Whether you’re pondering a trip, well into planning stages, in withdrawal after your last trip or an armchair adventurer, hope you enjoy “visiting” Spain on this website.
A bit about me. Bios are hard to do and embarassing so let’s keep it short. Plans are for a bloggish thing which may be helpful to know me better, if you’re curious – still unclear what form the bloggish thing will take and how much will be there but hey….
Originally from Grinnell, Iowa, by now I’ve lived way more than half my life in Madrid. That doesn’t include Life Under Franco (Spain’s dictator for 40 years) but does include almost all of the fascinating transition from dictatorship to democracy. (That gives you a big hint about my age, which is of course not something you ask right off.)
My favorite things? All kinds of walking, from easy to challenging. Cycling. Kayaking and cross country skiing when occasions arise: good snow or kayaks on the right kind of water. Spanish history, especially medieval and the Spanish Civil War. Exploring, learning and sharing my discoveries. Reading, everything from light fiction to fairly deep non-fiction (especially history and social sciences). Writing. Sewing and knitting, though don’t have much time for either.
My travel philosophy? Done right, travel should answer questions, but should pose many others, enticing people to continue "exploring" long after a trip is over. Travel should break down pre-conceived ideas (stereotypes, but that word is soooo negative), replacing those ideas with a multi-faceted reality. Travel is the ideal way to learn about “different” people and places, and can help create the understanding that today’s world needs so much.
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