not hurt, and it is a ritual that is repeated every year. To make the photo, I moved from Seville to San Bartolomé de Pinares because I am very interested in photographing ancestral rites.”

Jose Antonio Zamora

7/11 2nd place: People

“This photo was taken at a public park at Choi Hung House in Hong Kong. When I visited during the afternoon, it was very crowded with many young people taking pictures and playing basketball. But when I visited at sunrise, it was quiet and a different place. The area is designated for neighborhood residents in the early morning, and there was a sacred atmosphere. I felt divinity when I saw an old man doing tai chi in the sun.”

Yoshiki Fujiwara

8/11 3rd place: Nature

“Dusky dolphins often travel together in great numbers in the deep canyons of the Kaikoura, New Zealand in search of food. They glide through the ocean effortlessly, coming up only to breathe. Dusky dolphins are fast and will often keep pace with a speeding boat. I waited on the bow of the boat as the Dusky dolphin almost broke through the surface. Their elegance and streamlined bodies are built for speed and maneuverability—accentuated by the smooth, clear water of the New Zealand coastline.”

Scott Portelli

9/11 2nd place: Nature

“What happens before a wave breaks? That question has been my assignment this past year. On this particular day, I decided to shoot the sunset on the east side of Oahu, Hawaii. About 100 photographers were out in the morning, but I had the evening to myself. The textures from the trade winds created subtle colors from the west and blended well using my 100mm lens. I had to look into my viewfinder while this wave was breaking. Not an easy task when a wave is about to crush you.”

Danny Sepkowski

10/11 1st place: People

“Actors prepare for an evening opera performance in Licheng County, China. I spent the whole day with these actors from makeup to stage. I’m a freelance photographer, and the series “Cave Life” is a long-term project of mine. In China’s Loess Plateau, local residents dig holes in the loess layer to create cave living spaces, known as yaodongs, and use the heat preservation properties to survive cold winters. This series mainly records the life, entertainment, belief, labor, and other daily scenes of the people living in the caves.”

Huaifeng Li

11/11 3rd place: Cities

“People pray on the street in Dhaka, Bangladesh during Ijtema. Bishwa Ijtema is one of the major Islamic religious gatherings which is observed annually in Dhaka and millions of Muslims visit during this time. Dedicated prayer grounds are not large enough to handle this huge number of people, so large numbers of people come to Tongi, the main street of Dhaka. All the ground transportation and pedestrian crossings are suspended during that time.”

Sandipani Chattopadhyay

“Firstly, a management that apparently doesn’t understand how to work with unions, and secondly a company that doesn’t have a number of standard agreements that any union would reasonably expect in any workplace.

“That is why our claim includes many issues including pensions; loss of license insurance; maternity benefits; allowances; and a fair, transparent, and consistent pay structure.

Watch more

“We have made no progress with Ryanair management on any of those areas at all, seemingly because Ryanair management cannot understand how to go about working with us constructively, or how to negotiate. Ryanair has made no offer to Balpa in respect of its pilots.”

Brian Strutton, Balpa’s general secretary, added: “We have had no formal offer from Ryanair and it is imperative that we resolve this dispute urgently to avoid strike action. 

“No pilot wants to spoil the public’s travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice.”

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Balpa members at British Airways have also voted to take industrial action in a separate dispute over pay.

Talks between the union and the airline will be held on Thursday under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas.

The post Ryanair strikes: Thousands face travel chaos as pilots set for summer holiday walkouts appeared first on Tripstations.

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[easyspanje]

Vakantie in Spanje

Spanje is een van de populairste bestemmingen in Europa, zowel voor toeristen als voor mensen die op zoek zijn naar nieuwe permanente woningen. Ongeacht bij welke groep je hoort, een vakantie in Spanje is absoluut de juiste keuze. Dit is waarom:

Extremadura The Real Spanish Experience

  Monfrague National Park, Extremadura

Extremadura, een regio ver weg van de druk bevolkte kustgebieden van…

[sitting-on-me-bum]

'Tender Eyes'

A gorgeous griffon vulture is seen soaring the skies in Monfragüe National Park in Spain.

by Tamara Maria Blazquez Haik (Mexico)

Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest 

[mario-elias]

De la cámara, amanecer en Monfragüe. (en Monfrague National Park)

[rehnro]

Beautiful Monfrague National Park. Love Extremadura. #extremadura #monfragüe #travelspain www.rocketontour.com (at Monfrague National Park)

[cynthiabuys]

A Dark Winter Sky from Monfrague National Park in Spain. APOD

[josephbrooksjewelry]

Eurasian Hoopoe #upupaepops a common bird here in Montfrague National park but I never get tired of seeing them , love the flashing black & white wings in flight #hoopoe #birdwatching #birdwatchinginspain @josephbrooksjewelry (at Monfrague National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_ufNiILpB/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sitting-on-me-bum]

“TENDER EYES”

A gorgeous griffon vulture is seen soaring the skies in Monfragüe National Park in Spain. How can anyone say vultures bring bad omens when looking at such tenderness in this griffon vulture’s eyes? Vultures are important members of the environment, as they take care of recycling dead matter. Vultures are noble and majestic animals—kings of the skies. When looking at them flying, we should feel humbled and admire them.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TAMARA BLAZQUEZ HAIK/ 2019 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVEL PHOTO CONTEST