photo of a castle wall and turret with a Catalunyan flag flying on top, overlooking blue ocean, with rocky hills and high-rise beach apartment buildings in the background

10 Things I’ve Learned About Spain (Since Being Here)

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Al

What is it like to live in Spain? The longer we are here, the more we realize that it takes… Read more 10 Things I’ve Learned About Spain (Since Being Here)

photo of two lounge chairs on a tile deck facing a row of palm trees with sandy beach and blue ocean beyond, and the sun casting a stream of white light on the water

Home Is Where the Yoga Mat Is

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Al

Palm trees sway in the ocean breeze, hiding chattering green parakeets in their leaves outside our living room window. Behind… Read more Home Is Where the Yoga Mat Is

photo of a cathedral dome in the background and a gothic buttress topped by ornate spires in the foreground

STowns and CViews

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Al

It is easy for the mind to fuse together a string of visits to places with similar-sounding names and similar-appearing… Read more S*Towns and C*Views

photo of a tan vertical cliff next to a dry river gorge with a green trestle bridge entering a tunnel at the bottom of the image, halfway up the cliff, and a tiny walkway with a small fence attached to the cliff.

Málaga Photo Gallery

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Al

We just returned “home” from our first trip in Spain in which we were not carrying all of our belongings… Read more Málaga Photo Gallery

photo of a two-level structure of arches crossing a ravine with blue sky behind

Arteries of the Ancients

Posted on January 13, 2023January 16, 2023 by Al

We run our fingers along a dusty wall made of thick cubes of rock, mortared together in the 2nd century… Read more Arteries of the Ancients

Photo of a cliff-sided hill with a rectangular, stone castle tower on top. Below the cliff is a village of white walled houses set on a hill amid green trees. Blue sky and white clouds are above.

Pueblos Blancos Photo Gallery

Posted on December 20, 2022 by Al

You have to see the Pueblos Blancos (white villages) to really appreciate them. Each one has the same ingredients mixed… Read more Pueblos Blancos Photo Gallery

Map of Spain and Portugal showing a blue line tracing a route that goes from the top to the bottom of Spain, through the middle, and across to the upper right

Scouting Spain

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Al

“Could we live here?” is a very different question than “What should we see or do here?” That’s the distinction… Read more Scouting Spain

photo of a rainbow arching over gray rocks and a misty mountain vista with green bushes in the foreground

Over the Rainbow

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Al

I hope I never lose the eye-opening wonder of waking up in a new place. It feels like the Wizard… Read more Over the Rainbow

Photo of a Lonely Planet guide to Spain lying on top of two newspaper articles about Spain and a map of Spain.

Is Planning Part of Travel? A Debate.

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Al

Stipulated: Planning for travel is a part of the travel experience. Begin. Affirmative: Researching a place teaches us about its… Read more Is Planning Part of Travel? A Debate.

Photo of a male hiker standing atop a ridge overlooking a vast panorama of green mountain peaks just below the clouds.

Uncertainty Principles

Posted on September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 by Al

Once again, we are leaving our summer retreat without a solid plan. It’s not for lack of trying (see “Vis-a-Visas”… Read more Uncertainty Principles

Photo of a sunlit mountain range in the distance, past a wide green valley, with a porch deck railing and roof in the foreground.

Hostel Life

Posted on June 26, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

Imagine a summer camp for adults: strangers share space, meals, and recreation, sign up for activities, and form bonds quickly.… Read more Hostel Life

Photo from above, looking down on a long, narrow, white canoe next to a brown dock attached to a thatched-roof hut, sitting on reflecting, brown water and surrounded by leafy trees.

Photo Gallery: Amazonia

Posted on June 7, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

To wrap up our time in Ecuador, we spent a week in the one zone that had eluded us so… Read more Photo Gallery: Amazonia

photo of a snow-capped peak rising above low-lying clouds. In front are rolling green fields, a fence, and grazing llamas.

Photo Gallery—Avenue of the Volcanoes

Posted on May 20, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

We just finished two weeks hiking in the spine of the Andes, Ecuador’s famous Avenue of the Volcanoes. Check out… Read more Photo Gallery—Avenue of the Volcanoes

photo of a crowd of people waving white and red flags, some in traditional Andean clothes, marching in a disorderly parade across a cobblestone courtyard in front of colonial-style buildings.

The Parade

Posted on May 8, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

We didn’t realize that we were arriving in Quito on May Day, or that May Day even mattered. In the… Read more The Parade

photo of an orange and black butterfly hanging from a silver chrysalis while other black-and-white and shiny silver and gold chrysalises hang above.

Mindo Surprises

Posted on April 12, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

In the cloud forests of Mindo, I rediscovered the fresh joy of mountain air. After two months in the equatorial… Read more Mindo Surprises

photo of a ceramic mosaic of four volcanoes spewing lava behind a sea with waves, a sandy beach, and two tortoises being ridden by white birds.

Galápagos Dreaming

Posted on March 22, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

I dreamed I was in a land full of giant reptiles; lumbering, armor-plated creatures that hissed at me and yet… Read more Galápagos Dreaming

Photo of a brown, sunlit sea turtle swimming through green water.

Photo Gallery—Isla Isabela, Galápagos

Posted on March 16, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

Island and week #2 in our visit to the amazing Galápagos brings images of incredible undersea life and one of… Read more Photo Gallery—Isla Isabela, Galápagos

photo of a large gray land tortoise looking warily at us from under his rounded shell

Photo Gallery: Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos

Posted on March 6, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

There’s so much to see in the Galápagos! Check out a few of our favorite photos from our first week… Read more Photo Gallery: Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos

photo of a sign in Spanish, saying "Precaucion no salir del sendero" with a steep, green mountain ridge in the background.

Adventures in Learning

Posted on February 24, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

When I pictured learning Spanish in Ecuador, I imagined myself swimming happily in a sea of language that I could… Read more Adventures in Learning

photo of a distant stone ridge, blue sky, green hills, taken from inside an open air, wood floor yoga studio with deep golden brown wooden pillars

Namaste (Vilcabamba)

Posted on January 23, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

In Vilcabamba, we started every day with yoga, facing a rock ridge called Mandango as the sun rose over the… Read more Namaste (Vilcabamba)

Photo of the welcome sign to Podocarpus National Park by a wooden bridge.

Two Doors to Podocarpus

Posted on January 10, 2022August 8, 2022 by Al

To the south and east of Loja lies Parque Nacional Podocarpus, an Ecuadorian national park that spans two provinces and… Read more Two Doors to Podocarpus

Photo of blue church domes above a courtyard with white lights in the shape of an angel.

Feliz Navidad from Cuenca

Posted on December 25, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

We just wanted to wish everyone who celebrates Christmas a very merry one today, and all of our family, friends,… Read more Feliz Navidad from Cuenca

photo of three blue domes of a cathedral about a market plaza with white-walled buildings and red tile roofs

Cuenca: A Day in the Life

Posted on December 14, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

Each weekday morning, we walk an hour to school. I did not expect I’d be saying that in my retirement!… Read more Cuenca: A Day in the Life

photo of river rapids, trees, and a green bush with orange flowers

Day 1 of 3,650

Posted on November 30, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

The day begins with the bed shaking us awake. Having lived in San Francisco, Rachel quickly identifies the rumble and… Read more Day 1 of 3,650

photo of a cobblestone street with storefronts and a sign reading Bienvenidos

Next Stop: Ecuador!

Posted on November 19, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

At the end of November, all of our planning and preparing ends and our adventure takes flight. We will fly… Read more Next Stop: Ecuador!

New Mexico Photo Gallery

Posted on November 4, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

Our last stop on the Great Western Tour was Albuquerque, with its wide blue sky, Sandia mountains, adobe architecture, and… Read more New Mexico Photo Gallery

photo of snow-covered Hahn's Peak in Colorado

Colorado Photo Gallery

Posted on October 28, 2021August 8, 2022 by Al

Driving east from Utah, we passed into Colorado, visiting family and seeing the Rockies in Steamboat Springs and Denver. Check… Read more Colorado Photo Gallery