Travelin' with the TMax

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Stuff My Roommate Says (Think You'll Understand All of Them?)

By The TMaxJuly 27, 2017Lists are Awesome, ven con TMax No comments:

Many of us have people in our lives that are... well, you know, "uniquely entertaining". It could be that buddy who has absolutely no filter and just says whatever they are thinking, despite the repercussions. Or, maybe it's the drama queen/king who can make a bad day at work seem like nuclear war. I know a few of these people, but none of them deserves their own TV show more than my roommate, Roberto.

New Year's in Pamplona, Spain

Southern Spain Road Trip 2017: Skipping San Fermin for Summer in the South

By The TMaxJuly 15, 2017free walking tour, Road Trips, Spain, ven con TMax No comments:

A Hot Car Ride to Madrid

Load the car with camping gear and head south into the blistering heat. The plan is to pueblear down to Granada, next to Almería, and then up the coast to Alicante. I want to visit Murcia, which will be the 16th comunidad that I've visited, of the 17 in Spain (the Canary Islands is the only one I haven't been to). Ainhoa will do all the driving because I'm not good with a stick-shift (aka, useless).

Over 2,000km in 7 days

Head out the afternoon before the first day of San Fermin. It's a hot car ride at 36°. We somehow miss the highway and take the longest route ever. Arrive in Madrid and stay with Ainhoa's aunt and uncle, Pili and Ricardo, who are gracious hosts and feed us and provide wonderful company. They recommend we do in Úbeda and Baeza on our way to Granada, so we add them to our list.

How Having A Car Makes Life Easier... Sort Of

By The TMaxJuly 04, 2017Road Trips, Spain, ven con TMax No comments:

It's funny that I've had this draft since the middle of 2015, yet now it seems like I need to change the title, hence the "...sort of". Let me start at the beginning. Having a car is awesome. It is very useful for traveling long distances with friends (Pamplona, Lisbon, Cádiz, León, Les Cases, and Galicia road trips), it is useful lugging heavy exercise equipment to and from workouts, and it's just convenient for going to the movies or anywhere late at night when the buses have stopped running.

Barcelona, Spain: More Coca, Si Us Plau

By The TMaxJune 27, 2017Spain, travel, ven con TMax No comments:

Ainhoa and I are heading to Barcelona to hang out with her sister, Irantzu, and some other friends we have there. It is also during the fiesta of San Juan (or Sant Joan), so let's see how the Catalans celebrate compared to the Navarrans.

At the national museum of art, looking out on the city (on day 2)

Puebleando the Pyrenees: Spain and France

By The TMaxJune 22, 2017France, Road Trips, Spain, ven con TMax No comments:

A summary (then you can skip to the photos)

The viejo monasterio de San Juan de la Peña
(sounds better than the old monastery of Saint John of the big rock)

Ainhoa's parents have loaned us their van and we put a makeshift bed in the back and plan to camp each night on our trip as we tour around the Pyrenees mountains. We plan to circle around the mountain range into France, and then cross through it on our way back into Spain.

¿Sabes qué me saca de mis casillas? pt.6

By The TMaxJune 05, 2017En Español, Languages, ven con TMax No comments:

Pues no voy a quejarme más de la burocracia y estupideces municipales porque es demasiado fácil y común encontrar lo malo en la cosas gubernamentales. Hoy, voy a quejarme de las cosas un poco más personales aunque imagino que son también universales.

The Best and Worst of Pamplona

By The TMaxMay 19, 2017Lists are Awesome, Spain, ven con TMax No comments:

So, I've been living in Pamplona for two and half years, and I can now say I understand what makes the city so great... and not so great. I have chosen to omit things that can be found anywhere in Spain, like bureaucracy and sense of time. Here is my list of the top and bottom, the coolest and lamest, the best and worst of Pamplona.

27 Aun Más Still Even Yet More Fun Things This American Has Learned About The Spanish Language

By The TMaxMay 03, 2017Languages, Lists are Awesome No comments:

I think we all know the drill by now. If not, you should check out the other installments of this post:

Part one - New to Spanish
Part two - Getting the hang of it
Part three - Hitting my stride
Part four - Finding myself in native territory
Part five - Feel like a native for two minutes before reality hits
Part six - Realizing that I'm nowhere near native
Part eight - Still learning even though I'm not in Spain

6 Things This American Has Learned From Traveling

By The TMaxApril 27, 2017Lists are Awesome, travel No comments:

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.

Reflecting back on my last few years of travel around Europe, and I've realized that I learned quite a few things that, otherwise, I would not have learned. These aren't enlightened discoveries, but simple things that I think have made me a better person.

Puebleando to Andorra

By The TMaxApril 20, 2017airbnb, Andorra, Road Trips, Spain, ven con TMax No comments:

A Day in Huesca

Head out in the morning toward Huesca. Stop for almuerzo along the Gállego River, watching kayakers and rafters go down the river. Go up to Los Mallos de Riglos and see rock climbers, donkeys, vultures, and eagles. Have a pincho while watching the birds and rock climbers. Talk to some rock climbers about the climb and descent.

#RoadTripSemanaSanta2017

14 Más Still Even Yet More Fun Things This American Has Learned About The Spanish Language

By The TMaxJanuary 26, 2017Languages, Lists are Awesome No comments:

Oh, how long has it been since I've written about the Spanish language! I have been working on some videos lately, like the one below, which is partly why I haven't written. But mostly, I've just been lazy. I mean, I did do one, two, three, four, five, seven, eight parts already! Ok, ok. There is still so much more language, nuances, and crazy logic to uncover! So, let's see what else I'm learning about Cervantes' language.