More than a color

From the same spot as the previous post, and going into detail, I keep feeling amazed by this mountain side. Forests are as natural as they can be, without invading species (pine trees, eucalyptus and the dreadful Acacia dealbata) that are replacing autochthonous species throughout the park. These last reserves of Portuguese landscape share a glimpse of what most of the Northern region looked like. Now production “farms” of pine and eucalyptus tree form the “green” patches of the landscape. Nature and its richness is much more than a color!

 Mata da Albergaria, Gerês, Portugal

2012, May

Rio Homem

Part of the route of the old roman road in Albergaria’s Valley goes along the river Homem.

As it flows deep bellow, the road has to be left behind, penetrating the woods of Albergaria. Some narrow paths exist towards the river, accessible by foot. One of them leads to a bridge named Ponte de Palheiros, as it bridges Albergaria and Palheiros hills over Rio Homem.

Over this bridge, a asymmetric landscape can be experienced: facing North (upstream), the river flows around rocky paths in a succession of waterfalls, enclosed in steep margins; facing South, the river widens and water slows down to imperceptible speeds while landscape opens up, facing a dense forested mountain, only ruptured by a massive granite rock towards the sky.

Wide angle lens allow a panoramic view but loose the sense of magnitude that can only be experienced… there! The first (North faced) picture is the result of 4 merged exposures.

Mata da Albergaria, Gerês, Portugal

2012, May

Rio Maceira, Mata da Albergaria

Dated from I AD, a roman road crosses Mata da Albergaria along Men’s Valley (Vale do Homem). While the road is very well preserved, with ancient cylindrical mile marks and bridges, the woods are just surviving human impact, mainly in high touristic season. When I was a kid, I remember of how deep in the shade and narrow the route was. Now, vegetation is somewhat retreating and the path as become wider, maybe due to dust made by intensive summer traffic.

Hard winter promoted fallen trees within the woods, opening patches where the Sun penetrates and invades the ground. This allows for seeds and young trees to flourish but its decades of growth in a very vulnerable and fragile forest.

One of the affluent of Man’s River is Maceira. The roman road crosses it at this spot, by Mata da Albergaria’s Bridge.

Mata da Albergaria, Gerês, Portugal

2012, May

Iberian Rock Lizard

While trekking on Ermida’s waterfall, I spotted a couple of rock-lizards, jumping in an out of the rocks, with their movements more managed by sunshine / rain conditions than affected by my presence. This one was sneaking out of the rock and allowed me to get closer enough for some macro shots.

After these, I went back to landscape photos and exchanged lens. I’m very careful with my equipment but I made a costly mistake due to this carefulness. Being away from my backpack, I didn’t want to place the lens on the rocky ground, thus I wrapped it in a t-shirt. An hour later, I totally forgot about the lens and, when picking up the clothing, I heard a rolling sound, river down… I looked and my macro lens was now a rolling black barrel in super-slow motion. I ran and jumped after it, while it was heading to the river stream at the same speed. No win there. It fell into the river and now was more like a submarine than a boat, heading with the stream. A glimpse of hope surged when the lens was caught in a whirlpool of a small water fall. I stretched my hand for it… It jumped again, at a distance of a hand. This time, caught into the main stream of Ermida’s waterfall. It disappeared into a deep hole, beneath a massive amount of water flow. It now belongs there, as this long, slow motion chase in my memory. I'm ellecting this photo as the tomb for a cheap macro lens that has done its job well. Now, time to add a new lens to my wish list (and money to the wallet).

Back to the rock-lizard, I also found out that distinguishing these exemplar between two species is quite difficult. Beyond typical databases, a net-search turns out lots of papers regarding comparison between Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis hispanica. Both common in North part of Portugal, though hispanica is considered and endangered species. From some descriptions, regarding the shape of the head and eyes, I’m forwarding this as hispanica.

 Iberian rock lizard / Largatixa-ibérica (PT) – Podarcis hispanica

Ermida, Gerês, Portugal

2012, May

Ermida's Waterfalls on a rainy day

Rainy days and somewhat close to Gerês on the weekend… Let’s go! I went back to Fecha de Barjas Waterfalls, attempting to catch a higher flow of water due to late May rain. Also, I was finding new perspectives of this magnificent waterfall, though hindered by bad light and instable weather conditions. 

Cascatas de Fecha de Barjas
Ermida, Gerês, Portugal

2012, May

Peninha’s landscape

Ermida da Peninha is one of my favorite spots in Portugal. With an all-around view, Peninha’s Sanctuary stands above Sintra and Western Lisbon. In a clear day, the view also extends well beyond Tagus River mouth, over Serra da Arrábida. It is as amazing as it is peaceful (if weather allows it). This is a composite of 13 captures for one single 180º horizontal landscape photography in a 10:1 format.

Ermida da Peninha, Sintra, Portugal

2012, May

Briteiro's inhabitants

Citânia de Briteiros was populated throughout the Iron Age, influenced by Romans in the first century AD and definitely abandoned in the third century. Since then, nature is reclaiming ground and inhuman habitants give life to the rocks. This curious guy was simply warming up or waiting for some bug like meal, while I was peaking over some walls.

  Ocellated Lizard, Sardão / Largato-ocelado (PT) – Timon lepidus

Briteiros, Guimarães, Portugal

2012, April

Adraga

First coastline pictures in this blog. It was a stormy sunset in a beautiful beach near Sintra, North of Cabo da Roca. As usual, weather is highly unstable in this region and storm clouds appeared suddenly, along with rain and thunderstorm. The last capture also made me feel (along with my camera and tripod) I was a very potential electrode on the beach.

Praia da Adraga, Sintra, Portugal

2011, March