Our high-octane tourist mode continued after Madrid, into Germany. While we visit Germany yearly, we have not made time to be a tourist there. What do you explore as a tourist in Germany? Castles! And, yes, Romans! Moselle The part of the Moselle river valley that snakes its way through Germany is beautiful countryside. The narrow, steep-sided valley, dotted with castle ruins, covered with terraced vineyards, anchored by the river, makes for a meandering and scenic drive. Our

When I was a kid, Spain was mysterious and fascinating for its differences to the European north: warm, sunny, life-embracingly passionate, and an escape from confining structures and norms. Popular culture, especially popular music such as the 1972 hit “Eviva España” celebrated Spain as a popular, desirable summer vacation destination. A visit to Spain, for me, seemed unachievable, even later when Spain became synonymous with cheap beach tourism for the masses. Some friends

A more general post about our time in Spain is forthcoming, but honestly, this took precedence.... Our friend Linnea came to visit us in Spain, and we decided that it was a good excuse to rent a car and do a few-day road trip to Granada, and visit…. The Alhambra: a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain’s most visited landmarks. The Alhambra is an enormous palace and fortress complex overlooking Granada. Built primarily during the 13th and 14th centuries under the Nasrid

During the month of July we are catching up with friends and family in the U.S. and Canada. But I couldn’t leave Spain and Alicante...

So, Alicante. We promised a love letter. Here we go. We arrived in Alicante in late May, with a scheduled stay through the end of June....

A few weeks ago, we safely arrived in Alicante, Spain, a town we love. After settling in, last week we decided to take a quick trip and...

After Copenhagen, our boat puttered overnight to Warnemünde/Rostock for our arrival in Germany. Well-practiced in queuing, we made it...