If this is case, it is more than likely that you have come across small, tasty filleted fish, preserved in olive oil, sliced garlic and chopped parsley, and highly popular throughout Spain. This delectable dish is usually known as "boquerones" but, depending on area, can also be called "anchoas".

Boquerones are small, fresh anchovies. Accompanied by crisp, fresh Spanish bread, a glass of ruby-red wine or refreshing Asturian cider, they are a delight to eat. Moreover - as with many traditional Spanish dishes which comprise renowned Mediterranean Diet - they are extremely healthy.

Like its friend sardine, anchovy is an oily fish, packed full of proteins and minerals, protecting against heart disease, and "good" for cholesterol. What´s more, in many areas of Spain - in particular Mediterranean coast - fresh anchovies are extremely cheap.

On first coming to Spain, I happily enjoyed many tapas of boquerones, completely unaware of one fact ... all those little anchovies I had eaten were not cooked! For a moment, I deeply regretted asking my Spanish neighbor, Carmen, how to make them!

Fortunately, Carmen went into immediate action and saved day! She frog-marched me to local fishmongers, bought a kilo of little fish, took me home and showed me "her way" of preparing them. They were so delicious that I quickly recovered my passion for boquerones and have been enjoying them ever since!

Methods for preparing boquerones tend to vary slightly from family to family. However, basic principles are always same. You first have to clean and fillet fish, which is simple enough, but rather tedious until you get hang of it.

First off, equipment. As much as cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fisheye lenses which I call "spam" lenses. They cram everything in, with equal blurriness and boringness. Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame shot you may need to move long distances. Imagine using a fixed lens on Washington Monument, when you're half a block away! Zooms get my vote, even though they often don't have as wide an aperture, which limits their capabilities in low light situations.

Practically speaking, an SLR is absolute best. They are lightweight, and can be used with top quality lenses. Film SLRs tend to be less expensive, but have limitations of film, meaning you have to get it developed and so forth. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. With digital, resolution is also a critical factor, so look at specs before you buy.

OK, we've got camera, emotions are running high, and that's great, but not too great! Sometimes I find a spot that is so wonderful, I start shooting like a madman, only to be disappointed by pictures. What happened? Emotions. When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas and breezes as well as visuals of spot. Needless to say, you can't photograph all of these elements, only visual. When overwhelmed by spectacle of a scenic hotspot, we are often overwhelmed by all of these elements.