After the tour of Brugge was finished, my sister Meg and I wandered in the direction of a recommended restaurant. We paused for a second to get our bearings and that’s when we saw her: a young woman who had been on our tour. I smiled at her as she got closer and asked if…
Category: Travels
Houseguests
“That poor donkey–being forced to walk all this way,” said a fellow pilgrim on Spain’s Camino de Santiago. I watched the donkey saunter past. He didn’t seem tired. No one was pulling him along. In fact, it wasn’t clear who actually owned him. Knowing nothing about donkeys, I asked the woman, “Are they not good…
Getting In Cars With Strangers
“Is this safe?” someone asked on one of my international Facebook groups. They must be American, I said to myself with a sigh. I’ve had more than a few international friends tell me it’s usually us Americans who ask questions about safety. Whether it’s walking the Camino de Santiago, traveling on budget airlines, or car…
License to Drive (In Spain): Part 3
I’ve driven a car only handful of times in Spain–and most of those were in the past month. Under the supervision of a driving instructor. Even though I’ve been driving for 30 years. Some Spaniards I talk to are surprised to learn there is no reciprocity with the United States on the matter of drivers’…
The Best Laid Plans
In December, 2022, I printed out a monthly calendar for 2023 and started filling it in. “If I can just make it ’til August,” I thought. I made it ’til March. Planning my parents’ visit had nearly done me in. Probably because planning trips to New York and California hadn’t been the easiest thing to…
Things Learned on The Queen Mary 2
Sleep on a cruise ship can come in a variety of forms. Level 0 would be no movement at all: you and your bed would easily stay in the same position the entire night. Level 0 is never actually experienced on a cruise ship, unless you are sleeping in one that has been dry-docked for…
Signs of Spring
On our terrace, the first poppy has bloomed and the irises are only days away from bursting open. The afternoon sun makes our living room so warm that Michael has to pull down the shades. But my favorite sign of spring’s impending arrival? The local artisanal ice cream shop has opened. When I walked in…
Saturday Lunch (Random Roadside Restaurant in Spain version)
After taking our drink orders, the waiter returned with a Coca-cola Zero, a flask of wine, and two tall glasses, scratched from years of use. I wondered why he didn’t bring a wine glass as I pulled the cork from the flask. “How does that work again?” Michael asked me, eyeing the flask. “How do…
Four Years Ago
Four years ago: An alarm on my phone would sound at 9pm reminding me it was time to get ready for bed. Today: I rarely go to sleep before midnight. Four years ago: My vacation dates were pretty much the same time as every other teacher and every family with school-age children in the US….
Best Moments of 2023
As usual, they are in no particular order. . . As usual, I’m sure there are many more that I missed. If that was you, I’m sorry. Know that I love each and every one of you and any moment shared with you is a moment I treasure. Much love to you all, Rebecca
RenaissanceRebecca 