Subscribe via RSSBrussels: The Capital of Europe
This will be the last post relating to my Christmas adventures. Promise. When I last left you, I was in Bruges. But it was Brussels, the so-called “Capital of Europe,” that I got to first and where I ended my trip to the Low Countries. Like Bruges, the city is charming, but it’s a much [...]
Bruges, Belgium
Here’s some more from the Christmas-New Year’s Holiday trip. Leaving Holland, I worked my way south to Belgium. I started in Brussels, but took a side trip to see the town of Bruges – a much cooler city, in my opinion. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t inspired by a certain movie to [...]
In the News!
There haven’t been a lot of updates here, because I have been both incredibly busy (deciding where to study for the next three years, preparing a presentation for the kids on Canada, etc.) and incredibly lazy. Yes, it is possible to be both. But there was one thing that I wanted to share: I was [...]
Happy Easter!
Just got back from a week-long road trip across the north of Spain with Dietrich, from Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela. Good times! We got back to Martos just in time to see the Easter procession. Plenty more photos where that came from… on my computer desktop. (Gimme a break, I’m relaxing today!) This song [...]
Holidays in Holland
After Ronda, the next stop on my travels was the Netherlands. I landed in Eindhoven and was there for three days over Christmas (overall, a miserable place). Then I spent a day in the unpronounceable city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, home to medieval painter Heironymous Bosch. The highlight, however, was a week spent visiting friends in Utrecht, [...]
The Grass is Always Greener
Woke up this morning thinking this to myself, and with the urge to mess around a bit in photoshop. Here’s what I came up with. Just a little reminder to be happy wherever you are. The background photo is Drew__’s “Grass in A Minor.” This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 [...]
Los Hermanos Carvajales
I hope you like stories. Specifically, I hope that you like legends. I’m kind of a sucker for tall tales. They tell you a lot about a place. Spain is absolutely full of them, once you start looking. I guess it comes from being such an old country with an already romantic history. A lot [...]
Spanish Commercials: Football, Monsters, Musicals, and the Battle of the Sexes
It may seem like a tontería to be posting about Spanish TV ads, but you know what, not everyone gets to see them. Particularly most of the people who are reading this blog… because you don’t live in Spain. So, want a taste of what we see in between shows on TV – that is, [...]
An Upgrade and an Update
You may notice a few changes around here. I just finished a much-needed overhaul of the website to streamline everything. Edit one: The site looks a lot better (I think, I hope) because I didn’t design this template. Edit two: It works in Internet Explorer. Welcome, people stuck in the past! Edit three: The blog [...]
Ronda
The first stop on my 20-day journey after my friends left me in Málaga was the town of Ronda, in the same province but about 100 km (62 mi) northwest. This ancient town is built on either side of a deep gorge named “El Tajo.” On one side lies the ancient Arab portion of the [...]
Quick Notes
A few housekeeping notes that will be of interest to you: My old laptop (that is, my 8-year-old Dell), the only computer I had here, has been officially declared dead. I’ve ordered a new one which should be here sometime near the start of March. Thankfully, it was only a power issue, so I didn’t [...]
Spanish Music
El Guitarrista. Image by Landahlauts. Last night Dan and I were treated to a live Sonic Youth concert on La 2. I doubt I will ever get to see them live, so it was pretty cool. I miss being able to go to shows and take photos…. Damn you economy! Anyhow, I realized that while [...]
MLK Day: Letter From Birmingham Jail
Today is Martin Luther King Day. They don’t celebrate it here; in fact, many of them don’t know that it’s an actual holiday. I’ve prepared a few activities in English for the kids that are tangentially related, but only because they are preparing to celebrate their version of the holiday, Día de la Paz, on [...]
Up La Peña
I had hoped to be posting some pictures of my holiday trip right about now, but, well, read my last post… Instead, I will bring you some photos of Martos I had waiting to be posted. It’s an apt subject, actually, because I’m tired of traveling and it’s nice to be home. (Ok, maybe it’s [...]
News… Then Bad News
First of all… Gelukkig Niuewjaar, everyone! (That’s Happy New Year in Dutch.) I am done traveling and back home in snowy/rainy Martos. It’s nice to get back to something normal after being away for so long, no matter how awesome that vacation was. Much more to come on that, but it will take me quite [...]
Merry Christmas from Eindhoven!
So, here I am on Day 5 of Holiday Break 2009. I’m in a hotel in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. It’s Christmas Day. This is the 2nd time in my life I’ve ever spent Christmas away from my family, and the only time I’ve ever spent it by myself. Ironically, it’s also the only White Christmas [...]
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas one and all! For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, [...]
Los Tres Reyes
Hello from Málaga! I know I just posted a day or so ago, but I completely forgot to share about the Christmas tradition here in Spain.
A Couple of Holidays
It’s been a while since I put up a real post. So I’m going to do that now, right before I start vacation and you don’t hear from me again until January. Let’s make this one about holidays, and we’ll start with Thanksgiving…
Botellón!
Poonam beat me to the punch and posted – complete with photos! – about my favorite Saturday night activity. Infórmate aquí.
A Tour of My Piso
They’ve finally finished construction on my street, so I can, at long last, give you a tour of our new apartment. Aren’t you curious to see what kind of furnished apartment you can get for €350 a month in a small town in the south of Spain? Click on for plenty of photos and my [...]
The One Semester of Spanish Love Song
In case anyone wonders why I don’t have a Spanish girlfriend yet, I will refer them to this video:
My Fellow Marteños
A quick note: Two of my roommates have started their own blogs. I think it would be worth your while to check them out, especially if you want a different perspective on life here: • Poonam: Poonam’s Blog • Dietrich: La Vida Marteña I’m going to put their links, along with a couple other useful [...]
Halloween v. Día de Los Santos
On 1 November, Spain celebrates Día de Todos los Santos, or as we know it in English, All Saints’ Day. This is the day after Halloween (which, as you already know, I’m sure, comes from All Hallows’ Eve). Here it is one of several holy days that is celebrated throughout the country as a national [...]
