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Gary has been a photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and event photography.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean, and having studied Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life, photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different cultures!He is experienced in both still and video and operated his own darkroom for several years before the advent of digital photography.Everything he now does is edited and formatted via computer and Photoshop using the latest technology available.
For more information on his travel and event photos, travel blog, common sense blog, T-shirts, bumper stickers, cards or other paraphernalia, and clocks depicting photos from his travels, just clink on the corresponding link.
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Canary Islands

Many people visit the Canary Islands every year to enjoy the sunshine, beaches, and many resorts that dot the islands!

Very few realize the islands boast many pyramids, which are well worth seeing. Most of the pyramids are located near the town of Guimar on the Island of Tenerife.

Located on the east side of the island, near the south end, the pyramids were first discovered by the famous explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

According to reports, the pyramids were described as just piles of rocks or agricultural terraces made by farmers. Upon observing the pyramids Thor didn't agree and was so impressed by them, he remained to study them during the last years of his life.

Resembling step pyramids found in Egypt, Mexico and Peru, the question remains, who built them, and when?

One of the theories is that they were built by the Guanches, the original inhabitants of The Canary Islands. Although the Guanches were thought to not have the technical abilities needed to build the pyramids, they did mummify their dead as the Egyptians,and they also knew about pyramid design as has been illustrated on their artistic seals known as pintaderas.

There is much evidence the pyramids were aligned astronomically and it has been theorized they were used for ceremonies at special times of the year, such as the solstices and equinoxes. Not only are the pyramids located on the south of the island, they can be seen on the west side of the island and in the north as well.

Although no one knows for sure who built them, most of them are located in areas of the island the Guanches inhabited. Could these ancient inhabitants be the same peoples that immigrated to Egypt and constructed the pyramids in that ancient land? Are they remnants of a great society that possibly existed in this part of the world,before recorded history,and before the ancient Egyptian empire rose from the ashes?

The islands were known many in the ancient world including the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, and are mentioned in a number of classical sources. For example, Pliny The Elder describes a Carthaginian expedition to the Canaries, and they may have been the Fortunate Islands of other classical writers. King Juba, the Roman protegee,
dispatched a contingent to re-open the dye production facility at Mogador in the early 1st century . That same naval force was subsequently sent on an exploration of the Canary Islands, using Mogador as their mission base.

When the Europeans began to explore the islands they encountered several native populations. Although the history of the settlement of the Canary Islands is still unclear, genetic analyses seem to indicate that at least some of these inhabitants shared a common origin with the Berbers of northern Africa. The pre-colonial inhabitants came to be known collectively as the Guanches, although was originally the name for the indigenous inhabitants of Tenerife

Sunset from La Santa Sport
Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

Willard's adventure in Lanzarote, Canary Islands

If you're traveling to Madrid for the first time, don't miss the opportunity to see Puerta del Sol-the Heart of Spain, and also one of the most popular tourist sites in Madrid. The name, Puerta del Sol, means "Gate of the Sun" in Spanish. At the center of Puerta del Sol, you will find yourself amidst six different main highways, each having a little bit more of Spain to offer you, should you decide to take that route.

Tourists are not at a loss for attractions in this historical medieval town, which was once surrounded by a protective wall. In the 15th century, the gates here were also the gates that led to Madrid, the gate where visitors and traders from all over the world entered this city. Some were just tourists and others were important politicians.

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