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 a circular pan filled with brown-orange rice, chunks of browned meat, and topped with six large pink shrimp, sitting on a white table with a glass of wine and a serving spoon.

Friends, Food, and Sobremesa

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Rachel

When we ate our first paella in Spain, we had no idea that it is much more than a well-known… Read more Friends, Food, and Sobremesa

Photo of Palma, the capital city of an island in the Mediterranean sea showing the expanse of buildings and the marina with many boats

Little Island, Big Island

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Rachel

With the sand and dirt of Menorca barely knocked off our hiking shoes, we convinced our good friend Patti to… Read more Little Island, Big Island

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 white cliffs surrounding turquoise waters with thin gray trees and green scrub brush in the foreground and white houses atop the cliffs

Island Time: 7 Days in Menorca

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Rachel

“First time in Menorca?”, the smiling Hertz agent asked as he handed us the keys to the car. “Sí. Yes”,… Read more Island Time: 7 Days in Menorca

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

night photo of sprays of sparks shooting out of a large pig model surrounded by people in straw hats and bandanas

¡Fiestas!

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Rachel

Dancing with the devil, building human towers, and being chased through narrow streets by frantic bulls are only a few… Read more ¡Fiestas!

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 sign made of evergreens and red flowers reading "Feliz Navidad" with palm trees in the background.

Holidays

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Rachel

This holiday season, normally a time for seeing family and friends, we find ourselves in a stranger’s home, in a… Read more Holidays

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 stone church next to a seawall, at dusk, with calm water in the foreground and pink-and-white clouds under a darkening blue sky in the background.

Rhythms

Posted on November 1, 2022November 1, 2022 by Rachel

It was as dark as midnight when our overnight plane began its descent into Madrid a few minutes before 8:00… Read more Rhythms

photo of red-and-yellow flag of Spain on a flagpole, waving in a wind, against a dark blue sky

5 Things I’ve Learned About Spain (without even being there)

Posted on October 16, 2022October 16, 2022 by Rachel

For those of you who have been awaiting news of our visas, we have a great update! We were approved… Read more 5 Things I’ve Learned About Spain (without even being there)

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

Vis-a-Visas

Posted on August 17, 2022August 16, 2022 by Rachel

“So, where is your next destination?” We had barely touched down on U.S. soil when our friends and family began… Read more Vis-a-Visas

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 legs and feet in tan pants and hiking boots pointing up to the sky on the right side, with a green hill on the left and a distant cityscape far below.

Takeoffs and Takeaways

Posted on May 30, 2022August 8, 2022 by Rachel

I gaze steadily out the small oval window of seat 22F as our plane takes off from the Quito airport… Read more Takeoffs and Takeaways

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 a street at night beside a harbor, crowded with cars and people, winding around a roundabout with buildings and bright lights

Soundscapes

Posted on April 26, 2022August 8, 2022 by Rachel

From our very first night in Ecuador we knew our sensory experience would be unlike anything we had ever experienced… Read more Soundscapes

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 beach in the foreground with people surrounding a still lagoon and colorful umbrellas, while dark clouds gather on the horizon.

La Vida Chill

Posted on February 8, 2022August 8, 2022 by Rachel

It is just past dawn and the bedroom air is already warm and sticky, promising another hot, humid day at… Read more La Vida Chill

Seeing the World, One Year at a Time

Our Ten-Year Travel Plan