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musings & more since 2004

spain: écija

España, Spain, Andalucía, Écija, Plaza de España, Plaza del Salón

An hour & 15 minute bus ride from Sevilla takes you to another important Roman city in Andalucía: Écija. Although technically in Sevilla province, Écija is actually closer to Córdoba which influences its gastronomy. But let’s work up an appetite first…

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spain: itálica

España, Andalucía, Sevilla, Itálica, Roman

A short ride from Sevilla, getting off the bus in Santiponce may feel like you’ve stepped into small-town Spain. But you’re about to enter the hometown of two emperors & what was once a thriving city of 10,000 people… at one of the far reaches of the Roman Empire.

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japan: friends & fun

Japan, Tokyo, sakura, cherry blossoms

Some of you might remember I have a Master’s degree in China Studies, but I’ve never been to China! I assure you that’s a long story no one wants to hear. My first Asian trip was to Japan instead… & it couldn’t have been better.

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year in review: 2017

2017, travel, year in review
● Where was I? Spain, Morocco, Portugal, France, & USA.

It’s back! As always, I write this for personal reasons, but you’re welcome to revisit the past year with me. This year turned out to be as crazy as last, so I’ve grouped events into a few broad categories to help make sense of it all.

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road trip: midwest

road trip, 2017, Midwest, Chicago, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Iowa

Our second trip to the US together packed with as much Americana as possible! The main objective was to visit my aunt & uncle, but also to see how much of my mom’s stuff I’d have to ship to Spain. This involved a trip to the heart of Iowa; however, we also took a week to explore Chicago since we were already there. Let’s get on the road…

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found: spain travel posters

Spain, travel, poster, España es diferente

One of the first things I tell tour members when guiding a Rick Steves Spain tour is “España es diferente“. We live at the edge of Europe, border Africa, eat later than most, have business hours that take some getting used to… the list can go on & on. It’s definitely not like any other place in Europe. But I also comment that the Franco-era tourism slogan “Spain is different” still shapes our image of Spain today. Nowhere is this more easy to observe than in period travel posters.

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sevilla: semana santa

España, Spain, Semana Santa, Holy Week, La Paz

What a week! Yesterday wrapped up my second Semana Santa in Sevilla, & it’s time to come down from all the exhilaration + exhaustion. There’s nothing quite like bringing in the spring with a week-long pageant: the city government spruces up public spaces, locals deck out in their finest new clothes, & everyone says goodbye to the winter blues.

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