Spain

Spain

Spain is a land of contrasts—ornate Gothic cathedrals, modernist architecture, sunlit vineyards, and Mediterranean shores. From the energy of Barcelona to the tranquil coves of Majorca, it offers photographers architectural drama and visitors natural serenity.

Córdoba

mezquita catedral de Córdoba

The famous mezquita-catedral de Córdoba is a cathedral with a Muslim and Christian section coexisting in harmony. My top two photos are the arches of the Muslim section and below that the photos are of the white and gold ceiling in the Christian section. Seeing the Muslim section was a dream come true for me, I'd only see a few photos of it online and it looked like real life Disney movie. Being there in person, I was struck by the sensation that it was kind of damp and chilly compared to the blazing sun of and dry heat of Córdoba outside.

Seville

Plaza de España

A masterpiece of tilework and curves, especially photogenic at sunset when warm tones highlight the architecture. The Plaza was a nice place to walk through, and an icon of Spain. Just thinking about the amount of labor that went into making this exist and the level of craftsmanship is pretty mind boggling.

Majorca 

Arta, esporles & PALMA

Welcome to Majorca, the Balearic island next to Ibiza and Formentera. Why didn't I go to Ibiza or the photogenic cove of Caló des Moro and the picturesque village of Deià in Majorca? You might be wondering, because I wonder that too and the reason is because I figured it would be an excuse to come back see Ibiza and explore the best of this island more someday. Majorca was an experience contrary to my expectations, not of the place, but of one of the things, I personally dream of life, which was a beautiful house. The airbnb in Arta was exactly my taste, a dream villa to me, with the beautiful stonework, tile roofs, and pool in the back, and the sweet smell of the flowers and fruit trees. The hosts were so kind, but once I was there with my friend, I think we were actually both kind of bored by the third day. Suddenly, it dawned on me that the realization of a beautiful villa of my dreams could be a huge let down. There was nothing much to do in that part of Arta, and it was a two hour bike ride up the mountain to the nearest town or about three hours to the beach. And after making to the sea, the ocean water is just slightly too cold, to really enjoy swimming. The slow pace of island life here turned out to be not for me, as much I enjoyed the scenery and almond milkshakes, which are by far the best milkshakes I've ever had.

The beauty of Majorca left me with a question, which is, what's really worth striving for in life? As someone who craves beauty, I found myself craving for something more. In Cambodia, years later, I was perfectly fulfilled in beach hut with no running water, and picking up litter off the beach. Maybe less, is more, or maybe I just prefer extreme heat. Either way, part of the beauty of traveling, I think, is that we don't just learn more about the world, we learn more about ourselves.