My first grade report card

I found my first grade report card the other day, while looking for something else, of course. It’s a little blue booklet with my name on the cover, in perfect school-teacher penmanship, and the name of the school and the year: Gardiners Ave School, Levittown Public Schools, 1956-57.  All my “grades” were what you’d expect for me, a compliant little 6-year-old with big glasses.  I thought I would see what my teacher’s comments were, and here is what she wrote in the First Written Report:

Peggy is an intelligent little girl. She does her work well. She is interested in learning to read– has enthusiasm for all class activities.

Nothing too interesting there.  On the right side is space for the Parent’s Comment.  This is what my mother wrote on 1/9/57:

May I record a protest against this unwieldy report card and some of the sentiments expressed on the cover. The real achievements of our children in our schools surpass the cheap educational philosophy expressed there.

So now I had to go back to the cover to see what all this fuss was about. Here’s the cover text, in full:

Elementary School Philosophy

Mastery of the 3 R’s (the academic subjects) receives first consideration in our classrooms. The 3 R’s are the tools of learning and for them there is no substitute. They are mastered by application, by drill and repetition, and by careful make-up of work following absence or failure.

Good work habits, together with the ability to work and live with others, are the next orderly step toward the satisfactory life. Finally, the Arts, manual and otherwise, bring appreciation of the various combinations of beauty, color, and sound — to form the foundation for culture. Inquiry into science and trips to industry and historic sites help the child to understand the environment in which he lives.

Character and honest government, as acclaimed by famous Americans, shall be held in lofty esteem and the freedoms held paramount to the American way of life. Respect for the flag, and reverence for Almighty God are manifested daily in every classroom.

I think it was that last paragraph that probably drove my mother (god bless her!) ballistic, or at least as ballistic as anyone could be in 1957.  What a evocative description of the 1950′s this is, with a faithful trust in “character and honest government” not yet eroded by Vietnam, the U-2 incident, the Bay of Pigs invasion etc., etc.   And not a whiff of concern with a child’s self-esteem– only lofty esteem for (presumably) common values.  I suspect that elementary school report cards extoll rather different virtues now.

I can easily imagine my mother’s outrage at the references to the American way of life (she was raised in Mexico), the Almighty (she was from a secular Jewish background and we were Unitarians) and the flag.   Speaking of the flag, a mere 10 years later in high school I would be refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance to that flag, and risking school suspension for it. By then, things were SO different!

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are no Teacher or Parent Comments for the Second Written Report Period, although both the teacher and my mother signed under the blank areas for comments.  By the Third Written Report I am described as having made steady progress in my work, and reading with real understanding, but there are no Parent Comments.  I think at the end of the year you got to keep your report card, so it was no longer a vehicle for my mother to express her opinions to the teachers.

On the inside of the back cover I am deemed Satisfactory in all respects: in Oral Expression (3 criteria), Social Development (12 criteria, including Claims only a fair share of time and attention, and Appears emotionally mature) and Work Habits (11 criteria, including Follows directions, and Does neat work.) I was promoted to second grade, and that report card is without either teacher or parent comments. Perhaps by then the teachers had decided not to bother telling Peggy’s mother anything at all!

Turtles like tomatoes! who knew?

This is the scene next to one of my 2 tomato plants right now… I think this fellow is glad the garden was neglected while we were gone the last two weeks.

Yertle the tomato-lover

My plummy weekend

I planted several damson plum seedlings when I moved to this house 11 years ago in hopes that they’d grow up and bear fruit like the ones I had at my old house in Trinity Park.  My next door neighbor, Miss Cheek, taught me how to make jam from the trees that grew between our houses, and I came to love that July ritual and its wonderful bounty.   Magically two seedlings thrived and are now real trees,  and every summer for the last few years I’ve been rewarded with a beautiful, if not abundant, crop.  This year looks like the biggest yet– maybe it was all that snow, or the nice wet spring?

Here’s batch #1 chronicled in pictures.  Once I started taking photos, it seemed blog-worthy, too.

blue gems

The best thing is that the birds on this side of town don’t seem to know, or haven’t yet learned, about plums.  Shhh, don’t tell!  Over there in Trinity Park they sure do, and Miss Cheek and I had to plot carefully to get fruit that wasn’t all pecked over.  But here they dangle delightfully and are almost all pristine.

The last week in July is usually my harvest time, so I checked them on Friday and to my surprise they felt and looked ripe.  Despite temperatures in the high 90′s I thought I’d begin my annual jamfest this weekend.  It’s a great project– big, messy, and delightfully productive.

Zoe provided company while I picked

the proverbial low-hanging fruit (that wonderful basket is a trug... look it up)

They were washed in the sink, but I did not document the next (crucial) step of pitting them.  This is not complicated but it does take a while, and occupies the whole kitchen table.

the tools of the trade: sugar, jars, lids, recipe

Miss Cheek's recipe stands the test of time

I mix plums and sugar, leave overnight

next day, just beginning to cook

blended with immersion blender & cooked till molten

Then come jars and voilà….

the finished product!

More plums await & I’ll be picking some tomorrow morning before 8 to try to beat the heat.  Y’all now know where to find me this week.

Peggy’s assorted travel tips

I thought it would be a fun exercise to collect and post some travel tips, while they are fresh in mind…. and since I keep waking up early that has given me a chance to compile them.   Below are some random suggestions, for what they’re worth.  There are three broad categories: Outlook/Strategies, Planning, and Stuff.

Outlook/Strategies

• Stay flexible, & be willing to adjust your expectations: attitude is everything in travel (as it is in life.) It’s a certainty that things will not always go as you planned or expected.  If you find yourself “stuck” in a disagreeable town on a rainy day, maybe that’s an opportunity…. foreign hardware stores can be interesting!  Be mentally nimble and as able to change plans on the fly as you can. In any case, remember, this too shall pass.
• Relax and enjoy the disasters. If you are going to laugh about it in 6 months, you might as well laugh about it now.  The best memories may come from the rough spots. I’ll never forget the week I was stranded in a small town in Sudan, or that speeding ticket in Mexico, and the hostel that wasn’t there in Skopje…
• Have a lunch strategy. It’s worthwhile to consider the options everyday, discuss with traveling companions & have a plan. (Which can, change of course, such as when the marvelous Indian/local seafood restaurant suddenly appears.)  Yes, carry along some emergency provisions; I try to have a granola bar & fruit always on hand.  I like a lunch sitting on a park bench with cheese and apples, or sardines and bread, or whatever I can buy from a bakery.   On the other hand, sometimes a nice sit-down meal in the middle of the day is just the ticket to revive tired feet, and ofter restaurant lunches are much cheaper than dinners.  Museum cafes can be great.   In Spain, lunch involves timing issues too, because you can’t eat in a restaurant before 1:30.  If you do carry your own food and eat at noon-ish in a park or something, by the time you finish you will find that all the museums and attractions have closed for midday and you now must wander aimlessly until they reopen at 4 or later.
• In Europe, have a Monday strategy. Most museums and many other sights are closed on Mondays, so take care in planning your itinerary around any must-see spots that you might find yourself in on any Monday.   Our trip to the prehistoric cave of Altamira in the north of Spain was nearly a bust, but fortunately we discovered on Saturday that it was closed on Monday, and were able to go on Sunday, although it meant a longish drive. But I would have been really bummed if we’d gone there on Monday and found it closed!

Planning

• Do your research. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I plan my travel in advance.  In fact I love what I call the anticipatory research phase.  Not that I plan every little step, but I do like to do some reading, & make the accommodation bookings, internal flights/trains etc. as far in advance as possible–  in my experience this saves money, and promotes peace of mind.  Reasons:
  • there’s enough on-the-spot problem-solving inherent in traveling that handling some of it in advance makes sense
  • finding accommodation on the spot is usually possible, but what you may gain in spontaneity costs you precious time that could be more enjoyably spent
  • researching your destination in advance helps you make better choices once you’re there

• Use several good guidebooks as you plan and when you travel.  The key attributes for me are:
  • up-to-date: yes, it’s worth it to get the latest edition
  • evaluative: you want your guidebook to help you make decisions, because there is always too much to do and see;  a good one will help a lot, telling you if something is miss-able, crowded, or overpriced
  • in-depth: I want lots of background history and detail to help me appreciate what I am seeing/doing

I swear by the Rough Guides travel books, and have relied on them for many years.  I cannot really contemplate going anywhere without one.  They are reliable, full of great ideas and suggestions, and best of all, eminently readable (I once read most of the guide to Sweden just for the heck of it.) Their recommendations are always right-on, for sights and also hotels and restaurants.  I also like the Eyewitness series for an initial overview (they’re beautiful to look at, but too cursory for me), and Michelin green guides for their depth of coverage of art & architecture, and an old edition of them is just fine.   Old historical guidebooks can be fun too, like the WPA guides to the US States (if you can find one) or an old edition of Baedeker’s guide to Europe or East Africa.

• Use the internet in your research, relentlessly, to resolve logistical and practical issues (driving distances, flights and airfares, hotel reviews etc.) but, IMHO it never replaces a good guidebook. Here are some favorite sites:
  • WhichBudget: to help you find the cheap airlines that are not covered by the major travel sites
  • The Man in Seat Sixty-One: terrific for train information
  • DB Bahn: train schedules
  • Wikitravel: open source travel guides
  • SabbaticalHomes.com has short- and long-term rentals from academics around the world (this has been a real asset for us, and how I found our apartment in Madrid & the horse farm near Nîmes)
  • VRBO, Vacation Rentals By Owner worth considering
  • Inntravel: unguided walking & cycling trips– you walk or pedal, they provide maps, arrange accommodation and transport luggage
  • Ramblers and HF Holidays: group walking trips all over the world, great for singles; friendly, low-key, unpretentious and cheap!
  • Sites I am wary of or do NOT like: TripAdvisor (handy for reviews, but I prefer to book directly with a hotel); Booking.com and other broker services: maybe handy when you don’t speak the language but otherwise what’s the point?

• Don’t move around too much. Pick a spot and stay there a few days, or a week or more.  Moving on every day can be tiring, and staying put often offers delights you could not have imagined, like getting to know staff at a restaurant, or the chance to visit the same place twice.  We spent over a week in Granada, including all day at the Alhambra, and then went back to see it again at night two days later, which was a totally different experience.
• Pay close attention to the connections. Plan and research carefully in advance around the transport connections; this is where problems often occur & it’s really worth making sure these problems are minimized or at least anticipated.   European cities often make the bus/train/airport connections easy but it’s still worthwhile to figure out the logistics in advance, especially if your timing is tight.   How long does it take to get to the Toulouse train station from the airport?  what are the options to get into London from Gatwick?  can you safely take the train from Johannesburg to Pretoria? which Madrid train station do the trains from Pamplona come in to?  do ferries go from Jersey to Guernsey on Sundays?  These are questions where the internet is really handy & just plain old Googling will often yield good results.
• Use the tourist information offices. They are usually friendly fonts of information, and helpful in problem-solving, logistical challenges, and referrals for accommodation.   Reference librarians of the local scene!

Stuff

Things I must have with me:

• handbag/backpack/purse: I carry both a shoulder bag and a backpack, so I have the option of carrying one or the other or both.  I am very fussy about these essentials.  The handbag has the important stuff like money and travel documents, plus the things you need to be to get at quickly while you are walking, like a map.  It therefore must be securely closing (now that I know how adept the pickpockets are), fit across the body (not just over a shoulder), and have outside pockets.    My backpack is from Sherpani and I love it.  It holds guidebook, camera, binoculars, water bottle, food…. and much more.   I use it as my carry-on for flights.  It carries weight well, has lots of sensible pockets and isn’t too rugged to use in a city.
• water bottle: you can’t count on finding a drinking fountain when you want one
• windbreaker: a light layer that can be squished down and carried easily in the backpack. Mine is from Marmot. Get it a size bigger than you usually would so it will fit over a fleece jacket and presto! you’re ready for winter when it suddenly strikes, i.e. Scotland in May…
• 2 pairs of shoes, one pair of sandals: since shoes take up so much roonm and comfy feet are really important, here’s my prescription:
  • One pair of low hikers or sturdy walking shoes, in brown, beige or grey but NOT white– so you can wear them in museums & cities as well as out on the trails.   Mine are from Merrell.
  • The other pair is a softer but still comfy Mary-Jane style shoe;  in black mesh, it is breathable and has a good footbed.   Click here for the Merrell version.
  • In summer I have a good walking sandals too, & in winter a pair of slippers
• mesh lingerie bags: useful to organize stuff in your luggage, and if you unpack you just take the bag and it put it on the shelf or in the drawer and you are done.  I use two of these, one for undies and one for socks.
• ziplock bags: handy for food, cosmetics, spare batteries, etc.
• bandana: always useful
• smartwool socks: love ‘em!
• silk: the best travel fabric– light, breathable, squishable…
• flashlight, nightlight, headlamp: yes, all three have their uses, namely: finding your way outside, finding the bathroom in a strange hotel, and reading in bed when the lighting’s terrible
• ZoomArt: a great little thingy that allows you to see the detail on a gargoyle or a painting, and is much smaller to carry than binoculars
• Knife/Veggie peeler: handy to be able to eat fruit where the water is not reliable
• notepad/stickies, & pen
• iPhone dictionary apps: but make sure they can be used offline
• pack your worn old clothes: then you can throw them away toward the end of your trip, making a little more room for things you acquire

Those are some of my favorite tips.  I’d love to hear others– add them as comments if you feel so inclined.  Thanks, and happy trails to all!

Out & about in the Outer Hebrides

I’ve always wanted to get to these outermost islands, ever since my time at university in Edinburgh many years ago, when I couldn’t afford it.  So the the chance to visit with a real Scot as my travel companion was not to be missed. My great friend Deirdre (& former roommate from that year) made all the plans— how marvelous! After almost a year as non-stop chief travel researcher and planner, it was a joy to sit back for a little while.

I could have stayed much longer and would gladly go back. The islands are more rugged than pretty, and it’s a continual feast for the eyes. There are wide open spaces and vast vistas around every turn in the narrow roads. Continually changing weather, temperatures in the 40′s and 50′s, practically treeless windy landscapes– not what you think of as beautiful, but it was stunning. The barren mounds of hills, glimmering lochs large and small, enigmatic ancient standing stones, thousands of sheep and their unbelievably photogenic lambs… and beaches! I had no idea how many stunning white sandy beaches we’d see, with sparkling water of azure blues you’d expect to see in a travel poster for the Caribbean.

The light was always changing, and the weather too, and the days were long– sunrise around 5, and plenty of light until after 10.   This photo was taken in the middle of dinner, around 8pm…

Our travels in the western isles included 4 ferries & numerous causeways linking 11 (!!!)  islands, specifically:

1. Lewis
2. Harris
3. Berneray
4. North Uist
5. Baleshare
6. Grimsay
7. Benbecula
8. South Uist
9. Eriskay
10. Barra
11. Vatersay

Aren’t those names great? And if you like those, how about these place names…

Here’s a short account of our last day, which was I think my favorite.

We woke up in our B&B in the village of Bayhead, on the west coast of North Uist, where I had one of many superlative breakfasts of eggs, sausages, toast, and tea, before heading south to catch a 10am ferry from Eriskay to Barra. The drive south to the ferry took about an hour and half, on the main road which is about as wide as a double bed.  This was expertly accomplished at rather high speeds, thanks to Deirdre’s masterful negotiation of oncoming traffic and the etiquette of passing places. We arrived in Eriskay with a little time to spare, just enough drive to drive around and enjoy a short walk overlooking the sandy beach.

Eriskay (about 2.5 x 1.5 miles), is the island where the SS Politician ran aground in 1941, with a cargo including 24,000 crates of whisky, much of which was salvaged by the locals. The incident was made famous by the movie Whisky Galore —which I’m hoping I can get from Netflix when I get back. Those rocks offshore do look nasty, but the island is tiny, & very quiet, and feels rather remote, perhaps because the causeway linking it to South Uist is less than 10 years old.

The ferry threads its way between rocky islets to Barra, and we saw seals basking in the sun, hauled up on the rocks. Once on Barra (all 23 sq miles of it) we went immediately to the airport, located on an isthmus on the north side of this mostly round island. No– we were not going to catch a plane, we just wanted to watch ‘em land…

Barra airport runway

While waiting, I took pictures of primroses and snails.

And we wandered over to a nearby 10th century church, still in weekly use. Eventually, two planes came in, landing nicely on the wet sand.

Barra is the only airport in the world with regularly scheduled flights that land on a beach, at low tide only, so the schedule varies.

After leaving the airport we had to decide whether to drive around the island’s circular road clockwise or counter-clockwise.  We chose clockwise, and drove around the east side through several unpronounceable places before we got to the main town of Castlebay, located at about 6 o’clock. Yes it has a castle in the bay, and what cute little castle it is.

Kisimul castle, Castelbay

The little ferry to the castle was on lunch break, so we decided to avail ourselves of the nearest restaurant, Cafe Kisimul, which turned out to feature local seafood in an Indian dishes. This was a marvelous apparition, plus it was warm enough to sit in the sun and eat outside. What a delight!

I had prawn jaipuri, and Deirdre had monkfish and cod masala.  Mmmmmm. Somehow we resisted the Drambuie creme freche tart.

Suitably refreshed, we took the little ferry to the castle and had a look around.  It’s been a stronghold of the McNeil clan since the 11th century, and was restored through the efforts of the 45th chief of the clan who was an American and conveniently, and architect.  His son, who was a professor of law in Chicago, has leased it to Historic Scotland for 1000 years for the annual sum of £1 and a bottle of whisky.  Here we are waiting for the ferry back to the town.

traveling buddies

Back in the car we headed for Vatersay, our last island of the day, and reachable by a short causeway. It’s a little H-shaped island, population 94, with two magnificent beaches, one on the east and one on the west– but the island is very narrow so that means these two are about 100 ft apart!

Vatersay west beach

Vatersay east beach

We decided that it would require a week’s stay on the island to experience both beaches thoroughly enough to determine which one was best for sitting and gazing at, or walking along, and maybe even swimming.

Reluctantly we dragged ourselves away from Vatersay and back to Barra, only because we had not yet seen the western side of the island, and had a ferry to catch in the early evening. The western panoramas included wilder and rockier beaches, and a prehistoric circle of standing stones.

Barra west coast

The ferry came and we had a long calm passage back to the mainland, with dolphins cavorting around it in the late afternoon light. We arrived in Oban about 11pm and found our way to the Youth Hostel, where a fine little private room awaited us.

It’s pretty hard to top a day like that.

Lewis, Harris & Uist

We’ve just arrived in Bayhead, North Uist. I dare you to find it on a map. The lady of the B&B has gone to Glasgow so Mr N. is taking care of us. All very cozy here. I was amazed when the iPhone found a wireless network. The challenge was figuring out the password. Our host called wife who said it was Dougie123– the dog’s name–but did not spell it. Five tries – Doogie? Duggie? Dughie? English or Gaelic spelling? Anyway success at last.

Today we drove all day in Lewis & Harris along tiny roads past lochs, rocky coasts & sandy beaches & sheep with photogenic lambs. And a castle. Average speed was 21mph. Sunny & windy almost all day & great for walking. Terrific! Uist looks less mountainous but more windswept if that is possible.

Here are some photos of some highlights— standing stones, beach, fishy dinner.

Jersey

I had heard of Jersey cows but didn’t know much about Jersey before I got here on Friday.   Now I have met not just the cows, but also their butter, cream, yogurt, and ice cream.   I’ve also learned how Jersey was the occupied by the Germans for almost 5 years, and today enjoyed the festivities of the 65th anniversary of Liberation Day. Street names are in French, as are old tombstones in the cemeteries; they spoke French here until the late 18th century.  Today this island seems eminently civilised, but also deeply rural and agricultural (great potatoes!), temperate, and delightfully varied.   It’s been a wonderful visit, and I could definitely spend a few more days here exploring.  In fact, I might, if the volcanic ash causes more trouble tomorrow.

For me the Channel Islands are a convenient stop on my way north to Scotland, as well as a delightful rendezvous with my Scottish pal, Deirdre.  We’ve been luck to have two days with temperatures in the 60′s and “sunny periods,” as the forecast says.  Yesterday we rode bicycles up hill and down dale, along coastal paths and along narrow lanes called Green Lanes, where bicycles and pedestrians have priority and the speed limit is 15mph. Today we walked into town, then across a causeway at low tide to a castle where we saw a real cannon fired.  We came back on an amphibious ferry after the tide had begun to come in.   Here are some photos from our two lovely days here.

D. in one of the green lanes

late afternoon light on the Rue de Bas

moo

on the coast

on the causeway going out to the castle

boom!

our ferry, Charming Nancy

after the tide had begun to come in

at the Liberation Day festivities

high banks, deep lane!

red squirrels are protected here

Animals & flowers

I’ve been going through my hundreds of photos from “Green Spain,” aka Galicia, Asturias, and the Basque country, and I noticed how many photos I have of the local flora & fauna.  Admittedly the fauna is mostly livestock, as the wild ones were very elusive.  Here are some of them……. in no particular order.  I have no idea what kind of wildflowers any of these are; if you know, feel free to leave a comment.  (Call me ignorant, but I find I can appreciate flowers, trees, and birds even if I don’t have any idea of their species.)

Asturian sheep in a huddle

Asturian sheep

Asturian ponies (a traditional rare breed)

Oo-la-la!

France seems so genteel after Spain–  sophisticated fashions in the store windows, terrific food everywhere, not so many smokers,  a language I can understand & speak, and shopping & eating hours that seem more, well, normal. Here’s an update and some photos from Languedoc.

I flew to Toulouse on Tuesday, leaving David behind in Madrid (stranded by a canceled flight to the US) and then made my way to Carcassonne by train.  It was not entirely uneventful, and I had to surmount the usual varied obstacles (delayed flight, left my laptop at airport security briefly, and a missed train.)  After settling into my nice little cheap hotel,  I wandered around the town, hearing both Arabic and French that I could understand, feeling comfortable immediately.   I treated myself to a lovely meal in a nice restaurant in a converted 18th c. stable.  A nice salad, duck breast, and pear crumble—mmmmmmm.

The next morning was for seeing the castle of Carcassonne, which I found rather Disney-ish, as it is really a 19th re-creation, and is thronged with tourists.  Nonetheless it is truly medieval and fun to walk around.  Then back to the train station and on to Nîmes, where I picked up my rental car and headed for my destination, a horse farm in the country where I have arranged to stay for a week in a cottage.  But first, the usual travel challenges–  negotiating city streets without a navigator predictably got me onto a toll motorway I shouldn’t have been on at all, and headed to Montpellier, & which of course did not have an exit for about 30K.  Eventually I got on the right road in the right direction, stopping to pick up groceries, (bread, brie, chêvre, wine, quiche, fruit, coffee) and with the aid of good directions (how could they not be good, with all the references to vineyards, stone cottages, & castle ruins?)  was greeted warmly on my arrival.  At last a break in the problem-solving, and time to start relaxing.

My idea was to spend some time alone, enjoying the rural delights of France and recovering from traveling with my rather high-maintenance traveling companion.  So far this plan appears to be working out– or maybe it’s just pure luck, or genius.  Here I am in the spring in the south of France, on a horse farm tucked in a valley below a ruined 13th c. castle,  in a little cottage that has everything you need and nothing you don’t (much like my Galax cabin.)  Yes, wi-fi too!    My hosts are British former actors who have a lovely farm they share with 4 horses, 2 donkeys, 3 dogs (including a puppy named Barak!), and a cat.

the farm, viewed from the castle

Dazzle, an American Quarter Horse from England

Dazzle visits my kitchenette

Barak the puppy

young donkeys need their rest

the old grey mare

Yesterday went like this:  a morning walk with the mistress of the house and her new horse, Dazzle, on a lead.  Being as he’s just arrived from England he doesn’t like the stony ground here and needed occasional encouragement from both front and back, so that allowed me to feel a little useful.  Then lunch– bread, olives & cheese, and it was sunny enough for me to try the pool for a while afterwards.  Just as I was about to get mobilized to climb up to the castle, I was invited to go for a ride, which of course I accepted.  So off we went, my steed a big bay who proved to be both well-trained and spirited.  We rode through vineyard & village, up hilly trails to a ridgeline with a view of the Cevennes, through an oak forest that harbors thousands of wild boar, and back to the farm.  What a delight! a fine horse, a terrific guide, warm sunshine, wild thyme underfoot, fascinating surroundings–  I loved every minute of it, and furthermore am glad to say that I can walk today.

There was still enough of the afternoon left for me to get up to the castle before dusk, so the day ended by scrambling around some very atmospheric ruins.

Fressac castle

Endings

Yesterday’s galivanting in the Pyrenees was our last full day of our swing through northern Spain. We went northeast from here (Pamplona) nearly to the French border, to see the valley where Roland was ambushed (by Basques) but got lost in a beautiful beech forest with a stream, had to climb a little mountain & then found ourselves walking a stretch of the ancient pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago. Further meanderings got us in sight of huge snowy peaks that looked very Alp-ish to me.

Today we head back to Madrid for 2 days of laundry & packing before D returns to NC & I leave for France. We’ve driven nearly 3000 K & I have taken 550 pictures– remarkably restrained for me. Eventually I will post some of them here– they should be better than the crappy iPhone ones I’ve been posting. I do look forward to typing with more than just my thumbs too.