Attack.

I will eat all of the pizza of these Italians!!

Another Tour.

I guess it's been a year already. Once again La Vuelta makes its way into Madrid for the big victory lap. Last year they came into town by way of the grand avenue, Castellana. This year they blurred by us along the Arco de Triunfo near Moncloa.

Bunk.

Just one of a few machine gun nests leftover from the Civil War. This one is in the middle of a large park on the northwest side of the city. No plaque, no explanation of what it is or why it's there.

I'm not even really sure why it wasn't torn down, other than perhaps inertia. Anyway, this one was part of a series that ran along the university campus, the site of many bloody urban battles.

To the Top.

The final leg of a mountain bike race we stumbled on. It was a tough, dusty course and the final loop curved around this old castle.

Stopping for gas at a station just outside of town, we saw one of the racers spraying his bike down with a power washer. I turned away to check the gas tank and when I looked back again, the guy was power washing the dirt off his legs.

Day in Chinchon.

Another gorgeous hilltop pueblo, Chinchon is just outside of Madrid along the edge of the Jarama Valley. Everything about it is so typically Spanish, in the best possible way.

The ring was empty, but we left with our hearts filled with OLE!

Pretty in Pink.

It's like looking in a mirror.

Waiting.

Waiting for Ms. Pretty Ballerina to arrive.

Night Out.

Spain is deep into its second year of "La Crisis," the fallout from the housing collapse in 2010. Official unemployment is at about 25% and unemployment for those under age 35 is about 50%. So naturally, it's time for the annual celebration of consumerism, Vogue Fashion Night Out. The merry-go-round was transformed into a Juicy Couture hair styling tent.

Spreading the word via scooter.

Sidewalk DJ, velvet rope included.

Chariots

While visiting beautiful St. Andrews in Scotland for the weekend, these birds were my audience as I ran along the beach a la Chariots of Fire.

Scottish Disney

This way to the Magic Kingdom.

Royal Guard

Looks like someone is just waiting to sign up.

Inevitable.

Yes, I've too fallen victim to the trend of over-processing my photos using clever filters that mimicked "old" styles of photo development.

But doesn't it look cool? (I suppose I should note, that this photo was altered by blurring the edges, darkening the corners and generously cropped to give the appearance of floating above the clouds.)

Face Value.

Not a metaphor. Not a winking comment at the intersection of history and development. Not a visual take on the way in which Spanish colonial heroes appear to be losing their heads, or maybe even drowning in a rising tide of revisionism.

I just like the orange and blue colors.

First Thing.

They say the hardest part about getting up early to run before work is just putting your feet and on the floor and deciding to do it. And oh, they are right. They are right. But my reward is a nearly empty Retiro Park and the chance to ponder this:

I have no doubt that this is a reference to a Greek or Roman myth, but I've not a clue which one. Rather, it means I get to spend the rest of my morning run imaging stories where the ending has a naked man reaching down into the stomach of a lion to retrieve a lost item.

Safe.

Due to the dire economic situation in Europe, banks have been making cuts in all departments. Here we see the new security guard at Banco Totta in Lisbon.

Don't touch the money.