A GUIDEPOST REPRINT: “The Valley of Lozoya: Rascafría & El Paular,” 14 August 1970 »
The pine forest of El Paular in the Valley of Lozoya is the most beautiful of all Spain, so the people who live there claim. Thousand-year-old tales, as romantic as any ever told in Spain, originated in the valley which lies just behind the Guadarrama Mountain Range, visible from Madrid. Not only tourists and historians find a store of history here, but fishermen, hunters, hikers, skiers, bird watchers, swimmers and mountain climbers too. The visitor’s first surprise is a luxuriant green valley dotted with vegetable gardens, a contrast to the bleak Castilian plateau. But there was a time in the long history of Lozoya when, despite the prodigious gift of beauty from Nature itself, the valley lay in ruins.
STATESIDE STORIES: Artificial Intelligence, A New Kind Of Threat? »
"In an open letter, signed by the tech giant Elon Musk and over a thousand others with knowledge, power, and influence in the tech space, he called for a halt to all giant AI experiments for six months. Musk said that anything more powerful than OpenAI’s GPT-4 is deemed too risky for society."
JOIN THE EUROPEAN YOUTH EVENT2023 COMPETITION AND WIN A FREE TRIP TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT! »
On 9-10 June, thousands of people aged 16 to 30 from across the EU will take over the European Parliament in Strasbourg for the European Youth Event (EYE) to discuss and share ideas on how to shape the future of Europe. Shoot your best picture and win a trip to the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S EYE2023!
A SECOND OPINION: April Showers Bring May Flowers »
A personal perspective: Joe Biden's famous gaffes. Torrential downpours. Late bloomers blooming soon. Trump: adjudicated but still running for President. Transgenders. U.S. Southern border open to migrants and drug traffickers. Urban crimes rampant.
SEVE & JON,THE POWER OF AN OLD INSPIRATION OVER THE NEW SPANISH GOLFING HERO »
Rahmbo paying tribute to Seve Ballesteros on the former's win at Masters: "Spaniards like winning on Easter Sunday and Seve's birthday!"
A GUIDEPOST REPRINT: “La Granja: Spain’s Little Versailles”, 21 August 1970 »
La Granja with its formal gardens, arranged with geometrical precision, its statues depicting mythological figures, its serene, ordered beauty, is often called the "Little Versailles" for it bears a marked similarity to the famous gardens created by Lenótre for Louis XIV of France.
HOW I LONG TO WALK THE STREETS OF SPAIN »
As I cross the plaza, I watch the children play and listen to their happy squeals of laughter. So many places to visit. Many wonderful parks and museums that house “old friends”. A church where I can feel the quiet beauty inside But it is only a dream. It is telling me how much I love Spain, and how much I long to walk its streets again.
HOLY WEEK IN BANDUXU WHERE NOTHING EVER HAPPENS »
There’s a remote village in central Asturias (dubbed “Paraiso Natural”) where you could leave behind your boringly busy life for a while and literally do nothing! Away from everything except a cow or two and the spectacular views of the mountains. No bars. No wi-fi connection. No facilities. No nothing. Except your own wits. No bars. No wi-fi connection. No facilities. Except your own wits.
THE PUY DE FOU PARK IN TOLEDO OPENS ITS DOORS AGAIN WITH EVEN MORE SPLENDOR »
Recognized as the "Best Theme Park in Spain" and one of the best in the world, Puy du Fou is coming up with new spectacles that will complete an exciting and colorful review of the history of Spain. Inaugural show is on on the 1st of April. The highlight of the new season is "the greatness of that Visigoth Kingdom" which and ‘recovers’ the royal crown, that has been missing for more than 1,300 years."
STATESIDE STORIES: News Updates »
U.S. President Biden approval rating -- Bank failures -- Biden-Trudeau bilateral meeting -- Putin-Xi Jinping meeting in Moscow -- China threat -- Trump indictment and new presidential bid
