Raiders of the Channel Islands
When we backpack, we take measures to ensure that our food isn’t raided by animals like bears, mice, or chipmunks—especially bears. But on a recent trip to the Channel Islands National Park off the coast of California we had to beware of a unique raider–foxes. Channel Islands National Park consists of five islands located a dozen or […]
A Spanish Adventure
One of the best things about travel is experiencing local dishes. When we lived in Valencia, Spain—the home of paella, we not only ate it, we learned to cook it. Thanks to expert guidance, it was not only edible, but rather tasty. Early on in our 2019 stay in Valencia we took a food tour with […]
Where There’s Smoke
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. African Proverb Two weeks ago, Laurie, our friends Trev and Kim, and I started a 55-mile, seven-day hike—but thanks to a forest fire, it wound up to be 77 miles over eight days. This summer lived up to the […]
An American Family in Valencia
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt On our first day of Spanish class in Valencia, Laurie and I met another couple even crazier than us. Some people think we were nuts to sell our house and live a life on the road. Jon and Kari have […]
The Town With a Grudge
Revenge is a confession of pain. Latin proverb Only an hour train ride south from our current home in Valencia, Spain, lies the town of Xàtiva. Before arriving here, we’d never heard of the place. But it was well known by famous people through the age including General Hannibal of Carthage, General Scipio of Rome, […]
Pilgrimage to Milan
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV Milan, Italy is known as a fashion center, financial capital, and the home of da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. While most people would visit the second biggest city in […]
Driving, Italian Style
“…he drove as if he were at the wheel of a Ferrari at Monza. Like all drivers, he insisted on showing off his skills.” Michele Guittari, A Florentine Death Italians drive like they’re auditioning for a race team. Streets that would be pedestrian only zones in most countries are frequented by fast moving cars, and yes—sometimes […]
A Slice of Small Town Italian Life
“The Creator made Italy by designs from Michelangelo.” Mark Twain Before this trip when we thought of Italy, the big cities came to mind: Rome, Venice, Florence. The most eye opening part of our journey has been experiencing small town Italy: villages with a population of 500 or so, with lineages to a time before […]
City of the Saint
The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today. Francis of Assisi The city of Saint Francis teased us. From more than two hours, away we could see the basilica, prominent at the west end of the city. But we were excited—fifteen days after hiking out of Florence the hometown […]
Francis and the Wolf
If we could talk to the animals, just imagine it Chatting to a chimp in chimpanzee Imagine talking to a tiger, chatting to a cheetah What a neat achievement that would be… Lyrics from the movie Doctor Doolittle St Francis is often remembered for his love of animals. He’s the patron saint of animals, there […]
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