This heading is the first thing Gonzalo taught me. Without really knowing what I was saying, he made me say it to his mother, (!) my teachers and everyone I met when I first got to Santiago. Spanish humour is just like Australian! Sneaky bugger! So much has happened since I first arrived. It has …
Continue reading "Que Cajones Hago Aquí?! (What the f*%#^# am I doing here?)"
It never ceases to amaze me that I, who get lost in the supermarket, always manage to somehow reach my destinations when traveling in foreign countries. My children have often expressed their amazement also. 😳 And so it was that I managed to find the train station and wend my way up to the north …
Continue reading "Then on to Vila Praia da Ancora, Portugal"
I'm a bit late writing this blog. I find myself lost in my thoughts more these days and writing becomes secondary when I'm busy. I moved on to a town called Coimbra. How is it that no one told me about this place? What a beautiful town it is. I stayed in a fantastic hotel …
I discovered the other day that clogs came from the celts. They were different to the Dutch ones, due to the often muddy and wet conditions, and they had platforms so their feet would not get wet. Farmers used them mostly. then, thanks to Sybille Yates, i came across this wonderful little YouTube clip of …
Well, something had to go wrong! It was all just too perfect. ..😳 As I go back to Australia soon, and I've now finished school, I thought it would be a great idea to travel a bit before I leave. The day started in a very relaxed manner. I heard Gonzalo come home at about …
Yep, time for another mini trip.....this time, to visit my awesome and gutsy friend Tanya who has bought a house in Oia and moved to Spain to live on the Portugues Coastal Camino. Gonzalo had a day off so we drove down south and through the all familiar mountains that I have walked over the …
Today I had a strange experience. It was a festival day in the village where Gonzalo was born so I found myself full of trepidation and anxiety as we hurtled down the freeway to party at the family 'country house' a short 20 minute drive away. As Kaia, his little bulldog, drooled all over my …
I walked past a sign this morning that was advertising perfume. The sign said 'Your Best Memory' and it made me think. Isn't it funny how a smell or even a song can take you back to a specific time or event in your life. There is a perfume store here where you can make …
We went to the coast last week with Gonzalo and visited the 'second oldest lighthouse in the world'. There we met a man with a tattoo of the Hercules Tower on his shoulder, and he recommended we come to A Coruña to see it, the oldest one, so of course we thought that would be …
Right now, I'm sitting under the ancient stone arches in Rua Nova, enjoying the hustle and bustle and the ambience of Santiago life. Children walk by dressed in their quaint little dresses and 'outfits', followed by their beautifully dressed parents. Yes, Santiago may be a smallish town but they have style. European women dress beautifully. …
Margaret Caffyn 