in atl
from left: Kate, Tara, Jayanna...others include guy going to work in the UK and girl studying in Rome....oh yeah and me!

in london
the gatwick airport is a shopping mall with a parking lot for airplanes

ready for madrid
already??? its only been 24 hours since you arrived at the first airport

callebarcelona from my hostal
Not in barcelona!

sol pano
Times square of Madrid...former eastern gateway but now a central plaza

generic gran via
No motion blur!!! Thats what the new Renault looks like standing still!

gran via pano
Oh the granest of vias!

ME! gran via
Still working on the composition of my one-armed self-portrait with context photos.

callao
Plaza off of the Gran Via...check out the Rebajas at El Corte Ingles! I shopped til i dropped

museo del jamon
1 part butcher shop, 1 part standing or sit down restaurant...0 parts museum

plaza mayor
Better photo coming soon!

catedra la almudena


plaza armeria
Right off of the Palicio Real

thyssen-bornemisza collage
Rafael Moneo additions couldnt fit in just one photo

plaza d espana 1
I did not just take a photo of a tour guide

plaza d espana 2


quixote
I love a country whose natinoal hero is a ficitonal character who faught windmills thinking that they were giants

ME! and Don
We go way back

ME! plaza d espana


maternidad
Beware of Insano Perspective Correction

maternidad signage
I am NOT having a child, just checking out some more Rafeal Moneo

infantil signage


cat lady of the parque
theres one in every park

1st person parque
Creepy..its like youve become me

ME! Parque del Buen Retiro


parque1


parque2


parque3
this is sunSET..now you are geomantically oriented in Madrid

statue parque


statue parque2


ME! with Teletubbie!
Oh! Happiest of Days!

authentic madrid
gosh...culture, art, tapas, and TELETUBBIES!!! This place has everything!!!

my room
Oh so clean!

viewfromroom
my piso has the same model of dryer as theirs!

my street


my street (from my door)
this hill is so much more murderous than it looks

rastro from my window 1
this is my street on every Sunday from 10am-2om

rastro from my window 2


my neighborhood1
Dont be fooled by the mural on the building on the right!

myneighborhood2
typical view down the street...not even kidding!

myneighborhood3
Plaza de la Paja was the heart of Madrid until Plaza Mayor

Random Wall
This wall has more history than the state of Arizona

the way it should be
...but then you are all used to politacally minded grafitti artists who struggle for clean air and pedestrians rights

don loco
dumb Quixote inspired digital art

setting off
more dumb Quixote inspired digital art

on calle atocha
this is the beginning of my ode to the additions to the Reina Sofia...this only includes photos of the Nouvel additions

more mncars
...thats Museo Nacional Centro del Arte Reina Sofia

perf-tacular


reina sofia marquee
This giant plane really looks as though it is flying, and my education tells me that it should have crushed me by now.

reina sofia courtyard
Gigantic!!!!

reina sofia courtyard
Look at the teany-tiny people...this is a huge space.

sculpture


on the catwalk


nice body work
Either Jean Nouvel has or should do some car design...check out the scoop on the back of the reina sofia

new meets old
Additions on the left...regular old Estacion Atocha on the right

no grand central
yeah, but the light comes through here quite wonderfully

inside atocha
there is a pond with a habitat of 30 or so turtles!!! apparently theyre the mascot of Spains train service

outside the platforms


platforms
trains are just fun to photograph

parking moneo style
actually this is the same structure that continues over the platforms

atocha structure


more parking moneo style


still more parking moneo style


dome-rific
one of several handsome occuli

chillida in the calle
hey! lets lift up a major road and jam millions of dollars in abstract sculpture and a pedestrian walkway below...ok!

puerta d europa
again...sorry fat joe...these lean FORWARD

about to fall on me
looking straight up

banco bilbao
NOT in bilbao!!!

banco bilbao
nope...this is the same one

torre picasso
Picasso's brief, failing, foray into architecture...ok i just made that up

torres blancas


hotel puerta america
www.hotelpuertamerica.com

Mappin Madrid
Now that you can find me...catch me if you can!

Westward Pano
From the non-public artists' studio in the torre of the Circulo de Bellas Artes!

Eastward Pano
Through a padlocked window that was conveniently broken into.

US! Retiro Park
I had always wanted to take out a boat, but couldn't do it alone.

STEPH! Retiro
Awwwwww!

ME! Struggling
Miles of walking has done nothing for my upper body.

STEPH! Rowing Effortlessly
Making it look so much easier than I did.

More Architecture Craziness
A view from my school that I forgot to photograph before. It reads: "Do you like what you see?"

US! Alcala Cathedral
Apparently it has been seriously renovated since Steph's days here.

Giant Birds and Nest
You can tell that many buildings encourage these enourmous things!

US! Streets of Alcala
Steph's representing!

STEPH! Donkey's
Sadly it is now "Burritos"

ME! Donkey's


Fingers de Queso?
I'd expect that in Nogales, but Alcala, Spain?!?!

US! My Place
Hammin it up

US! Sagrada Familia
We were in the neighborhood

US! McDonalds
Guilty! But check out the menu in Catalan!

US! Casa Mila
The rest of the photos are from here.

US! Take 2!
Steph said that this is her favorite photo from her whole trip.

Perdera Entrance
Oooooh! Art Nouveau Doors!

Interior Courtyard
Awesome

Gaudi Chair
His design!

Upstairs
This is the museum portion of the building, but also an amazing space!

Curvy Windows


Funicular Model!
Ask me for an explanation later! The mirror is so you can see the actual form created.

More weights and string
A simpler version of this was the theme of our structures class last semester.

More cool arches
Super thin ribs!

Rooftop Pano
sculpture abounds!

Gaudi dormers
As if it were a draped sheet cut from the slope of the roof!

Dormer profiles


Curvtacular
Gaudi-styles

Rooftop Sculpture 1
Yeah, there are a lot of these...still amazing though!

Rooftop Sculpture 2


Rooftop Sculpture 3


Rooftop Sculpture 4


Rooftop Sculpture 5
There is a rumor that these sculptures were the inspiration for the bad-guys' suits in Star Wars...

Rooftop Sculpture 6
...I just think that some architecture geeks were also sci-fi geeks

ME! Mila Rooftop


US! at the top of Barcelona
Awwwwwww!

Early Morning Venice
Just off the bus from the airport

STEPH! Ponte Grazi
On the way to the hostel...congrats to Steph on her first all-nighter (I slept an hour or so)

Venice Ambulance
Not even kidding

View from random cathedral
There are a lot of these

Palladio's San Pietro Facade
This is as close as I needed to get.

Grand Canal
Not a picture of a postcard!

Not as Grand Canal
Rush hour for gondoliers!

US! Venice
Need I say more?

Canal at dusk


Random Facade
Baroque is a 4-letter-word for me.

More Grand Canal
It is big

San Marcos Detail
Close-up on the cathedral that caps the Piazza

San Marcos Entry
We didn't go in.

ME! San Marcos


Piazza San Marcos
Amazing!

US! San Marcos


Pigeons San Marcos
They are filthy and everywhere. People pay 1euro to feed them...I'd pay to stay away from them.

STEPH! Splits
Steph took my photo from this posture, so I had to photograph it.

More San Marcos


Tower Silhouette


Behind Tower
This building is most-likely famous, but I can't remember its name

Rialto Bridge
Another tourist hotspot

US! Gondola
For 60 euro! Down from an initial offer of 150 euro!

Rialto Bridge from Gondola


Gondola Views


Chapel from Gondola


The Hidden Venice
The only way to see half of the city is from the water!

US! + Theresa
Steph's roommate from Alcala!

Venice at Night

Not the Moneo Museum!
Still a cool new building in Merida that is suspended over an archaeological site

Still plenty of roman artifacts
Underneath the building

You may have seen this
I know this is familiar, but you have to admit that it is much better looking with the doors OPEN!

Coming into the gallery
Soooo giddy at this point!

Great fenestration
Not only provides views to ruins below, but scales the tall space to the human and foils the light Nave quite well!

(jaw is on the floor)
The nave! Soooooo amazing!

Concrete Walkways
The musuem circulates up and through these walls

Mini Apses
On the opposite side, several coves are created

Giant doors
Looking back towards the entrance.

Brick arch awesomeness!
Nuff said.

How the light works
Showing the source of the AMAZING natural light in the museum.

OK another one of these
I could not get enough of this view!

Focal Point
Statues at the end of the nave

and above too
Above the statues

Lower Level
Clearly the darkest

Second Level
Much brighter

Rooms?
Though the space is fluid, the spaces between walls provide sequencing for the collection

Beats a White Box
This art would not be the same in a white, hermetic, artificially lit box...it just looks right here

Of capital interest
OK, you knew I was a geek.

Roman Scale
If you've ever wondered how tall those roman columns really are.

2 arches?
The shallow arch is only carrying the load of the moon shaped wedge-o-bricks, but the deeper arch can carry more anyways

Break on through
3rd level circulation coming through the walls.

From the top
Columns, statues, mosaics...oh my!

Amazing mosaic
I have become an incredible fan of these roman mosaics, they are breathtaking!

Mosaic Close-up


The Crypt
From which I have brought many tales (lame and dated reference)

Exterior
I believe these are windows to the offices of the museum.

Final view
On to another 5-6 hour bus-ride!

Croquis Corner
This time from inside the gate!

Croquis Corner Detail
Nice!

Coming In
Finally getting to see what all the fuss is about

Confusing exterior (for me)
A sloping grass plane leading to door-sized windows looked like an entrance to me! Actually its the box on the right?!?

Climbing vines
Notice the crazy mangled and rusted steel that supports the growing.

Entrance
I did spend a lot of time flipping through all of the issues.

Gallery Pano
Just for me!

Typical Gallery view
A fun space to be in, but hard to communicate through photos.

One of many models


The other side
Nope, these aren't doors as I had thought outside.

Back-issues
Probably looks great outside at night when it's backlit...here the writing is backwards.

Angles everywhere!
None of them are 90

More angles!


Couldn't go up
Upstairs are the actual offices

Fun Stairs


Stair profile
Awesome!

Colmenarejo
Exterior of Abalos y Herreros' Municipal Hall/Main Square

Stone seats
These are actually all over Spain

I got in!


Cool door
I believe they all rotate out to open the space completely.

Cool light box


Internet area?
I think that the platform is for public internet use?

Concrete planes


Oooooh Backlit!
Similar to the exterior view at night I imagine.

Back to the door


With open door
Subtle cue to the interior.

Cool material!
I'm sure this corrugated plastic is super cheap...I wonder why it isn't use much more?

Cool material?
Wait....this could be why.

Plaza Mayor
The view after a murderous climb to the Casco Viejo.

Puppy in Plaza Mayor
Got this while is panhandling owner was away

Cathedral
Yes, that's partially a false front....dishonesty in the church!

Cathedral Close-up


Fun Windows
Palazzo styles

Fun Colors


Colorful Street
It was just this street though.

Casas Colgadas
The one on the left is the Museo de Arte Abstracto

The famous one
This one is a restaurant, but they're closed for the summer.

The Bridge
Steph wouldn't cross it (when she came, she wasn't here this day)

ME! Cuenca
OK, OK, OK, so I haven't seen my chin in over 3 years either...get over it!

Pano from Bridge


Mirador
North of town

Mirador Pano 1
This is a record breaking 29 photo, 100+ megapixel collage!

Mirador Pano 2
This is just cropped from the last one, but still over 20MP!

ME! Mirador


Mailman in Cuenca
Looking into a plaza

Another Cathedral
Older than the other one

Yet another Cathedral


Fortified Walls
Islamic era walls, I'm not looking up the date for you.

Torre
Part of a supposedly amazing plaza that was completely walled off and torn apart for construction.

The Gorge-maker
One of the rivers that makes Cuenca Gorges..hehe

Chris
Singer/Guitarist

Brendan
Singer/Bassist + was the singer for Slapstick and the Broadways!!! (Both favs of mine for the last 8 yrs!)

ME! and The Lawrence Arms
The last photo before his camera died! (I love that Brendan still sports a Broadways patch on his hat!)

ME! Larry Arms and uncool guy
1st try, but Mr. Lameness walked right in! Way to go!

Habitacion Procida
My first studio project for a dwelling on an island off of Napoli

Planos Procida
Floor Plans for the 4 levels

Secciones y Fachadda Procida
Building Sections and an Elevation

Entry Procida
Quickie rendering of entrance

Interior Procida
The public spaces extend vertically and bring in the maximum of natural light

Foto Estudio 1
My first photo project was a study on the effects of directional light on rendering form and texture.

Foto Estudio 2
Each analatique has a consistent amount of daylight coming from 4 different directions in 4 photos.

Foto Estudio 3
The larger image is a composite of the 4 to provide direct contrast of the different results.

Foto Bellas Artes 1
This was the second foto project which was to study some phenomena in the Circulo De Bellas Artes.

Foto Bellas Artes 2
My project would be translated: "Lighting the Way: Light and Circulation in the Circulo de Bellas Artes"

Foto Bellas Artes 3
Each of these stair photos was the cover on a sleeve which contained photos on the themes: color, shadow, relfection

Color
1 of the 3 photos on the theme

Reflection
Notice the reflection of the light right of the window.

Shadow


Cover
Actually from the back cover.

Benidorm Concept
Here is my first conceptual rendering for the hotel/convention center project for studio.

Plan View
Looking down from above on a rough wireframe of my tower.

Entry
At least how I have it for now

Tower
A semi-current view of the entire tower

Section <-> Elevation
Trying out opacity mapping to merge a rendered elevation (right) with a building section. (Neither near complete!)

ETASM!
Escuela Tecnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (Superior Technical School of Architecture - Madrid)

Old Facade
Due to recent construction, I had to stand this close to snap a photo.

Courtyard
Our school has a beautiful garden courtyard, but everyone hangs out on this hardscape/loading zone between the buildings

ETSAM at Dusk
Duskish...sun doesn't set until about 915 now!

Halls


Stairs


Stained Glass
Not much of this at the UA

Geekiness is Universal
Students' arch-grafitti on lockers (non-architects - the guy on the right is not Alfred Hitchcock)

Fun kinetic sculpture
Actually a motor-driven assembly that creates the moving/undulating waves.

Motor
Now you all know how it works!

Detail
I imagine that this screw provides adjustable balance, but what do I know?

Oblique Waves
Cooler than anything we've had in the centrum...and this isnt even their centrum!

This is their Centrum!
GIANT Atrium in the newer building

Atrium Skylight


Fun Stairs
Cool Texture

Pedestrian bridge view NW
I cross this to get to school...looking up to Segovia

Pedestrian bridge view SE
Looking back at Madrid and the Faro de Moncloa

Going to Merida
When you get in at 130am, this is the view.

Going back to Merida
After a night on benches, we got to see the Calatrava bridge gleam in the early morning.

Concrete in the Morning
Gorgeous!

Trusstacular


Closed Doors
Museo Nacional del Arte Romano, Rafael Moneo, CLOSED!

Walls (I couldn't knock em down)
Aaaargh, I know what's on the inside, but I don't get to see it!

Famous Bricks
For all of those who ever tried to tell me that these were mortarless, I submit this "Told ya so!"

Not getting in
If they won't let me in, then I'll just take the head to the statue!

Anfiteatro
Merida's answer to the Colusseum

ME! Antifeatro
I cropped out the "thumbs down" I received after my performance. (Actually I've never seen Gladiator)

Section VII-VIII
Consult your ticket stub

Teatro Backdrop
The preserved backdrop is what makes this a premier Roman Theatre

Teatro
Theatre design hasnt changed much in 2 millenia.

Teatro Statues


ME! "Short and Stout!"
Actually thinner than ever, but Steph gets this one.

Teatro Pano


Concessions?
Who knows? I never found my Gladiator dogs and Caesar Cola.

Fun without Mortar


Circo Romano
Probably much more exciting with chariots

Circo Romano
Not much more than a giant field anymore

Yup, another Aquaducto


Casa Romana


Roof not Original
The sun was brutal that day, so this was much appreciated shade

Roman Mosaic
Gorgeous

Scrap Pile
I suppose these are the items that the archaelogists are still scratching their heads about?

Puente Romano
With Calatrava's Puente Lusitania in the background

Templo de Diana
In pretty good shape.

Columns


Foro Romano
An exact copy of the one in Rome. Those Romans were economic with their innovation.

Roman planters
Or early bottled water.

Basilica
Built on a church, built on a crypt, built on a roman house

Underneath the Basilica
The floors of the church overhead.

Praca do Comerico
Large plaza and gateway to the commercial center of Lisbon.

Gare do Oriente
Bus and train station built by Santiago Calatrava for the '98 World Exposition in Lisbon.

Spiritual Value
You might notice that there is a Banco Espiritu Santo (Bank of the Holy Ghost)

Main Atrium
Trains above, Metro below, Buses behind

Archtacular
The form of the station is actually an abstraction of traditional barrel vaulted stations.

Underground Breezeway
This goes underneath the bus platforms with stairs up to them.

Elegant ductwork
The subtle scoop in the center houses all of the mechanical and utility lines...GENIUS!

Fun Curves
Natural light isnt bad either.

Trains and not Spaceships?
I'm always wondering where the architecture promised to us by the Jetsons is...apparently in the Iberian peninsula!

Above ground Breezeway
Gorgeous

Bus Pano


Walking on Unbroken Glass
Similar to the bridge in Bilbao, but still AWESOME!

Train Platform
Top Level

Parque das Nacoes
The next several images are from the EXPO 98 area. This is the Portugese Pavilion by Alvaro Siza!

Pavilhao do Portugal
That is paper thin concrete and not a sheet draped across this Pavillion!

View from Below
Unbelievable!

The Tension of it All
Post-tensioning makes this pavillion possible, and here Siza shows the technology off in this connection.

More Siza


Expo Pavillions
Kinda weird, but there was much worse.

Volcanic Fountains
These things literally erupt!

Humiliated Children
You can decide whether these matching outfits are cruel or cute.

Auditorium
Not a spaceship!

Auditorium


Tensile Weirdness
Weird Fabric structure.

Torre Vasco da Goma
This is the best view of this tower...its not that attractive.

Ponte Vasco da Goma
The longest bridge in Europe at 17km long!!! Supposedly spanning a river...no river is 17km wide...its a bay to me.

Random Church
People were using it while it was under construction, even the Sagrada Familia can't boast that.

Tiled Facades
All over Lisboa! This is the view from my hostel room.

ME! River Tagus


Castelo da Sao Jorge
Similar to other Alfamas, Alcazabas and Alcazares I've seen

Castelo Addition
I think this is the entrance to a fancy restaurant in the Castelo.

My Middle Name
OK, the graffiti angels' wings are funny, but this sign was serious business.

On the Edge
This is why the sign exists. Less than a meter wide, at least 3 meters tall, no guard!

ME! Castelo
Lookin over newer Lisboa

Cristo y Puente
A view of the Cristo Rey (cousin to the Cristo Redentor in Brasil) and the Puente 25 de Abril (compared to Golden Gate)

Cathedral from Castelo


Up and Over
This is a scene from the Trials/Urban Assault bike race from the Castelo that day!

Streetcar Lisboa
Inspiring further comparison to Frisco.

Elevador
From 1902!!! Formerly water-powered lift to the aptly named Bairro Alto.

Going Up
Check out that wrought iron goodness.

University Rectory
By Aires Mateus!

Up close and personal


Universidad Nova


Aqueduct/Overpass
First Aqueduct that I've seen that has a freeway running through it.

Vacas!
For the Parade of Cows to begin the next day. Not sure if there is any relation to Rene's DF cows?

Paper Mooooooo
Newspaper cow?!?! So this is where the Big Mac meat comes from!

Praia Cascais
Atlantic Ocean

More Praia

ME! Costa del Sol
Sans Sol

Oh wouldn't it be nice?
Would clearly be a great beach in beach weather.

Alcazaba
Malaga's answer to the Alhambra

Dig those Moorish arches!
Don't forget the fountain cutting down the middle of the path as well.

???
No clue how this one happened.

Patio


Other cool arches
More fun than throwing a beam across, No?

More Alcazaba


Looking back on Alcazaba


Gardens Alcazaba
No Generalife, but still cool

Awwww purty flowers


Oooooh yellow


Plaza de Toros
The first I've photographed, though I've seen one in every city.

Roman Theatre
Clearly not all original, but it's hard to tell what is from when.

Malaga Cathedral
Yet another.

One-armed bandit
The second tower was never finished on this cathedral, giving it the nickname: La Manquita (The One-Armed)

ME! and Colleen!
Right before I would find out that the midnight and 1am buses were sold out on a Wednesday?!?!

City Walls
Everybody's got em!

Fountains and City Walls


Top of City Walls


Mezquita
Would also be a great name for a Spanish/Muslim BBQ joint.

Muslim Detailing Mezquita Styles
Just one of the many side-doors...nothing special you know.

Close up on Details
Same door

Mezquita Tower


Patio de los Naranjos
So yes, those are orange trees.

Paving
Not particular to Cordoba, but its about time that I took a photo of it.

Inside Mezquita
Super dark!

Famous (not golden) arches!
You can tell that the striping is the real deal on this arch.

Arches forever!
I took a ton of this same photo...it was unbelievable!

ME! Mezquita


Different Arch
I don't know why this room was closed off.

More Muslim Detailing
Would still be amazing with today's technology

More arches
Not the famous ones, but still impressive

More Mezquita
Well yeah thats a crucifix in the mosque! Duh!

Mezquita dome
One of a few... I wish that you could zoom in on all of that detailing.

OK Some more columns n arches
The other view was oblique.

Not Islamic!
Can you tell which part is Christian? I'll give you a hint: it's the less-cool part.

Cathedral...in the Mosque?
Right Smack in the Middle

Nave (Choir End)


Christian details
Clearly not as cool.

Nave (Apse End)
Yeah, still in the Mezquita.

Random thing
Still under construction, but pretty cool

Puente Romano
This was the only portion not torn apart for renovations.

Roman Ruins
Former Basilica from 1 B.C.

Roman Ruins
Various odds n ends

Short column?
And no, the bricks are not Roman

More city walls
The concrete bases are *gasp* not original

Juderia
Home to the famous Patios de Cordoba

Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos
Huge line meant that I didn't go in.

More Alcazar


Doves
There are more doves than pigeons in Cordoba...they are EVERYWHERE!

Taking Flight
Nope, not flying to Iraq yet.

Cathedral
Didn't go in.

Cathedral Details


Cathedral Details
You'll see the Muslim Details that predate these, and then these won't be that impressive.

Alhambra
The next several photos are all Alhambra related...this was my first view of it.

Fun fountains and textures
Similar water channels are continuously running throughout the complex, and the different periods offer textural variety

Palacio Carlos V
The newest (1527) of the Alhambra buildings: unfinished and unpopular.

Palacio Carlos V
I don't know...I was still impressed

Coffered Wood Ceiling


Alcazaba
The earliest portion of the Alhambra

Remains of the city
These are the walls of the city once contained in the Alcazaba...those people must have been short!

Looking across the way
This is gorgeous Granada! The hillside homes covered in white are amazing!

ME! Granada
Why yes, I was floating in the air for this shot.

Alhambra from Alcazaba
This is the open space between the palaces (Nazaries on the left, Carlos V on the right) and the Alcazaba

Entering the Palacio Nazaries
Every threshold in the entire Alhambra is equally gorgeous

Alhambra details
The entire Palacio is covered in this detailing!!! Remember those cathedral details? Of course you don't.

Patio
One of Many

Patio de los Leones
The most famous part of the entire Alhambra

Patio de los Leones
Possibly the location of the royal harem.

Sala de Dos Hermanas
More mind-blowing detailing!

Patio de Comares


Generalife Gardens
Known as the "Architect's Gardens"...I fit right in.

Ooooh running water.
Actually the banister for an outdoor staircase!

Remains of city walls
Nope, not in china!

ME! Generalife
Too bad about the view though.

Typical Granada Street
Amazing, but also easy for getting lost.

Santa Ana
Another church...sigh.

Kriss Kross will make you...
Public jump roping activities just aren't the same in AZ...btw you can tell that they have already messed up.

Alhambra from Mirador
This was from my seat on the terraza! Notice the Sierra Nevada in the background.

Closer up
Still from my seat.

ME! Mirador San Nicolas
Okay, I stood up from my seat.

Cathedral
Much like others

Cathedral Entrance


Cathedral Entrance
Inside the entrance is the "Tomb of Columbus" which was recently discredited. He's probably in the Dominican Republic.

Inside Cathedral
More ornamentation than the average.

Cathedral & Torre
The panos come from the top of that Torre

Sevilla Pano


Bells of the Torre


Pano with Calatrava Bridges
No I didn't go out to them, but I've already seen a few.

Sevilla Pano


Plaza
There are little booths devoted to all of Spain's provinces here.

ME! with Heather and Brian
Actually a photo of a photo of Colleen's.

Plaza Fountain


ME! Representing
La Latina suckas!

Torre de Oro
13th century Muslim watchtower!

City Walls


Another Plaza

Brussels Pano
Not the greatest weather for this photo.

Meow!


Cathedral
One of many in Brussels...same as any cathedral in any European city

More Cathedral


Yet More Cathedral


Palace of some sort


Fun Paving
They have this in Spain too, but I really dig the fan pattern

View from Museums
I didn't go in them though...sorry fans of the Flemish masters

Don't Trip!
Nearby were the worst skateboarders ever...not taking advantage of these!

Grand Place
Coolest plaza ever!

ME! showing my waffle pride
My black jacket showed evidence of the powdered sugar for the rest of the trip.

Mannekin Pis
Viewer Discretion is advised!

Restaurant Row
Several streets like this...ton's of Spanish food and "tapas" places too

Paint Peelin


Escargot
Delicious...inexpensive too!

Brussels Airport
No clue who did this, but it was pretty cool.

Curving Trusses

Typical Utrecht
There aren't 10 of these as in Amsterdam though.

Real Dutch Windmill
Found it by mistake too!

ME! blowing as hard as I can
Ok maybe not...but I'm wearing wooden shoes!!! OK that's a lie too.

Sunken River, Utrecht
The doors are now to fancy restaurants rather than merchants and traders.

Typical scene in Holland
Biking and bike lanes are serious business here...I could have taken 100 photos of similar scenes.

Mini Anne Frank Memorial


All for 3 euro!
Nope, no possibility of mailing them.

Schroderhaas
Gerrit Rietveld's masterwork

Schroder detailing


Schroder Mullions


Schroder Balcony


National Pride
A nearby underpass had mosaics of all of Rietveld's chairs. This is the Red Blue Chair

Some city building
charming though

Cathedral and Tower


Dom Tower


In the Park


Thatch roof
I huffed and I puffed, but it didn't work. (Aren't Americans always the Big Bad Wolf?)

City Hall
EMBT Miralles and Tagliabue

City Hall Renovations
I'm not sure that I understand what is going on here.

Fun chairs at city hall
I actually took in the city for a solid 20 mins to recover from the miles I had been logging.

Fountain at city hall
Similar to what I saw at their Parque Diagonal in Barcelona

Berlages Exchange
Now houses and architectural institute and a gallery of some sort.

Famous Corner (for me)
Drawings of this corner were shoved down my throat for a year.

Dam Plaza
I went to the Dam Plaza to go to the Dam store to buy some...

Lean on me
I was waiting for them to collapse into the water. Who did the civil engineering on this one?

ME! Amsterdam
This is actually in the annoying and shady area...across from Berlages exchange!

One of the nicer river views
Bikes are everywhere! Chapel in the background

Typical Amsterdam
Buildings, sidewalk, river, sidewalk, buildings, street, buildings, sidewalk, river...

ME! Amsterdam Again
Much better weather and area this time

Old Amsterdam


Silodam
The weather does not look as threatening as it was that day.

Fun Facade
Shows the "communities" within the complex

Silodam corner
Who doesn't want to live in a stack of freight containers?

ME! Silodam
I am soaked!

ARCAM curves
Awesome little building with a free gallery too!

ARCAM glass


reflecting on ARCAM


ARCAM from the NEMO
Looking much less curvy from this side

NEMO
I think thats a copper skin with heavy patina.

Renzo Piano Style
Cool exterior...didnt pay to see the interior

On deck
This part was free though.

Amsterdam Centrum from NEMO
Looking to the old from the new.

Fun Building
Cool private offices.

Heading to Borneo
This was the beginning of the kilometers of contemporary

same building


Cool pedestrian bridge1
Still the same building.

More Cool Pedestrian Bridge
not crossing over water though.

Tight Tower
The skinning of this building looks to be as taught as a drum...operable windows too!

View across the Water
Looking to KNSM island

Residential Towers
There were about 10 towers of this size going up on this stretch.

Black Buildings?
I guess it makes sense here, but I'm from Arizona.

Contemporary Brick
The use of brick in this super-dutch style has changed my opinion of the material.

Neutelings Apartments
Neutelings Riedijk architects...no clue how to pronounce that one.

Whale Housing
by de Architekten Cie

Neutelings and the Whale


UN Studio Borneo
Ben Van Berkel and UN Studio are current heroes of mine

MVRDV Borneo
The white one in the middle is MVRDV, but its a fun street for sure.

ME! Borneo
People wondered why on Earth I took this photo?

One more pedestrian bridge
Linking Borneo to Sporenburg

OK and another pedestrian bridge
Just down the same stretch of water

As steep as it looks
There are steps, but they are inclined as well

KNSM Apartments
Cubic masses with subracted voids are all the rage here

Deiner and Deiner
This is where I ran into the locals

KNSM Island
Another fun stretch...looking left

the other side of the water
same spot but looking right

Cantilevering Balconies


Fun Facade


Going back to Centrum
SuperDutch as far as the eye can see!

ME! Riding the Rails
Off to Utrecht!

Casa Batllo
Most of the upper portion of the facade is gorgeous tile mosaic.

Batllo Close Up
It looks like an alien now, imagine what people thought in the late 1800s!

Casa Mila
I really dig the more restrained curvature in this one.

More Mila
Made before computers?!?!?!

Wrought Iron Balcony
Each one is different.

La Pedrera
Casa Mila is often known as La Pedrera or the Quarry...here's why.

La Sagrada Familia
I counted 7 cranes while there...still a construction site.

Passion Facade
This is the newer facade that was finished somewhat recently.

Nave (I think)
I know what a nave is, but its hard to tell what's what through the scaffolding!

Transept (I think)
The natural light on the left is actually just a portion without a roof.

Nativity Facade
The earlier and intentionally more elaborate facade...there will eventually be a glory facade as well.

Going Up
Claustrophobia on the way to the top!

Inside Tower
Unbelievable!

At the top
Most every color you see on this entire temple is tile mosaic.

The very top
This is as high as a person can get...tons of elaborate detail despite the fact that it can't be seen from below!

Oooh Stained Glass
Halfway up

Fosterino in the distance
Communications tower by Norman Foster from Sagrada Familia

View from the Towers
There are several intermitten balconies on the way up that offer similar views.

Parque Guell
Intended as masterplanned garden community for Barcelona's rich and elite

Grotto Guell
Earth and trees above you.

Grotto Detail
only one column is articulated like this

Guell House 1
One of a few houses that were actually built

Guell House 2
I didnt get on the roof where you can see steps and balconies. Now houses a gift shop.

Guell Pano
Too bad about the view.

Guell Hypostyle Hall
Im not sure if Gaudi did this portion.

Looking back from houses


Barcelona Pavilion
Many of these photos look just like one's you see in architectural history books. But they were taken by ME!

More Mies


More Mies


Under the overhang


Pavilion Interior
This view and the floor plan blew my mind! The open plan is even more amazing in person!

More Interior
You can notice a few Barcelona Chairs also designed by Mies

ME! Barcelona Pavilion
I'm die hard about my man Mies...take that you Corbusier lovin whimps!

Sweet Miesian Detailing
The pavillion was supposed to show the elegance of mass produced products....but everything was actually custom-made.

Torre Agbar from afar
Jean Nouvel's tower that kinda looks like a Swiss Re ripoff.

Calatrava Tower
You might remember this from the '92 Barcelona games.

View from Montjuic
Barcelona has a gorgeous location between the mountains and the sea.

Pole-Sittin Columbus
It was from this vantage point that he discovered that the world was NOT flat.

Mar Magnum
Cool bridge that goes to the Marina and the shopping mall.

Triumphal Arch
Everybody's got one.

Forum
My first Herzog & De Meuron! Currently under construction or renovation.

Spatial Craziness at the Forum
The play of polished steel and glass is as insane in person.

Material Craziness at the Forum
Textured, perforated and alternately polished and oxidized

Curvtacular!
Across from the Forum

Rustacular!
Part of the same curvtacular building.

Cool Stair Detail
Sorry for the "through the window view, but the stairs don't even touch the ground! Cantileverastic!

Curves and Tower
Some heavy cantilevering in this tower as well.

Handsome Trio of Towers
...all in a row.

Not Sure
Still under construction and very cool. We had noticed it from the top of Sagrada Famliia.

On the beach
We thought that this looked like old-school Norman Foster, but we're not sure.

Parque Diagonal
EMBT Miralles and Tagliabue

Parque Pano
Everything in this park is as weird and unnecessary as it looks.

Biblioteca
Encountered this by mistake, but it is actually by a significant Spanish architect whose name I can't remember.

Biblioteca Entry
Free internet inside let us check our flights!

falla 1
I am only numbering for your help, I did not take photos of all 350...sorry :(

falla 2
People in the foreground and the 5 story buildings in the background show how large these are! This aint the biggest one

falla 2 contd
up close and personal

falla 3


falla 4
The size and quality of these rivals anything made by Disney!

falla 5


not christmas
Almost impressive as my parents xmas lights!

ME! with a bunch o lights
This time it isnt just me lighting up the photo.

the big'un
7 stories tall!!! Enormous!! Coming up: this on fire!

love those americans


parade girls
Notice the traditional garb and princess lea (sp?) hairdos

mmmmm churros
Churro stands everywhere! Smaller than the mexican kind, sans sugar. But always served with thick hot chocolate!

paella cookoff
Very similar to the paella cookoffs that you are all used to.

nice lawn
To protect the street, even the fallas are set on sod squares. Btw wood fire is the og method of paella cookery.

mmmmmm paella
From last years champ!

mercado
Similar to one in my neighborhood!

breaking through!


calatrava bridge
Bigger and less cool than the one in Bilbao.

ME! and Brenda on the bridge
Soon to be kicked off by the man. Turns out the fireworks are too close to here.

ME! after fireworks
Bracing for a flash that wasnt turned on.

more post-fireworks crowd


mediterranean take 1
Cold, rainy, and somewhat underwhelming.

ME! mediterranean take 2
Now this is a beach that I can handle.

ME! on the jungle gym
Random valenciana with me.

a few people who like fire
Pyromaniacs of the world UNITE!!!

burn em down!!!
The least blurry foto from my perch on top of a dumpster. This is the big'un from earlier.

more fire
Different falla, different fire.

City of Arts and Sciences
Santiago Calatrava's enormous project that has reinvented Valencia.

Truly a city
Left:Museu de Les Ciencies Middle: l'hemisferic (IMAX) Right: Unfinished Palau de les Artes

ME! at my boy Calatrava's place
Actually, he doesnt live here.

no purpose
Giant canopy that neither sheds water or provides shade. Notice that no one is in there. Surely cost millions though.

looking to the IMAX
The grand walkway overhead is regrettably an emergency exit?!?!?!

entry to science center


planta 1
Typical science museum stuff, but not your typical ceiling structure.

planta 2


fun structure


atrium-tacular
Gorgeous.

ME! and my physicist homies


Coming out of the IMAX
or one might say: "exiting the spaceship"

just a model
notice that the crazy cantilevering fin is flying from only two bearing points

the real thing
The other spaceship has landed!

aquarium
L'Oceanografic is the largest aquarium in Europe

cafe submarino
Restaurant where you eat fish while hanging out with their friends. I looked for Jared and 6" BMT but found neither.

Surfaces that RULE!!!
Underside of a ruled surface...lame architecture joke.

inside the aquarium
OK so not inside the water, but you get the picture

fun birds


thats a wet kiss
Baby beluga hammin it up.

Palacio de Congresos
More Norman Foster!!!

el croquis
from across the street

as close as we got
Didn't think about how i would montage this one...sorry for the black areas

service entrance?
still pretty cool

comin to san lorenzo el escorial
Look at the people for scale...HUGE!!!

museo de arquitectura
ancient construction equipment...mildly interesting!!!!

creepy masoleum
apparently the bodies arent actually inside these

creepy masoleum
there are dead people in these ones though

one of many murals


vaulted floor?
yes, this may look like a dome, but it is flat!! The best way to span over the entrance was to make a flat vault, yikes

basilca
oooooh fisheye styles

some basilica art
usually those pesky people in front ruin the photo, but I think that they made this one.

more basilica art


plaza de los reyes


jardines del escorial


jardines del escorial
looks like the edge of the world...and it might be

to everything....
yes!!! blossoming trees are excellent weathermen...turn, turn, turn

view from el escorial
this is actually looking back to Madrid

ME! El Escorial
livin la vida del monasterio

Basilica Dome

bilbao


view from hostel


no carbombs please
The sign says "no transportation of explosives on this road", but should read "exploding car crossing"

home sweet home
Man, that Bilbao metro goes EVERYWHERE!

metro stops
Courtesy of Lord Norman Foster of the Thames Bank or as a guidebook says the locals call him: El Fosterino

more metro stops
This is what nearly all of the metro station entrances look like.

metro profile
Almost as cool as the purple cactus bus-shelters in Tucson!

metro escalator


waiting for that train
the trains are actually as modern and well designed as the stations!

down the street
this is the first of 15 Guggenheim images on this post...get ready (i could have posted all 162 that I took!)

from a nearby bridge


ME! Guggenheim


guggenheim entry


guggenheim marquee
I am sure that the structure for this marquee carried an engineering fee greater than many entire museums.

Contour-tacular!
Ooooooooh! Rippling Titanium!

Atrium from the hip
Yes, one of several illicit interior photos that I took without looking.

Richard Serra's Snakes
Serra's sculptures provided me with THE #1 most amazing experience that I've ever had with a work of art!

BUSTED! in the fish gallery
Woman in the foreground is about to yell at me, but in the background are some of Serra's torqued ellipses

Terrace view


Ready for Takeoff
What?? All museums don't come with jet engines? I guess the propellor driven museums weren't fast enough.

Pedestrian Bridge
Part of the Guggenheim complex

Night View1


Night View 2
The form of the ship is most apparent from across the river

Night-time Countour-tacular!


Guggenheim Guarddog
I think that Asher will get about this size

Calatrava Bridge
So renowned for impressive feats of engineering, Calatrava has proved that gravity can be defied by money alone.

On the bridge
Gorgeous glass walkway is very slippery in the rain!

Shake Shake Shake
The entire bridge sways and moves signigicantly, so even using the main support to stabilize my camera was sketchy

A forest of...
I have not clue what these canopies actually do other than light up at night.

Palacio de Congresos
Actually a theatre and convention center.

other side
My favorite part is the giant cantilevering volume of steel projecting off of the side.

Yet another cool bridge
Also a pedestrian bridge...they seem to have the monopoly on these here in Bilbao

more bridge madness
these large steps also slope significantly without being uncomfortable

Grassy hills
Apparently they were having a problem with teens racing through here on their riding lawnmowers. Slow Down!

Anchor


Grimshaw Bus Station
Taking off for San Sebastian

Inside the outdoor station


Interesting chairs


Kursaal and San Sebastian
This is where the river meets the ocean

Kursaal corner
Yes!!! More Rafeal Moneo!!!

Fachada Kursaal


Prismatic
It is clear why the Kursaal is sometimes referred to as "los cubos del Moneo"

Bay of Biscay from Kursaal


Self-Portrait San Sebastian
Me reflecting on the ocean.

Pintxos!!!
Tapas Basque style...the ones on the far end are the best..these are just little sandwiches, but everything costs 1,50!

Carnaval Insanity
If you look close, you can see that it is not only popular to WALK like an Egyptian

Carnaval Costumes
Sorry no cross-dressing men, which were actually everywhere!

Carnaval Kids
Carnaval attire can be anything. Think: Non-Scary Halloween

Carnaval Float

segoviapano


interesting facade
I adorned my jacket in the same fashion when I was in high school

AQUEDUCT!!!
Even the Scale provided by the people in this photo cannot even hint at the size of this thing. NO MORTAR!!!

Doing my civic duty
This is probably the closest that I will ever come to being a plumber

moving up from the plaza


ME! Aqueduct
I was sooo thirsty, but the aqueduct no longer functions.

Catedral Exterior
Right off of the Plaza Mayor

Catedral Interior
Also massive!

Catedral Interior 2
One of probably 15 niches or radiating chapels...all of which are equally lavish in adornment

Alcazar1
Rumored inspiration for Walt Disneys constructions

Misc. Room in Alcazar
Ive got to move into a place like this

Stained glass Alcazar


The bow of the ship
Segovia is said to plow through the valley like a battleship....at no time did I say "Im king of the world!"

View from the top
Looking back from the top of the Alcazar

ME! Segovia

good to know
No longer the capital of spain, but still the capital of graffiti lovin punks!

ME! Toledo!


toledopano1


toledopano2


toledocatedral
Perspective correction looked even crazier than this...the catedral does not really lean back...sorry fat joe

toledocatedral entrance


inside the catedral
the size of your screen does not do justice to this ENORMOUS catedral

first synagogue1
Moorish arches or no arches for me

first synagogue2
Yes that is a christian altar...what kind of Jewish synagogue do you think this is?

second synagoge
The articulation of the ceiling was the most interesting part of the synagogue which is an otherwise empty room

granja escalador
My legs are glad that the title does not read granja escalares

going up
absolutely amazing concrete which is totally bermed into the side of the hill

rick and brenda
lovely rick from the uk and brenda from architecture at UT Austin

city walls
these walls have protected the punks in the city from impending doom...or so their graffiti would have me believe

alcazar
austere, imposing, and closed for renovations

one of many bridges
a river snakes around three sides of the city...of course there are bridges