Category: Uncategorized

The first time Sevillano neighbors invited us over for New Year’s Eve, our host casually added, “And don’t forget to bring your red underwear and grapes!” I said, “Yes, of course,” as if I knew what he was talking about, and hastily consulted Yolanda, my Spanish teacher, on the finer points of local New Year’s…

“I’ve got something to show you,” said Rich. “Got your camera?” We were out for a stroll, threading our way through the crowded labyrinth of pedestrian streets and alleys that make up Seville’s downtown shopping area. “You bet,” I said.  He steered me into the Centro Mercantile, an old club that often houses exhibitions of…

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about Prague in preparation for next summer’s train trip trough Central and Eastern Europe. And frankly, I’m afraid. I’m very afraid. Prague isn’t all beer halls and sausage stands. Gorgeous old churches and magnificent palaces abound. But at this point in the trip, we’ll no doubt want a…

There’s a moment in every one of our better journeys when Rich and I have the sensation of stepping off the well-lit path into the unknown. During next summer’s train trip through Central and Eastern Europe, I suspect that moment will come when we arrive in the Czech Republic. We’ll be traveling without reservations, just…

Next summer, Rich and I will walk out our door in Seville, stroll to the train station with our rolling luggage, and board a train to begin a journey that will last several months and cover thousands of miles. No reservations, just a Eurail pass and an iPad full of information about possible destinations. We’ll wend…

Next summer, Rich and I will walk out our door in Seville, stroll to the train station with our rolling luggage, and board a train to begin a journey that will last several months and cover thousands of miles. No reservations, just a Eurail pass and an iPad full of information about possible destinations. We’ll…

Next summer, Rich and I will walk out our door in Seville, stroll to the train station with our rolling luggage, and board a train to begin a journey that will last several months and cover thousands of miles. We won’t have reservations anywhere, just a Eurail pass and an iPad full of information about…

Next summer, Rich and I will walk out our door in Seville, stroll to the train station with our rolling luggage, and board a train to begin a journey that will last several months and cover thousands of miles. We won’t have any reservations anywhere, just a Eurail pass and an iPad full of information…

I am often gobsmacked by the highly personal and/or utterly impossible questions my Spanish friends put to me. It’s perfectly normal for Sevillanos to ask, “What a nice apartment; how much do you pay for it?” or “Have you gained weight?” or “Who do you think is prettier, me or my daughter?” They expect an…

Last week, my friend Victoria Twead wrote to ask if I’d like to take part in the Next Big Thing online event. She’s the author of the delightful Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools , which my husband Rich, who has trouble remembering book titles, calls “ Two Old Mules .” Vicky explained that the…