Visiting Jaen

Jaen is capital city of the province of Jaen, in the autonomous southern Spanish community of Andalusia. Although not as well known as some other Spanish cities, it has an interesting history dating back four centuries. This town first came to my attention when I broke my leg walking down the street in Mengibar, a … Continue reading Visiting Jaen →

One Thing I Love About Spain

If you have spent any amount of time in Spain, you will know that a typical breakfast for Spaniards is toasted bread slathered in olive oil and grated tomato with cafe con leche. There’s not much to it really. However, if you go to hotels in Spain for breakfast, they really go all out. They … Continue reading One Thing I Love About Spain →

Mr Ikigawa

This is a touching post by Kelli who lives beside the Camino de Santiago. It deserves a reblog. Some days are hard. We all have them. I stamp passports at my gate. People stop and tell me stories. Often, they are stories of grief and loss. … Mr Ikigawa

Lights Go Out in Spain

Yesterday the power went out in almost all of Spain and in much of Portugal. The day was extraordinary in many ways: thousands of people were stuck in elevators, on subways and on trains. Stoplights no longer worked leading to traffic gridlock in major cities. Banks closed and ATMs stopped working. The grocery stores that … Continue reading Lights Go Out in Spain →

US Political Crisis Unfolding

Here’s some helpful information for Americans planning to leave the US because of the current political situation. Put a frog in boiling water and it will jump out immediately. Put a frog in a pot of cold water, then slowly turn up the heat. The frog will sit … Unfolding

Fifty Percent Off My E-books for Christmas

Are you looking for some interesting books to buy for bookworm friends or family this Christmas? Well, here are four possible gifts I propose for your consideration. To help you make a decision, I have included one independent review of my books to give you a flavor of what they are about. These reviews were … Continue reading Fifty Percent Off My E-books for Christmas →

A Tale of Two Countries’ Health Care

Taj Mahal, Agra, India I am taking a two-week guided "Highlights of Northern India" tour soon and getting immunization shots before going was recommended by the British tour company I am using called Adventure People. I am going to Delhi, Jaipur, Pushkar, Ranthambore National Park, Agra, Chambal and Varanasi. Since I was visiting the US … Continue reading A Tale of Two Countries’ Health Care →

Ubeda: Spain’s Hidden Gem for Cultural and Historical Marvels

Ubeda is a mountaintop city in the province of Jaen, in the region of Andalucía, in southeastern Spain. Unlike Granada, also in Andalucía, Ubeda is definitely off the beaten path for tourists. Even so, it is well worth a visit as there are several interesting sites to see. Every year since my husband and I … Continue reading Ubeda: Spain’s Hidden Gem for Cultural and Historical Marvels →

Impact of Russia’s War on Ukrainians

---Sofia's story living in Spain Buildings destroyed by Russian bombing in Kharkiv, Ukraine Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February 2022, many people from there have fled to Spain. Indeed, the Spanish government granted temporary protection to more than 200,000 Ukrainian citizens starting on March 9, 2022 when it began giving immediate … Continue reading Impact of Russia’s War on Ukrainians →

Highly Recommended-Five Stars

By Dr. David Hamilton The narrative of Torn Between Worlds is in the first person documenting a young girl’s experience of growing up in Mexico, the US and Spain. During the course of three years time, she experienced the aftermath of 9/11, violent repression of a protest in Mexico and a terrorist bombing in Madrid. … Continue reading Highly Recommended-Five Stars →