Andy Rodker's photos

Summer's last hurrah! Another longish walk this afternoon (to another neighbouring village, Alalpardo) and a far hotter day than on my previous walk. The weather is due to turn on Wednesday, giving some much needed rain. So I thought I'd better get in a country walk while I still had the chance! More photos to follow. In the notes are my beloved Sierra de La Cabrera and that really is the size of it! But it's a full day's walk from one end to the other and back again. It just doesn't look like that from here! Oh, and one last thing; I've just noticed the Ukranian flag's colours!

H. A. N. W. E. everyone! The target of my recent walk across the fields - At my pace this is two hours away. Next time I'll get there in 1:5 hours! Iglesia de San Pedro Mártir. Fuente el Saz de Jarama.

Steps by the side of the house. Shadow fence.

Where our plastic bottle tops go. I thought the heart-shaped container was a nice touch by the council! And I thought the many tops were pretty colourful! Algete street scene no. 11. Best on large.

Monastery with superb granite backdrop. Sierra de La Cabrera, Madrid province. One from the past. Not sure if it was posted previously on Ipernity; definitely was on Panoramio in 2011.

Always difficult to video or photo as they are so quick! They do a great service by keeping the mosquito population down. They are normally seen just as the sun sets. Best on full screen and further enlargement to view the bat!

Very common on marshier bits of coast.

Dried late summer vegetation at the edge of grain fields. I can see where I live from here.

A quite amazing sky! H. A. N. W. E. everyone! And a song that I like but, again, no bearing on this shot. I just like it! Sight and Sound. www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1oXdVAEUsE

Another trumpet vine shot but I don't think one can have too many trumpet vine shots! (Seems to work on full screen too)

Not in the 'Streets of Algete' sequence because it's just over the parish boundary in Fuente el Saz de Jarama. Another from my walk a couple of days ago. Our house can still be seen on the top of that hill.

Today the mountains CAN be seen! Compare this with the previous upload! A shot taken in a subdued evening light. Perhaps better enlarged.

There is normally a clear view of the Guadarrama Mountains from here but, again, there was just enough of a calima (Saharan dust cloud) to make the mountains very hazy indeed but they can just about be made out, especially if the image is enlarged!

A bit of a cheat perhaps but included in this series because this lane was once the main thoroughfare between Algete and its neighbour Fuente El Saz de Jarama, The traffic these days goes by a less direct route behind that hill. I'm delighted with this because I live on top of that hill (see note) and a main road here would have spoilt our terrific view! This scene could be late summer in very many places across Europe! I pushed myself with a walk to Fuente el Saz this afternoon, in the heat, a three hour trip there and back, but I found it easier than I expected!

These streets really do give me good exercise for improving my stamina prior to my eventual walks back in the mountains! Another view right in the heart of the old town. Crikey! And another pure blue sky! We are blessed or what! Actually this is my personal favourite from my streets of Algete series. Sight and sound. Well I sometimes get a trifle homesick! Always loved this even though it has nothing whatsoever to do with the photo! www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUgoBb8m1eE

This street is just below ours. It has a good view to the Guadarrama Mountains. Again a +40ºC day and it certainly felt it as I took my daily constitutional! The two green bins are a necessary evil and are a statement to our times so I think they have their place here! I have to say the light these past two weeks here has been pristine! No editing of shots at all necessary or desirable! Please on full screen and feel free to close in even further!

Algete Street scene no. 5. Parish church

In the distance can be seen the Four Towers at the northern edge of Madrid (please feel free to open the note!) And another flawless blue sky (and a rare wisp of cloud!) The map says 'Asia Doner Kebab'. When I previously lived in Algete for a year (2010/11) there was a kebab shop here but it closed even as I was living here then. So Google maps aren't always completely up to date! Sight and Sound; I used to like this band then forgot all about them.Something sparked me into listening again and yes, I like their funky style! www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJomeuoDFlI