MadridWaites: San Esteban de Gormaz and Rio Lobos National Park

The road trip that we made with the Hawkins in August included several places. Our main interest was for Burgo de Osma and Burgos. However, we had a few stops in between. We enjoyed stopping along the way to see villages that looked interesting, as well as a national park called Rio Lobos. Again, I have no idea how to get my pictures in the order I want.

A little town called San Esteban de Gormaz had a ruined castle on the hill above it.

The little town had two churches, and many strange odds and ends.

I love cemeteries, and found this one interesting.

Most of the graves were a cement lining covered with a granite topper.

I didn't photograph it, but a family was there scrubbing and polishing their family's graves.

You can see in the background here some odd round structures
that appeared to be occupied by families.

This is a headstone on a grave, and thought the back was interesting with the skull.

Ruined castle on the right, round one room houses on the left.

One of the churches in the background.

This headstone reads "Property of Alvarez Faundez."
It just struck me funny that someone felt the need to mark his property as thought it was a coat.

This is a liner waiting for an occupant.

The more modest grave. I believe it is a child.

One of the two churches.

This little town was more reminiscent of Mexico.

A little monk reading a book.

Some kind of opening dug out of the mountain under the castle.

More Munchkin doors.

Poaching grapes

Shameless

More building into the rock.

We loved this old church.

Into the rock.

More ruins.

Built into the rock.

Another ruined castle.

The beginning of Rio Lobos. Looks like southern Utah.

These cliffs are full of caves.

This little church at the end of the gorge was built by the Knights Templar.
The Hermitage of San Bartolome

It is legend that St. James was in a battle on this sight. He threw his sword into the canyon and where it landed the Hermitage was constructed. It is on the way to Santiago de Compostela, where legend says St. James traveled from the Holy Land to Santiago de Compostela where he died, and his relics are in the church there. Santiago is Spanish for James.

It is said that on September 21st (summer Solstice) a star of David is cast on the floor from this window. On the winter Solstice this same window casts the zodiac Sagittarius on the very day that the sign ends.

The big cave.

This is a VERY old tree trunk.

A condor just flew over my head, and you can see it in the middle of the picture.

There was a smaller cave inside the larger cave.

There is a cave running under the rock.

A closer look at the cave.

I love this dog!

The sky was full of condors.

I got the condor and moon in the same shot.

We spotted a condor family on the ledge.

That's the dad flying off.

This is a terrible picture but us girls thought we saw something live on top of this giant rock. The guys said we were crazy, that is was just another rock. I think this proves the girls right.