After a two year break, I’m on the road again! The book department —as Rick Steves himself put it— has a herculean task ahead of themselves this year: update each & every guidebook the company publishes. We all have our work cut out for us. In fact, this is just the first part of my schedule. I’ll be updating the entire Portugal book in June & July. But let’s not jump the gun…
Read More »spain: guidebook research 2022
Rafa & I continue to explore the large number of walking trails in our area, & this is the most well-known. Its first two sections are beautiful with several opportunities to spot horses, sheep, cattle & even pigs! Although lengthy, the route is generally flat with well-maintained backroads & paths. Take a picnic lunch, & spend a fun afternoon walking through this biosphere/natural park.
Read More »el pedroso: arroyo de las cañas trail
Visiting cemeteries has long been a source for inspiration in my travels; no better proof of that than writing a blog about Recoleta Cemetery for the past 15 years! I’ve been amazed by beautiful sculptures & fascinating stories from Montevideo to Milan, but the cemetery in Sevilla offers a chance to see history being rewritten. If you know where to look…
Read More »sevilla: cementerio de san fernando
Even easier than the Mirador de Alonso, this walking route is so new that it doesn’t have an official name yet! Still under construction on the day after Thanksgiving, we were surprised at all the animals we saw along the way: falcons, storks, sheep, friendly dogs & curious cattle… an easy way to connect with nature if you happen to be in the area.
Read More »el pedroso: newest trail
And you thought gazpacho was the only way Spaniards found another use for day-old bread! Much of Spanish cooking is waste not-want not using simple, high quality ingredients. In fact, migas (literally “breadcrumbs”) uses only five common kitchen staples to make a classic dish. This particular recipe comes from a family of saffron harvesters in Castilla-La Mancha, so they add a pinch of their local spice. For this traditional shepherd’s dish, saffron wouldn’t normally be on hand but its addition makes this version even more tasty.
Read More »recipe: migas
When I wrote this series of posts last year, I never dreamed another entry would be needed so soon! Such is life. A friend & I began househunting online during the height of the pandemic, mainly as a way to pass time. So without trying, we learned a lot about the real estate market in Spain. When our landlady decided not to renew our lease for 2021, I put all that research to work & became a first-time property owner.
Read More »personal: places lived 13
A quick commuter train ride southeast of Sevilla —the line heads towards the direction of Zahara de la Sierra & Grazalema— ends in Utrera. This city of 52,000 people sits off most tourists’ radar but has a few surprises to merit a visit: a church strikingly similar to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Lisbon, the only church bell ringers left in Andalucía, an immense castle keep & a party room inspired by the Alhambra. There are even pastries if you have a super sweet tooth! Let’s explore this easy day trip from Sevilla…
Read More »spain: utrera
One advantage of living in the Sierra Morena foothills is easy access to several hiking trails. Although not an experienced hiker, updating guidebooks for Rick Steves has endowed me with lots of stamina! Autumn now approaches & with it cooler temperatures, so we’re starting to explore on foot what the region has to offer…
Read More »el pedroso: mirador de alonso trail
In March 2020, Spain began a lockdown that would come & go for well over a year. As we descend from the fourth wave of infection, now seems a good time to reflect on national & local management of the pandemic. My personal experience in Andalucía should not be considered standard for the entire country; other regions of Spain have had wildly different circumstances. Hindsight is of course 20/20, but I’ll try to address the good, the bad & the unfortunate, occasional ugly. Enjoy the rollercoaster ride like the graph above (taken from the Ministerio de Sanidad).
Read More »andalucía: navigating a pandemic
Just over an hour from Sevilla on the same train that goes to Jerez & Cádiz, most visitors zoom past El Puerto de Santa María without a second thought. But its beautiful beaches, interesting architecture & vibrant cuisine scene make for a great, non-touristy overnight stay. Explore with us…
Read More »spain: el puerto de santa maría