Enjoy Living Abroad
  • Start Here
  • My Blog
  • My Travel Books
    • My San Francisco >
      • SF BOOK CONTENTS
      • SF BOOK SAMPLE
    • GREAT MED COMFORT FOOD BOOK
    • MOVING TO SEVILLE
    • EASTERN EUROPE BY RAIL
    • PACK LIGHT
    • Seville's New Normal
  • FINDING HOPE
  • The Amigos Project
  • Cheap & Cheerful San Francisco
    • My Picks: Best of SF
  • Cozy Places to Eat in Seville
    • Romantic Restaurants
    • Tapas Bars
    • Cocktail Bars
    • Breakfast
    • Sweet Indulgences
  • The Nutters' Tour
  • Med Comfort Food Tour
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • Dive Bars
  • Travel Tips
    • Packing
    • Enjoy the Best of Seville
  • About
    • PRESS
  • Contact

Finding hope

¡Returning to Spain! (I Hope)

9/8/2021

 
Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
My packing list includes a few jazzy KN95 masks that will help me stay in touch with my psychedelic California roots.

Today, my suitcase came down from the attic so I can start packing for Spain. I can’t tell you what a thrill it is to type those words. But I feel compelled to follow them with ¡Ojala! — a Spanish term meaning roughly “God willing and the Covid don’t rise.” Not only do Rich and I have a thousand things to accomplish before we go, but to add to the suspense, the Spanish government won’t send us their final entry rules, pandemic regulations, and instructions until 48 hours before our flight.
 
“I don’t care if they want us to tattoo the Spanish flag on our foreheads,” I told Rich. “We’re doing whatever it takes to get on that plane.”
 
Rich didn’t answer because, as usual nowadays, he was staring off into the distance, running through mental checklists. Yesterday over lunch he told me he’d had the furnace, air conditioning, and hot-water-on-demand systems serviced and bought something called a battery tickler. I thought this sounded rather exciting, but it turned out to be merely a device to keep trickling energy into the car battery while we’re gone. He also bought a gas storage solution he’ll add to the car’s tank to keep the fuel fresh. What? Gasoline goes bad? I decided not to ask, as my eyes were already glazing over and I felt in imminent danger of dozing off…

​I jerked wide awake when he mentioned the skunks.

Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
We've never seen our own skunks, but I imagine they look like these, which appeared in the Mercury News under the headline "Skunks pay visit to house and enchant the owner." That's one word for it.

​Oh yes, they’re back. We’d ousted our skunks with non-stop talk radio, then blocked off their den under the shed and saturated the area with ammonia-doused rags, bowls of vinegar, and blood meal, which we’d heard would keep them at bay. But apparently our skunks are made of sterner stuff, because as soon I switched off the radio, they returned. On Saturday friends told us of a service that removed their skunks for $1200.
 
“Worth every penny!” they said.
 
“Hmmm,” said Rich. “I wonder how much it would cost to just keep the radio on?”
 
I looked it up. Running a radio for an hour takes 0.02 kWh, and while I don’t pretend to understand what that is, I quickly grasped the fact it translates to less than a penny an hour. Six months of non-stop radio would cost $43.83.
 
“I rest my case,” Rich said.

Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
My pre-departure checklist included touching up scrapes and gouges in the kitchen cabinets.

​He continued reviewing our pre-launch checklist: the best place to get our Covid test (required by the UK to fly through Heathrow), logistics of transport to SFO (Uber to the shuttle), and weight restrictions on cabin baggage (to be researched). I reported I'd retouched the kitchen cupboards, a task that had been on the to-do list since the day we arrived back from Spain in May of 2020.
 
Focusing (OK, obsessing) on the details is one way Rich and I cope with the emotional fallout of departure. Going back and forth between California and Seville for 16 years, we've become used to the disruption, but the past 16 months in California are the longest we’ve ever stayed in one place. We’ve gotten pretty comfortable, if not downright set in our ways.
 
“I always find leaving home difficult, especially after so long,” Rich remarked, topping up our glasses of wine during Sunday lunch in the garden. “There are always some pangs of resistance. But I remind myself that once we close that door, the world will open up to us.”
​
Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
A long, leisurely Sunday lunch in the garden, with a little philosophical discussion and a lot of wine, is one of the California traditions I'll miss.

​I, for one, am more than ready to live in a larger world. There are many, many things I’ll miss about America, including family, friends, the astonishing efficiency of online ordering, and of course, take-out burritos. But I am exhausted by the emotional pitch of our nation these days.
 
For instance, the Republicans are pushing to recall our governor, Gavin Newsom, and replace him with an anti-mask, anti-vaccine, climate-change-denying talk show host from LA. So I’ve been standing at a busy intersection at rush hour, holding up signs urging people to vote against the recall. While most people wave and honk in support, even thank me with tears in their eyes, I always get a few hecklers. Last week, four youths pulled up in a car and began shouting, “Sieg heil! Sieg heil!” Did they mean I’m a Nazi or they are? Another guy berated me for being “unconstitutional.” Hey, freedom of speech is literally guaranteed by the US Constitution, mister!
 
But while the messaging may be sloppy and ill-considered, it is delivered with full fury. Americans are terrified and they are lashing out. A major survey showed in 2014 American’s top fears were public speaking, heights, and bugs. Today we’re afraid we’re that last generation to inhabit a livable planet, the rest of our lives will be governed by runaway contagion, and democracy could come unglued on our watch. This is terrifying stuff. And if I’ve learned anything during the pandemic, it’s this: fear with a target becomes anger. That’s why people are shouting at me from car windows. And that’s what I won’t miss when I’m in Seville.

Picture
I'm lucky to be in Marin, where people just shout. In LA, Tony Moon, one of the Capitol rioters, ripped the mask off reporter Tina-Desiree Berg and swung a thermos at her.

​One of the things I love about Spain is watching people hotly debate political issues — often with a great deal of leaping up, gesticulating, and shouting — after which they sit down and say cheerfully, “So, another beer?” And chat about soccer and their kids. They consider it their God-given right to criticize the government; 36 years of Franco’s repressive dictatorship taught them the value of democracy and free speech.
 
Another delightful feature of life abroad is that on the very rare occasions when somebody does yell at me in the street, I can never quite catch what they’re saying. So I always assume they’re wishing me a long and happy life, and I wave back and go about my day smiling.
 
What else will I be glad to leave behind? My disaster preparedness go-kits. Between wildfires (which have already taken 2 million acres of my state this year, including 44 acres near me), recurring floods in my town, and earthquakes, I live in a constant state of readiness for biblical-level catastrophe. I’ve stocked the Apocalypse Chow Food Locker and packed go-kits with supplies ranging from spare spectacles to rain boots to a miner’s headlamp for digging through rubble at night. In Seville, I’m equipped for any likely scenario if I carry a few euros and a light sweater. A bit more relaxing.


​So when Rich hauled the suitcases down today, my heart lightened. Next week I will be back in Seville, an ancient city that’s constantly reinventing itself while remaining true to its essential nature: a vibrant community where family and friends matter more than careers, people sing and dance in the street, and politcial arguments can end in cold beers and laughter. To get there, we’ll pass through London and land in Spain’s coastal city of Málaga, “the land of poets,” one of whom dubbed the city “a martini of the sea.” What does that mean? No idea, but I’m hoping to learn while we overnight there. The next morning we’ll take the train to Seville, stroll to our apartment, and (as we always do after a long absence) begin falling in love with the city all over again. Can’t wait.
 
 
Amigos: I won’t be posting in the next couple of weeks, as I’ll be in transit and then running around trying to get my wifi reconnected and my residency card renewed. When possible, I’ll post on my Facebook page, so check there for updates. Wish us luck!

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
HOW & WHY WE MOVED TO SEVILLE 16 YEARS AGO
Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
SEVILLE'S BEST STREET FOOD
Seville 2021 / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
RICH'S PERFECT PAELLA RECIPE
CLICK HERE FOR MORE 
of my weekly commentary on travel, culture, good eats, and survival comforts.

CHECK OUT MY FACEBOOK PAGE

FEEL FREE TO SHARE
this article with family, friends, and anyone considering going abroad during these crazy times.
https://www.enjoylivingabroad.com/my-blog/returning-to-spain-i-hope​
Jan Mills
9/8/2021 04:24:00 pm

I’m so happy for you that you get to return to Spain. Ojalá! I’m looking forward to hearing of your adventures in Seville. We are hoping to follow you to Spain early next year. Buén Viaje!

Karen K McCann
9/8/2021 06:25:28 pm

Thanks, Jan! I hope you are successful in coming to Spain next year. We have a number of friends who are hoping to do the same; I think they are looking at us as the canaries in the coal mine — if we make it OK, they'll follow. No doubt there will be hitches and hiccoughs along the way, but fingers crossed international travel is still possible in these crazy times.

Heidi
9/8/2021 04:29:54 pm

OMG!!! Next week??? I was just going to write you to see when you would be coming back. So excited to catch up with you both. I know you will have so much on your plate when you arrive in Seville, if there is anything we can do to help, let us know.

Kisses,
Heidi and fam

Karen K McCann
9/8/2021 06:28:18 pm

Can't wait to see you and Enrique, and hear all about how the kids are doing. As soon as we catch our breath, I'll be in touch to get something on the schedule — preferably a dinner with plenty of wine. I know you guys will be able to tell us what are the hottest eateries in town these days, and which old favorites didn't survive the pandemic. We have so much to catch up on!

Kay Funk
9/8/2021 04:35:06 pm

Safe travels to you and Rich. Hoping all is well in Sevilla. We are debating whether to go back in December. I miss Spain and our Spanish "sons".

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 08:45:14 pm

Thanks, Kay! I'll check out Sevilla and keep you posted on what I find, so you can decide whether it makes sense to return in December to see your "sons." There is so much uncertainty these days — not a very comfortable situation, but a great lesson in living in the present moment.

Jore
9/8/2021 05:16:30 pm

Buen viaje!

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 08:46:17 pm

Muchas gracias, Jore!

Laura
9/8/2021 05:29:25 pm

I’m so pleased you’re headed back to Spain! Safe travels.

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 08:47:49 pm

Thanks, Laura. We're thrilled to be heading back to Spain at long last!

Paul Guerin
9/8/2021 05:50:37 pm

We will really (here insert great sobs) miss you guys btw hottest summer on record in Europe…..ciao baby!

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 08:50:35 pm

We miss you two already. Wait, aren't we having lunch tomorrow? I guess we'll start missing you after that. So it's Europe's hottest summer on record? This climate change business has a LOT to answer for. Thank heavens our apartment has thick walls and more-or-less functional air conditioning. Hasta pronto, amigo!

Jorge From Riga
9/8/2021 06:06:33 pm

Dear Kared and Rich:

Few hours ago I arrived to Madrid from Cuba, and I used the SpTH form. (Spanish Travel Health) at

spth.gov.es.

First, download the traveler information at the start of the page.
It will explain, step by step all the information you have to fill in 5 screens of data. and how to fill it.

You can start filling it one week before, if you want.

There is an initial registration part, and after filling it and using a captcha you will get a mail at the mail address you declared with the application registration code, the code will be used to continue filling the form at any moment you want.

With that you can got to the part 2, and it is possible to stop and save filling the data at any of the screens and continue later.

A tip: prepare a doc file with all the data asked in the order of filling on a docx file, and the you can type/cut and paste easily and fast.

If you fill all and send it BEFORE the 48 hours window of landing in Spain, lets say 72 hours before your arrival in Spain, the application will be accepted but embargoed until the 48 hours windows starts.

Then you have to reenter at the "send page" step, resend it and you will get the QR page at your declared email.
Save it digitally and/or print it (better print it, will be faster at the check in).

If you have this document, the COVID entry requirement is a real breeze, It takes less that 10 seconds for an employee to to hand scan it and say "adios" to you.

You and Rich can fill it individually, or have a group/couple application.

ps. The Latvian COVID entry application filling is even faster, if you resides in Latvia and have the Latvian Vaccine certificate, the questions asked are minimal and you fill it in less than a minute. Also is has to be filled in the 48 hours before arrival (seem this 48 hours window is the rule in Europe)
Welcome back!

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 08:56:50 pm

Wonderful to hear from you, Jorge, and thanks for the detailed research. Great minds think alike! Rich has been working on this and has filled out every possible form. We are now standing by until we arrive at the 48-hour mark. We think we have covered all our bases, but of course, Spain could still throw us a curve ball. It certainly keeps things interesting on this journey! Enjoy Madrid. If you head down to Seville let us know; it would be great to meet up again.

Jorge from Riga
9/9/2021 01:50:19 pm

Likewise if come back to Riga!

Tobey Hiller
9/8/2021 07:03:23 pm

Buen viaje! (And I hope the form-filling-out goes with maximum ease and speed!).
You sound so happy and excited! We will miss you a lot, but I'm glad you'll be out of the fire zone--both the actual and political--for a while, and I hope we'll find our way over to visit you and re-acquaint ourselves with lovely Seville and all its delightful ways. (Ah, the Alcazar! a garden I think more beautiful even than Alhambra's!)
Anyway, have a safe flight--may it all go smoothly.

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:00:05 pm

Thanks for your good wishes, Tobey, and I hope you and Phil find a way to join us in Seville soon. It is a great refuge from the literal and figurative fire zones. And as the city is still relatively free of tourist crowds, it's the perfect time to visit the Alcázar gardens. So much to look forward to!

Julie and Deborah
9/8/2021 07:09:14 pm

We wish you a buen viaje and look forward to reuniting in Sevilla next February. Can't wait.



Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:01:24 pm

¡Gracias, amigos! Looking forward to raising a glass together in Sevilla in February. ¡Salud!

Maria link
9/8/2021 07:27:59 pm

Safe travels, and while the settling in (again) can be tedious, this too shall pass.
Enjoy your 'Vorfreude' (literal translation: pre-joy) for now!

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:04:39 pm

Maria, thanks so much for that wonderful word: Vorfreude! Pre-joy is a marvelous way to think of this stage of the journey. I shall hold onto that thought as we navigate the complexities of transit back to Seville and pick up the threads of our life there.

Kitty
9/8/2021 07:49:38 pm

I will be excited to hear how you feel about being back abroad. Happy Birthday! I don't know the exact date but I am only a month younger. I can hardly read about the stress of getting ready but as Harvey reminds me, we now can buy almost anything we forget, and almost everything back in the US can be taken care of by texting. No more waiting at AE for the month old mail.

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:13:30 pm

Happy Upcoming Birthday to you, Kitty! Mine's September 29, just after we get back and settled in Seville. As for prep stress, Harvey's so right; things are a lot easier these days. Those of us who remember collecting month-old letters and packages at American Express, and hunting desperately for stuff we needed at local stores, can rejoice in the modern conveniences. It does make packing less stressful!

Nancy Solak link
9/8/2021 08:25:15 pm

Buen viaje y buen fortuna! Some day we will return to our beloved Italy. Simply hearing the language on the plane is enough to set my heart aflutter. You're right--each return is like falling in love all over again!

Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:16:55 pm

¡Gracias, Nancy! I hope all the stars align so you can visit your beloved Italy soon. Rich and I have been watching travel videos of Seville to remind ourselves why we're going through all this fuss and hassle to return. And whenever I hear people around here speaking Spanish, I get excited all over again.

Kim Day
9/8/2021 09:12:52 pm

Safe and happy travels to both of you. I have been wondering when you would be able to return; so happy for your sake that it is finally possible. You sound over the moon happy! I look forward to your next posting whenever that happens.
PS Did the Spanish bank EVER give you access to your money?


Karen McCann
9/8/2021 09:21:47 pm

Thanks for you good wishes, Kim. Yes, we did manage to extract our money from the Spanish bank and transfer it to an international bank. Whew! Somewhere along the line we lost our Spanish phone account, as they refuse to recognize our international bank (it uses a code with a different number of digits, which sent them into a tizzy) but that's easily remedied once we get back. We'll be very busy for the next few weeks, and as soon as I get settled I'll let you know how it all works out.

PAULA MC CAUGHEY
9/8/2021 10:44:59 pm

Hi Karen, wishing you a safe and speedy journey back to Sevilla. I love reading your very entertaining blogs! Me and hubby counting down the days til we can return to Spain and Sevilla in particular. What an amazing city! The temperature should be just about bearable now. Really looking forward to hearing how the Big Return goes in future blogs!

Karen K McCann
9/10/2021 02:59:23 pm

So kind of you to send me your good wishes, Paula! I hope you and your husband do make it back to Seville. I'll post updates so you know what to expect. I did see that the temperatures will be in the 90s, so still a bit warm, but shortly after we arrive, it's supposed to rain. After our long drought, I can hardly recall what that feels like; should be pretty refreshing!

ELizabeth Upper
9/9/2021 01:20:21 am

Good luck, indeed! So happy to know you’ll be going back! Like many of your friends, I’ve been thinking of going back in January, and will look forward to hearing how it goes for you. Thanks for paving the way! And thanks also for your Facebook page, I hadn’t known about that. I am not much of a Facebook fan, but I will be following you!
All best wishes, congratulations, and buen viaje!

Karen K McCann
9/10/2021 03:38:39 pm

Thanks for your good wishes, Elizabeth! I'll keep you posted on our return and resettlement in Seville. In theory, we've covered all the bases, but of course, this is Spain, so I always expect a few last-minute curveballs. Please do check out my FB page, and watch this blog for updates. Also, there's a great YouTube video series called "Spain Speaks" in which an Australian expat gives a quick update on the news affecting travel and expat life, so that might be something to watch as well. Hope you make it back in January!

Faye
9/9/2021 04:20:23 am

Karen, I can feel your joy and excitement for your return to Spain. Little pangs of envy on my part but so happy for you’ll! Will be looking forward to your posts!

Bien vieje!

Karen McCann
9/10/2021 05:52:08 pm

Thank you so much, Faye! I am very excited and will do my best to keep you posted on how it all goes. Stay tuned!

Victoria Kennedy
9/9/2021 06:45:22 am

Welcome back!

Karen McCann
9/10/2021 05:52:41 pm

Can't wait to be back in España again, Victoria!

David Palladino
9/9/2021 04:22:28 pm

I am so happy to hear you are returning to Spain. I really missed reading your adventures in Spain and the marvelous excursions through Europe. I wish you a safe and happy trip. You give me hope that we will soon return to traveling abroad. All the best
Dave

Karen McCann
9/10/2021 05:58:52 pm

Dave, it's kind of you to say you miss my European adventure stories and I hope to have plenty to share very soon. It's never easy to be sure when the time is right to make a move like this, and no doubt there will be some surprises along the way. But I know in the end it will be worth all the hassle to return to my home and my life in Spain. I hope you find all the stars align for you and that you will feel comfortable traveling abroad again soon.

Shéa MacLeod link
9/10/2021 12:48:20 am

Safe travels and here's hoping the Spanish government tells you what you need to do BEFORE you get there! I'm excited to once again enjoy your adventures in Spain.

And I'm right with you about being exhausted by the constant stress that is our state of being in this country. I very much hope to move abroad again, but it likely won't be for another year or two. In the meantime, I'm living vicariously through you. Hope you don't mind. LOL

Karen McCann
9/10/2021 06:03:29 pm

Shéa, I'm delighted you're joining us vicariously on this journey. The latest from the Spanish government says we need valid proof of vaccination, although so far we can't get any explanation of what this means exactly. Our shot cards? No problem. A European vaccination passport? That might be a little more difficult. Oh, well, I'm sure we will figure it all out as we go along. And the suspense just adds to the sense of adventure. I'll keep you posted.

Jackie Smith link
9/10/2021 02:18:06 pm

Good luck! We just returned to the States via London. In addition to that test, make sure you have filled out your PLF, passenger locator form. It is required even for the shortest of layovers - ours was two hours long and it took nearly that long to fill out the four-page form. One per person as well!

Karen McCann
9/10/2021 06:08:33 pm

Congratulations to you and Joel on getting back into the US, Jackie; it's no small task these days! I just checked with Rich and he has filled out PLFs for both of us — as far as he's able. Some sections can't be filled out until 48 hours before the flight, so those are on standby. I can see that Monday and Tuesday are going to be hysterical, between filling out the forms, getting our Covid tests, packing, and closing up the house. Lucky we have a night flight because I am really going to want to sleep on that plane.

Sherry Pinamonti
9/11/2021 01:50:36 pm

Karen,

I am so happy for you and Rich (and more than a little envious!). Are you flying into Malaga just because you want to visit there or is there some other advantage to flying into Malaga instead of into SVQ? I am anxious to visit again (it's been two full years now) and I am so hopeful that all of my favorite places survived the pandemic.

I cannot wait to read your first "back in Seville" blog posting.

Enjoy!
Sherry

Karen McCann
9/11/2021 03:54:32 pm

Thanks for your good wishes, Sherry. I hope you manage to get back to Seville soon.

The Málaga decision was purely logistical. We fly into Heathrow, and all the Seville flights leave from Gatwick. Normally we'd just take a bus over to Gatwick, but if we leave the Heathrow airport, we're subject to all sorts of drastic Covid regulations and life gets more complicated. So it's simpler just to go to Málaga and hop a train down to Seville from there.

Like you, I'm curious to see what places in Seville have survived the pandemic. I'll keep you posted!

Rebecca Fleenor
9/12/2021 06:15:29 pm

Karen,

Nothing to add that hasn’t already been said by all the lovely people above, but I guess I’ll chime in! The best of luck to you and Rich in your travels. I, too, am super envious and would love to be moving back to Sevilla or to a medium sized town in Italy. Ojalá en 2022. So looking forward to your next blog!

Pepe link
9/13/2021 09:51:36 am

Welcome back couple!! Can't wait to see you again and share the good news. Please contact me when you're back in Seville and ready for the winery adventure ;)


Comments are closed.
    This blog is a promotion-free zone.
    As my regular readers know, I never get free or discounted goods or services for mentioning anything on this blog (or anywhere else). I only write about things I find interesting and/or useful.

    Picture
    Picture
    Paperback now available from independent seller ​Rebound Bookstore!
    LEARN MORE​
    Picture
    I'm an American travel writer dividing my time between California and Seville, Spain. I travel the world seeking intriguing people, quirky places, and outrageously delicious food so I can have the fun of writing about them here.

    Don't miss out!
    SIGN UP HERE
    to be notified when I publish new posts.

    ​Planning a trip?

    Use the search box below to find out about other places I've written about.
    And check out my other bestselling travel books
    Picture
    ​Winner of the Firebird Book Award for Travel
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    BLOG ARCHIVES 

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    CATEGORIES

    All
    100 Days On The Road
    1950s Sci-Fi
    2020
    2021 Holiday Tips
    2021 Puzzle Craze
    2024
    32 Years Together
    3 Food Tribes
    7 Best Travel Tips
    826 Valencia
    Abacería Puerta Carmona
    Accordion Festival
    Acupuncture
    Address To A Haggis
    Adriatic Sea
    African-American Disaspora
    Aging Gracefully
    Agrigento
    AirBnB
    Air Travel
    Air Travel Myths
    Alameda
    Albania
    Albanian Farm Food
    Alcalá De Guadaíra
    Alicia Bay Laurel
    Ali Kali
    Amazon
    American Resistance France
    American Taboos
    Amigos Project
    A Month Of Italy
    Amsterdam
    Angel Island
    Animal Artists
    Anthony Hopkins
    Anxious Traveler
    Any Book Book Club
    Apocalypse Chow
    Apps
    Arizona
    Armadillos
    Artichokes
    Artificial Intelligence
    Arts & Customs Museum
    Artwalk
    Atomic Bunker Museum
    Attention Test
    Austria
    Authentic Travel
    Automation = Apocalypse?
    A Year Of Travel
    Bad Art
    Bagpipe Music
    Balsamic Vinegar
    Baltasar
    Banana Bread
    Banned Book Club
    Banned Books
    Bari
    Barletta
    Bar Plata
    Barrio Abierto
    Bar Santa Ana
    Bathroom
    Batman
    Bears
    Beastly Spasm
    Becherovka
    Bed Bugs
    Beer
    Belgrade
    Best Apps 2016
    Best Foodie City
    Best & Worst
    Bet
    Better Homes And Gardens Cook Book
    Betty Soskin
    Betty White
    Bev's Peach Pie
    Bey's Soup
    Bhutan
    Bigfoot Museum
    Big Rail Trip 2016
    Biohazard Bag
    Biosphere 2
    Bird
    Black Angels
    Blogger Robots
    Blogs & Websites
    Bodega Bay
    Bong Appétit
    Book Banning
    Book Club
    Book Cover
    Books
    Bookstores
    Bosnia
    Botiza
    Brain-enhanced Chimps
    Brains Of The Pig
    Breakfast In Seville
    Bruce Lee
    Bucharest
    Budapest
    Budget
    Bulgaria
    Bullfighting Museum
    Bull's Head
    Burgos
    Burns Supper
    Buzzworthy Words
    CA
    Cabalgata
    CA Cheese Trail
    Ca ‘de Anime
    Caganer
    Cagliari
    Calvin Trillin
    Camels
    Carbon-Conscious Rail Travel
    Car Crazy
    Cars Vs. Trains
    Casa Fabiola
    Castle Houska
    Castro District
    České Budějovice
    České Budějovice
    Chained Wallet
    Chakra Stone
    Chatbots
    Chef Lenny The Lizard
    Chickens
    Chocolate Nativity Scene
    Chocolatour
    Chris Brady
    Christmas
    Christmas In Seville
    Christmas Traditions
    Chulalongkorn University
    Clara Bensen
    Climate Change
    Coca-Cola
    Coffee
    Coit Tower SF
    Collywobbles
    Comfort Food
    Communism Museum
    Community Fridges
    Compassion
    Consular Agent
    Controversial Poster
    Cooking With Weed
    Coping With Pandemic
    Coronavirus
    Coronavirus & Travel
    Costa Women
    Covid Insurance
    Covid Weddings
    Cowgirls & Cowboys
    Cows Come Home
    Crete
    Croatia
    Cruz De Mayo In Seville
    Cuba: 10 Tips
    Cuba: Legendary Snafu
    Cultural Deforestation
    Curated Reality
    Czech Please
    Czech Republic
    Dan Brown's Inspiration
    Dance
    Dancing In The Fountain
    Dancing In The Foutnain
    Dancing On Bars
    Dark Chocolate
    Dark Tourism
    Date Nights
    Death Café
    Debunking Travel Myths
    Detours & Delays
    Devil's Museum
    De Young Museum
    Digital Nomad Visas
    Diners
    Disappointing Destinations
    Disaster Survival Tips
    Dive Bars
    Dive Bars Of Italy
    Dive Bars Of Seville
    Dive Bars SF
    Doga (Dog Yoga)
    Dog-friendly Bars
    Dogs
    Doing Good
    Doing It
    Donna Red Wing
    Dragon
    Dragon Bridge
    Dragonpit
    Drink-Ease
    Driverless Cars
    Duck Plaza
    Duquesa De Alba
    Earthquakes
    EatWith
    Emergency Measures
    Emergency Preparedness
    Empathy Museum
    Endangered
    Enjoy Moving Abroad
    Enna
    Entrails Soup
    Epiphany
    E-readers
    Erratic Boulder
    Estonia
    Eurail
    European Dinner Plate
    European Food
    European Pandemic
    Evernote
    Exercise On The Road
    Expat In Dark Times
    Expats In America2.0
    Expect Delays
    Eye-popping Landmarks
    Failure Museum
    Fairfax Festival
    Fake Art Masterpieces
    Fake Wallet
    Family
    Family Reunion
    Farruquito
    Fellini
    Feria De Abril
    Finland
    First Aid Kit
    Five Meals A Day
    Flat-Earthers
    Flea Market
    Flophouses
    Fondu
    Food Fetishes
    Food Photo Secrets
    Food Tours
    Foreign
    Foreigners
    Forgetfulness
    Fork In The Road
    Fountain
    Free Wi-Fi Finder
    French Bistro
    French Women Don't Get Fat
    Fried Flies
    Full Catastrophe Living
    Fully Vaccinated!
    Galileo Offline
    Game Of Thrones
    Gaslighting
    Gates Of Hell
    Gazpacho Recipe
    Genoa
    Genova
    George Floyd Protests
    George Takei
    Georgia
    Georgian Grey Bear
    Germany
    Ghost Stories
    Gin Joints
    Glass Wall Of Tourism
    Gluten-free Italian Recipes
    Going Spiral
    Good News
    Good Samaritan Scammer
    Google-glass
    Google Translate
    ​Gourounopoula
    Gps
    Grandma Cooper
    Granola Recipe
    Grapes
    Gratitude
    Greece
    Greek Coffee
    Greek Coffee Culture
    Greek Wines
    Group Tours
    Grumpiness Course
    Grumpiness Seminar
    Guest Blog
    Guest Etiquette
    Guests
    Haggis
    Halloween
    Handyman's Guide
    Hangtown
    Hannibal Lecter
    Happiest Cities In US
    Happiest Jobs In US
    Happiness Course
    Harvard
    Harvey Milk
    Helsinki
    Heraklion
    Herzeg Novi
    Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy291cb11256
    Holiday Lights
    Holiday Shopping
    Holidays In France
    Holidays In Seville
    Holiday Survival Guide
    Hollidays
    Holy Grail
    Home For The Holidays
    Home Improvements
    HonorSnacks
    Horse
    Hospitals
    Hot As Hades
    Houseguest
    House Hunting
    House Of The Spirits
    Houska Castle
    How Normal Am I?
    How To Meet People
    Hrad Houska
    Human Towers
    Hungary
    Hydration
    Hygge
    Iberian Lynx
    Ibrik
    Icloud
    Ikaria
    Ikaria Solution
    Immigrants
    India
    Indiana Jones
    Indy Booksellers
    In Search Of America Tour
    International Pet Travel
    Ipad
    IPhone Photos
    Irail
    Is SF Doomed?
    Italy
    Jacket
    Jaén
    Jan The Beachcomber
    Japan
    Jet Lag
    Jet Lag Apps
    John The Baptist
    Jo Maeder
    Joseph Campbell
    Joya Shoes
    July 4th In USA
    Justice Course
    Kalamata
    Katka Lapelosa
    Keep Going!
    Kgb
    Kgb Muzeum
    Kindle
    King Wenceslas
    Kitchen For The Mind
    Korçë
    Kotor
    Koyono Jacket
    Krakow
    Krakow's Dragon
    Ladies Room
    Lady And The Tramp
    La Font De La Figuera
    Laptop Ban
    Larissa Olenicoff
    Latvia
    Laughter Project
    Learning Spanish
    Lederhosen
    Legal
    Legal Marijuana
    Legend
    Léon
    Lesbos Refugees
    LGBTQ Seville
    LGBTQ US Military
    LGBT Rights
    Library
    Lindsay Lake
    Lithuania
    Little White Lie
    Little Women
    Live Longer
    Live To 100
    Local Food
    Lockdown Survival Tips
    Longevity
    Lord Peter Wimsey
    Low-Tech Travel Tips
    Lübeck
    Lucky Grapes
    Lucky Red Underwear
    Luggage
    Luggage-free Travel
    Luggage-Free Travel? Try It
    Lviv
    Lynne And Tim Martin
    Madrid
    Magellan
    Maps
    Marijuana
    Mars One
    Mask War
    Matrimony
    Mbt Shoes
    Meal Schedules
    Meal Sharing
    Meaning Of Home
    Medical Emergencies
    Mediterranean Dive Bars
    Memory Course
    Menlo Park Library
    Mentally Unpack Your Bags
    Mermaids
    Metropol Parasol Building
    Me Worry?
    Miracle Tile Of Vilnius
    Mobilize America
    Modern Art
    Modern Comfort Food
    Modern Witchcraft
    Money
    Money Handling
    Monster Of Milpitas
    Montenegro
    Mood Food
    Most Dangerous Woman In America
    Moussaka
    Move Abroad Checklist
    Museum Of Communism
    Muskrat Love
    My Octopus Teacher
    Mystery Spot
    Naples
    Napoli
    National Lampoon's European Vacation
    Nativity Scene
    Nepal
    New
    Newark Of Italy
    New Orleans
    New Roaring 20s
    New Year's Eve
    New Year's Eve Abroad
    New Year's In Seville
    New York Times
    No Cancelling The Holidays
    No-Jet-Lag
    Nomad Eating
    NORCs
    Not A Good Week
    Novelty Weddings
    Nutter California
    Nutters Tour
    Obatzda
    Offbeat Roadside Attractions
    Off The Grid
    Olive Oil
    Optimism & Survival
    Orichiette Pasta
    Osuna
    Outhouse
    Overlook Effect
    Oviedo
    Pack For 4 Months
    Packing
    Packing Demonstration
    Packing For 161 Days
    Packing Tips
    Pad Thai Cooking Class
    Paella
    Painting
    Painting Disasters
    Palacio De Las Dueñas
    Palencia
    Palermo
    Pamplona
    Pandemic Endgame
    Pandemic Humor
    Pandemic Infodemic
    Pandemic Makes Us Better
    Pandemic Solutions
    Pandemic Travel
    Pandemic Travel Story
    Pan Y Circo
    Parlor Games On The Road
    Parma
    Parma Ham
    Parmigiano-Reggiano
    Part-Time Expat Living
    Passport Issue
    Pasta
    Pasta Recipe
    Patriotism. US
    Peaceful Resistance
    Pécs
    Peruvian Pavilion
    Pesto Sauce
    Petaluma Butter & Egg Day
    Photography
    Picking Tapas Bars
    PIzza
    Platter Of Salome
    Plaza De España
    Plaza De Pato
    Plumbing Nightmare
    Podgorica
    Poet Billy Collins
    Poltergeist
    Pop-culture Museum
    Pope Benedict
    Pop-up Restaurants
    Portugal
    Post-pandemic Predictions
    Post-pandemic Travel
    Prague
    Predictions
    Presidio
    Print On Demand
    Project 2025
    Propaganda Museum
    Pub Culture
    Public Library
    Purgatory
    Purpose-driven Travel
    Pussyhats
    Quarantine
    Quarantine Bar Hopping
    Quarantine Mini-Vacation
    Quarantine Nostalgia?
    Quarantine Thanksgiving
    Queen's Gambit
    Quirky Travel Pix
    Racing Pigs
    Rainbow Flag
    Ramona Langley
    Reading Group
    Ready To Move Abroad?
    Rebounding Seville
    Recipe
    Recombobulation
    Recycling
    Red's Java House
    Red Underwear
    Rennes-le-Chateau
    Reptilians
    Republic Of Užupis
    Rescue Dogs
    Residency Visas
    Resistance School
    Resistance Summer 2017
    Retire Abroad
    Retire Where?
    Revisited
    Reyes Magos In Seville
    Rfidblocking Rogue Money Clipb4d0c62eac
    Rich Interview 2020
    Rich-on-packing
    Riga
    Risotto
    Road House
    Roadhouses
    Roadrunner
    Roadside Attractions
    Robert Mugabe
    Rocket Scientists
    Rodeo
    Rolling Stones
    Romania
    Romería Del Rocío In Seville
    Romesco Sauce Recipe
    Rooster Recipe
    Rosie The Riveter
    Ross Williams
    Rota
    Rube Goldberg
    Rural Romania
    Ruse
    Russian Mafia
    Sacramento
    San Anselmo Flooding
    San Ildefonso Church
    San Jose
    Sarajevo
    Sardinia
    Sassari
    Science Museum
    Scottevest
    Scottevest 8-pocket Pants
    Search For ET
    Second Breakfast Seville
    Secret Supper Clubs
    Security On The Road
    Seinfeld Episode
    Semana Santa
    Senior Gypsies
    Senior Nomads
    Sephardic Search
    Serbia
    Setas
    Seville
    Seville 2022 Update
    Seville Dining Customs
    Seville Holidays
    Seville Holidays 2021
    Seville In Pandemic
    Seville In Winter
    Seville's Best Cod
    Seville's Best Tapas 2021
    Seville's Tapas Bars
    Sex Shops
    SF
    SF Chinatown
    SF Ferry Building
    SF Fort Mason
    SF Sea Lions
    Shackleton Ad A Myth
    Shared Dining
    Shoe Bomb
    Shoes
    Shoestring Travel
    Short Story Vending Machine
    Šiauliai
    Sicilian Grandmothers
    Sicily
    Siestas
    Silicon Valley
    Singularity
    Six-word Stories
    Skeptics Society
    Skunk Remedy
    Skype Wifi7994daf88f
    Sleep/Insomnia
    Slovakia
    Slow Fashion
    Smart Pigeons
    Snack Foods
    Snail
    Snail Museum
    Snail On The Rails
    Snails In Slime LIght
    Snail Slime Skin Cream
    Snakes
    Snowed In
    Social Distancing
    Sofia
    Sophia Loren
    SOS File
    Space Tourism
    Space Travel For Pets
    Spaghetti
    Spain
    Spain Savvy
    Spain's Cold Soups
    Spam
    Spanish Wisdom
    Spark Social SF
    Spicy Shrimp In Mango Salsa Recipe
    Spiritual Path To Resistance
    Spiritual Weightlifter
    Springtime For Hitler
    Stanford Prison Experiment
    Staycation
    Stephen King
    Still Expecting Delays
    Stockholm Disaster
    Stone Lifter
    Strange
    Strawberries
    St. Tecla
    Suitcase
    Survival Food
    Survival Songs
    Survive October 2020
    Surviving Catastrophes
    Surviving Pandemic Holidays
    Swiss Cheese Solution
    Switzerland
    Symbolic Thinking
    Syracuse
    Tango Lessons
    Tapas
    Tapenade Recipe
    Tapeo
    Taxi
    Tblisi
    Teenagers In The Kitchen
    Teen Vs. Squirrel
    Telegraph Hill SF
    Temple
    Thanksgiving Games
    The Balkans
    The Big Tomato
    The Blonde Gypsy
    The Exorcist
    The Joy Of Eating
    The Long Now
    The Mothership
    The Next Big Thing
    The Other Turkey
    The Power Of Myth
    The Producers
    The Return 2021
    Thessaloniki
    The Wave
    Three Kings
    Tiger House
    Time Travel
    Toad Jam
    Tomares
    Tonga Room
    Tortilla De España
    Track My Tour
    Train Lag
    Train Travel
    Transylvania
    Travel
    Travel As Political Act
    Travel Boosts Your Brain
    Travel Clothes
    Travel Companions
    Travel Destinations
    Travel Experiments
    Travel Fashion
    Travel Photography Tricks
    Travel Photos
    Travel Prep For Pandemic
    Travel Vest
    Travel With
    Triana Ceramics
    Triposo
    True Cross
    Tsa
    Twelve Days Of Christmas
    Tyrolian Alps
    Uber
    Uc Berkeley
    UFOs & Ghosts 2020
    Ukraine
    Ultra-Light Luggage
    Underrated Extras
    Upotonek
    Utrera
    Valdepeñas
    Valencia
    Vampires
    Veliko Tarnovo
    Verona
    Vest
    Victoria Twead
    Villages Movement
    Vilnius
    Virgin Of The Napkin
    Virtual Tax March
    Visitors
    Vodka
    Vodka & Pickles
    Voodoo Cooking
    Wall Street Journal
    Wandering Earl
    Warsaw
    Washington
    Water
    Watermelon Gazpacho
    Weasel Coffee
    Wedding Disaster
    Weird At The Holidays
    Weird Gifts
    Wenceslas Square
    What
    Whiskey Every Day
    Wild Goat Recipe
    Winchester Mystery House
    Winner
    Winter In Seville
    Wireless Generation
    Wolf's Lair
    Women Of Seville
    Working Abroad
    World Chocolate
    Worst
    Worst Travel Moment
    Wow Finish To Long Trip
    Writing
    Xe Currency
    Yerba Buena Gardens
    Yoda
    Yodeling
    Yoga
    Zagreb
    Zigzag Fountain953a67c066
    Zimbabwe
    Zombie Viruses
    Zurich

  • Start Here
  • My Blog
  • My Travel Books
    • My San Francisco >
      • SF BOOK CONTENTS
      • SF BOOK SAMPLE
    • GREAT MED COMFORT FOOD BOOK
    • MOVING TO SEVILLE
    • EASTERN EUROPE BY RAIL
    • PACK LIGHT
    • Seville's New Normal
  • FINDING HOPE
  • The Amigos Project
  • Cheap & Cheerful San Francisco
    • My Picks: Best of SF
  • Cozy Places to Eat in Seville
    • Romantic Restaurants
    • Tapas Bars
    • Cocktail Bars
    • Breakfast
    • Sweet Indulgences
  • The Nutters' Tour
  • Med Comfort Food Tour
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • Dive Bars
  • Travel Tips
    • Packing
    • Enjoy the Best of Seville
  • About
    • PRESS
  • Contact