A Day in San Sebastián

Synopsis: Take a day trip with the Linzoain's to San Sebastián, about an hour drive from Zuasti, where we live. 

Trip: Drive up into Basque country (Euskadi) through the mountains. It is a beautiful sunny day. San Sebastián is on the sea, so we can see the water as we drive downtown in the city. It's Saturday, it's really crowded, and all the parking garages are full. While driving around looking for a parking space, we see almost half of the city. Emilio is like a tour guide and knows everything about the city. He points out the Maria Cristina hotel, where celebrities stay for the festival de San Sebastián (a film festival like Cannes). 

After finding parking, we walk along the pier with an excellent view of the bay and the island in the middle of the bay. It's time for la comida, so we go to three different pintxos bars. At the bars you are supposed to throw your trash (toothpicks and napkins) on the floor, under the bar. I try all kinds of foods that are typical to the area, and I don't ask what any of it is until after I finish it. All the food I try, I like. After, we head to Constitution Square, where we have a coffee. 

From there, we walk along La Concha beach, named so because it is shaped like a shell (concha). We go back onto the boardwalk after passing La Perla, a royal summer house in the early 1900's, and now a public gym, spa, restaurant, and cafe, overlooking the beach. There, we have hot drinks while watching the sunset on the sea, capping off a great day.

"Selfi" is the word of the year in Spain for 2014. We are perpetuating its popularity here in front of the town hall and Monte Urgull 

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Lisbon, Portugal and Madrid, Spain: New Years 2015

Synopsis: Fresh off eating lots of Spanish food for the Christmas holidays, we hit the road again, this time headed to Lisbon, Portugal, before we celebrate New year's in Madrid, Spain.

Just a short drive

Trip Overview:

Day 1: Head out around midday after my parents say goodbye to Virginia and the boys. We said goodbye to Leo the night before since he had to wake up to go to work today. We make good time to Salamanca, listening to the Pentatonix. I didn't realize driving west meant having the sun blind you the whole time - thank God for sunglasses. There is absolutely no one else on the road, on either side of the highway, which makes it easier to disregard the speed limit. As soon as we cross into Portugal, we are suddenly overcome by intense fog.

When entering Portugal on the via verde, you have to use your Visa/Mastercard to register at the first toll, which simply takes a picture of your license plate and then bills your credit card directly, instead of you stopping to pay tolls.

Once we get to downtown, we drive around the block a few times and perform several illegal maneuvers before we find our hotel. As soon as we check-in, we leave the hotel to go to the pharmacy, and now my GPS is officially fired. She (because it's a female voice) has us all over the city and lost. And this isn't the first time on this trip. After we find the pharmacy on our own, like the settlers used to do, we want to stop for food on the way back to the hotel, but nothing is open. We end up ordering the least delicious pizza I've ever had. But I am hungry...

Thoughts: That was a looong drive, but between Portuguese coffee and talking with my parents, the 8 hours flew by quickly.

Almost there

I should email them a copy of this photo

Almost no visibility

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Spanish Road Trip: Christmas 2014

Synopsis: My parents are flying out a few days before Christmas so we can tour around Spain a bit and then head back to Pamplona for Christmas with my new Spanish family. I plan to do all the driving so my parents can enjoy the scenery and relax.

Road trip!

Day 1: I head out at 5 in the morning to Madrid, and it's actually nice since no one else is on the road. Super foggy and dark, though. As the sun finally comes up around 8:15, I can finally see the beautiful Spanish countryside in the Sierra Guadarrama, and the sunlight helps wake me up.

Meet my parents at the airport in Madrid and we sit and talk a bit over coffee and catch up. Hop in the car and while heading down to Granada, we stop at Toledo on the way. We park in a garage and my mother and I take the elevator while my dad walks up the stairs. I tell him if anyone talks to him in Spanish to say "no entiendo". He walks away practicing aloud "Nintendo". 

As soon as we are out the parking garage, we grab some food. We eat at Bű Terraza and it is delicious. Walk around the city a bit and it's very foggy, but still nice. Catedral Primada Santa María de Toledo towers over the city, but again the fog makes it hard to see.

Drive on to Granada and I'm glad my parents are there to talk to because there is nothing between Toledo and Granada, except some beautiful mountains right before Granada. Walk around the city a bit and stop to eat at La Terraza, by the Granada Cathedral, and the food is decent, except the paella. Then we head to our hotel that we found, and decided on, while eating dinner.

Thoughts: So great to see my parents again. It's been a full year since we last hung out and we have so much to catch up on. My dad is funny at languages and when trying to imitate me saying "hasta luego" he says "yoyo". Turns out we got a pretty good hotel, Gran Luna De Granada (tripadvisor review), at 77€ for 3 people, plus cheap parking and breakfast and Wi-Fi included. My parents also gifted me an iPhone 6 for Christmas, that they let me open tonight. So happy! Today I drove 8 hours.

Picking my parents up at the Madrid airport

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6 Ways This American Travels Without Spending A Lot of Money

Throwback to Czech Republic in 2010

I've been asked how I am able to travel so frequently. I do not make a lot of money, but I take at least 1 trip per month. I have had some trips that were outrageously expensive, and some that were so cheap it seems unreal. This post is about the latter, and what I do to make it happen.

Obviously, the cheaper trips I have taken have been to countries with lower costs of living, so that helps, but also having a frugal mindset discourages frivolous spending, without diminishing the fun of the trip. The main key is to make a travel budget. I decide how much money I am willing to spend while on vacation, and I stick to it. This is easier said than done, so here are some tricks on how I do it. Here are 6 ways this American travels without spending a lot of money.

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Castillo de Javier and Monasterio de Leyre

Synopsis: Virginia and Leo recommend a day trip to Castillo de Javier and Monestario de Leyre. Arthuur and Rodrigo are at their grandparents' house so it's just Gonzalo with us.

We head first to Monastery De Leyre. Leo and I pay 2,75€ for the crypt, which takes like 28 seconds to see. But, Leo and I are goofing off and taking pics and having fun. We walk around the monastery grounds for free, so Virginia and Gonzalo join us. The monastery is surrounded by breathtaking scenery and mountains and a lake. We walk into the church part, and a mass is in progress. After seeing the whole monastery in about 45 minutes, we leave to go to Castillo de Javier.

First thing you see when walking to the castle from the parking lot is a spectacular view. It's like a miniature castle, maybe the smallest castle I've been to in Europe. It's 2,75€ to enter the castle, which is effectively a museum dedicated to San Francisco Javier. Upon entering are a series of dioramas depicting Saint Javier's life. He was a missionary to India, Japan and China, so there are also some Oriental artifacts inside. Apparently, he was the first missionary to Japan. We make our way up to the top of the castle and go outside, and we're greeted by biting cold wind despite beautiful sunny weather. After ascending to the top, you simply descend and walk out the castle, but not before stopping by the small jail by the entrance, that shows just how cruel prisoners were treated back in the day.

We arrived at noon and there was no line. We leave around 13h and there are twenty people in line. Head to the church next door with mass going on and notice the same architecture from monastery.

On the drive home I can see the signs for Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage some people taking in the warmer months, and it seems like it would be pretty cool. We stop in the city of Lombiers and eat at a cafe. We spend more time waiting for the waitress to bring us and then pick up the check, than we did waiting for the food. 

Approaching the city of Javier

The Monastery

Day trippers!

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Road Trip from Belgium to Spain

Synopsis: I have found a way to immerse myself into the Spanish language and culture. I finally got an au pair visa (read about the chronicle here) and I'll teach some English and French to the Spaniards. I am taking my car with me, so that means a road trip is at hand! Will and I are going to take three days and enjoy some of the French countryside on the way there.

Where the map goes, we will follow

Trip Overview:
Day 1: Head out on the road with Will, the best driver this side of Peru, and myself, the best non contributor in the galaxy. I accidentally select "avoid tolls" on the GPS and we add two hours to our drive time and we are off in the farmlands of France.

Finally, we arrive in Lyon, right at rush hour. After driving around our hotel a few times, we find free street parking, then walk to our hotel. Since our hotel is on the main strip we walk around and hit Place Bellecour. Other than a giant ferris wheel, a statue, and a closed tourist info center, there isn't much there. We grab some food and then walk around the Traboules of Old Lyon, and walk forever uphill to the Basilica Fourvière. After all that walking, we are hungry again and end up at a Mexican restaurant. Afterward, we go to place Hotel De Ville, but it's dead so we head back to the hotel.

Thoughts: After watching Will drive for six hours, and then walking for several more hours around the city, I was exhausted. But not as exhausted as Will, who fell asleep as we walked into the hotel. Lyon is beautiful by night and quite spread out. We stopped at a hostel to ask about pub crawls and organized night tours and there doesn't seem to be either. Dommage.

On the open road

This is what it looks like when you are not on the toll road

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Au Pairin' with the TMax (The Spanish Visa Process)

How This American Became An Au Pair (The Spanish Visa Process)

The Who, What, Where, and When

I, "The TMax", have decided to become an au pair and I'll be moving to Pamplona, Spain, in the Navarra province by the end of the year.

The How (the long part)

BLUF: I spent almost 600€ and waited 2 months processing time for my visa.

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Where are you from?

This is one of the hardest questions I get while living and traveling in Europe. I usually just say USA but that begs the follow-up question, "Which state"? Then I say South Carolina, since that's where I'm registered to vote and I have a driver's license from there. But where am I really from?

The reason that is tough to answer is because I am a military brat and I don't really understand the question. It actually has many connotations and, therefore, different answers for me. Some people are born in a city, grow up there, go to college there, and then work there. Their whole life is in that one city/state/country. No matter how you look at it, they are from that place.

I want to make it clear that this is not a sob story. I absolutely enjoyed my childhood and wouldn't do it any other way. The following scenarios are my attempt to answer where I am from. Which do you think is the best response for me?

Where were you born?

I was born in Fairfield, California, in the United States of America, and lived there until I was 4 and never returned. I guess this is what gives me the right to call myself an American.

Where did you go to school while growing up?

I went to 12 different schools from kindergarten to high school, in 9 different cities and 6 different states. I couldn't even narrow it down to a region of the country, as I was in every corner of the U.S., including Guam for two years.

Where do you live now?

This question brings to mind three tour guides from my travels who were from other locations, but claimed the city I was visiting: Jen the Brit claiming Edinburgh, Scotland; Laura the American claiming Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Viviana the Columbian claiming Madrid, Spain. I currently live in Pamplona, Spain so what does that make me?

Where do your parents live?

I have military parents, so it is thanks to them that we moved every two to three years. They are still serving in the military, and therefore still moving around. They both have hometowns, but neither of which I identify with.

Where have you spent the longest amount of time in your life?

If this question is the determinant of where I'm from, then I'm officially Belgian. Though I have learned quite a bit of Bruxellois slang, and I'm almost fluent in French, I don't think I have the paperwork to back up this claim.

Where do you say you're from?

This is pretty much how I've been operating, and I say I'm from South Carolina. There, I went to college for two years, and stayed for a little over a year after school. It was really hot in this state for a very long time, so I've sweated enough to claim it.

So now that you understand my conundrum, which do you think is the best response for me, to the question "Where are you from"? What other responses could I give? Feel free to let me know in the comments below or on Facebook.

Fun reads for people who don't know what a military brat is, and, for those who can they can relate.
25 Signs You Grew Up As A Military Brat and 13 Signs That You Grew Up In A Military Family.

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Oslo, Norway: Naked Statues and Supermodels

The 40th country I've visited!!!

A little over 25% of the world. Almost there!

Synopsis: Norway has thousands of square kilometers of nature and great outdoors to explore. So, two of my friends and I are going to look at the city-life of Oslo, deemed by several Norwegians I work with, as unrepresentative of Norway. And we will base all of our opinions of Norway on our three-day experience in this city, tussen takk.

Trip Overview:

Day 1: Will, Steve, and I drive to Charleroi and park in P1. 59€ for 3 days is not bad at all. Chillin’ at the airport and then board our flight. The flight isn't too crowded, so we all sit together in the exit row. Land in Oslo just before 10pm. I am asked by border control if I speak French and I end up assisting a lady who doesn't speak English and a customs agent who doesn't speak French, with passing through customs. (pat myself on the back)

We catch the Rygge-Ekspressens to Oslo’s central station, where we grab some food and head to the hotel to drop off our stuff. We go out and walk down Karl Johans gate and the surrounding area. The night life in Oslo is in full force and there are costume parties still going on from Halloween, evident by the superheros, ghouls, and sexy-anything-women-want-to-be costumes, of people in line.

Thoughts: There are black people everywhere, very contrary to my experience in Riga. I didn't even see this many when I was in Morocco, and that's in Africa! Curiosity made me google it, and couldn't find much except this. Only thing I saw more than black people were Narvesens, a local convenient store. McDonald's, 7/11, and Burger King are also plentiful, and still open at 2:30am.

Ready to start our adventure

Free ketchup!!! (so uncommon)

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12 Doses of Culture Shock for This American in Europe

When you move away from your country and customs and social norms, you expect a bit of culture shock in whatever new country you are visiting. Sometimes that culture shock is an amazing new experience and you wish your home country would adopt that custom. Sometimes the culture shock is so offensive that you can't possibly condone it and you try to avoid it while in the new country. And other times, the culture shock is just what it is, you get over it, and over time you just learn to accept it as a normal way of life.

Photo credit: ww.EnglishGenie.com

Here are 12 doses of culture shock this American has received while living and traveling around Europe. Of course, being an American, most of these revolve around food.

Carbonated ice tea (canned/bottled)

When I moved to Germany, I ordered an ice tea at a restaurant. I was confused when I saw bubbles in my drink, and once I drank it, I realized that it was carbonated. Fluke? No. Traveling around Europe I've discovered many of the countries serve ice tea, exclusively with bubbles. There is no ice tea "without gas" option. However, in the supermarkets and stores you can get regular ice tea.

When I was in the US, I never even knew it was possible to carbonate tea. After living in South Carolina for several years, I became a sweet tea fanatic. The method of making it is simply filling the container half full with sugar, and then adding tea. Sometimes people add lemon, and sometimes people need an insulin shot. But, in all my years of sweet tea-in', I never had it carbonated.

Misleading "American" adjective

While playing basketball in southern Belgium, some teammates of mine invited me over for some food. They assumed that the American would want filet americain. So, I say sure, and dig in. After the first bite, I am confused as to what I'm eating and why it doesn't taste as delicious as I hoped. Well, that's because filet americain is raw American beef. Raw, as in uncooked. Not sure why it's raw, as I've never met an American who eats their beef that way, but that's what it is.

Another time, while eating at a restaurant, I know to avoid the filet americain and I get something else. After a delicious meal, the waiter asks if I want coffee and I agree, but he asks what kind. There is more than one kind? Looking at the menu, I decide, why not, let's try a café americano. That is straight black coffee. Milk and sugar aren't even offered along side. Unless you work at a missile silo in South Dakota, most Americans put cream, milk, sugar, and other things, with just a smidge of coffee.

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15 Things This American Notices While Driving in Europe

I've driven all around Europe, but mostly Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, and there are some things that I've gotten used to, and some things that still just don't sit quite right with me. Most of it is not really bad or good, but just interesting and different. So, without commenting on driving in the U.K., which will take its own article, here are 15 things this American notices while driving in Europe.

1. Higher speed limits

It didn't really click until I went back to the U.S. and I was in Maryland, on a very nice 13 lane interstate highway (kidding, it was only 6 lanes), there were no potholes and the road was well maintained, but the speed limit was 88kph (55mph).  Most local highways in the EU are between 90 and 100kph (56 - 62mph) and on the major highways its 120 or 130kph (74 - 81mph). In southern Belgium, you are cruisin' at 120kph and dodging huge craters in the road. On the world famous autobahn in Germany, there are many sections where the speed limit is "as fast as your car can go", inviting the 200kph+ (124mph) crew out to play. There are few things more emasculating than a smart car flying by you on the autobahn. In most EU countries, the neighborhood speed limit is 60kph, which is almost as fast as some U.S. highway speeds.

2. Lane courtesy, everyone move to right

In the U.S. we can pass on either side. Here, people must pass on the left. It's an unwritten law, and the guy doing 190kph behind you will ride all the way up to your bumper and flash you and have his left blinker on in the left lane, encouraging you to get over to the right. However, most people know to get over before all that happens, and it actually works quite nicely. When I'm in a rush, I know I can jump in the left lane and everyone in front of me going slow will get out of my way.

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Madrid, Spain: Una Segunda Vez

Synopsis: Making my second trip to Madrid. The Spanish Air Force is hosting an air show this weekend, in celebration of Spain's National Day. We call it Columbus Day in the US, and the two holidays have the same origin and have changed over the years. I will meet up with some friends down there and celebrate the holidays.

Trip Overview:

Day 1:  Early ride from a friend to the metro, then to the bus station, then to the airport. Hop on the plane and someone next to me is farting on the flight. Not like 10 or 15 times, but the whole two hours! Still would take that over cigarette smoke, anyday. 

Metro to city center and I walk to Cat's hostel, which was recommended by Aga, who I met in the hostel in Riga. Cat's hostel is much bigger than the one I stayed at in Riga. Weather is decent and once I step into the hostel, a torrential rain ensues. I have a bit of a headache, so I hang out for a bit and relax.

Once the rain calms to a slow drizzle, I walk down to the Prado Museum for a visit. It is pretty impressive, yet smaller than the Louvre. I get an audio guide which has lots of interesting info but at times is a bit long winded. I walk both of the main floors. The paintings are quite interesting, from noble dwarfs to hermaphrodite statues to obese children to only two painting with black people in them (outside the wise men paintings) to only 10% of the paintings with women who aren't naked. Most interesting artist I see is Hieronymous Bosch and his "Garden of Desires" painting. I, a non-art lover, spend over three hours in the museum. 

Meet Aga at Cat's hostel and we go out for dinner and discuss how she got a teaching job in Spain. Afterward, she walks me back to the hostel. I decide to go grab some snacks for tomorrow and walk over to a nearby Carrefour Express. I walk back to the hostel and join the 10 other people in the Moroccan themed courtyard, and surf the web. Not long after, my headache from earlier starts to kick back in and I decide to call it a night. Of course, staying in a hostel, people come into the large rooms throughout the night, making as much noise as humanly possible; but it doesn't bother me much. I sleep in a 19-person room, and it's in the attic, so despite the incessant rain, it is hot. 

Thoughts: Airplane taxied for at least 15 minutes once we landed in Madrid. Almost spent as much time taxing as we did flying. Walking through the Prado museum, thoughts on art that we "regard" from back in the day:

• art dudes (and probably all dudes in that time period) were marrying girls up to 6 years under 18, and it was acceptable. 
• they painted so many naked women, but our culture is now overly sexual?
• everyone painted Christ. So clearly the painters were trying to make some money, in addition to artistic expression. 
• painting naked children was clearly not an issue in that time.
• "art" is pretty much whatever people are willing to pay for, like music and antiques.

The Moroccan-themed courtyard in Cat's Hostel

So few people come out to play in the rain

Wish I was a student again, so I didn't have to pay full price for everything

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Edinburgh, Scotland: Lochs, Glens, and Fried Mars Bars

Synopsis: I was planning to go to Scotland last year, but since I signed with a basketball team, I was not able to travel during the season. Now, I've bought my ticket, and Staša and I are going. Hmmm, didn't realize they were voting for independence on the 18th... (spoiler alert: they voted against it.)

Trip Overview:

Day 1: Early morning bus to Charleroi and then RyanAir flight to Edinburgh. Of course, it's misty and drizzling. AirLink bus with free wifi into town. I see quite a bit of uniformity in the housing, like there were only 3 options to pick from, on the way to city center. Stop for lunch and then walk around a bit until our 2pm free walking tour, starting at the Royal Mile.

The free tour, with Jen from Norfolk, is not "naff" at all. She is an excellent and lively tour guide. I wrote a very nice review for her on TripAdvisor. After the tour, head to hotel to check in, and then back out for dinner. Eating some haggis with my meal makes me feel like a real Scotsman. 

We walk around the city a bit until our 9pm "Dark Side" tour, also starting at the Royal Mile. The weather is better than this morning. Sabela, from Spain, is our "Dark Side" tour guide, giving us the gruesome/not so nice history of Edinburgh. The tour is pretty good, and I learn about the inspiration of "A Christmas Story" and Ebeneezer Scrooge - Dickens was inspired by misreading a tombstone in a graveyard in Edinburgh. Great way to end the night. 

Thoughts: It's usually the signs and language that make me feel like I'm in a foreign country, but not in the UK - it's driving on the left. A few interesting observations:

• There are a lot of Asians in Scotland. 
• A "close" (pronounced like dose) are small walkways between buildings, that lead to interesting courtyards and streets. 
• Whisky with no "e" is Scottish. 
• Cashmere and sheep wool sold everywhere. 
• Friendly and good customer service - I can't be in Europe anymore! 
• Smokers everywhere - ok I'm back in Europe.
• Many Spanish speaking tours around the city. 
• Free cash machines are ATMs, not free money.
• "$h!t-faced drunk" etymology - In olden days, bars closed at 10pm, the same time as the nightly waste bucket thrown from the windows, but they had to signal they were throwing out the waste and when they yelled, drunk people leaving bars would look up and...
• "Graveyard shift" etymology - Body snatching was lucrative and to prevent loved ones from being stolen, they would sit on graves for two weeks, after which the body is too decomposed to sell. 

Front row seats on RyanAir

Turned my $500 into £13. Darn exchange rate

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