Spain - Extremadura, Land Of The Conquistadors (31/151)

Spain - Extremadura, Land Of The Conquistadors (31/151)

The region Extremadura is situated in the west of Spain, near the border to Portugal. With no access to the sea, for centuries it was the poorest region in the country. Solitude, as well as a hard life with no perspectives were thus the lot of the "Extremenos", the inhabitants of this area. Many sought their fortune elsewhere: it was from here that the conquistadors set off to conquer a world empire. They discovered the Amazonas, the Mississippi, they conquered Guatemala, Mexico and Peru. Only a few of them returned home. Up to the present day the inhabitants of Extremadura have remained a breed apart. They live in a virtually intact landscape which, despite the encroachments of modern life, has retained much of its authenticity. Whether in a country wedding, horse breeding or fiesta, the original flavour of Spain here has been preserved. Now, there is a National Park in Monfrague, which has been established as a refuge for endangered animal species. Deserted villages such as Granadilla recall the former hard conditions of life, and in Yuste one can visit the room where Carlos V. died, just as if the Emperor had only been buried yesterday.