Having Fun Until I Die

Greg in Girona

2011-11-01T05:45:00.000-06:00

My son, Greg visited us here in Girona this weekend and we walked our town and Barcelona. This is a photo in the old quarter of Girona of the three of us.

Will Occupy Wall Street Join the Democratic Party?

2011-10-11T21:27:00.000-06:00

I'm hearing that Democrats are looking to join the Occupy movement. I think that the movement should welcome every individual who wants to join. However, the Democratic Party as an organization is another matter. I'm a life-long Democrat, but this movement should not be co-opted by a political party. It is a movement of individuals. In my first post below I warned about big money buying the movement. The Democratic Party is big money, even though I agree with its principles for the most part.

Lets keep big money out of this movement and see what develops.

Hopeful Signs in the USA

2011-10-02T02:20:00.000-06:00

This morning I have seen on the BBC news that the protests against Corporatocracy (Wall Street, Military Industrial Complex, Corporate Media, Big Pharma, etc.) is beginning to take hold in the USA. Hurrah for that! I am in full support of those protests. We are seeing similar protests here in Spain, but they appear not of have fully grasped the nature of their problem. They simply know they have a problem.

Now, watch out for the sell-out. As soon as a grassroots movement gets started in the US big money buys it and owns it. Watch out for the sell-out and keep telling your truth. The money will start coming in and tempt you to sell out, but stay clear. There are certainly more of us than there are of them!

And Back to Girona

2011-09-13T08:14:00.001-06:00

We arrived home in Girona this morning after over two weeks in Wales. We truly love Wales, but Girona is HOME! We're glad to be back.

And back to Wales again

2011-08-28T03:07:00.000-06:00

We leave tomorrow for a return trip to Wales. We will be concentrating on the northern parts this time, but will pick up a few areas in the south that we missed the last time. Our friend, Hillary will be our guide and she knows many of the stories of the land, having lived in north Wales for many years.

Home to Girona

2011-07-17T21:27:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since I updated this blog. We made it home and have been resting and recovering. I now begin to feel back on the planet.

Wales was an amazing place and we feel that we have just begun to explore its many hidden treasures. I just finished an interesting book: The Virgin Mary Conspiracy by Graham Phillips. He identifies the island of Angelsey as the true location of the mythical Avalon and the burial place of the Mary the mother of Jesus. It is pretty convincing stuff and we will have to return to Angelsey to explore further.

Still in Wales

2011-06-30T02:42:00.001-06:00

We are still in Wales and I'm recovering nicely from my surgery. I go into the local clinic every day so they can change the dressings. I continue to receive the best of care from the Welsh public health system and it is all without charge.

We can get out a little each day and are visiting local places of power. There is Carn Enoch, a towering volcanic plug where my compass turns completely around and points toward the south. Nearby are little churches with ancient standing stones carved as crosses in the church yards. The sea coast along here is one of the prettiest in the UK, which makes this place a favorite vacation spot. We have new friends in the area, so are not deprived of social contact.

Last Sunday we attended a concert in a tiny chapel near here, a benefit for the local hospital. The choir were mostly people older than me, but they sang lustily with surprising accuracy. There were also a harp soloist and a local soprano who was really quite excellent. The entire evening was in the Welsh language, which is melodious. A good time for all and for us a little window into a way of life that has changed little over time--a small community entertaining each other.

A Welsh Saga

2011-06-25T03:58:00.003-06:00

We have been traveling in Wales for over three weeks, going to ancient sacred sites, beautiful holy wells, and natural wonders. At the end of our planned stay I became ill with signs of an infection. Since we are residents of the EU, we were told that we could use the Welsh public health system. A visit to a doctor (no charge) confirmed that I had an abscess that needed surgical treatment immediately. We checked into a regional hospital, where the surgery was performed (again, no charge). They sent me back to our local B & B, where we visit the local clinic daily to have the surgery dressed (no charge) daily. Since it is now the weekend and the local clinic is closed we were visited by a nurse this morning to dress the wound (no charge). I am on two antibiotics and pain medication (supplied at no cost to me).This is health care in a society where people care about people. While it isn’t a perfect system, it is a humane system. We could have such a system in the US and it would cost much less than our present system and would serve more people.

Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, Wales

2011-06-05T14:27:00.000-06:00

We found a powerful place here in Cardiff this morning by attending services at Llandaff Cathedral. The cathedral has the only boy-chior-school in Wales and the boys and young men of the choir sang beautifully, accompanied by their new (2010) pipe organ. There are a number of very interesting things to be seen and experienced in this ancient church and the atmosphere is peaceful and very sweet. All in all, a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

Review from Katrina Eldridge

2011-05-29T11:20:00.000-06:00

Katrina Eldridge (www.katrinaeldridge.com and www.sacredstonepilgrimages.com) just sent us a wonderful review of our book Powerful Places in Brittany. Thanks Katrina.

"Powerful Places in Brittany is the kind of book that actually transports your imagination to the rich landscapes of France before you even arrive at your destination. The personal accounts describing the sensations the authors felt when visiting the megaliths, churches and other places of power are so helpful when planning your own trip. Many guidebooks describe the bricks and mortar of tourist sites but when you visit, the experience seems flat. With this guide, the locations are selected for the beauty, awe and emotion they evoke."

Pebbles for the iPad

2011-05-22T11:02:00.000-06:00

Apple finally has my little autobiography Pebbles up for the iPad. For those of you who have that technology you can go here.

Slides from Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago

2011-05-22T07:59:00.001-06:00

Powerful Places on The Caminos de Santiago Slideshow: Pilgrims’s trip from Castilla y León, España to 8 cities Jaca, Soria, Finisterre, San Andres de Teixido (near Espasante, Galicia), San Millán de la Cogolla (near San Millan de la Cogolla, La Rioja), Yesa, Pola de Lena and Quintanilla de Onésimo was created by TripAdvisor. See another España slideshow. Create your own stunning free slideshow from your travel photos.

Powerful Places in Brittany

2011-05-12T01:34:00.000-06:00

Here are a few slides from the ePub version of Powerful Places in Brittany:

Powerful Places in Brittany Slideshow: Pilgrims’s trip from Erdeven, Bretaña, Francia to 3 cities Carnac, Larmor-Baden (near Arzon) and Tréhorenteuc (near Paimpont) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Francia slideshow. Take your travel photos and make a slideshow for free.

Pebbles

2011-04-22T21:16:00.000-06:00

. . . and here is the link to Pebbles: Memories of a Small-Town Kansas Boy which has just gone live for Kindle on the Amazon site:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XJ55LS

Kindle and iPad again

2011-04-22T13:59:00.000-06:00

I now have finished twelve of our books for ePub editions. All but two of them have been approved and are currently for sale on Amazon and on the iTunes bookstore. If you want to see them online search for "Gary White," "Elyn Aviva," or "Leonard Feinberg." You can download free samples or purchase the books from the Amazon Kindle Store or the iTunes Bookstore.

Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago

2011-03-21T22:10:00.000-06:00

Our second eBook is Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago. It is now up on Amazon as a Kindle book and on the iTunes Bookstore as an iPad book. You can download a sample or purchase the book there. The ePub versions of these books have many more photos and graphics than the print versions and they are in full color if your reader has color.

Elyn's Latest

2011-03-04T12:09:00.002-07:00

Click HERE to find out why we love living in Girona.

Our first Kindle book!

2011-02-16T22:12:00.000-07:00

Our first Kindle book is up at Amazon.com. Click the link to see it.Waking the Tiger by Leonard Feinberg

Our Santa Fe home is for rent

2011-01-31T01:13:00.000-07:00

While we are living in Girona, Catalunia, Spain our lovely house in Santa Fe, NM is available for short term rental. Follow this link to VRBO and take a look.www.vrbo.com/340472

Looking at Apartments

2011-01-11T10:50:00.003-07:00

We are thinking of moving to a different apartment here in Girona so we have been looking. There are many available, but not so many that meet all our criteria for space, light, view, etc. Two days ago we came upon one that is really intriguing. It is in the old quarter but just across the river from our current place. You can see the ancient stone bridge out the balcony window. What we found intriguing is that there is an stone wall in the back bedroom and when we walked out of the apartment, instead of taking the new, modern elevator, we walked down and encountered remains of a 13th century chapel that was once a part of a Franciscan Convent that has been gone for centuries. There is a sign on the wall telling all about this place. I took two quick pictures with my iPhone to give you some idea of the place. What a find! We may move there just to be in the lovely, sweet energy of those ancient Franciscan nuns. The place is really sweet, the remodeling is first rate, and Elyn might have her work space in a room with a wall from the convent.

New Grandchild

2010-12-07T22:47:00.002-07:00

We are back in the US until December 12 for the birth of our fourth grandchild, a darling little girl named Arwen. Her parents (Jesse and Yui Reynolds) now have two girls and with Max and Owen (children of Greg and Kristin White) we have four. Mother and babe are doing very well and Yui's mother just arrived from China to help them for the next 6 months, so our services are pretty much no longer needed. I'm going to spend a few days in Portland with my daughter and then it is back to Spain. Here is a photo of Elyn and Sophie being introduced to the new baby.

Powerful Places Website

2010-10-21T11:45:00.001-06:00

Great news! Our new Powerful Places website is up. Click HERE to see Michael Fox's great work.

A Backup Plan, Don't Leave Home Without One

2010-10-19T02:16:00.001-06:00

Elyn's latest article has just been published on YourLifeIsATrip.com. It's called "A Backup Plan: Don't Leave Home Without One" and describes the challenging (and nearly disastrous!) beginning of a recent family visit in Spain.

If you're interested,

1) You can read the article at

http://www.yourlifeisatrip.com/home/a-backup-plan-dont-leave-home-without-one.html

2) You can leave a comment on the website at the end of the article.

3) You can support Elyn's writing by joining the website for free--they'll send you announcements automatically of new articles.

Her previous articles can be found at http://www.yourlifeisatrip.com/home/author/elynaviva

A Procession in Girona Part I

2010-10-16T05:37:00.003-06:00

We happened on this little parade while we were out at the market shopping this morning. I decided to experiment with my iPhone and took a few seconds of video of the "Big Heads" dancing to the sound of the primitive oboes and drums, the usual folk instruments here in Catalonia.

Procession in Girona

2010-10-16T05:34:00.002-06:00

Following the "Big Head" dancers were two "Giants," a King and a Queen. Notice the remanent of feudal society with its stratification in this little parade.

Note from Ireland

2010-09-28T16:43:00.002-06:00

Here we are in the middle of the magic land of Ireland on a two+ week research trip for our next book: Powerful Places in Ireland. Here is Elyn today as she was climbing out of the Cave of the Cats, an entrance to the underworld, near Roscommon. What a place.

Elyn's New Article on Your Life is a Trip

2010-09-16T13:15:00.001-06:00

Elyn has a new article, this time about Brittany, on Your Life is a Trip. You can read it by clicking HERE.

Powerful Places in Brittany

2010-09-15T23:50:00.003-06:00

Barnes & Noble has our Powerful Places in Brittany for sale at $10.04, a 28% discount from list price. Click HERE to go directly to the Barnes & Noble site.

Our house is for sale

2010-09-01T10:42:00.002-06:00

As of today, our beautiful house in Santa Fe, New Mexico is up for sale. The price is low and the house is in great shape. We are living full time in Spain and don't need a US residence. Look it up if you are interested. It is at 205 Irvine, Santa Fe, NM. Contact our realtor, Robin Zollinger at Barker Reality for a look.

Healing at Saint Onenn's Holy Well

2010-07-27T11:45:00.004-06:00

Elyn's latest article has just been published on Your Life is a Trip. It's called "Healing at Saint Onenn’s Holy Well" and describes a very intriguing experience she had recently in Brittany, in northwestern France.

If you're interested,

1) You can read the article at

http://www.yourlifeisatrip.com/home/healing-at-saint-onenns-holy-well-brittany.html

2) You can leave a comment on the website at the end of the article.

3) You can support her writing by joining the website for free--they'll send you announcements automatically of new articles.

Her previous articles can be found at http://www.yourlifeisatrip.com/home/author/elynaviva

A New Article

2010-07-20T10:39:00.002-06:00

Elyn just had another article published on Your Life is a Trip. It is about the Black Virgin of Rocamadour. It is also about a summons that got Elyn up out of bed and night to pay the Virgin a visit. Interesting reading (I slept through it all.) Click HERE to read the article

What a Town We Live In

2010-07-02T08:21:00.005-06:00

We repeatedly have to pinch ourselves to believe we are actually living in this wonderful town, Girona, Spain. Here we are near the Costa Brava, one of the most beautiful coasts along the Mediterranean. We are near the French border on the north, close to Barcelona on the south and within a few miles of la Garrocha (Garrotxa in Catalan), the volcanic region on the west.

Last night capped them all for us. We walked a few blocks from our apartment in the old town to the cathedral, where we heard a concert by Anonymous 4, the Grammy award winning a cappella group that specializes in ancient music.

The concert began in the 12th-century cloister of the cathedral, where we heard 15th century music from nearby Montserrat. After a half hour we all trooped into the cathedral proper, where we heard music from the 14th century Codex of Las Huelgas, a monastery near here.

In the cloister we sat amid a sea of arches, columns and capitals with candlelight playing about the shadows, creating the illusion that we might have been transported back in time. The voices floated through the atmosphere accompanied by an occasional coo of a dove in the central courtyard. The cathedral was in near darkness when we entered. The voices came to us, amplified by several seconds of reverberation time and a few sparrows high above, who sang with all their hearts. It was total enchantment all evening long.

We walked out of the cathedral into the crowds of people eating at the booths set up to celebrate the religious and world music festival that is going on all month. Food from many countries around the world was being served to the hundreds of people, also from around the world. (The night before, when we ate at the outdoor tables the group at our table were from Romania.) Last night we strolled through the crowds and walked down ancient streets in the old Jewish quarter of Girona to our modern apartment in a 16th century building on the original Roman road through town.

We hardly can believe the richness we find ourselves in here and are thankful every day for our good fortune.

Elyn's Article on Girona

2010-03-08T11:43:00.001-07:00

Elyn's latest article (on our new hometown, Girona, Catalonia) is up on Your Life is a Trip. Click HERE

Your Life is a Trip

2010-02-22T15:46:00.001-07:00

Elyn has a new article up on Your Life is a Trip. Click HERE to read it.

Change of Plans

2010-02-14T13:36:00.003-07:00

Well, here we are back in Sahagún after only two weeks. But this is a temporary situation because we have rented an apartment in Girona for one year, starting the first of March. We came back to Sahagún to wind up our business here and move out of the apartment.

We have fallen in love with Girona and thought we might as well make the shift now, since our lease on the current apartment is up in the middle of April and we will be traveling most of the time after that.

With us, you never know which way we will turn next. It is a life filled with activity and change. This is only the most recent. So bon voyage from Sahagún and hello Catalonia.

Elyn's Latest Article

2010-02-08T06:23:00.001-07:00

Elyn just had her article about the lunar standstill at the Calanais Stones in Scotland published by Your Life is a Trip. Read it HERE and make a comment.

Girona Photos

2010-02-06T14:39:00.004-07:00

Here are two photos from the photogenic city of Girona. If you want to see more go to my Facebook, or Elyn's Facebook, or the kids blog HERE

Report from Girona

2010-01-31T08:28:00.002-07:00

We arrived in Girona two days ago and have moved into our apartment for the month of February. We are in the heart of the old Jewish center in the town on Calle de la Força, which is the original Roman road through this area. We feel the depth of history here very deeply. We spent the morning walking the walls of the town and taking pictures. We'll get them up on Facebook in the next day or so.

Our newest book: Powerful Places in Catalonia has just been released and we got a great review in "Foreword" magazine. If you go to Powerful Places Guidebooks in Facebook you can read the reviews and see the book covers.

Our intent is to rest and relax for most of this month before a very busy travel schedule that begins at the first of April. We'll keep you informed of our adventures here in Girona and surroundings.

Leaving for Catalonia

2010-01-25T10:48:00.003-07:00

We leave on Wednesday for Barcelona and intend to live in Girona for the month of February. We have loved our time in this town before and want to spend enough time to really get to know it.

New Article by Elyn

2010-01-18T11:10:00.001-07:00

Elyn just had an article published on My Life is a Trip. Go to the link to read it. Leave a comment at the end. It helps get her out to the online public. Click HERE.

Powerful Places on the Caminos de Santiago

2010-01-12T21:22:00.003-07:00

Our first Powerful Places book is out and available from Barnes & Noble. Click HERE to see their ad. Powerful Places in Scotland will follow shortly. Stay tuned.

And one of my faithful readers pointed out that B & N has a special on. Their members discount (10%) is available to everyone, member or not. The book is $8.05 with the discount.

Cabalgata in Sahagún

2010-01-10T06:58:00.006-07:00

Here in Spain, the Day of the Three Kings (January 6) is bigger for children than Christmas. On that day they get all their presents, not on Christmas Day. The eve of the Kings day is filled with anticipation here. All day long I was seeing children with bright, excited eyes on the streets with their parents. It is a big day of general celebration, brought to a close in the evening by the Cabalgata—the arrival of the Three Kings.

At about 7:30 a train arrives in the station here in Sahagún and the Three Kings are on it! They descend and climb aboard trailers pulled by farm tractors that have been highly decorated and are filled with local kids in costumes. The parade begins and spirals through the streets with the kids on the trailers throwing candy to the assembled masses. General excitement prevails. The Kings arrive at the town hall (just across from our apartment—how convenient) and hold court on a stage especially constructed for the occasion. More presents are distributed and everyone goes home happy to await the big bonanza of presents on the morning of the Día de los Reyes.

This year, for the first time in the history of Sahagún, the black king was really black (a local restauranteur), who played the part to the hilt. The king has always been a white guy in black face before. The black guy looked really happy to be included in this small town celebration and we were happy to see him there.

Transformational Travel

2010-01-07T04:21:00.003-07:00

We have just launched our new Facebook site about transformational travel and our new series of books--"Powerful Places . . ." The first of the series is coming out this month and we look forward to discussions on the Facebook site.

Go to: http://www.facebook.com/ and type in "Powerful Places Guidebooks" into the search. Take a look at our site and join as a fan. We look forward to the conversations that will follow.

Christmas in Sahagún

2009-12-26T09:52:00.002-07:00

We've had a quiet, but interesting Christmas here in Sahagún. There was snow until a few day ago and Christmas lights on the Plaza below. We spent Christmas afternoon and evening with our friends Rebekah and Paddy in the neighboring town. Here are a few photos of the Christmas season. Happy holidays everyone.

Julia Eladia Tovar Bango "Paca" (1927-2009)

2009-12-16T09:50:00.005-07:00

Today we mourn the death of a woman who has been a central figure in our lives here in Spain. Paca took Elyn into her life twenty-eight years ago, when Elyn was in Spain working on her dissertation. She became Elyn's "Spanish Mom" and Paca referred to Elyn as her American daughter. Until recently, Paca was a vital and active 82-year-old. She walked daily out to the Virgin of the Bridge, a hermitage outside of town that she maintained. There she welcomed pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Those who have walked the Camino may remember her.

The photos attached were taken on April 25 of this year at the Romería de San Marcos (a festival at the hermitage.) Paca was in her form, dancing with her daughter Piedad and selling candles to be lit before the Virgin. That is the way she will always remain for us, a bright, friendly, and loving presence for us, her adopted American family.

Paca, RIP

Stone Churches

2009-11-08T13:29:00.002-07:00

We've just returned from a day of exploring churches that were carved into solid stone cliffs in the 9th - 13th centuries CE. Amazing! Here are a few photos, but if you want to see the full set go to my FaceBook and look at the album Stone Churches. Enjoy!

A Wonderful Trip

2009-10-31T09:00:00.004-06:00

For those who have looked at our photos of the Camino 2009 on my Facebook, we can report that Ferran is offering another trip on May 21 to June 4, 2010. Here is a website you can go to and find further information:

www.zahoriarts.com

We are going again and would like to share this adventure with friends.

Three up and ? to go

2009-10-19T14:14:00.001-06:00

I've now put up three of the photo albums of our recent trips on Facebook. I'll try to do one a day for awhile. Meanwhile, enjoy what is already there.

Photo Backlog

2009-10-11T13:59:00.002-06:00

I have many hundreds of photos that Elyn has taken over the past months on our various travels (around Spain and Scotland). I'm thinking that I will spend some time in the next day or so and post slide shows of some of these travels on my Facebook. If you are interested you might check in from time to time and, if they don't go up soon, remind me of this pledge. It takes some time to make a good selection, so they won't go up instantly.

Camino Retreat -- Last Installment

2009-10-10T03:25:00.002-06:00

I've put all 174 photos up as an album on my Facebook, so there is little need to select a few to be put here. Go to Facebook and look for the album Camino 2009. They are all there.

Now we begin the task of putting together our book: Powerful Places near the Camino de Santiago. Look for it out in the spring. This will be my winter, stay at home project. I look forward to long winter days snug in our apartment here in Sahagún working on books.

Knowing us, I'm sure we will find someplace to go during the winter months. I have said that we are nomads at heart, but that is not quite true. Nomads tend to return to the same places year after year and we tend to be moving on to new territory year after year. Vagabonds might be a better descriptor. Anyway, I'm still having fun in my 72nd year and looking forward to what turns up next.

Camino Retreat -- Fifth Installment

2009-10-08T22:57:00.006-06:00

These photos were taken at Torres del Rio, San Millán de la Cogolla, and Santo Domingo de la Calzada. That's David playing his lyre in the second shot. More coming shortly. If you want to see all 174 photos in the slide show go to my Facebook.

Camino Retreat -- Fourth Installment

2009-10-08T10:47:00.002-06:00

Here are some views of Eunate and Puente la Reina. The night shot was an experiment in time lapse photography that turned out very well. Enjoy!

Camino Retreat -- Third Installment

2009-10-07T17:18:00.003-06:00

Here are the next batch of photos from the Camino Retreat. These come from San Juan de la Peña and the monastery of Leyre.

Camino Retreat -- Second Installment

2009-10-07T08:03:00.005-06:00

Here are a few more photos from the Camino Retreat. The lush valley lies at the end of the very steep trail in the Valley of Hecho. (That's me hiking down into the valley.) The churches are in surrounding villages. Enjoy!

Highlights of Our Camino Retreat

2009-10-06T23:19:00.005-06:00

Here is a small sample of the photos Elyn took on our recent retreat on the Camino de Santiago. These photos were from the first two days of the trip and include early morning on the beach at Sitges, Montserrat, and a high mountain valley up in the Pyrenees. Enjoy!

Off for Barcelona Again

2009-09-16T09:28:00.004-06:00

You may be wondering why we keep going back to Barcelona all the time. Sometimes we wonder too, but these photos from a previous trip will show you part of why: wonderful markets, great architecture, and the best collection of pre-Romanesque art anywhere in the world.

We've also discovered the Arab Baths (a truly wonderful and relaxing experience in hot and cold water, steam, massage, salt water, etc. etc.) and great food everywhere. This last time we discovered the best sushi place we've been to either in the US or elsewhere. So, its back to Barcelona again. And then, a trip all along the Camino de Santiago. What's not to like?

Recent trip to Galicia

2009-09-13T08:19:00.005-06:00

Galicia is a beautiful province in northwestern Spain. We were invited to join our friends German and Peggy, who were going to a Neo-Celtic festival to renew their marriage vows. The festival reminded us a lot of Renaissance Fairs that we have attended in the US. There were costumes, and all the stuff that goes with such events.

While we were there we visited San Andrés de Teixido, a beautiful old church on the dramatic Galician coast. Here are a selection of photos for your viewing pleasure.

An Interesting BBC Article

2009-08-15T13:52:00.002-06:00

BBC News just published a comparison of health care in the US, England, France, and (for some reason) Singapore. The results are what you would expect--we pay more and get less than any of these other countries. Look at the statistics HERE.

Health Care Rationing

2009-08-13T05:31:00.008-06:00

One of the lies being spread by the pro-status quo forces (read insurance companies and drug companies) is that government sponsored health care will lead to rationing of care, with older people and people with severe health issues denied care. I am living in a small Spanish town and see Spanish totally government sponsored health care in operation every day. Like many small towns in the US, Sahagún has many senior citizens. They are out on the streets every day in conversation with their neighbors, walking with canes, crutches, in wheel chairs, etc. Their health care needs are being met very well by the national system here. As for those with severe health issues I can cite the case of the daughter of a local florist who was born without a stomach and who has had many reconstructive operations in her short life. We were in the shop one day when an ambulance pulled up to take this child to León for further treatment. All of her health needs are being met at no expense to her parents, who would not have been able to afford such care on their income as florists.

The truth is that health care in the US is rationed to a great extent with those who can’t afford health insurance or those who have been dumped by our for-profit insurance companies unable to afford health care. Don’t believe the lies that are being put forward by those who profit most from what passes as health care in the US. These big corporate bandits are not working in your best interest. Please take a few minutes to watch the following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn0xxjpf360

Real Health Care Reform

2009-08-12T04:21:00.002-06:00

Like many other Americans, I am spending a part of each day watching the debate over health care reform descend into a shouting match between people who really want to debate our future and those who are transfixed by the corporate pharmaceutical and health insurance industries sponsored scare campaign. I can only hope that these underhanded defenders of the status quo fail in their attempt to continue business as usual. The facts are self-evident to anyone who will seriously listen—health insurance companies have seen their profits increase by astronomical proportions in recent years. Sometimes they have increased 10-fold and more. This industry has a vested interest in keeping the present system in place and they are using well meaning, but uninformed people to try to stop any change. The facts about our health care system are as follows (a quote from the World Health Organization:

“The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance, the report finds. The United Kingdom, which spends just six percent of GDP on health services, ranks 18th. Several small countries – San Marino, Andorra, Malta and Singapore are rated close behind second-placed Italy.”

If you want to read the report for yourself just click on the URL below:

http://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/index.html

I am living in Spain, a country that has government-run health care and I see it in operation every day. Our apartment is just around the corner from the municipal clinic. I’ve been in this clinic and it appears to be well run and efficient. We can’t access it for care because we are not Spanish citizens, but we have consulted a doctor there for a recommendation concerning private physicians we could consult to meet our needs. The doctor saw us within 10 minutes and made his recommendation free of charge. Even foreigners who have health emergencies are treated in this local clinic. My prescription drugs cost me a fraction of their cost in the US (often less than my co-pay would be) and the quality is equal to the quality in the US. Government-run health care is not perfect, but it is so much better than what we experience in the US that I would be in favor of a “single-payer” approach for the US.

But, as bad as the current political mess is, it masks a more urgent issue—scientific medicine in the US or anywhere else doesn’t really deliver the best health care. Here is a quote from Dr. Weil, a strong advocate of alternative medicine:

“But what's missing, tragically, is a diagnosis of the real, far more fundamental problem, which is that what's even worse than its stratospheric cost is the fact that American health care doesn't fulfill its prime directive -- it does not help people become or stay healthy. It's not a health care system at all; it's a disease management system, and making the current system cheaper and more accessible will just spread the dysfunction more broadly.”

I participate in scientific medicine as little as I can. I rely for the most part on treatment modalities that aren’t covered by Spain’s government system or my $700 per month health insurance in the US. (That figure is in addition to the Medicare system that I am a part of.) I find that the alternatives I use give me better health and a better quality of life than reliance on scientific medicine. I am in the process of getting off of my prescription drugs and am finding that I have increased vitality and no return of the symptoms that put me on those drugs in the first place. After we get finished with the shouting and name calling that is going on right now, perhaps we can consider whether we might be better off with less scientific medicine. That will be REAL health care reform.

Distortions from the Right Wingnuts

2009-08-10T10:48:00.004-06:00

Also known as the Republican Party. There is a totally crazy rumor out there that the proposed health care plan will mandate euthenasia. Any thinking person will realize that this is a total lie, but we have a lot of fellow citizens who appear not to be thinking these days. Here is a short video that I urge you to watch. It sets the record straight. If you have questions, go and read the bill for yourself.

The part that I find most sickening is that the people who are spreading this from places of power in Washington know that it is a lie. Elected representatives should be held to higher standards than this.

Photos of Callanish Stones

2009-07-18T11:02:00.005-06:00

Here are a few photos of the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, for your enjoyment. More to follow.

Peaceful Iona

2009-07-11T09:48:00.003-06:00

We are in our third day on Iona, a quiet and peaceful place just off the coast of Scotland. This morning we took a trip out to Staffa, a monumental island dominated by huge basalt columns, and the home of Fingal's Cave, the inspiration for Mendelssohn's Fingal's Cave (Hebrides Overture). The cave, which you can see on the photo of the island (the black hole on the right) has the most amazing acoustical properties. Our group sang and chanted in the space the the energy of the cave became totally alive and vibratory. As I was looking across to the columns on the opposite side, there were waves of energy that looked like the waves you sometimes see on hot Kansas highways in summer.

Fingal's Cave looks straight out at the island of Iona and some believe that the energy emanating from the cave is felt on Iona, which may account for the clear and peaceful energy we feel here.

Edinburgh

2009-07-05T13:44:00.008-06:00

Well, we are here in Scotland, spending four days in Edinburgh seeing the city and awaiting the beginning of our tour with Mara Freeman and her husband, David. Edinburgh is not our favorite city so far, but we are impressed with how many Scots have made important contributions to medicine, literature, the arts, and other sciences. It is a truly impressive record of achievement and just naming some names will give you a picture: Arthur Conan Doyle, James Clerk Maxwell (as in the Maxwell equation), Robert Liston (first to use a general anesthetic), Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, to name a few. Doyle's inspiration for Sherlock Holmes was his College of Medicine professor, Dr. Joseph Bell. Of course, on the negative side there was a man named Botch who designed a bridge that failed miserably, adding to the English language the term 'a botched project.' Here are a few photos.

Tree Trivia

2009-07-01T01:31:00.003-06:00

One of my regular readers (Hi Darlene!) asked me several weeks ago about the poor denuded trees in front of our apartment (you can look back and see them in the May 31st post). I've periodically taken a photo to show how they grow out each summer. This is the way they appear today. Elyn thinks the severe cutting that these trees endure each year is cruel. But, as you can see, they bravely put forth a profuse growth that provides very concentrated shade for the sidewalk cafés below.

So there is your tree trivia for the day. Tomorrow it is off to Scotland, returning on July 20. We will have a computer with us and I'll try to post from time to time, but there may be significant gaps between posts for awhile. We will have wonderful photos to share when we return.

Barcelona's Architecture

2009-06-28T02:43:00.007-06:00

We made this brief visit to Barcelona, a city justly famous for its outstanding architecture. In our two days there we spent much of the time just getting an overview of the city. We find the "hop on, hop off" bus tours that are available in many cities are a good way to gain a perspective on a city and choose places we want to spend additional time with. Our list for Barcelona is very long and we contemplate spending several weeks there sometime. (That will have to wait until next year, since our travel schedule is already full for 2009.) Barcelona is Spain's Paris, a fashionable, modern/ancient city with a vibrant atmosphere and surprises at every turn.

We found a church devoted to Santiago (Saint James the Greater) of Camino de Santiago fame. It was a total surprise for us, not the least of which were the Community of the Lamb, a group of young people who are devoting themselves to prayer and contemplation. Their singing and deep devotion were quite moving.

The next day we discovered that we were staying in the ancient Jewish quarter of Barcelona and we spent some happy time walking in the "Call" (Catalan for Jewish quarter) and reading the many plaques describing the area.

Of course, there was a festival going on (when is there not a fiesta here in Spain), so there was intense noise of crowds and fireworks going on all night. The Fiesta de San Joan (Saint John the Baptist) is one of the primary celebrations in Catalunya. We are gradually learning to sleep through almost anything.

We took an overnight train from León, which arrived at 9 AM. We had a sleeping compartment for two that was comfortable, but the constant motion made for a fitful night's sleep. The return trip was during the day on one of Spain's fast trains, the Alvia. These trains are very comfortable and spacious and we arrived back in Sahagún rested and happy.

A Few Photos of Oviedo

2009-06-20T07:56:00.008-06:00

I thought I would post a few photos from our recent short trip to Oviedo to escape the fiestas in Sahagún. We really like this city, which was recently made famous by being featured in Woody Allen's "Vickie Christina in Barcelona" (a town we visit next). There is much to see and do there, including these wonderful preRomanesque churches, a wonderful public park with mature trees, street dancers, and an ancient building over one of the natural springs.

America’s Secret Ayatollahs

2009-06-19T08:51:00.002-06:00

The events in Iran after the much disputed elections seem to be gaining force by the day. There has yet to be an all-out crushing of the opposition by the current Iranian government. The reason for this may well be that they haven’t been able to characterize the demonstrations as Western inspired and show any evidence that the US government is behind them. President Obama has remained cool and calm and made our administration’s position clear--that this an Iranian matter and our meddling will be counter productive.

Meanwhile the right wingnuts (read Republicans) have been rattling their sabers for all they are worth and calling Obama every name in the book. They would have us get involved in trumpeting our support of the opposition against the current government, which would be all it would take for the Iranian government to step in with heavy military and paramilitary might to crush the opposition, killing thousands of Iranians in the process. They may do that anyway, but do we want it to be blamed on us? Really, fellows, whose side are you on here? Do you really want this peaceful opposition crushed?

Here’s my theory for the day. Perhaps our right wing Republicans are secretly in league with the Ayatollahs. Perhaps they are for the theocracy in Iran. After all, that’s what they want for us--a Christian theocracy to oppose the Islamic theocracies abroad. That, at least, makes their actions make sense. Or perhaps the party of “NO” just has to be against everything Obama does, even when he is acting in our best interests. Or perhaps they are depending on the American population to be stupid enough to not see through their smoke screens. I hope they really aren’t themselves as stupid as the small segment of the US population they still appeal to. We do need at least a two-party system in the US, and it doesn’t really help for one of those parties to be that dumb.

The Grand Finale

2009-06-14T16:37:00.002-06:00

We got back from Oviedo this afternoon. It was a good trip and we enjoyed ourselves very much. We are now in the midst of the "grand finale" of the fiesta here in Sahagún. The Plaza is filled with screaming people, bands are playing at the top of their lungs, the drums are pounding for all they are worth. In the middle of all this there was a fireworks with many firecrackers punctuated by huge explosions. It is nearly 1 AM when I'm posting this. Here is a picture I took just a few minutes ago. (Memo for next year, be sure to stay away until Monday after the fiesta is over.)

We're Escaping

2009-06-12T05:46:00.007-06:00

Last night the concert just below us went on until about 4 AM and we could hardly get to sleep. Tonight there will be a heavy-duty rock group called "Huecco" which features lots of young men in dreads. If the noise last night, which was from a middle of the road group headed by a singer, is any indication, we are in for an major assault. We have decided to escape to Oviedo for the next two nights. There will be peace and quiet there, we got a good deal on a hotel, and there are several pre-Romanesque churches that we want to spend some time in. Here is the procession after the mass today.

The close-up of the man in these photos is our friend, David, who invited us to join his peña. He is a good guy!

As I write this the arial bombs are going off every 15 seconds or so. Elyn is trembling!

Here We Are

2009-06-11T17:25:00.007-06:00

Well, we are into it. We joined our peña for the evening. First there was the blessing of the peña flags at the church, then the proclamation by the mayor of the town. Formalities finished, the peñas took off for the bull ring. Each peña has its own band so the din was extraordinary. At the bull ring there was a running of the bulls and some local boys playing at being bull fighters. We lasted for a half hour or so and then went down with David to have some coffee and wait for the dinner, which began around 11 PM. The food was great and we ate our fill. Everyone was very friendly. Now it is 1:30 in the morning and the concert is going full blast just below us. I decided to put up these photos and then try to get some sleep. Good luck!

Ready for the Fiestas?

2009-06-11T06:35:00.003-06:00

Here I am in my Fiesta costume. How, you might wonder, did I find myself in such a get-up? Well, it came about in this way. Our massage therapist, David, in a gesture of good will to “the Americans” invited us to join his peña for the Fiesta. All this requires some considerable explanation.

In the first place, what is the fiesta? The Fiesta San Juan de Sahagún is simply put, the biggest party of the year here in Sahagún. As with nearly everything else here, there is a religious impetus. The figure around which this party revolves is San Juan (or Saint John in English). This saint did many miracles and there is a local church dedicated to him. Each day begins with a mass of some sort, but they get that part over with in a hurry so the party can begin. After the mass and official presentations or processions are over the party gets under way. And what a party! There will be the running of the bulls (well, actually, cows), the proclamation of the fiestas (with fireworks) at the Town Hall (that is directly across for our apartment by the way), and a concert by un Orquesta Monumental (whatever that means) here in the plaza. Supposedly, there is also some event in the bull ring that involves the peñas (of which, more in a minute). And that, dear friends, is just the beginning! Every day and every night (until about 4 in the morning) there will be loud music on the Plaza in front of our apartment and drinking and partying nonstop.

Time out for a discussion of the peña system here in Spain. People get together and form a club, which has paid membership, meets together, has a costume, and gathers as a group for the fiesta. There are eleven different peñas in Sahagún, each with distinctive characteristics (one for men only, one or two for women only [the women’s group split into two we are told], one for families, etc. Our peña for the event is El Pozo, which we don’t have the slightest idea about. Pozo refers to one of the miracles of Saint John in which he saved the life of a young boy who fell down a well and drowned. Anyway, our peña will eat and drink together during the fiesta and take part in the festivities as a group. For this we pay a daily fee and can participate as much as we can stand. Frankly, Elyn and I feel like we would if we had been invited to a pow-wow in the US with the requirement that we dress up as Indians! To say that we have cold feet would be an understatement. Nevertheless, we will probably join in for some of the festivities. Stay tuned for all the exciting developments!

A Serenade

2009-06-07T07:43:00.003-06:00

The young men of St. Gregory's Academy came back this morning to have us cook some donated food for them in our kitchen. After their breakfast they gave us a wonderful concert and were rewarded with our friend Paca's best cookies. We had a heartwarming connection with these young men and their teacher, Luke. If you are a parent looking in from home, rest assured that your son is doing well and having a rich experience here in Spain. They have also enriched the lives of two transplanted Americans here in Sahagún (LEON) Spain. Buen Camino to you all! (Click on the photo to get an enlargement.)

An American Surprise

2009-06-06T14:58:00.005-06:00

We were sitting in our living room this afternoon when we heard singing down on the Plaza Mayor just below our apartment. When we listened carefully we realized that the language was English and the young men were very good singers. We opened our balcony doors and asked them where they were from: St. Gregory's Academy in Pennsylvania they said (Check it out HERE.)

This is the second time that the senior class has done a bike pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, traveling without money and making their "living" by doing singing and juggling shows in the towns they pass through. We gave them some food and after they had eaten (courtesy of the Sisters of San José here in Sahagún) they came back to the Plaza to do a show and to collect some money.

The show was great (see photo) and the local people generous. We had a great evening of entertainment. Just another evening in a quiet little Spanish town!

Fiesta Preparations Continue

2009-06-05T11:51:00.002-06:00

Today the local police spent the morning putting up fancy banners and decorations on the Town Hall building just across the plaza from us. Notice the continued growth of the trees on the plaza.

Names

2009-06-05T06:15:00.002-06:00

I minor confusion that we constantly face, living in Spain is the difference in naming conventions between English-speaking countries and the Spanish. We, of course, have a first name, a middle name, and a last or family name. In Spain people have only a first name and two last names, which designate the two families they spring from. So, whenever we are dealing with official business (banks, the local town hall, etc.) they assume that my "given" name (my nombre) is Gary and my "first last name" (or apellido) is Charles, and my "second last name is White.

At first we would try to explain the difference and the concept of a "middle name" but it would cause great confusion, since all official forms have a blank for the nombre and two blanks for the apellidos. Minor officials had to call superiors to work out the difficulties and much time was wasted by all concerned. At last, I have given up and now tell them that, yes, my family name is "Charles White." When all this is printed out it works just fine, since the names are in the same order. Never mind what my birth certificate says, I'm now "Charles White" and my given name is Gary.

We asked when signing documents if we had to use all of the name instead of my usual Gary C. White, but the officials said, "sign however you want." I'm glad that, at least I don't have to change my signature. Now, we can save a hour or so of waiting at each official encounter and we are named just like every other Spaniard.

Fiesta Preparations

2009-06-02T00:51:00.003-06:00

This morning when I looked out from our balcony I saw the beginnings of fiesta preparations. Prominently displayed on the lamp posts in the Plaza Mayor are signs announcing the bull fights here in Sahagún. There is a bull ring at the edge of town and I’ve seen workmen rebuilding steps and preparing it for action for several weeks now. The posters are the first clear indication of what we will soon experience here. Not that I plan to attend the event, but we will be treated to the local version of the “running of the bulls” just like in Pamplona. Well, not quite. In Sahagún there will be a running of the cows. Apparently, they will bring in a herd of cows with horns and run them through the streets. We will witness this event, since everything that happens here centers on the Plaza Mayor.

Looking down from our balcony I saw the local policemen stepping off the width of the plaza and planning for the concerts that will take place here. There are posters up for the concerts of various rock groups. The concerts begin after midnight and continue to 3 AM we are told. I’ll probably be in the thick of it, with my new white pants and my shirt from the peña (social club) that has invited us to be their guests. Olé!!

Health Care Reform

2009-05-31T03:57:00.000-06:00

Here is a piece of information that you all may find interesting. I have a prescription for Flomax (as do many of us older men) and I'm living in Spain. With my US prescription coverage my copay for a one-month supply comes to $32. I can go around the corner to a local pharmacy here in Spain and get the same drug for 14 euros. That is the TOTAL cost, not just the copay! (That is less than $20 for those who don't want to do the math.)

Health care costs are totally out of hand in the US and if we don't do something about it, the insurance and drug industries will break us all. Now is the time for all American citizens to weigh in on health care reform. Rest assured, the insurance companies and drug industry have been weighing in heavily by their contributions to many of our elected officials.

Anyone who fears “socialized medicine,” which is a catchword promoted by the insurance and drug companies, should take a serious look at most of the other developed nations in the world where health care costs are a fraction of those in the US and they get good care. I see it all around me here in Spain and, while people gripe about any health care system, the costs of health care are higher in the US than anywhere else in the world and we don’t get better care on average.

If you want to do something about it write to your congressman or go to one of the web sites that are working for reform. A good one is:

http://www.democrats.com/single-payer-petition

but you can choose any one to your own liking. I know that “single payer” is off the table, but, at the very least, we must have a public plan option like that proposed by Obama when he was campaigning. He seems to have backed away from strong support in recent weeks and needs a reminder from those of us who voted for him.

Trees

2009-05-31T02:50:00.004-06:00

One of my readers has wondered about the strange trees that line the Plaza Mayor here in Sahagún. In the early spring they were only bare trunks and a few branches, but are now in the process of blooming out with leaves and new growth that will create fine shade by mid summer. I took these two photos several weeks apart to show this process. I will probably be showing this scene again soon, since Sahagún is gearing up for its annual fiesta, which is dedicated to San Juan de Sahagún, the patron saint of one of the local churches. This will be the most festive of all the fiestas here. We are told to expect that we won't get much sleep during the festival, since night time concerts on the plaza begin after midnight! We can hardly wait!

Torture

2009-05-30T14:05:00.002-06:00

I realize that this is an abrupt about face from the usual content of this blog, but I just viewed a documentary of the US torture policies that is extensively documented and thoroughly researched. I believe that, as painful as it will be for most people to see, that this one film should be required viewing by all Americans. After you view the film, check out their documentation, which is there for anyone to view. After seeing the film and viewing the documents, I believe that you will be convinced that criminal prosecution should be brought against those government officials who were responsible for these actions. I realize that they attempted to cover their actions with immunity from prosecution, but something must be done or we will certainly see these abuses repeated by our government or by others against us. View the documentary HERE.

I warn you. This will not be an easy experience.

Back from a Trip

2009-05-09T10:26:00.005-06:00

I'm just back from a wonderful, but tiring, trip to see some amazing places south and east of here. I will post these four photos to give you an idea of what we saw. There will be more later when we have recovered from the journey.

A Procession

2009-05-03T06:32:00.005-06:00

I was sitting in our living room (salon) reading a book when the distant drumming drew me to the window. Coming into the Plaza Mayor was a procession that included a folkloric band with drums and oboe-like double reed instruments, a large banner, a group of dancers dressed as shepherds, and a paso (float) showing The Good Shepherd (Joseph) and child Jesus. All we had to do was open our balcony window and get out our camera. The whole show played out just below and we had the ring-side seat! This new piso (apartment) is the greatest! If you want to see more photos and read the bunny and bear impressions go HERE.

May Day Outing

2009-05-01T13:21:00.002-06:00

Today was a lovely May Day in our new home—only we weren’t home most of the time. We were on the road. Our friend Rebekah took us (Elyn and Gary), Kim (a lovely pilgrim who has been staying with Reb and Paddy), and Celia (a visiting Spanish professor doing research on women and the Camino de Santiago) on a seven-hour tour of Romanesque churches in northern Palencia.

We drove into the dusty little town of Moarves de Ojeda, turned a corner—and there was an amazing church façade.

Later, we searched for a cave church (never found it) and discovered instead an “hermita rupestre” (rock hermitage) off on a slight rise in the middle of nowhere. Makes you wonder what it took to get away from the madding crowds 1000 years ago…. Next, a stop at another church where we fortuitously saw someone unlock the door—and we eagerly followed behind. The apses were covered with paintings, including one of what looked like a two-headed Christ....

Later, a trip back to the Cistercian monastery of San Andrés de Arroyo, which had been closed on our first try; this time, after we finished our picnic lunch (eaten out of the back of Reb’s Kangoo van), we were able to take a tour. A tour led by the Nun From H... . She informed us we could take pictures—but not too many. If we took too many, she would let us know. First to bite the dust was a Basque motorcyclist who violated the code. Next down was Elyn, who apparently had also taken one too many, though she had taken fewer than the motorcyclist. And third down was Celia, after Elyn asked her to take the picture that Elyn was not allowed to take. And Celia had hardly taken any at all! Just goes to show that power corrupts, wherever you are…. Then, finally, an invigorating (if brief) walk on the 3-circuit stone labyrinth that Reb and Paddy have constructed on the Camino, just a kilometer from their home in Moratinos.

All in all, quite a delightful day spent with friends, exploring the amazing richness of this land we are living in! Elyn’s beginning to mutter that we really DO need to buy or lease a car…. Our easy train connections are great, but they don’t allow us to travel off the beaten path—or in this case, off the rails.

Royalty

2009-04-26T09:42:00.005-06:00

Well, we thought today would be a nice, quiet day—and it was, sort of. We relaxed, enjoyed the morning, and went out for a walk at high noon (2 pm) to the park alongside the river. We dozed in the sun, shivered in the cool breeze, watched the birds hunting for insects, listened to the weeping willows rustling. And then we started home.

We paused in front of an interesting looking arched doorway and a plaque: “Casona de San Benito.” What was that, we wondered? An old man was leaning on a cane, standing nearby. I (Elyn) walked over to the large door and peeked inside. I (Elyn) saw a courtyard, an archway, and beyond that open fields and blue sky.

The old man, who was watching the German tourists who had disembarked from a tour bus, motioned to us. We went over to him.

“Want to go in?” He asked in Spanish. (The following conversation was all in Spanish.)

We looked at each other. “We can go in?”

“Of course!”

So we walked over to the large doorway, which he pushed open, and in we went. We saw a large patio, with a woman watering flowers at one end and a man (her husband) working on something at the other. The old man (Leonora’s father, it turned out) explained he had invited two Germans to see the place. I (Elyn) explained that we were Americans and lived in Sahagún.

Leonora’s husband exclaimed, “Oh, you’re German’s friends!”

And Leonora exclaimed, “I met you during Semana Santa, remember?”

Ah. These were the friends German had told us about. He and Peggy had held their medieval wedding pageant last August in their home, the House of the Arch. This house. Small world.

We were taken on a tour of the place, including the immense banquet hall, still sporting medieval banners and 19^th-century tapestries. This was probably the refrectory of the immensely powerful Cluny Benedictine monastery (hence the “San Benito” on the entry plaque) that had once controlled Sahagún. In the 19^th century, during the desamortización, monastic lands and buildings were confiscated, often destroyed, and bought by anyone who had the money and interest. Leonora’s great-great-great grandfather (more or less) had bought the monastery (or what remained of it), along with a few other monastic buildings in Sahagún and a nearby town. Now, some 200 years later, the descendants used one wing as a sort of vacation home and were turning another wing into a tourist/pilgrim hostal.

The husband pointed out the long, narrow Mudejar bricks, from the 12^th century, that made up the walls of the huge room. He said there were some Roman bricks mixed in, if we looked closely…. The ceiling was much newer—17^th century.

And then, downstairs to the huerta (garden) that had been the monastery’s cloisters and gardens, several centuries ago. And on to other buildings and outbuildings, including the so-called Palace of Queen Constance, the second wife of Alfonso VI, the remains of which were now used as a garage, a storeroom, and a chicken and rabbit shed.

Just this morning we had read in the newspaper that 2009 is the 900th anniversary of the death of King Alfonso VI, who at one time was forced to retire as monarch of León and seek refuge in the Benedictine monastery of Sahagún. Later, after he regained power, he liked to return here, and he and most of his five wives (and various concubines) are buried here. Alfonso’s second wife, Constanza (from Burgundy), had had a special set of rooms built for her use in the monastery. Later those rooms became a place that gave hospitality to pilgrims….

So here we were, standing in the midst of 900-year-old history!

Amazing.

I could just see the marketing ploy for the new hospice: "Alfonso VI slept here."

A Romería (April 25)

2009-04-25T13:25:00.008-06:00

Today (April 25) was the Romería de San Marcos, which takes place each year at the Hermitage of the Virgin of the Bridge just outside of Sahagún and located on the Camino de Santiago. It is of special interest and importance to us since this hermitage has been under the care of our Spanish “family” for many generations. Paca, the matriarch of the family, is in charge of maintaining the building and its contents. She does this in spite of her general opposition to the Church and the priests. Every day she and a group of her friends walk out to the hermitage (about 1.5 miles each way) to spend some time, play cards, and visit. Bear in mind that Paca is 82 years of age this year. She is an amazing woman, very young and vital, as you can see in the photo showing her dancing with her daughter, Piedad.

At the romería, which was attended by nearly one thousand people, (Correction: Make that two thousand) Paca was selling candles to light before the statue of the Virgin. The figure is quite beautiful; her wig is made from hair taken from Piedad some 35 years ago. Women who need some special blessing are given one of the pins that are fastened to the bottom of the Virgin’s costume. This Virgin is known for helping women to successfully bear children.

There was a small folkloric band, which led a procession of the Virgin, who was carried on a small float by a group of women. The crowd followed her around the grounds, returning her to her place of honor inside the hermitage. The place is named the Virgin of the Bridge because there was a bridge over a small stream beside the hermitage. The bridge remains, but the stream has long since been diverted to provide water for the crops.

After the procession the local government distributed small baguettes and a piece of cheese to all the attendees and there were stands selling limonada (a wine and lemon drink similar to sangría), beer, hazelnuts (part of the tradition of the romería) and ice cream. (Another tradition is to eat snails, which are distributed in the afternoon.) There was much dancing, singing, and festivities. These Spaniards just love to party!

A Day in the Life (April 23, 2009)

2009-04-24T05:39:00.015-06:00

For those who might think that living in a small, out-of-the-way Spanish town would be boring, here is a day for you.

We awoke and looked out on the plaza in front of our apartment to find a motorcycle club filling the plaza with cycles of all vintages. There was a hospitality table set up in front of the town hall and the cyclists were enjoying morning coffee and juice as they talked and compared their machines, which were all restored to mint condition. We had the bird’s eye view of these proceedings.

At 10:30 our friends German and his Peruvian wife, Peggy, picked us up for a day’s outing. Our primary destination was a tiny village called Villalar de los Comuneros where in 1520 there was a peasants' uprising against King Carlos V. Under the banner of “Traitors NO! Defenders of liberty, YES!” they fought and lost against the Spanish king’s army. Their brave attempt to throw off the monarchy is remembered 500 years later by all left-leaning political parties in Spain. The event is a fair with many tents set up by all the leftist political parties from the Communist on to the center left PSOE, which is currently in power. 25,000 people, including us, descended on this tiny village overwhelming all public services, creating a line of cars stretching for miles, and joyfully eating, drinking, and partying as only the Spanish can do.

The fair coincides with the annual “Day of the Book” so many of the displays were from publishers. Elyn enjoyed the displays very much and purchased several books for our library.

After lunch (late afternoon by American standards), we left Villalar for a visit to a walled medieval town, Urueña, which is designated as Spain’s “Villa del Libro,” the Town of the Book, part of an organization with other Book Towns in other countries. Behind medieval fortified limestone walls is a perfectly preserved village, where every other shop is a book store. There is a museum which is dedicated to book printing and binding and the usual contingent of bars and shops, all doing a great business. Elyn found a Spanish/American/British lady who speaks perfect English running her shop, which specializes in chocolate, tea, regional foods, and wool items. She sampled all the teas and picked out a wonderful tea scented with cinnamon and lemon. She also bought some artisanal, raw-sheep-milk cheeses that are delicious! Elyn felt like a real Spanish "insider" when she asked the clerk if the soft torta de Cañarejal was like torta de Casar. The clerk was amazed that she knew about that cheese.

Leaving Urueña, German and Peggy drove us to a monastery called Santa Espina, which has a thorn from the crown of thorns, thus its name. This is a huge complex with a church and double cloisters, all in simple, but monumental style. The complex is now used as a school to train people in agricultural techniques. It is recently restored by the provincial government.

Leaving the monastery, our younger companions drove us home, while Elyn and I napped in the back seat. Honey Bunny and Brown Bear also had a great outing, which you can read about on their blog HERE.

Market Saturday

2009-04-18T05:26:00.006-06:00

In contrast with the tranquil scene from our apartment yesterday, this is the scene today. Saturday is market day and the market you see stretches over nearly 10 blocks in town. The streets are blocked to traffic and everyone in town is teeming up and down the market, buying, selling, looking, and visiting with friends. It is a lively scene and only about 30 feet from our door. You can buy everything from underwear, through outer clothes and shoes, along with wonderful fruits and veggies, cheese, meat, etc. The town fairly pulses with activity and we stroll through the streets, standing out as foreigners I’m sure, but the venders are friendly and accommodating and the other shoppers elbow their way through, just as Spaniards always do. What a happy scene. We get oranges (organic, no less) that are sweeter and juicier than we get in the US. The lettuce is grown right outside of town and is considered to be the best in the country by the locals. Not a trace of bitterness there. Nuts, olives, other provisions in abundance. I’m waxing eloquent because I love this market.

Our US friends have wanted to see the interior of our apartment and we took these shots to give an impression. We tried to keep the boxes and unstored stuff out of sight as much as possible. The apartment is tastefully decorated—not OUR taste, but the best Spanish taste. Notably absent are the plaster and porcelain figures and other nicknacks that adorn most Spanish homes. What a relief. There is hardly anything that we have had to hide away to be comfortable here. As we clear and store more stuff we’ll put up other photos.

A New Home in Sahagún

2009-04-17T08:17:00.006-06:00

We have been looking for a better apartment all the time we have been here in Spain. The place we had rented was OK, but it was old and far from the center of town. We have many friends here, and they have been looking for us. Our friend German, an English speaker and computer guru among his many talents, found this place quite by accident. It is a newly remodeled apartment just one flight above a pharmacy on the central plaza in town. We are literally in the center of all activity in Sahagún. Our concerns about possible noise were relieved when we came here during the Holy Week celebrations. The door to our balcony has double-pane glass and lowers the noise level to a comfortable buzz, even during the busiest times.

I took these pictures today at 4 PM, during the afternoon siesta, when all the shops are closed and the people are at home having lunch and resting. As you can see, there are no people to be seen. At any other time there will be knots of people in conversation, children playing, people shopping, and the business of the town going on. The yellow building directly across from our apartment is the town hall.

We now have a local telephone and high-speed internet, so we are totally connected to the rest of the world, just like our place in the US. We are just a few steps from three restaurants, a clothing store, a bread and sweets store, office supply store, and the banks. Of course we are very near a bar, and it would be impossible here in Sahagún to be far from a bar. There must be thirty bars in the town!

The last photo is a view of our private terrace in the back of the apartment. We will get some plants and outdoor furniture very soon so we

can use this space as well.

We are so very happy to have found this beautiful place, which we will be happy to share with friends when they visit. During the many fiestas and celebrations we will have the primo view of festivities from our balcony. We feel quite “regal” with our perfect view above the crowds. The bare trees in the photos will leaf out and provide a beautiful green setting for us to enjoy. So we invite all our friends to come to Spain and visit us.

Semana Santa in Spain: Sunday

2009-04-12T07:45:00.008-06:00

Semana Santa in Spain: Friday Morning

2009-04-10T18:11:00.010-06:00

Semana Santa in Spain: Thursday Evening

2009-04-10T12:37:00.011-06:00

2009-04-07T07:41:00.003-06:00

Just a short post to promise to resume my regular communications soon. I really need to get internet in our apartment. This little bar is quite smokey and noisy. However, it is a cross section of small-town life in Spain.

We have met pilgrims nearly every day and all want to interview Elyn, who is well known in that small camino world. She was interviewed by a Korean pilgrim this morning. He is walking with an impossibly heavy pack and his wife and daughter. The girl was sick, but the determined Korean pilgrim was impervious his own and his family's pain. He is a theologian who is studying the actual practicalities of the camino. His family is suffering right in front of his eyes and he is blind to their suffering. We are all most blind when looking at ourselves, myself included.

Announcing Elyn's New Book.

2009-03-02T18:37:00.011-07:00

This is the official announcement of Elyn's new book: Walking Through Cancer: A Pilgrimage of Gratitude on the Way of St. James. (See front and back cover on the left.) We will be at the annual gathering of American Pilgrims on the Camino March 12-14 in Albuquerque, NM to introduce the book. It is already listed on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online, or you can order a copy from your favorite bookseller. We have spent many hours editing and producing this book and it is a production that we are both proud of.

A special feature of the book are a series of twenty-eight watercolors by local Santa Fe artist, Kate López. The front cover is also one of Katie's works.

Click on either image to view them at full size.

Fireside Chat

2009-02-22T07:58:00.003-07:00

No, not like FDR's, but a fireside chat, nevertheless.

We are sitting by a piñon fire in our kiva fireplace in Santa Fe and contemplating where we go from here. I've been saying that we only know our plans when we execute them, but we know that the direction is toward Spain and away from SF and the US. How we get there and when is still up in the air. We have become quite accustomed to turning around on a dime (less than 10 cents these days) and happily traipsing off to new ventures. I am happy with this nomad life and as long as health holds out I expect that we will be out there somewhere, exploring and soaking up experience.

I've begun to hatch a plan (who said we can't plan) for some writing projects geared to our travel to interesting places. I'm preparing a series title for several short books called "Powerful Places in . . . " You fill in the blank. Over the years we have come upon some wonderful places, some known to the world at large (Glastonbury, Carnac, Mont St. Michel) and others that we find quite by accident. I think it will be fun to document some of these findings in a series of short books. The writing (which will be shared with Elyn), production, and publishing will keep me from boredom and some of these places we've found are really worth a visit by others. Well, everyone needs a hobby and this publishing business is mine. It's great to have a hobby that at least breaks even and this one does about that.

So that is my pipe dream this morning as I sit in front of the fire.

In the Crown Club in Atlanta

2009-02-14T14:41:00.003-07:00

We just got a free one-day pass to the Crown Club here in Atlanta—just what weary travelers need after a 9+ hour flight from Madrid. We have a five hour layover here and will go on to ABQ tonight and Santa Fe tomorrow. So far the travel has been relatively painless. We spent the time during the flight marking up some final corrections on Elyn's book. We will do the computer work over the next two days and get it out in time for a gathering of American Friends on the Camino annual meeting in ABQ next month. We'll be in the US for this meeting, then, hopefully back to Spain in time for Holy Week festivities early in April. Much to accomplish in this brief month and a half.

Preparing for the US

2009-02-12T03:20:00.001-07:00

We are in final preparations for our trip back to the US. We are not looking forward to this trip, partly because we love it here and partly due to the work that awaits us in Santa Fe. There are many details to take care of while we are in the US—filing income tax returns, submitting Elyn’s book for printing, clearing the house in preparation for either sale or rental, etc. We know that we will suddenly speed up our lives, as we always seem to do when we return to the US from abroad. We will have to make an effort to take time out to see our friends and it will be a challenge for all of us to find time in our busy lives for socializing. We will fill our computer schedule to the brim and we will look each day to see how we will spend every hour.

We notice that here there always seems to be time to read, talk with people, do our shopping (on foot) in all the little tiendas, while in the US we will rush through Whole Foods fighting crowds, drive to the bank, drive to the shopping centers, and generally feel the need to accomplish more, more, more. We realize that this is something we do to ourselves, but it is very easy to succumb to the general pace of life we find around us.

Here I can spend a morning looking at travel guides or reading a book and not feel that I am “wasting time.” In the US I tend to push myself to “get it all done” as quickly as possible. I can remember as a child that I read about the new “electronic brains” that were just being invented. Science Digest predicted that in the next century we would not work at all—the “electronic brains” would take it all over for us and we would be on permanent vacation. What we have actually done is take the power of the technology we have created to do more work. The average workweek for Americans has only increased as we have harnessed the computer to do more in less time. Is this a sane way to live? Well, I know the answer and so do you.

Mental note: this time I must watch myself to avoid being caught up in the mad rush. This time I’ll do it better. Well, vamos a ver, as we say here.

Traveling, Part II

2009-02-11T03:57:00.002-07:00

If you want to read about the beginning of this journey, go to the next post.

In Cangas de Onis it was still raining when we got up the next morning. There was also snow all over the mountains in the Picos de Europa national park, making any thought of going there in this season out of the question. However, there is a panoramic view of the mountains from Jim and Renate’s living room. We enjoyed the view, were treated to wonderful food, and made several short shopping trips around the town. You can read and see what Honey Bunny and Brown Bear got by going to their blog.

On Sunday morning there is an extensive outdoor and covered market in Cangas. The cheese market, in particular, is outstanding. Asturias is known all over Spain and beyond for their wonderful cheese. We often see Cabrales blue cheese in Whole Foods Market in the states. We bought raw milk (cow, goat, and sheep?) aged Gamoneu cheese from Begonia, the cheesemaker, and great smoked cheese (Queso Ahumado de Pria, Llanes, Asturias, of cow and sheep milk) that has all the flavor of sitting around the camp fire.

On another excursion we walked along the Sella river, which joins with another river in Cangas. The Sella is one of the prime salmon fishing rivers in Spain. The salmon come up the river from the Atlantic to spawn, just as they do on the west coast of the US. Fancy restaurants in Madrid pay a huge fee for the privilege of catching the first salmon of the season in Cangas. They then recoup all their expenses and more by offering the first salmon of the season to their customers back in the capital city.

On Monday morning we caught an early bus back to Oviedo. As we were coming into town we saw one of the 9th century churches we wanted to visit, so we got off the bus and walked a few blocks to San Julián de los Prados. This church, which dates from around 830, is decorated with murals on its inside walls. The paintings were covered for many centuries by the whitewash that was applied during plague times and were only discovered in 1913 during restoration work. Enough of the original paintings remain to allow the missing pieces to be sketched out in line drawings on the plaster. This little church is truly magnificent and a perfect example of preRomanesque Asturian church design. We had the church to ourselves, except for the guard/guide who was on duty. We were fortunate that the church is open on Mondays with no guided tours. When we remarked to the guide about the tranquility of the place, she said we were lucky that we were there before the bus loads of tourists arrived.

Leaving the church, we walked into the town center, stopping at a convenient bar for a bit of breakfast tortilla (eggs, potatoes, and a bit of ham fried in olive oil) and a coffee con leche before searching out the tea store that Renate had recommended. One thing we miss in Spain is special teas: Lapsang Souchong, Pu Erh, etc. These are all available in the little tea store in the old section of Oviedo. Then it was a leisurely stroll past the recently installed statue of Woody Allen (Oviedo plays a prominent role in his most recent film, which was shot in Spain and features Penelope Cruz, Spain’s favorite daughter!). We stopped at another bar where we fortified ourselves with more tortilla and I had a cerveza (beer). Then we walked to the train station to wait for our train back to Sahagún.

Our return train was one of the fast trains (Alvia). Up we went over the mountains while we read articles in the International Herald Tribune, which we found at a kiosk on the way to the station. The Alvia made only three or four stops all the way back to Sahagún and we arrived in 2 ½ hours, with time to take care of some shopping and buy our tickets to Madrid this Friday to catch a plane back to the US on Saturday. On our way we met Pedro Luna Tovar, who was leading his daughter, María, on her first outdoor walk after giving birth to her first baby the week before. María invited us to her home, where we enjoyed a cup of tea while we admired Eva and told María, Pedro, and Carlos (María’s husband) about our adventure.

I hope this little narrative gives you some picture of what life is like here in Spain. We are really sad to leave Sahagún, if only for a short month and a half in the US. We look forward to coming back in April in time for Holy Week here in Sahagún and several fiestas that will come later in the month.

Traveling Spanish Style

2009-02-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

One of my readers wrote a comment wondering about what life is like for an American living in Spain. I’m happy to give you a picture of our recent trip to Asturias to visit friends.

We got up early last Thursday to take the train to Oviedo, in Asturias. We packed light, taking only daypacks for our four-day journey. Walking three minutes to the train station from our fourth-floor apartment, we boarded the express train for Oviedo. We were given a compartment to ourselves on this fast train and rode in comfort all the way to Oviedo. Since we are senior citizens we ride the trains with a 40% discount from the regular fares.

Just outside of León we found ourselves in the Picos de Europa, a rugged range of mountains that remind me of the Rockies in Colorado. Passing through the snow-covered landscape we sipped steaming tea from the dining car while we admired some of the most beautiful mountain scenery we have seen anywhere. Spain is second only to Switzerland in Europe for its mountains. Traveling around Spain, one encounters all the variety of scenery we have in the US, but compressed into much less space.

Dropping down into Asturias, the mountain valleys are suddenly carpeted in green, which contrasts sharply with the rugged snow-covered mountains above. We arrived in Oviedo in mid morning and walked to a local bar where we enjoyed a late breakfast, Our waitress wanted to practice her English and we were happy to oblige. Oviedo is a university town and like most college towns, is filled with young people who are enjoying their first adventures away from home. They are friendly and welcoming to Americans and we are spoken to in English fairly often.

In keeping with the strange weather we have had this winter, we walked out into a mixture of rain and snow that was filling the streets with slush. Since walking around town was not going to be comfortable, we chose to spend the rest of the morning at the cathedral. Oviedo Cathedral is a mixture of Romanesque and Flamboyant Gothic, and the treasury houses some of the oldest and most valuable religious items in Christendom. There are two 9th century gold crosses studded with precious stones and the tombs of several Asturian kings.

After our tour of the cathedral, we called Renate Fernandez, our American friend, who was meeting us and made plans to meet for lunch. Renate is an anthropologist who had come to Oviedo from their home in Cangas de Onis to give a powerpoint presentation on the American national park system the previous evening. Her husband, Jim, who is a retired professor of anthropology from the University of Chicago had come into town that morning to do some research for a paper he is preparing for delivery in Burgos later in the month. We all met together in a bookshop where Jim was pouring over textbooks that the Spanish school system uses to teach citizenship to its high school students. The topic is hot here in Spain, since the government-mandated curriculum is not strictly in keeping with the views of the more conservative ranks of the Catholic Church and there is quite vocal opposition from such groups as Opus Dei. Jim’s topic for the paper in Burgos concerns this controversy.

We walked to one of their favorite restaurants and enjoyed a leisurely mid afternoon Spanish lunch while we caught up with our various recent adventures. After a short visit with one of Renate’s friends who is a physician in Oviedo, we walked to the bus station for what is usually a short ride to their home in Cangas. Since the snow and rain were continuing, our bus driver was forced to drive about 20 mph for much of the way and it was evening when we arrived in Cangas de Onis. One really needs to use the complete name for this town, since there is another Cangas in Asturias. Cangas is a tourist town since it is at the gateway to the national park in the Picos de Europa. As you can imagine, the mountain scenery here is spectacular. Renate has a long-standing professional interest in the park and how the Spanish national park system differs from our system in the US. We had a light dinner at their 6th floor apartment, which has a full view of the surrounding mountains. Since we are all Americans, we had our dinner very early by Spanish standards and took to our beds for some much needed rest.

Since this posting is about as long as anyone can stand, I’ll continue in a second post tomorrow.

Elyn's Book is finished

2009-02-09T12:31:00.003-07:00

We finished Elyn's new book just before our trip to Asturias this weekend. Here is the final cover--front and back. I'll write more about the trip tomorrow.

To see the cover full size, click on either picture.

We’re Residents!

2009-01-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Rebekah, took us to Palencia yesterday to pick up our brand new Spanish ID cards. We are now officially residents of Spain. This gives us the right to live here and spend our US money as freely as we want. I had thought that the residency card would be for a longer term than one year, but we will need to renew at the end of 2009 if we want to stay here more permanently. We will also need, at some point, to get our residence changed to Sahagún, since we applied for Moritinos in the province of Palencia and it looks like we have found very comfortable lodging here in Sahagún, which is in the province of León.

I am feeling very much at home here now. My language is not improving by leaps and bounds and we are working day and night on Elyn’s new book, but I feel quite at home when I walk out on the streets and do our shopping. We even visited a “big box” store, Carrifour, in Palencia yesterday—almost like being in the US. Well, no US “big box” in the US has jamon ibirico and a fish department with eels and other delights. It is all very interesting and new for us here, even though we did live in Spain for a year back in the late 1990s.

A big part of our comfort here is the presence of American/British friends, Rebekah and Paddy. Also the Luna/Tovar family, which has been friends with Elyn since the 1980s have made our transition to Spanish life very easy and enjoyable. We also have American friends living north of us in the province of Asturias. They have invited us up to visit them one weekend while we are here this time. I haven’t seen much of Asturias, which is on the northern sea coast of Spain. I’m looking forward to a train trip over the Picos de Europa (the mountain range just to the north of us) and getting to know Asturias

All in all, we like it here and will probably be here most of the time for a few years. Santa Fe will remain our US home and we may purchase another house there when we sell our current home, but I anticipate spending the majority of our time in Europe for the near future. There are many places I want to visit that are easy travelling distance from Sahagún, so we can be the nomads we like to be for this time.