Tabernas Desert

The Tabernas Desert is located a few miles from Almería, between the great rocky masses of the Sierra de los Filabres and the Sierra Alhamilla. It is a dramatic almost moonlike landscape and what plants that exist within this habitat twist and bend amongst the great cracks in the earth in search of some moisture. Salt cedar, oleander and brushwood have adapted to the conditions of extreme aridity and the local fauna mainly consists of insects, toads, hedgehogs and scorpions. A number of birds can be seen flying over the dry gullies and riverbeds including the swift, rock martin, crested lark and jackdaw. It is the only true desert in Europe.

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It may be a desert but I like it. The scenery is startling. The arid yellow ochre landscape contrasts with the vivid blue Almerian sky. The annual rainfall here does not exceed 250mm and the year-round average temperature is over 17 degrees. It has 3000 hours of sunlight per year, making it an ideal spot for a solar energy installation and that is why the largest centre of solar energy in Europe, the ‘Solar Platform of Almería’ has been installed in this area. 

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Other blogs by Robert Bovington:

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“Photographs of Spain”	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
“Spanish Impressions”	http://bobbovington.blogspot.com/
“you couldn’t make it up!”	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
“a grumpy old man in Spain”	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
“bits and bobs”	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
“Spanish Expressions”	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
“Spanish Art”	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
“Books About Spain”	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Almería - the film capital of Spain?

by Robert Bovington

Well, the city of Almería has been used as the location for a number of films including 'Patton' (1969) and 'Never say never again' (1983).

Almería Alcazaba
The Alcazaba has been used to film Conan the Barbarian,
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,and Never Say Never Again

Parque de Nicolás Salmerón in Almería
used as a film location in the films "Patton" and "Lawrence of Arabia"

However, I was thinking more of the province of Almería especially the Tabernas Desert and the Cabo de Gata. Many films were shot here including Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and others. 'Cleopatra'(1963), 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962), 'How I Won the War' (1967), 'Conan the Barbarian' (1981), 'The Empire of the Sun' (1987) and 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' (1989) are some of the more well-known films made in this area.

Almería - statue of John Lennon
John starred in 'How I Won the War' .
He also wrote "Strawberry Fields Forever" whilst staying in Almería

 

Playa Monsul in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park
one of the locations in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"

Oasys Theme Park (Mini Hollywood) in the Tabernas Desert (Almería)

Tabernas Desert - view from the Sierra de Gador
numerous spaghetti westerns were filmed in this area

 more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Tabernas desert Almería

The Tabernas desert is the only true desert in Europe. It is located between the great rocky masses of the Sierra de los Filabres and the Sierra Alhamilla. The scenery here is startling - the arid yellow ochre landscape contrasts with the vivid blue Almerian sky. It is also 'Wild West' country - dozens of spaghetti westerns like 'A Fistful of Dollars' were made here and visits can be made to 'Mini Hollywood'. If you have children you should take them there - they will enjoy it. I did!

Robert Bovington

25 Nov 2011