Here is a pic of the exceptional Royal Castle of Collioure. This time of year it's very quiet and devoid of tourists. How do you say goodbye in French? Nah, JK, I know it. It’s just hard to express it at this moment, although it is one of a pocketful of French words and phrasesContinue reading "A bientôt…"
Andalusia, Part Two.
We made our way back to the Mezquita-Cathedral, this time on a guided tour. We learned a lot about the building but mostly we figured out that these tours are chaotic and feature really bad audio. The guides do their best but, honestly, it's better to do some reading and self-explore. The place was packedContinue reading "Andalusia, Part Two."
Shuttin’ it Down…
Hey all! We're sorry for the long delay between blog posts, but you'll understand why when I tell you the news. Our youngest son is having some health issues that require more intense management than we can provide from 8000 kilometers away and so we're going to place our European adventure on hold for awhileContinue reading "Shuttin’ it Down…"
Reflections on a year abroad
As of this writing, it will be nearly one year since Steve, Coco and I pulled up stakes and headed overseas. It’s hard to believe this much time has passed. We certainly have a lot of photos to show for it and, of course, this blog (mostly by Steve) which has faithfully tracked our whereaboutsContinue reading "Reflections on a year abroad"
Christmas in Córdoba*
The arches inside the Mosque-Cathedral The drive from Portugal was similar to drives we’d taken across California’s Central Valley: large cities surrounded by miles and miles of agricultural land — in this case, mostly olive and citrus trees, with the occasional feedlot mixed in for olfactory variety. After arriving in Córdoba and meeting Juan Manuel,Continue reading "Christmas in Córdoba*"
Land’s End
The Westernmost point in Portugal. By my sextant, that's North Carolina over there Well, the tourists are returning to the Algarve for the holidays, so that must mean it’s time for us to leave. The other day, I went to the grocery store and was shocked to discover that the normally empty parking lot wasContinue reading "Land’s End"
The Algarve Blues.
Greetings from Portugal on this Restoration of Independence Day (observed). As I write this, all the stores here are closed to celebrate their independence from Spain in 1668. The two countries seem to be getting along fine now, however, as there’s lots of traffic back and forth over the nearby international bridge, especially when oneContinue reading "The Algarve Blues."
Endless Summer
Greetings from Altura, a small town in the Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal, renowned for its sandy beaches and year-round sunny weather, which is why we chose to come here in November. In summer, it’s packed with tourists from all over Europe and the UK but right now, it’s virtually empty. We’re staying aboutContinue reading "Endless Summer"
Reunited and It Feels So Good…
Denise rejoins the pack! Pictured here with Coco in front of the giant Porto sign in front of the town hall. Almost every town has one of these kind of signs nowadays, designed to promote tourism via social media. I had managed to evade the thing but Denise loves a big sign. Denise is back!Continue reading "Reunited and It Feels So Good…"
Porto Nation-Nação Porto
I'm still waiting for Denise to return but trying to stay busy with frequent walks around the charming, if grimy, city of Porto. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. This is the Ribeira District, the touristy riverfront on the Douro, west of the Dom Luis I bridge. East of the bridge, however,Continue reading "Porto Nation-Nação Porto"
Calculating Route... 