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Nancy and Doug Trips

Nancy and Doug Trips

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Our lifelong travel bug has given us our most prized ‘possessions’ - the many memories from business and especially family trips.
 “Take only memories, leave only footprints.” Read more🇨🇦British Columbia
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    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      Back into the mountains: the Sierra Alto
      First glimpse of San SebastiánThe main beachFair at the viewpointA rainy orientation to the cityPintxo BarThe next day the weather cleared, view towards where we were yesterday

      Arrival San Sebastian/Donastia

      June 3 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      Helen explained we are going through the Sierra Alto mountains where we saw again more Etxcha, traditional Basque home design. Traditionally, the 4th Basque son would be sent to America often to settle near Salt Lake City and work as shepherds. In Boise, Idaho, there is an annual Basque festival. San Sebastian is a foodie destination and home to the Basque cheese cake. We entered the next province listening to the history of the transition of power between Franco and Juan Carlos, who declared a democratic republic.Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      67% of Pamploma s energy is from renewable sources
      Memorial2A pilgrim on his wayWe shared the poles Nancy bought the night before1ObanosBeth along the CaminoOur destination112th century Romanesque BridgeGetting wine out of the barrel at the restaurantThe full Route...we walked 1/4.Winery

      Camino walk

      June 3 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      We left Pamplona got our day on part of the Camino. First stop: El Alto del Perdon or Point of Forgiveness. This is a well photographed pilgrim viewpoint and the site of a Memorial to 92 Franco opposers who were killed. It is 770 meter above sea level. Pointe de Reina is 10 km away along the path of the wind and way of the stars. We were dropped off along the Way and walked through the village of OBano to our destination on the other side of the 12th century bridge in Pointe de la Reina. We were very fortunate that the rain held off until we were in the bus to a winery lunch in the country side. After we were done and had just closed the doors to the bus it poured all the way to our next stop! You could not have timed things better!Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      Our host telling us how the collection was built.
      Model of a bullring.Tapas and chocolate, the young white wineOld photo of Running of the BullsAddress of the private Basque men's clubMeal set upA paella with pasta called:Pork cheeks with mashed potatoesPutting the men to work doing the servingPart of the gardens in Pamplona

      Bullfighting and a Special Lunch

      June 2 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      Our guide Francisco used to give a talk on the street about bullfighting; until the wife of a MD husband bullfighting enthusiast established a spot to the memorabilia. He was joined by other collectors. She never had any interest in bullfighting until meeting him but she was glad to free up the living room where he had constructed a replica of a bullring and also that she can share the passion of her late husband with others. She opens the collection solely to the public the week of San Fermin….and to the Rick Steves group. As a person who has been raised around bullfighting it has appealed to Francisco. He told us that as Christianity gained in popularity it became unacceptable to have Roman gladiators, lions and criminals tear one another apart in the arena and bullfighting replaced this culture. The bull is poked by two stabs from the piccolo. The bullfighter attracts the bull through the motion of the cape and his objective is to save the bull. The performance is judged and if the result is negative, the bullfighter must kill the bull by one accurate stab through the spinal cord. It is a dangerous occupation that pays about €60,000 per fight. She served us tapas and drinks as well. Then we were treated to lunch at one of the private Basque Men’s Clubs where the men in the group
      serve the ladies! You gotta love this matriarchal society!      Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      The Holy Mary Alter
      The cold detached MaryA warm Mary that the Matriarchal Basque Christian could feel close to evolved in Art.Note thetwobitches at the base of her feet indicating the descent between ?Castilleand Aragon1Between 1390-1800 both royals and commoners were buried in the churchPre gothic capitalsIt is said to be the best preserved cloister in EuropeThe Ennunciation of the death of Mary.We are now the illiterate ones who don't know how to read the sculptures of the past...2000 year old Basue foundation near Roman villa in the Interpretive area.Romanesque bishop chapel: Muslim busy Christian introspection 1200s.Simple, non distracting...Where we r now...?a Barbie world...where are we really?In the middle between the past and future says this bishopOur guide: All you need to say is "I love you" perhaps the Beatles had it summed up...

      Pamploma santa Maria de Real Cathedral

      June 2 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

      This a unique cathedral. There is a small fee to enter and the Bishop here has attached an interpretive centre unique in that there is a representation on where we are in in history as to the development of spiritual belief. The Holy Mary alter is 1000 years old. Mary was initially depicted as a detached God like unrelateable figure. The mattiarch 20 years later is depicted as touching Jesus and thus becomes more warm, human and relatable.Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino

      Pamplona

      June 2 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

      El Camino de Los peregrines. Pilgrims continue to enter through the old city walls at Portal de Francis, and Calle del Carmen leads to the towers of the cathedral. One of the first regions to convert to Christianity in Spain in the 4th century AD. The scarves worn during Running of the Bulls are white, signifying holy and red, the blood of Saint Fermin one of the first baptized who was decapitated by the Romans. In 711 AD, Muslims crossed over from Morocco at the Rock of G. It was not until they crossed the Pyrenees that they were defeated by Charlemagne. He married a Muslim woman to bring peace to the area. The major Christian pilgrimages are to Jerusalem, the Vatican, and Camino de Santiago where the relics of St James are. The latter was the most important pilgrimage as it could be accessed by much of the Christian world. In 1492, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, the Renaissance power couple, drove the Muslims from the Granada region. After Queen Isabella’s death, Ferdinand marries the Queen of Navarre as she instructed to bring peace to the area. From 1512 to 1800 Navarre separates from Spain. c was Protestant but was baptized as Roman Catholic and marries to become King Henri 4th of France. Juana “the crazy” becomes Queen of Spain in the 1400s and marries the Hapsburg’s Phillip the 3 rd from the Netherlands. They were the most powerful family in the world. By 1700, there are no more heirs due to inbreeding. The Bourbons then take over.Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      Statue of Running of the Bulls near our hotel.
      Tapas Bar GauchoBacalau con gambaCider with octopus and mashed potatoes with truffle plus roasted mushroom with garlic and olive oilLobby of our hotelOur hotelCaption: come back to the Old Kingdom.

      Arrival Pamplona

      Jun 1–3 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

      We descended through mountains of mixed forest and fir trees and gradually came into what appears to be a flatter dryer area and into Pamplona. Our guide told us this is a prosperous and modern city that is a leader in the manufacture of green energy equipment such as windmills and solar panels. Home of the patron Saint Fermin and the annual running of the Bulls when the city’s population expands to 1.5 million. We quickly settled into our modern hotel in the city centre and had a couple of hours rest before meeting up at 7 pm for orientation to the city. The tour would pay for one drink and pintxos and then we were on our own.Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      One turn and we are in Spain!
      Lesia de SantiagoThe Alberta1Marking

      Over the Pyrenees to Roncesville

      June 1 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

      Helen told us about Operation Comet and how the Basques assisted the British airman from Nazi occupied France to neutral Spain. Also the song of Roland from Charlemagne's time: glamorizing the knights of old. We arrived in the village and of Burguete for a two hour lunch. Beautiful fresh salad and Beth had the shrimp/fish stuffed peppers and I had the roasted duck leg which was very good. One hour into PamplonaRead more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      1

      St Jean Pierre de Port

      June 1 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

      Our bus arrived at 9 am and it took about an hour to get to St. Jean Pierre de Porte the start of the 748 km Camino Frances. Lovely views and town. Popped into the church. Walked to the Citadel where the building is now the local school. Fred, Lillian’s partner took a picture of me with the Camino Frances veteran who had been very reassuring about the walk which she had done solo 5 years prior. Helen got us passports and I got my first stamp!Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino

      Bayonne afternoon

      May 31 in France ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      We went with A La Bolee creperie recommended by Helen thinking we d split a crepe but it was a one seat one plate policy so we ended up with more food than we wanted. We joined Susan and Allan from the tour who were very pleasant. We located a laundry and Beth got that done while Nancy bought a better rain coat for her walk. We did a wander over the Neve River bridge to Petit Bayonne which was built later and had a quick look at the A Dour River that empties out into the Atlantic. Feeling peckish we split a plate of grilled prawns before tucking in for the night.Read more

    • Nancy and Doug TripsTravelerParis, Basque Country & Camino
      Typical posted day agenda sheet
      Roman walls up to 6 meters thick. Holes are construction scaffolding sites that had not been filledMarie CathedralCloister used as cemetery and court.A Pilgrim carving in the capital of the cathedralHoly Mary Cathdral restored 19th c glass done in medieval style. Med paintings behind existingTransition between lower and upper town due to tide flow. Caves underneath protect the structuresNeve RiverHistorical old townPost Middle AgesThe Basque provinces, 3 in France and 4 in SpainTypical Basque home1885Le Manila: walking stickThe whaling diaspora in the 1600.. cod...red seaweedsLa peloton basqueSummaryLa ChinaPaganism was replaced by Catholicism 1600s

      A Morning sightseeing in Bayonne

      May 31 in France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      Our group was given a tour of Bayonne by a local named Claire. She explained that under Franco the Basque language and customs were forbidden. Our generation was not allowed to learn Basque but the next was. This area came under British rule with stained glass of the crest of Richard the Lionhearted. The Nazis had an appreciation for the architecture of the area and moved in on many buildings thus saving them from destruction during WWII. We had a sampling of pasteurized and unpasteurized sheep cheese of the area; Claire’s husband is a shepherd and sells his milk to the producer of the samples from the market. It was Saturday so the market was in full swing. Next a young woman from the Basque Museum provides insights into the history and customs of the Basque. Her grandparents taught her Basque, her mother French and her father Spanish and she picked up English from school and friends.Read more

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