Last time in my favourite places in Spain I was in the tourist town of Ronda in Andalusia in the South, today I am three hundred and fifty miles north through sun-baked Extremadura and into iron-hard Castilla y Leon.
After several hours of motoring we came to Ciudad Rodrigo, which is the last city in Spain before reaching Portugal, a fortress city built to protect the western border of the country and as we approached we could see the walled castle and its fortifications standing proud and defiant on a rocky outcrop in a commanding defensive position.
Gone now are the whitewashed Pueblos Blancos, the click of the castanets, the flash of flamenco and the swirl of the matador’s cape because there is a demarcation line in Spain roughly along the line of latitude of Madrid which divides the country in two, to the north the environment becomes harsher, the landscape is more severe and the towns and cities are made of stone.
Click on an image to scroll to scroll through the gallery…
And some views of the Rio Agueda from our hotel room…
Have Bag, Will Travel 
I do like deserted places . . .
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This was sometime in November and very cold so not a lot of folk around!
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Thanks Brian!
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Another interesting, albeit deserted, place!
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That is the advantage of visiting in November when no one else goes!
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👏👏
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I can see the face of a giant owl in the first photograph. It’s above the arch. Is that the reason the place is deserted? People are too scared to come in?
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It certainly looks like an owl John!
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Always awesome pics of Spain.. You do find great towns to visit..
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Thanks Lisa, I appreciate the comment as always!
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I live those three views of the bridge in different lights.
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It was a wonderful show from the hotel Anabel and forever changing!
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Did the Portuguese come over the border much? The impression we get from this side is that it was all one way!!
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I believe there were a few conflicts up until Portugal achieved independence but most action was seen in 1810 when the British Army invaded Spain out of Portugal and laid siege to the fortress.
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ahha! Knew you would know 🙂
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“That is the advantage of visiting in November when no one else goes!” We like doing the same on this side of the globe. Prices can be more reasonable, too! 😀
Some very nice shooting here!
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People have more time and are happy to see folk in less busy times.
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Out of all the photos, that window fascinates me the most. Is it wrought iron? And is there something behind the glass as well as the reflections showing in it?
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Hi Val, the enclosed glass balcony is common in the cooler interior parts of Spain, it was the reflections that intrigued me, I am sure there is a lot of things stored behind but it is difficult to make them out.
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Love that shot of the bridge through the mist.
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Thanks Crystal, it was a very fine view from that hotel.
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