A Very Long Travel Day

November 30, 2023

A few days ago, I had to do something I’d rather not do. But sometimes, plans change, especially when you live as a nomad.

I was supposed to fly from Tenerife to Seville on November 26th. I would enjoy an afternoon in one of my favorite Spanish cities before hopping on a midday train the next day to Mérida, a city that has been on my “must-visit” list for a few years.

But then a certain Irish discount airline messed up the works. They canceled my flight to Tenerife and delayed my return flight by one day. I was not too happy about the canceled flight. Rebooking with another airline was a bit pricey, and I had wanted to avoid a long travel day.

First, I had to check out of the resort where I had been staying and move to a place down the street. My resort was nearly booked, and I couldn’t bear to pay that much for one night.

Then, I didn’t sleep well on Sunday night. I rarely sleep well when I have a morning flight. I don’t know if I will ever overcome this.

There I was, wide awake at 3:00 AM when I could have slept until 6:15. And I didn’t get much of a breakfast because the restaurant wasn’t open yet.

At the airport, there was a short line to check my suitcase, so I had two hours to kill. At least the departure area was clean and relatively uncrowded.

The flight took off on time at 9:15 and landed on schedule at 12:35. I even caught a few winks on the plane. Not bad.

My train wasn’t leaving until 5:54, and I was looking forward to some time in Seville. I got an Uber to the train station, where I planned to deposit my suitcase in the luggage storage.

“We don’t have luggage storage here. We used to, but we don’t anymore. People ask for it all the time. There are a couple of private places nearby, though.”

Gee, thanks.

The first place I tried required measurements of my suitcase in centimeters. Then, I needed to download their app and get a special code for the self-service locker.

No chance! I’m not leaving my precious suitcase in a place that isn’t monitored by a human. And how would I know the measurements in centimeters, or even inches, for that matter?

I found another place and walked in that direction. That place must have gone out of business because it wasn’t there.

By this time, I was a bit frustrated, and I’m pretty darn stubborn. I would simply roll my beloved travel companion into downtown to a tapas bar I wanted to check out.

The tapas bar did not disappoint and was absolutely worth the walk. They specialized in gluten-free items, which made my heart sing. And it wasn’t just the typical Spanish tapas. This was gourmet stuff!

I noticed that the couple next to me appeared to be American, and she was gluten-free, too. At one point, we ended up chatting. They were on a two-week trip around Spain, culminating with their friend’s wedding near Madrid. I helped them plan their afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.

After lunch, my suitcase and I rolled over to Las Setas. I had never seen this part of the city on my recent trips to Seville. (Las Setas is relatively new, completed in 2011. By the way, Las Setas means mushrooms in Spanish.)

In southern Spanish cities, where it gets unbearably hot much of the year, they find creative ways to make shade. This creation is the coolest (pun intended) I’ve seen yet!

On my stroll back to the train station, I stopped for a hot chocolate. The friendly bartender even gave me a discount. My day was getting better and better.

I noticed that my phone battery was low. So, I returned to the train station with ample time to charge it before getting on the train.

Satisfied with that, I stepped inside the bookstore at the station and noticed several titles in English. I picked up a good read for the three-hour-plus ride ahead. (Sometimes, you just want to feel the pages.)

The train left on time but arrived about a half hour late. It was closing in on 9:00 PM, and I was weary.

The Mérida train station was quiet. I had to call to get a taxi. So glad I speak Spanish.

The ride to my apartment was less than ten minutes. Ah…

But there was one problem: I was hungry! That tapas lunch was a long time ago, and I’m the kind of person who can’t sleep with a growling stomach.

I got online, and it looked like there was a decent grocery store not too far away—it was open until 9:30.

I walked through the dark, empty streets to see that the store had closed early.

Back online, I found another store that would be open until 10:00.

I arrived to find it was also closed.

On the route back to my apartment, I found a little convenience store. It would be popcorn, an avocado, and some turkey lunchmeat for dinner. At least I wouldn’t starve.

I had to believe the apartment had been empty for a few days because it was cold, colder than outside.

I finally got comfortable and fell asleep around 12:30.

I happily slept until 9:30 AM.

The next day, I loaded up on groceries including some of my favorite Spanish items. I would not go hungry for the rest of the week.

Sunday Wander on Karpathos

October 22, 2023

This is what got me started today. It’s called Poseidon’s Temple, and it’s about a 25-minute walk from where I’m staying in Pigadia, Karpathos, Greece.

It was Sunday morning, and I was due for a good walk. I was still feeling the pain of my hike in Samaria Gorge on Crete last Thursday; I thought a good walk might ease the pain and stretch me out a bit.

Apparently, Poseidon’s Temple is an ancient burial site. There are two caves behind the gate, and one certainly looks like a burial chamber. There were no signs, and I stumbled upon it accidentally when I was studying Google Maps. Perhaps I will learn more when I visit the archeological museum tomorrow.

I was in the mood for a longer wander. So, I continued down the road. I thought I might go visit one of the beaches on the other side of the island. My swimsuit and towel were in my backpack just in case.

Then, around the corner, I saw this:

The village of Menetes up on the hill (mountain?). I was feeling pretty energetic, the weather was perfect, and it was only a little after 9:00 AM. I could swim back in Pigadia this afternoon.

Then I was reassured a few minutes later when I saw this sign:

I was on a designated walking route. All good.

And there was the carrot on the stick; that cute village kept getting closer and closer.

As I ascended, I could see the bay by Pigadia as well as the other side of the island.

I also snagged a ripe fig from a tree. Delicious!

The views were better and better as I approached the war memorial outside of Menetes.

View of Pigadia

There was also a small chapel (They are everywhere in Greece!) just a hundred feet from the memorial, and the door was open. I stepped in. It was cool and peaceful inside. I was thankful for the resting spot.

The cemetery between the war memorial and town:

As I walked into town, there was a little stand with local goods. I had been seeing similar stands all over Croatia and Slovenia earlier in the trip. Three people were sitting around the table. (I took the photo later.)

The owner struck up a conversation with me.

“We saw you walking up. Where are you from?”

“The United States.”

“But where?”

“Seattle.”

“Oh, Seattle, Washington. I lived in the U.S. in 1977, in Washington DC, the other Washington. Today is the last day. I will give you a good deal.”

He really wanted to sell me some wine or olive oil, but I need to think about volume and bulk. Instead, I bought some dried figs, a lime, a small jar of olives, and some mixed herbs. I would consume all but the herbs before continuing to my next destination.

We continued to chat, and he offered me some fresh grapes.

“They aren’t so good. You know, they are the last of the Mohicans.”

I thought they were pretty tasty.

He advised me to make the chapel up above town my final destination and sent me on my way.

Most of the homes can be reached only by stairs. The townspeople must all have great legs!

View of the town from the big church:

After more and more stairs, I arrived at the chapel above the town. It was also open!

And, of course, the best views of the day at about 1650 feet! This is a view of the south end of Karpathos.

It was nice to be seemingly the only tourist in town today. The walk up was peaceful, and the gentleman at the stand was the first person I had encountered besides a couple of workers on the side of the road.

The funniest things happened later on the way back, though.

As I was walking back on the main road, a taxi started honking at me. He pulled up and asked if I needed a ride.

“No thanks. I’m walking.”

“I’ll give you a ride for free!”

Okay, that was a little creepy.

Then, a few minutes later, two men driving a car with a rental company logo slowed down and asked if I needed a ride. They laughed when I told them, “No Thanks. I’m walking.”

About twenty minutes later, another taxi slowed down and asked if I needed a ride. At least he didn’t seem to mind when I refused.

I wonder if some tourists get hot and tuckered out, so they are used to picking up people on the way down. It was over nine miles round trip, after all.

I arrived back at my apartment just after 1:00 PM and enjoyed a hearty lunch on the balcony, satisfied with the day’s wandering.

And yes, I did go for a swim in the afternoon.

Nomad Life: How Did I Get Here?

June 20, 2023

Do you ever stop and wonder about the twists and turns of your life?

Mine has taken many in the past five years.

If you had told me in June 2018 that in five years, I would be homeless by choice and changing doggie diapers, I don’t know if I would have laughed, freaked out, or broken down in tears.

But here I am.

You see, I was one of those Type A people who liked to be in control and lead a tidy, secure life. I was a lifelong educator, and although I always found it challenging, I figured I would segway into a new career at some point.

In fact, I did make a change in 2018. I sold my condo in the Seattle area and moved to Montana’s Flathead Valley.

This is it! I thought. But it wasn’t.

Don’t get me wrong—there were a lot of wonderful outcomes from that move. I enjoyed a year of outdoor recreation and made tons of new friends. What I didn’t do was plan for a source of income. I was overly optimistic about finding a suitable job that would give me some income but still allow for ample time in the great outdoors. It just didn’t work out.

I have an old friend who firmly believes life is all about timing. I guess I didn’t time that one right.

After a year, I returned to my home state, Washington, and returned to my safe but stressful career teaching high school. I took a position in Eastern Washington, thinking that changing to a smaller rural school would be better and keep me closer to new friends in Montana.

Then, you know what happened: Pandemic. There’s nothing like being in a new job in a new location and then being locked up alone in your isolated home in the country.

A couple of months into the pandemic, a friend and colleague stopped by for an on-the-porch visit. She encouraged me to head back to the west side of the state to be closer to friends and family. It was May, and we still didn’t know what the following months and years would bring.

I got online, found an appropriate open position, arranged for a nontraditional interview, and got the job.

It was time to move again.

I bought a “fixer-upper” to have something to do. Ha! I would not recommend remodeling a house during a pandemic. Supply shortages, inflated prices…it was not a fun experience.

That’s the short version of what led me to my current lifestyle.

If you or someone close to you works in public education, you know how tough the past few years have been. We teachers have been dropping like flies.

A year ago, I decided to sell that newly remodeled house, got rid of most of my possessions, and quit my job. Another teacher down.

My initial plan was to retire in Spain, at least for a year or two. I had traveled there about a dozen times over the years, and two involved longer stays in educational programs. I had always loved Spain. Why not live the Spanish ex-pat life for a while?

After traveling around the Western US in the summer of 2022, I set out for a three-month trip to Europe in September. I had an apartment reserved in Valencia, Spain, for the month of October. It would be an excellent trial period to see if I wanted to live there for a year or two.

In the end, I realized that traveling was what gave me the most joy. Exploring new places fed my soul like nothing else in life.

I had been following the blog of a nomadic couple from Seattle for several months. Initially, I thought there was no way I would ever do it. Nine months later, I realized it was exactly what I wanted to do.

So here I am. My nomadic lifestyle continues to evolve.

Last December, I returned from Europe to find my sister in a poor state physically and emotionally. I instantly put the brakes on my life to take care of her. I rented a house for three months (negotiated an Airbnb) to allow us time to assess her health and make a plan. I was ready to go back to work, at least part-time.

Sadly, my sister passed away from pancreatic cancer in January.

I decided to keep the short-term rental through March, as planned, to grieve and help sort out my sister’s affairs. Looking back, it was the right move. I spent more time with my adult children than I had in years, and there were numerous visits with family and friends. I also bonded further with my niece and her husband and kids.

That experience made me realize that I needed a hybrid plan. I wanted to spend a chunk of the year in Western Washington near family and friends. In other words, this is still home. I don’t want to lose that.

After traveling throughout the western states again this spring, I arrived “home” on June first. I was able to arrange pet-sitting and house-sitting gigs in the area through mid-July.

One of the most important things I have learned over the past few years is to be flexible because changes will always arise.

And there are no rules to the nomadic lifestyle. You can make it what you want.

Who knows? I may go back to work one of these days. For now, I appreciate the freedom and joy that come with simplifying.

If You Love Botanical Gardens, Go to Blanes, Spain

November 13, 2022

This post is another photo dump. Even though I was not happy with my accommodations in Blanes, I did enjoy the town, beach, castle, and botanical garden.

Blanes is a beach town in Catalonia, Spain, a mere 43 miles (69 kilometers) north of Barcelona. It is known as the “Gateway to the Costa Brava,” a popular tourist destination, but not crowded for this off-season traveler.

Besides its location, I picked it because I read that it was a good walking town with a boardwalk and trails, and there was a castle on the hilltop. Throughout town there are historic sights, too.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a gorgeous botanical garden, one of my favorite sights of my three-month European trip. Enjoy the sights!

And walking down some more…it was a combination of roads and stairs.

The following photos are of Marimurtra Botanical Garden.

Cab Drivers in the Know

October 31, 2022

Cab drivers in Spain are an interesting group of people. Occasionally you will get the silent one, but most of the time, they like to chat. Some love to tell you about their city and the places you should visit, and some will suggest other towns you must see. They are usually a thoughtful and kind-hearted group of people.

A couple of weeks ago, I met a driver who was an artist and author. We talked about writing, and I told him I dabbled a bit. He gave me his business card and encouraged me to go on a writing retreat in the future. (Add that to the to-do list.)

Last week, I brought my friend to Madrid for a couple of days before she headed back to the US. I got up early with her and called a cab at 2:45 in the morning. Then I went back to sleep for a few hours and called my own taxi to the train station. Usually, I would save money and take the bus or Metro, but rest felt like a better option! It took about ten minutes for the driver to arrive. He explained that the traffic was terrible, and he had done his best. I thought I had given myself enough of a traffic buffer when I summoned him with the app, but I was beginning to panic a little as we drove. He asked me what time my train was, and I said, “10:15.” He assured me that he would get me there in time to have a cup of coffee before getting on the train. He skillfully dashed in and out of traffic without making me feel unsafe.

He was right. We arrived at 9:57. I had plenty of time to get through security and board my train.

When I arrived in Sitges today, I decided to get groceries first since it looked like the apartment I’d be staying in was a way out of town. (Funny. I was sure I had carefully chosen a place within close walking distance, but that’s another story.) I was rather loaded down with my backpack, suitcase, and two bags of groceries. My Cabify App would not work in Sitges, so I went to the taxi stand.

The driver who picked me up seemed happy to see me, almost as if we were old friends. We chatted a bit as we drove, and then I heard him sigh. I asked if he was tired. He then unloaded on me a bit about how hard it is to drive a cab and work with the public. I told him that I could relate. I had just retired from teaching. He then became enthusiastic and told me he has three children, 17, 19, and 24. He has insisted that they all receive some higher education to have a better life than he has. He commended me for teaching and congratulated me on my retirement. We found out that we are the same age, too. I felt like I had made a new friend.

The office where I checked in for the rental apartment was at least a mile from the apartment. It was a long walk!

Sounds of the City

October 30, 2022

Tomorrow, I leave the apartment I’ve been renting in Valencia for the past four weeks. Yes, I’m a bit sad, as this has become like home. Since I started my wandering life four months ago, this has been my most extended stay in one place.

What will I miss most? The sounds.

There is a daycare center nearby. On weekdays, I hear the children playing and laughing.

There is a church in the distance whose bells ring at off times. I find it delightful that no one has bothered to fix them.

People talking in the street. (Okay, not the 3:00 AM conversations.) Sometimes I hear the excitement in their voices.

Music from the church across the street. It is a relatively new church without a bell tower. On Sundays, Mass is offered several times a day. I love hearing the hymns.

The cars and busses on the boulevard around the corner. I think about everyone headed here and there, to work, to school, and home for lunch.

I have never felt lonely in this apartment because so much is happening around me.

The Avenue around the corner form my Valencia apartment

What else will I miss?

Francisco (Frank), my neighborhood produce guy. He always strikes up a friendly conversation when I stop in. I went down to say goodbye to him this morning. (He opens until 2:00 on Sundays since the supermarket is closed.) He teared up a bit. I think I did, too.

The ability to walk to so many beautiful places. I have never lived centrally located in a major city. Within a twenty-minute walk, I could visit many of the significant sights in Valencia, from the city center to the Arts and Sciences area and from the train station to several parks. Aside from that, I could easily get on a bus to the beach or a metro to places further out.

October sunshine in Valencia’s Central Park

I’m really not a city person. Maybe that’s why I have embraced the change.

View of la *Plaza Redonda* from *Torres de Quart*

Treasuring Downtime

October 27, 2022

When you travel for several weeks, or in my case, months at a time, there is a certain pressure to go and see things every day. After all, I’m in a new city, state, or country; I can’t just sit around and read a book all day. There is always some downtime in the evenings—usually required due to aching feet—which is certainly welcome. But I absolutely treasure days when I have no particular agenda.

My days in Valencia are numbered. Today is Thursday, and I leave Monday morning. You might think I would be rushing around to see and do things before I go, but I’ve been here for almost a month. I have seen much and don’t feel any pressure to see or do more. I do need to do some shopping, but that’s it. I can get to that later.

One of my favorite features of the Valencia apartment: the tiny balcony

So today, I’m enjoying the ultimate leisurely morning.

I love breakfast. I wake up starving every day. Believe me, I consider myself lucky to have a strong metabolism at my age. (By the way, my dream man would wake up just a bit earlier than I and serve me a splendid offering of fruit, tea, and an omelet. That’s not asking too much, is it?)

Today, I got up, put on the tea water, peeled a Mandarin orange, and took some blueberries out of the frig. So, here’s the quirky part: I eat my fruit and drink my tea first. Then, ideally, I wait thirty minutes or so to eat breakfast, part two, the omelet, or whatever I’m craving that morning. (Today’s consisted of bacon, mushroom, and avocado with a small slice of Spanish tortilla on the side.) Then I finished with a second cup of tea, my vitamins, and a small piece of chocolate. I guess that’s another quirk. Dark chocolate is my coffee replacement.

I also ran a load of laundry at one point and will get into my morning yoga routine after I finish writing.

It may be noon before I get out the door. But I remind myself that I’m free. I’m no longer tied to the intense schedule of a classroom teacher. As my friend the produce man said, I’m “living.” I get to choose how to spend my days. And I cherish each one of them.

I went into the city that afternoon to buy a new suitcase and boots.

Just One More Block

October 26, 2022

Today I arrived back at my apartment in Valencia after spending a couple of days in Madrid with a friend who was visiting over the past two weeks. Returning to a place that feels like home after being so busy playing tour guide was a relief. I had a free afternoon to do whatever I wanted.
My friend here in Valencia, who recently moved here full-time from the US, had suggested that I spend as much time as possible walking around the city to get a feel for streets and neighborhoods. Now that I have been to almost every church, museum, park, and cultural monument in the city, I can slow down and stroll around these last few days before continuing north.
I decided to walk down some streets in the local Ruzafa (Russafa) neighborhood. I stopped at a clothing shop and picked up a nightgown for later in the journey when I will meet up with an old friend for a couple of weeks. It was fun to walk into, rather than by, one of those local clothing shops that sells cotton granny panties, bras, pajamas, and bathrobes. The woman asked what size, and I said, “medium?” She asked if it was for me, and I confirmed (in Spanish, of course). She agreed that medium would be fine and showed me five options with short and long sleeves in my size. I picked a long-sleeved cotton one that was a bargain at ten euros.

I then spotted Saint Valero and San Vicente church just behind the Ruzafa Market. I had never ventured beyond the market because every time before, my hands were full of groceries, and I needed to get them home.
It’s a lovely old church, and I sure wish it had been open. I wonder if it is the church whose bells ring at the wrong time all day long.

As I continued toward the apartment, I walked by more shops and restaurants that were local hangouts. I can see why Ruzafa (Russafa) has become a popular place to live. It’s close to downtown, but not too close, and still has that cozy neighborhood feel. Far from perfect and polished, yet welcoming.

As I sit here typing, those familiar bells ring in the distance. It’s 8:23, right on time.

Age is Just a Number

October 21, 2022

Today my friend and I went up to Port Sapalaya. It’s a coastal community just north of Valencia, where the houses are built along canals. It’s known as the “Venice of Valencia.” Indeed, someone had a clever idea in creating it. The residents can safely store their boats alongside their homes and cruise out to enjoy the Mediterranean in minutes. Some houses are two- or three-story while others are pisos or one-level apartments.

We enjoyed our stroll through the neighborhood and took in the beauty of flowers blooming in October.

Then it was time to find some lunch. Since we’re now into the off-season, the restaurant wasn’t crowded. We struggled to communicate with the non-English-speaking waiter because the online menu was stuck in English; I couldn’t get it to flip over to Spanish to place the order. An older couple from the table next to us stood up to help. They spoke a bit of English, and I ensured we were getting what we wanted for lunch. I thought the two of them must have been the restaurant’s owners or managers.

My friend wanted to try a glass of the amber-colored rosé that was on the table, but it was only available by the bottle. They offered red or white wine by the glass. Since they didn’t have any gluten-free beer, and they were trying to talk us into a bottle, I said, “Sure, why not?” Neither of us is a big drinker; we hadn’t yet splurged on drinks.

The funny thing was that the server brought a completely different bottle of wine to the table. My friend was initially disappointed because she wanted to try the other wine. The manager said that we could try it, and they would take it back if we didn’t like it. It was delicious, a little sweet, but light. Perfect for a warm afternoon at the beach.

Seeing that we were happy, our hostess began to chat with us, in Spanish, of course! (My friend doesn’t speak Spanish.) Our hostess told us how we needed to enjoy our retirement years because who knows how many years we have left? Her advice was to get up every morning, give yourself a virtual kiss, and say that you are a princess. In the evening, you must go out, drink wine, dance, and “brin-brin.” (I’m still not exactly sure what brin-brin means, but I felt like it meant to sparkle.) She kept talking and talking. Would she leave before our food arrived?

Finally, she said she needed to go prepare our food and left. Clearly, she wasn’t the chef because she found another table to chat up.

She was 77 years old and looked like she was in her 50s. Maybe we should all heed her advice.

We enjoyed our leisurely seafood lunch and sipped that delicious wine in the afternoon sun. Afterward, we strolled down the beach to the city beach of Valencia. The wind picked up, and the clouds came in as we walked, creating artful skies. It even sprinkled a bit, a glorious afternoon!

Deceiving First Impressions

October 12, 2022

This picture has nothing to do with this post except that it’s in Valencia, Spain.

This morning I walked to the Ruzafa market to pick up the produce on my list and maybe a little meat. (I wanted to have an abundance of food on hand for my friend who is arriving this afternoon.) It was 10:00, but it was quiet for a Wednesday. Some shops were closed, and others were open. Hm…

When I reached the market, I remembered that today was a national holiday. Not to worry—I have enough food on hand. I stopped at a little health food store/bakery and got some avocados. They didn’t have much gluten-free stuff, but there were some interesting items, and the woman working there was friendly. Finally, I checked to see if the Consum grocery store was open. Nope.

On my street, there is a small fruit and vegetable shop. I stopped there the evening I arrived, and the owner scared me off a bit. I had forgotten eggs at the grocery store and was going to grab a half dozen from him. They seemed expensive—2.20 euros. I only had a 20, and he didn’t have the correct change. I didn’t have anything smaller. He told me to take the eggs, and I could pay him later. His delivery was a bit abrupt, though, and I got nervous. I decided to go without the eggs until the next day.

So, the veggie man’s shop was the only other place where I could pick up some produce today. I walked in and grabbed a lemon and some bananas. Then he asked if I wanted any spinach. Oh, he’s hiding some vegetables in the back! I asked if he had broccoli. He opened a refrigerator, and there were two beautiful broccoli crowns. Forget the spinach.

Then he asked where I was from and how long I would be staying in Valencia. We talked about the differences between the US and Spain. He understood that it was more stressful to live in the US. In fact, he brought it up. I told him I had visited Spain several times and studied here twice. Then he grabbed his map from the top drawer and suggested places to see on the Mediterranean Coast. Very kind of him! He also complimented my Spanish and thought it was great that I was “living” and enjoying my travels. Who needs the big market? The veggie man just got a new customer.

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