This time around we went to El Rócio, near Seville, for a much postponed essential photo trip.
This is a small village, bordering the "Parque Nacional de Doñana " (Doñana National Park), a park covering 543 km²(337.41 mi²) of which 135 km²(83.89 mi²) are protected up to the point of actually being fenced all around the perimeter.
Needless to say, wildlife is well preserved and thriving in this sanctuary, where a variety of birds find a refuge during their seasonal migration movements between Northern Europe and the North of Africa. The place is a well known spot for birdwatchers.
But, this first photographic time around, we were not there for the wildlife but for the village itself, which features an unique atmosphere, strongly anchored in Andalusian tradition.
My wife was there some years ago, on work, and since then kept "pushing" for us to make a hop there for some photographic harvesting.
I am glad she did, as the place is, indeed, quite special and it just begs to be photographed on account of the natural surroundings, the unique buildings architecture together with the streets layout (...resembling old American West settlements, since the horse is king and the streets are all unpaved...) and the religious vibe ever-present.
The religious fervor is quite palpable, as the place is home to one of the most significant Spanish catholic traditions with the yearly pilgrimage on the second day of Pentecost - the Romería del Rocio - where as much as 1 million pilgrims (!) in groups from neighboring villages called confraternities (which have their own "base" houses all around El Rócio) wearing traditional Andalusian attires and riding on horse, pay tribute to the "Virgin of El Rocío".
Horse and everything related to it is also a permanent fixture at El Rócio, in an exacerbation of their already important role in Andalusia culture. The Marisma horses (who get their name from the swampy waters in Doñana) have even developed specific traits, like large hooves that allow them to more easily walk over shallow depth water. I tried to underscore their importance to the local atmosphere using a separate PP option for the photos featuring them. I hope it "works"...
...I will have to organize a complementary photo trip there, during one of those pilgrimages, to further document the spirit of the place. It will have to be without my wife though, who doesn't deal well with the dry dust that fills the air during those, usually, hot days crowded festivities...I am bit worried, also, about the photographic equipment...

For the moment, please enjoy my view on this very special location.

...Also, in this trip, we went to Arcos de la Frontera, a beautiful historic village, with a twist.
(Sometimes photographers can get really lucky...)
Arcos de La Frontera, was included in our itinerary as it features a dramatic location on top of a cliff, towering over the Guadalete river and also a great historic village center, both catering for good photo ops.
The agreeable local "Parador" (..."Paradores" always provide a different lodging experience...) was also a decisive factor in selecting Arcos for a short stay.
What we didn't know was that, being Arcos de La Frontera near Cadiz and this Spanish southern city famous for their Carnival festivities, we were in for a surprise.
As it turns out the weather was inclement during the Carnival (previous weekend) and the festivities had to be canceled then due to the rain.
So, this next weekend, with the sun forecast to shine for a brief period on the Saturday, the locals decided to not let all their work and preparations be wasted, twisted the calendar a bit and, off they went, on a time-shifted parade.
Lucky me, who, after a brief moment of frustration for not being able to reach our stay place (...on account of it being right in the top of the village and all accesses being closed...) quickly realized the extraordinary photo opportunities presented and, camera