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
  • Emergency Kit



​YES, THERE'S hope

Roughing It Off-Grid

6/23/2021

 
Love Creek Cabin / Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Yeah, it's pretty tough living off-grid out in the California woods.
 
​“Look at this one,” Rich said, handing me his phone. “A cabin offering an off-the-grid experience. It’s disconnected from all public utilities, so no phones, Internet, TV — none of the distractions of modern life.”  I was hesitant at first but gradually warmed to the idea: an oasis of rustic tranquility in the chaos of our annual family reunion in the mountains of northern California. As the date drew nearer, our friends began asking, with increasing incredulity, what we were thinking. “Yes, it says there’s indoor plumbing,” I kept reassuring them. “Probably a bucket,” replied one. “An outhouse,” said another. “The woods!” suggested someone else.
 
Far more worrying than the bathroom arrangements was the fact our hosts had written urging us to bring insect repellant, which I'd never bothered with in previous years. This time we'd be deeper in the woods, so I ran out and bought three kinds of protection (skin-friendly herbal, high-powered Deet, some clip on thing) and two post-bite soothers. I also bought a new kind of M&M calling itself “Emotional Support Candy.” I thought it might come in handy — and not just for the outhouse and the bugs.

Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Isn't all chocolate "emotional support candy"?

For decades, my large, boisterous family has gathered for a week every summer in a small mountain town in the Sierras. We spend lazy days “getting back to nature” on an artificial beach by a man-made lake and take turns cooking huge meals every evening. But mostly what we do is talk.
 
There’s always an abundance of news to exchange, and to save time, my family speaks subtext. For instance, some years ago when asked about a distant relative’s new romantic partner, the response was a shrug, an eye-roll, and “a nice enough guy, kind of quiet.” Which we all understood to mean he was dull as dishwater and unlikely to be around long, so we shouldn’t get attached. If there are three of us in a room there will be five opinions about everything from religion to politics to whether the moon landing ever really took place, not to mention the pandemic, climate change, and the future of bitcoin. So far nobody has tried to convince me reptilian aliens are taking over the government, but every year I wonder when it will come up.

“If things get too intense, we may need a way to deflect the conversation into safer channels,” I told Rich. A few minutes later, I remarked, “By the way, did you hear they’re moving Area 51?”
 
“They are?” he exclaimed.
 
“No, I just made that up. But it’s an attention grabber, isn’t it? Maybe I can use the question to deflect any discussion that seems headed toward a conversational landmine. I think we should keep Area 51 in our back pocket. Along with the Emotional Support Candy.”

Area 51 / Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Area 51 is a remote, highly classified US Air Force installation in the Nevada desert. Some say it's where the government is hiding a crashed alien spacecraft, alien artifacts from Roswell, New Mexico, secret meetings with extraterrestrials, time travel experiments, teleportation technology, and weather control experiments.

​As it happened, our reunion fell on the hottest days of the year, and as the three-hour drive took us across the flat Central Valley, the car’s thermometer registered 108 degrees. Even in the Sierras, surrounded by towering redwoods, temperatures were in the low 90s. I wondered if this was the best time to be renting a cabin with no air conditioning. But then we pulled up at Love Creek Cabin.

Love Creek Cabin / Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Love Creek Cabin

​Built in 1934 and recently renovated by our hosts, Desiree and Jim, the cabin had the original wood shingles and a long porch with a row of comfy rockers and gliders that were perfect for gazing out over the forest and creek. A local woodworker had fashioned thick, wide planks for the floor, and there was slate underfoot in the kitchen and bathroom, which (my naysaying friends will be amazed to hear) featured a flush toilet and a shower with plenty of hot water. There was a big comfy Murphy bed (the kind that folds into the wall), a wood-burning stove, faded rugs, and a red sofa that whispered alluringly, from the depths of its many pillows, “Join me for a siesta?”
 
“This is my kind of roughing it,” said Rich.
 
I realized going off-grid wasn’t so different from how we’d lived for twenty years in Ohio: using well water, a septic system, and natural gas (only here, it was propane tanks). Behind Love Creek Cabin was a shed with a generator that ran for a short time each day to power up big batteries providing a steady supply of electricity, which ran lights, a small fridge, and a fan to keep the air cool. It was all highly efficient and offered a surprising array of creature comforts.


​Perhaps the most astonishing moment of the entire reunion was arriving at the beach late that afternoon and standing among 17 members of my family and dozens of other beachgoers with not a single mask in sight. The governor had lifted the mask mandate two days earlier, and seeing all those bare faces was surreal, like stepping back in time.

Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Rich chats with Mason, my poet-filmmaker nephew, and Dexter, my actor nephew, at the beach right after we arrived.
 
Twenty minutes later, after I’d hugged everyone and been handed a glass of wine, someone at the far end of the picnic table called out, “Hey Karen, we’re talking about spiritual beliefs. What are yours?” So much for small talk! During the days that followed, I was drawn into discussions on topics such as “If you could change one thing about how you were raised, what would it be?” and “What’s one thing you can say about yourself that nobody knows?” and “What does it take to have a meaningful life?”
​

​Naturally, the conversations occasionally got heated, and once Rich leaned over and whispered to me, “Time to go to Area 51?” Instead, I rose saying brightly, “You’re so right! I promised to help with dessert,” and slipped out of the room, leaving the others to sort themselves out.

Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
Dinner with the family at my sister's cabin

On the last night some of my relatives stopped by to see the cabin, and after all the kidding we’d taken about roughing it off the grid, it was gratifying to see everyone instantly smitten. “I love it,” said the sister whose rental “cabin” this year included cathedral ceilings, a library, and a billiard table. “I could write here for a year,” said my poet-filmmaker nephew.
 
On our last morning, Rich and I spent a long time in the comfy porch gliders, eating homemade granola and drinking French-press coffee, talking about how lucky we were to grow up in the pre-digital age. We had lived happily for decades without personal electronic devices and found it refreshing now to stop being at the constant beck and call of the entire world, if only for a short while. Packing up, I realized I’d scarcely used the bug spray and never opened the Emotional Support Candy. Like Area 51, they'll be kept on hand for the next time I may have to finesse a delicate situation. I didn’t need them on this occasion, but there's no telling how long can I go on being that lucky.


Are you attending any family reunions this summer? Have they changed due to the pandemic? Let me know in the comments section below.

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
PREPPING FOR THE FAMILY REUNION 2014
Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
WATERMELON GAZPACHO AT OUR 2018 REUNION
Off-Grid Family Reunion / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
SICILIAN FAMILY VALUES & RECIPES
GATHERING WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS THIS SUMMER? YOU'RE NOT ALONE!
CLICK HERE 
to get my weekly travel tips and swap stories about what it's like to socialize in 2021.

Feel free to copy the link below and share this article with family, friends, and anyone going to a reunion this year.
https://www.enjoylivingabroad.com/my-blog/roughing-it-off-grid​

Did you miss last week's post?
Apparently there was a glitch in last week's mailing for some subscribers. If you didn't see the post, please scroll down and check it out now.
Desiree
6/23/2021 04:16:38 am

Dear Karen,
we are sitting on the deck surrounded by bugs ;) reading your blog to Jim and our neighbor Jeff and we are laughing tears! Your sense of humor and your writing skills created a wonderful article that I look forward to share with our friends.
Thank you for sharing this adventure!
Desiree and Jim

Karen McCann
6/24/2021 01:22:57 am

I can just picture you all sitting up there on your deck! So delighted to hear you liked the post; it was great fun to write, as you can imagine. Thanks again for your warm hospitality. It was a pleasure to meet you, Jim, and Carlos, and I hope our paths cross again soon. As for Love Creek Cabin — using Airbnb's scale of one to five, Rich and I voted it a solid ten!

Desiree
6/25/2021 07:23:37 pm

Karen, seeing that you had some inquiries regarding our cabin, here’s the direct link 🥰
Our best Desiree and Jim

https://www.airbnb.com/h/lovecreek

Vera Marie Badertscher link
6/23/2021 06:25:46 pm

How dare you! You intrigue us with this little piece of Paradise and don’t tell us how we can rent it. Aren’t you taking protection of a hidden gem a bit too far? 🙄. (Love your evocative writing.)

Karen McCann
6/24/2021 01:26:35 am

Seriously, Vera, would I do that to you?!? I did put a link in the text, when I first talk about Love Creek Cabin. But obviously I should have drawn more attention to it. So below is the link to all the info on the Airbnb listing. If you go, be sure to say hi to Desiree and Jim for me, and let me know how you like it!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/44918316?source_impression_id=p3_1624336420_DS6MnjgKKMWHmr3x&guests=1&adults=1

Patricia Steele link
6/23/2021 08:27:37 pm

Hey Karen, as always --- reading your blog post gave me another smile. The cabin looks very comfy and the idea of not letting the world into my life through technology to overwhelm is alluring. It sounds like you had a lovely reunion. Envious in Arizona, Patricia

Karen McCann
6/24/2021 01:29:21 am

Patricia, you'd love this place. Although I'll bet Arizona has its share of off-the-grid accommodations as well, so you might want to check that out. It is wonderful to simply stop all the noisy electronic devices and listen to the wind and the birds. In theory we could all do that at home, but somehow it's so much easier when you absolutely can't get a signal from the outside world. So good for the soul!

Tobey Hiller
6/23/2021 10:05:48 pm

Dear Karen--
Amusing and thoroughly enjoyable piece, as always. And thanks for the Area 51 strategy tip-off. I think I may need to employ it from time to time. And that cabin! I need to know more. Your nephew is quite right. It looks like a fabulous writing retreat.
Tobey

Karen McCann
6/24/2021 01:33:33 am

It's a fabulous cabin, Tobey; you and Phil would love it. All the modern comforts without the outside world intruding in any way. And the hosts, Desiree and Jim, couldn't be more helpful. Rich and I spent a lot of time just rocking on that porch sipping coffee, and I'm holding that memory close as I plunge back into the daily routine. Here's the link to their Airbnb listing, and Rich and I will be happy to fill you in further any time.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/44918316?source_impression_id=p3_1624336420_DS6MnjgKKMWHmr3x&guests=1&adults=1

Lynn at Southern Fried French link
6/25/2021 11:44:57 am

Absolutely delightful story, and that's a fun family you've got there. Gotta get me some of that Emotional Support Candy.

Karen McCann
6/27/2021 12:58:29 am

Official Emotional Support Candy is hard to come by. I happened on the last packet in my local pharmacy, and when I went to order more on Amazon, I got the last they had. But not to worry, Lynn, because all chocolate is really Emotional Support Candy at heart.

Kitty
6/25/2021 12:58:41 pm

I think this summer is the perfect one for a family reunion. You are very fortunate to have special time with your family. What's a few mosquitoes? Just the 2 of us in Vermont but as most rural state getting off the grid is easy. Ending up 7 miles from your car after a hike made us lucky my brother lives nearby.

Karen McCann
6/27/2021 01:00:57 am

Seven miles from your car? Now that's a hiking adventure tale, Kitty! Yes, you were darn lucky to have somebody to call. And that you could get through. In the area we were staying, we didn't have phone signal. We'd have had to walk or hitchhike back to the car if that happened to us. So glad you had backup available.

Cynthia Williams
6/28/2021 02:22:11 pm

I really enjoyed the summer sway of your writing! I felt like I could see you and your family out in those California woods enjoying each other. The cabin looks delightful and I'm glad you and rich got to experience it.
Cynthia from Texas

Karen McCann
6/30/2021 04:52:39 pm

Thanks, Cynthia! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. It was fun to get together with so many far-flung relatives, and writing about it keeps it vivid in my memory.

oliviastephen02
4/25/2024 04:51:07 am


I'm so excited my broken Marriage has been restored my ex husband is back after he left me and our two kids for another woman" I was heart broken when my husband left me and moved to California to be with another woman. I felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. I tried to be strong just for the kids but I could not control the pains that tormented my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because I was really in love with my husband. I have tried many options but he did not come back, until i met a friend that directed me to Dr.Excellent a spell caster, who helped me to bring back my husband after 11hours. Me and my husband are living happily together again, This man is powerful, Contact Dr Excellent for any kind of spiritual problems or any kind of spell or relationship problems he is capable of making things right for you with no side effect., Here his contact. WhatsApp him at: +2348084273514 "Or email him at: [email protected] , His website:https://drexcellentspellcaster.godaddysites.com


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 

    June 2025
    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
    Children's Victory Garden
    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
    Guide Dogs For The Blind
    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
    Marin Shakespeare Co.
    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
    Neurodiversity
    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
    San Quentin
    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
    Victory Gardens
    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
  • Emergency Kit