Combining art and nature in a walk is the best thing that can happen to me; they are unique moments and special places.
The path that leads to art or natural spaces may not be so pleasant, especially on intense summer days with lots of sun. I know that perhaps the time was not right, but the reward of a cool place was worth it. And although the walk under the sun can be long, if you take the necessary precautions, the heat won't affect you.
Once the bus dropped me off at the church or sanctuary of La Victoria, which I have passed by so many times, I was able to admire its façade. It was closed, but the exterior is equally beautiful and has gardens called Alfonso XII Gardens on one side, an ideal place to rest because there is plenty of shade. In addition, the neighbourhood children choose it because there are several games.
The exterior façade of the church is very large and has several access points between stairs and ramps. It is not always open, but behind it there is a car park through which I can take a shortcut and thus reach the nearby forest park more quickly. Luckily, the entire route behind the church is covered by the shade it provides.
Walking a few metres uphill and north, I reached the entrance to the park, which is flooded with art at the beginning, with some beautiful carved trees. In reality, they are tree trunks that have been cut down for various reasons and which an artist has taken advantage of and used to express his imagination. I love this place.
Does anyone see the clock?
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I always imagine that this special place is inhabited by magical beings, perhaps fairies, who visit these beautiful palaces and castles delicately carved into the trunks. I got close enough to see if I could see anything in any of them. There are many there, and at first glance they all look the same, I mean the carving designs, but they are not.
If you look closely, you can see windows, doors, staircases, corridors, and if you look carefully, you might even see the fairies waving. Some are very tall and others are shorter. The sun was shining brightly on them, which is perhaps why there were no beings there at that moment. They like to go unnoticed, like me, and hide in the shade and coolness of the immense, leafy park.
These castles and palaces are surrounded by trees, which stretch their arms upwards, wanting to caress the sun or perhaps wanting to touch the sky and see if there are any clouds that day. It is beautiful to walk among them and feel the earth with a few leaves crunching underfoot. Focusing all five senses on nature relaxes and enriches you. Have you tried it?
The carved trees are not only near the marked path, but also walking inside the park, leaving that path, among the rest of the trees. A green blanket of vegetation serves as a field for these wooden palaces.
In the thicket of this area, I believe that magical beings live there, and if not, then the magic is in the landscape itself and in nature asking us to enjoy it and feel it in our hearts as we walk.
I love looking up at the sky and seeing how the blue and light blue blend with the tall trunks and multicoloured treetops. These walks are wonderful for seeing and understanding the greatness of this world.
I like to observe the dark spaces created by the abundance of vegetation and how the sun's rays filter through it, sometimes drawing beautiful shapes and other times I imagine them. There is no better combination than nature and the creativity of the mind.
I always look back at the sky and how the branches intertwine.
I walk along unmarked paths, investigating and exploring. Now in summer, I am more careful, as there are small animals that are awake and must not be disturbed.
On this walk, I also enjoyed the shadows; they too are great artists. I have seen many posts here saying that nature is the greatest artist of all, and it is. There is no better walk than in nature, listening to it in silence.
Thank you for joining me on this natural and artistic Wednesday walk. Best regards. See you soon.
Amonet.
All photographs are my own.
