TP Thursday: The Train in Spain

We have limited options for train travel in the Pacific Northwest so we savor the experience when we are in Europe. In November, we traveled in Spain by train:



We first hopped aboard in Osuna, the town I’ve written about in earlier posts – Land of the Olives.  We loved its small station, opened in 1874. The agent who manned the ticket window also had the only desk job. Prior to each  train’s arrival, though, he’d put on his uniform’s cap and head to the station’s platform to manually adjusted the large levers that set the tracks in the correct position.

From that history-laden platform, we caught a regional, regionales, train - similar to this one - that delivered us to Malaga. Two tickets cost 22.40-euro, or about $31US.  We purchased them the day we traveled.

After spending a week on the Costa del Sol, we returned to Malaga’s station to catch a long-distance train that would take us north through central Spain, hurtling us as speeds reaching 300 kilometers an hour through Andalusia and its neighboring Castilla-La Mancha region to Madrid.

In stark contrast to Osuna, Malaga’s train station is an enormous – think international airport size – modern facility.


The trains are equally as modern . . .and large; very large. Renfe is the national train service that runs most of Spain’s trains.



 

We walked past the engine pictured above to get to our car, half way down the length of the train. Note how far behind me the train stretches back to this engine.

The cost of our two AVE (the high speed train) tickets, which we purchased before leaving home and printed out on our computer (Malaga to Barcelona), was 316-euro, or $433US.

We would  have paid less to fly; it would certainly have been faster, but for us, the trip is as much about the journey as the destination and had we flown we would have missed scenes such as these:




One of Spain’s “White Towns” – loved the castle on the hill to the left.



Spectacular vistas stretched for miles in every direction. . .

At Madrid’s Atocha Station we connected with the train that would  take us to our final destination, Barcelona, on the northeast coast.

Again we had a slide show of Catalonian towns through the power lines that often line the tracks. 



Trains are a ticket to adventure for us. Got any suggestions for our next train trip?

Today is Travel Photo Thursday so be sure to visit, Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos and destination temptations.

The Romance of Travel. . .

It’s February 14th, Valentine’s Day; a perfect time to immerse ourselves in the romance of travel. Romance, both in the cupid-arrow type, and that defined by Webster’s as an ‘emotional attraction or aura belonging to . . .adventure’.

Traveling down memory lane, these are some of our favorite travel romance destinations:

1. Paris, France. 

It is not a cliché – this is a romantic city. We don’t have any one spot to recommend, but I can tell you that strolling along  the Seine is romantic.

2. Cape Panwa House, Phuket Island, Thailand.

The Cape Panwa House restaurant is where I’d go for a romantic Valentine’s dinner.  This Sino-Portuguese mansion  made such an impression on us 30 years ago that I checked the Internet and was delighted to see it is still offers diners the exotic - and romantic setting - we so fondly recall.

3.  Stehekin, head of Lake Chelan, Washington State.

The only way into Stehekin is by boat, float plane or on foot. This remote  hamlet at the head of the 55-mile-long glacier- fed Lake Chelan is the perfect place to picnic with  bread, wine and cheese. (Buy a couple bottles of wine at any of the two dozen wineries in Chelan and don’t forget the picnic blanket.)

4. San Sebastian del Oeste, Mexico

Back when we owned vacation homes outside Puerto Vallarta, we’d break up our working trips with a getaway to the towns  tucked high above us in the nearby Sierra Madres. 

One of our favorite places was the old silver mining town of San Sebastian del Oeste, and our favorite place to stay was in one of the very rustic rooms at Hacienda Jalisco, just outside town.  Back then it was run by a lovable character, Bud Accord.  We’ve not been back to Mexico for several years and San Sebastian now has several accommodation and dining options, a web site and Facebook page! We can tell you there was no better place for star gazing than from our deck at the Hacienda – it felt as if we’d landed in the middle of the Milky Way.

5. Palace Hotel. Madrid, Spain

Our vote goes to the lobby bar at the Palace Hotel for the most romantic spot to sip a cava, the Spanish equivalent to champagne.  The dignified, library-like setting is perfect for settling into its comfy chairs and couches and getting lost in its old-world flair. . .or for watching other romantics.

6.  Le Sorelle Restaurant, Rome, Italy

On our last night in Rome a  few years ago we happened upon this small restaurant owned by two sisters (sorelle is sister in Italian) not far from the Spanish Steps at Via Bellsiana, 30. 
The food, wine, atmosphere and the sisters’ warm welcome, made us vow to return any time we found ourselves in this magnificent city.  We’ve manage to keep our pledge – twice. Once when the food was as good as we remembered it being and once when our single-night stay fell on the night they were closed – we were thoroughly disappointed!

7.  On deck a Greek ferry sailing the Aegean or Ionian Seas.

Despite the current economic woes and related unrest in Greece,  we can hardly wait to return to its magical islands. Anyone who loves the romance of travel would find a trip on one of Greece’s cruise-ship-sized ferries to be a magical experience.. .no matter which island you were heading toward.



8. Washington State ferries from Seattle, Washington

We can’t overlook our own backyard, so must make note of the ferries that ply the waters of Puget Sound providing great views of Seattle and wonderful trips to the San Juan Island port cities and as far as Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 

If you are not into ferries, take a trip up Seattle’s 1962 World’s Fair Space Needle that continues, 50 years later, to be the Emerald City’s icon.  On a clear day (and we do have them sometimes) you can take a 360-degree tour of Puget Sound by walking the outside deck or dining in the restaurant.

9.  Ko Olina, O’ahu, Hawaii.

Ko Olina in Hawaiian means ‘place of joy’ and it has been that for us since we began our annual visits there five years ago.  Bird song at sunrise and sunset, swaying palms, gentle ocean waves, lagoons with tropical fish that find you as interesting as you do them, those incredible sea turtles, honus, in Hawaiian. . .ah, yes, a most romantic place.



10.  This one is yours.  What romantic destination – past, present or future - are you thinking of today?

TP Thursday: Aloha Hawaii ~

Hula Babe and Beach Boy (our noms de blog while in this Pacific Paradise) are saying a fond Aloha to the island of O’ahu on this Travel Photo Thursday . . .we are Pacific Northwest bound today~

For a month, I can say quite honestly, 'Life's been a Beach' for us. We've basked in the gifts of tranquil tropical days and nights that arrived wrapped in aloha spirit. It's been the kind of trip where we lived in the moment, not for the moment.  But as with all travel there comes a time when the moments become memories.  Some of our favorite moments turned memories are:

Walks on the beach. . .



revisiting our old friends like, honu,



and in spending time as any Hula Babe and Beach Boy might. . .



Aloha . . . I'll tell you more about our Hawaiian adventures in future posts, but for now, it is time to start packing.


It is Travel Photo Thursday so be sure to head to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos from travel bloggers around the world.  (Click the photos above to enlarge them).

On the beach with Frances Mayes

‘The journey itself is home’  Frances said, quoting the 17th Century Japanese poet and haiku master, Matsuo Basho.

Actually, Basho’s full quote was, “Each day is a journey and the journey itself is home” -- the first entry of his masterpiece, “Narrow Road to a Far Provence.”

Long or short version -  it works for me. It’s the perfect response to those who say, ‘You are never home anymore.’ 

‘No, The journey itself is home,’ I will answer from now on.

Frances Mayes, the author who introduced the world to Tuscany and its sun, has been a friend and mentor of mine for nearly 20 years:

We both embarked on adventures of home ownership on foreign soil two decades ago. She and her husband, Ed, in Tuscany and Joel and I in Mexico.We had similar adventures along the way – she just had the good sense to write about them and make money – I didn’t.
She and Ed now spend a great deal of time at their homes in Cortona, Italy. Joel and I sold ours in Bucerias, Mexico several years ago.

I should mention Frances and I have never met; probably never will.  But I’ve read and re-read her books so many times that I feel as though we are long-time friends. She’s definitely a mentor.

Before traveling in Europe, I always grab my, now dog-eared, copy of “A Year in the World” to see if Frances spent time in any of our intended destinations and if so, what tips she has for me.  She is the one who introduced me to Spanish poet, Lorca, and inspired my search for his ‘duende’, that elusive earth spirit of Andalucia on our recent travels there.

***

I’ve been reading her, “Every Day in Tuscany, Seasons of Italian Life” during my lazy afternoons on the beach.  It’s a touching look at  her experiences and life’s lessons learned since she lost her heart to Tuscany.

When I selected her to join me on our Hawaiian holiday, I didn’t realize that my friend Frances would be mentoring me again.

This trip, while providing us post-card perfect  idyllic tropical days has also found us being jolted –  far too many times – with disquieting news about friends. . . a colleague’s death, . . .a friend’s cancer diagnosis. . .another facing surgery. . .with frightening regularity the negative news has arrived.

Is it a sign of our age or could the moon and stars simply be out of alignment?  

We think about our friends. We think about us. How many years ahead will we be able to consider our days as journeys and the journeys home?  Life, like travel itself, is an experience in which we must anticipate the unexpected – but must it be bad?

So having pondering repeatedly those and related questions at seaside, I returned to Frances and as if on cue, she was also pondering similar questions and observed: 

“Life’s little wake-up calls. (Do they have to be so numerous?) Scroll down the list and start to wail – or shout out Carpe diem.”

Carpe diem, seize the day! Once again Frances has given me a phrase. . .one I’ve been repeating all week. 

We must seize the day –  yes, we will plan for next year’s return. . .in fact, we’ve been invited to dance with the the Honolulu Lions I wrote about earlier this week and who in their right mind would want to miss that. . .right? The reservations at Ko Olina, our Pacific paradise home are confirmed. We plan to be here under the Hawaiian sun. . .just as Frances will be under her Tuscan sun.

Carpe diem. . .seize the day.  . .each day is a journey and the journey itself is home.

How have you seized your day? Is your journey itself a home?

TP Thursday: When the Lions Dance

The belief is that when the lions dance they bring good luck, prosperity and happiness to every joyous occasion. And such was the case when the lions danced at Ko Olina to celebrate the arrival of Chinese New Year.



Some of you may know that this is The Year of the Dragon –  he didn’t make it out to dance because he’s some 80-feet long and requires some 27 adults to bring him to life. 

We were quite happy having a foursome of Lions come to life, thanks to the youth and adults who make up the Hawaiian Lion Dance Association.

Most of the dancers and musicians were young people being guided by adults, a refreshing demonstration of what wonderful things can happen when elders pass traditions on to the next generation. 

Those of us who attended the dance presentation learned much about Chinese Culture and the role of the dance within it. . .culture and tradition, celebration and happiness – the new year was off to a great start.




With the beat of the drum. . .

 
The lions danced . . .



And then they rested. . .until the drum beat again brings them to life.



It is again Travel Photo Thursday, so be sure to visit Budget Travelers Sandbox, creator of this weekly event.

Aloha Pro Bowl!

In Hawaii  the word ‘aloha’ is used as a greeting, as goodbye and to describe the welcoming, warm spirit of these wonderful Pacific Islands.

It’s a word used a lot this last week when talking about Pro Bowl.

Pro Bowl, that pseudo-football-game that this year precedes the Super Bowl was first played in Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium in 1980 and for 30 consecutive seasons with the only recent hiccup in continuity  being two years ago when it was played in Miami.

Pro Bowl – the game – kicks off a few hours from now, in Honolulu. Pro Bowl - the festival - began back on Monday when banners went up and the hoopla and players began arriving at their Pro Bowl headquarters hotel, J.W. Marriott’s Ihilani, just footsteps from our place at Ko Olina Marina and Resort, some 30 minutes away from Waikiki.

Aloha surrounds this particular game this year. The players were welcomed with great aloha; there’s been a warm aloha spirit surrounding the various street parties, beach parties, parades, fireworks and charity visits that make up the week preceding the game.

But local media report this could also be aloha, as in goodbye, to the game in Hawaii. The two year contract with the NFL expires this year and rumors are afoot that the game will be moved next year.

Speaking of feet, Hawaii’s Governor has place kicked his into his mouth this week with some of the less-than-aloha comments he’s made about the negotiations. He’s been rushing to get back into aloha formation since being tackled by tourism officials.

Hawaii pays $4 million to the NFL to host the game and state tourism folks report that is generates $28.15 million in spending, of which $3.07 million is taxes paid into the state’s coffers.

Players interviewed by local media all say they want he game to stay in Hawaii.  One Seattle Seahawk, Michael Robinson feels so strongly about it, that he flew here on Tuesday to practice, on Wednesday flew to Pennsylvania to speak at Joe Paterno’s funeral and returned to Hawaii Friday (on Mr. Nike, Phil Knight’s jet).

Okay, so I have to mention that five Seattle Seahawks appear on the game’s NFC roster this year – they’ve not been represented in the Pro Bowl for the last two years.

So which way will the trade winds blow for the Pro Bowl? Time will tell. For now, let’s play ball!

TP Thursday: Magical Mai Tai Moments

There’s no other drink that more signifies Hawaii than the Mai Tai. It’s a mixture of light rum, topped with a combination fruit juice and Triple Sec and finished with dark rum ~ always sporting a pineapple wedge.







Our time to sip a Mai Tai is as the intense tropical daytime sun slowly sets, giving way to the coolness of the evening's stars and moon.  It is a magical time of day.



We’ve been enjoying these Mai Tai moments while on the island of O’ahu.  The first photos were taken at the Outrigger Canoe Club and the third at Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club. 

It is once again Travel Photo Thursday so visit the many other wonderful places highlighted today on Budget Travelers Sandbox.

Honu! A lulu of an afternoon!!!

Beach Boy and Hula Babe discovered Honu, (Hawaiian for turtle) last year in the lagoon near us at Ko Olina on O’ahu’s western coast.  We hoped we’d find our seafaring friend again this year but we’d been unsuccessful until today. . .

We arrived for some sun and sea time at the lagoon shortly before Honu arrived for a bit of an afternoon nap.



The amazing thing is that while Honu napped, Honu’s twin decided to take a look at  the humans that were in the lagoon. (It is a violation of federal law to approach a honu as photographed above – I used telephoto setting and stayed more than 10 feet away --  but nothing prohibits them from exploring us).

So Honu II checked out Beach Boy:



And then decided to head toward Hula Babe who chose to keep a good distance between us (thus the blurred photo):



Tonight Beach Boy and Hula Babe are  both sunburned; we couldn’t pull ourselves away from the lagoon once we saw Honu and Friend, but we are delighted to have seen these magical creatures again.  Hopefully we’ll have another encounter before our time here comes to an end.