Landscape junkies of the world unitied - Travels in South America

When we arrive home full of tales of how we could see Chile clearly from Argentina and how we rode into the hills of an estancia, at the top was a secluded clearing, laden with dead trees, and from there we watched the sun setting across the Andes. And how the reds, purples, yellows and orange colours' twisted and swirled in the sky above us was one of the most amazing things you have ever seen. That's when realise your a true landscape junkie.

Friends and family are always mystified by the fact that our photos are rarely of people but of one amazing landscape after another. They find it hard to understand why we fail to have people, invading as we feel our reproduction of whatever place we're at. They say, where are all the people? Where are you? Why aren't you in the photo? It looks like a postcard! We just smile and irritatingly say, its better like that, people ruin views!

Our photos of landscapes strive to capture the sheer intensity of the place we have just visited. This is in order for us to use them as tool so we can use them to transfer our selves' back there mentally when we need a fix. Our photos transfer us back to that very time and place we first laid our eyes these delightful and pleasurable back drops. They are a memory reminder and comfort blanket on those long lonely winter nights as you wait until the spring and a whole new bunch of holiday days that you'll be able to use to get your fix next.

I holiday all over the world to destinations that vary from the rugged Galician coast line in north west Spain to the snow peaked mountain ranges of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile.

Galicia is one of my favourites landscape fix destinations and I frequent it on a regular basis. The north west coastline of Spain or Costa Del Morte (Coast of Death) is responsible for many tales of piracy, savage storms and perished sailors. The north Atlantic beats itself relentlessly against the jagged rocks and sandy coves. It's a remote often seemingly desolate place with landscapes that are rugged and green and importantly unspoiled.

One of my favourite backdrops is the daintily framed village of Muxia with its tiny port and promenade, along with its picture postcard fishing boats and brightly painted shops. Behind the shops and bars is the village mountain. The Santuario De Nuestra Sra De La Barca is the village church it sits almost at the top of mountain as if it were the villages' very own crown. Behind the church lays one of the most stunning views in the region. Sandy coloured yellow rocks like giants footsteps fight their way down from the mountainside a nd into the sea were they break the waves and splash white surf at any tourist roaming too close to the edge.

The clearing were the church sits like a holy princess awaiting its flock meets the savage angry north Atlantic sea and casts us fabulous views across this coast line. From this point one can see out to Finesterre and its famous lighthouse and also out towards Cabo Tourinan (Spain's most westerly tip) in the other direction. As the greyness of the sea and sky merge and the sounds of the waves clash against the rocks and rugged coastline it becomes place you can sit for hours in. Just taking it all in.
As a self-proclaimed landscape junkie I am not ashamed to say that I have fondness for city views and landscape. One my favourite view's of London is from the National Portrait Gallery's restaurant. Close to Trafalgar Square, from this place you can take in spectacular sights of London such as Big Ben, Nelson and the Houses of Parliament. Go at night and you'll see that as the sunsets the moon lights these buildings up and it is truly a sight of urban beauty.

Park Guell in Barcelona is also one these picture framing places to see beautiful urban landscape from. Visit Park Guell on a hot sunny day and you'll see the beautiful colour of the city mix and merge in the haze from the sun. As it bounces off Gaudi's colourful mosaics the sun highlights the buildings of the city, the port and it lights up Gaudis masterpiece the Stragarda Familla church which lays across town.

One of the most amazing contrasts between the urban landscape and environmental ones is in south Patagonia, Argentina. The town of El Calafate is one of the last urban outposts before Antarctica. The surroundings resemble something from western and as you drive from the one storey airport towards the mountain range you see down into the barren valley that lies between you and neighbouring Chile. For miles around, thousands, upon thousand of acres of barren empty lands spill across the canvas.

Then to your amazement you see an urban environment, albeit a small one, appearing on the landscape. This is a place were you half expect people to be seen riding horses but there beneath me was tiny boxes driving down the roads. As you take in the little white buildings that's look like matchboxes you see this town as a blot on the landscape albeit a quaint rural one that really seems appropriate in the setting. You get an amazing sense how big this world really is and how sometimes in places like this we humans are just insignificant in the bigger picture.

Even though the urban landscape is not as tranquil as its country cousins it offers something exciting and different to the landscape junkie. The choice between urban and environmental landscape is a hard one for me to decide upon. I find it very like the question that is asked to travellers to Iguazu Falls.

There are 250 waterfalls that nestle between Argentina and Brazil that make up Iguazu Falls. From both sides there are magnificent views and backgrounds. However, the choice between up close and personal on the Argentine side to panoramic on the Brazilian side. Is one many travellers to this destination are often asked. As for me I still can't decide between which side of Iguazu I prefer. Maybe one day I will but for the moment I'm happy to get my fix from both and spend my time planning my next adventure. I'm sure fellow landscape junkies will agree when I say that I hope that it will be bigger, better and more splendid