From Los Angeles to Teruel

How one small magazine article changed my life.

People often ask why I chose to build my life in Teruel instead of Madrid or Barcelona. The answer begins on an airplane.

At the time, I was living in Los Angeles, working with literary agents and writers, where discovering great stories was part of everyday life. While flipping through an airline magazine, I came across a short article about a small city in Spain that celebrated the tragic love story of Los Amantes de Teruel—two young lovers named Diego and Isabel. I remember thinking, How have I never heard of this? Another Romeo and Juliet? I couldn't let it go.

This was long before the internet made everything easy to find. I searched bookstores, libraries, and every resource I could, eventually discovering Los Amantes de Teruel by Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch. The more I learned, the more determined I became to see this remarkable place for myself.

A few years later, while photographing a wedding in Italy, I decided to make a detour to Spain. I met Raquel Esteban Martín, director of the Fundación Bodas de Isabel, along with local historians who generously introduced me to the legend and the city that had kept it alive for centuries. Soon afterward, I returned to experience Las Bodas de Isabel de Segura for the first time, and nothing had prepared me for what I found.

The entire city became the thirteenth century. Thousands of residents traded modern life for medieval dress. Families became actors, shopkeepers became merchants, musicians filled the streets, and every corner seemed to tell part of the story. It wasn't a festival created for visitors. It was a community preserving its own history. I came back again. And again.

During my fourth visit, in 2007, Raquel introduced me to the festival's official photographer, who also became my translator. His name was Diego. What began as a practical introduction soon became a friendship built around photography, travel, and a shared curiosity about the world. Before long, I found myself returning to Teruel for far more than the festival. Almost two years later, I left Los Angeles and moved to Spain.

Looking back, I still smile at the unlikely chain of events. A small article in an airline magazine. A wedding assignment in Italy. A medieval love story. A translator named Diego. None of it could have been planned.

Today, after nearly two decades in Spain, I realize the greatest story I found wasn't simply the legend of Diego and Isabel. It was the people of Teruel. They welcomed me into their homes, workshops, churches, and celebrations, teaching me that belonging isn't something you find overnight. It grows slowly through kindness, trust, curiosity, and shared experiences.

Looking back, it seems extraordinary that one small magazine article could change the course of an entire life. Los Amantes de Teruel may have been the reason I first came here. The people of Teruel are the reason I stayed.