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Traveljonez

Traveljonez

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  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    Walking through vineyards en route to Logroño
    Cool graffiti on the CaminoArriving in Logroño and Rioja Country!!Heading down to LogroñoLogroño is incredibly proud of its Camino heritage, and has its own unique Camino iconography!Smelling the Camino de Santiago rose, bred here in LogroñoAt the Camino de Vino exhibition on Rua Vieja in LogroñoThe Iglesia de Santiago in LogroñoLogroño's Camino Pilgrims monument11am: Rioja wine stop in LogroñoRunning into the Pilgrim's Oasis food truck owners in Logroño!!Leaving Logroño, and onto NavarreteTaking a break at the reservoir in Parque La GrajeraParque la Grajera's terrain becomes very woodsy, unlike the rolling hills we've seenClimbing up out of the valleys, and into vineyardsNavarrete in the distance!Arriving in Navarrete!The stunning baroque interior of Navarrete's churchOur last stop for the night, Posada IgnatiusI don't think this needs a caption.

    Vino-Camino

    June 16 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Total walked today: 21 kms
    Total walked: 108 kms
    Kms left until Navarrete: 0 kms!!

    We left Viana on a cool but sunny morning, the last day of our Camino walk. There were no towns between Viana and Logroño, our day's halfway point, so the morning was a soft blur of rolling hills, vineyards, and music from our Spotify playlist. Around 10am we crossed out of the Navarre region, and into Rioja wine country. Next stop: Logroño, the capital of Rioja country, and a place we'd visited and loved in 2023.

    An hour later, we emerged into Old Town Logroño from the Camino. With the exception of Santiago, I've never felt so welcomed as a pilgrim. The path into town was lined with "Camino de Santiago" roses, bred here in Logroño, the town has its own Camino logo (and it's everywhere), and the tourist office even gave us candy. The entry into town led us through RuaVieja, a street that has been making wine for centuries. There was a cool (and free!) "Camino de Vino" exhibition center, and despite our sweaty selves, we were cheerfully welcomed.

    The path led us past the Iglesia de Santiago, and into Old Town...which is renowned for its incredible pinxtos bars. There wasn't much open at 11am, but one bar let us in early, and we devoured several croquettes and glasses of Rioja wine. We visited two more pintxo bars, and after several hours of decadence, we headed out for the remaining 11 kms to Navarrete.

    As we crossed the street to exit Logroño, we were surprised to see the Pilgrim's Oasis food truck owners standing on the opposite corner! It was a bizarre coincidence- we've now encountered them three days in a row- but we happily chatted for 20 minutes before exchanging hugs and goodbyes.

    For six kilometers, the path out of Logroño was through city parks or nature reserves. As the temps were back up to 85°F/26°C, we were grateful for both the shady trees and the many water fountains.

    We walked along the municipal reservoir in Parque La Grajera, followed by a steep climb that led us into vineyards. An hour or so later, we saw Navarrete in the distance- though I am convinced that SEEING your destination is morale killer, because it seems to take forever to reach it. Especially when it's hell-hot, your water is lukewarm, and you really, really just want an Otter Pop.

    Approaching Navarrete, we passed a winery offering tastings for "tired pilgrims" that was CLOSED on Mondays (UNFAIR), and had to climb a staircase (double unfair) to finally reach the medieval Old Town. It was deserted for siesta time, so we checked into our posada, and showered and napped until the heat cooled and people returned to the town square.

    We had a roast chicken dinner on a terrace overlooking the hills we'd crossed, and toasted the completion of our Camino with Rioja wine. Tomorrow we bus it back to Logroño for one more pintxo lunch before heading home.    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    Ciao, Los Arcos
    The requisite foot-shell photoThe Camino marker at the start of the day's walkOn the road to SansolHappy walking in the cooler tempsGorgeous vistas over the Navarre valleyThe long stretch to VianaThe paved flagstone descent to VianaArriving in VianaPalacio Pujades, our fancy digs in VianaPalacio Pujades's lobby, with decor by Torquemada's interior designer (Spanish Inquisition humor)The view from our balcony of the ruins of Iglesia San PedroViana's medieval city wallsThe interior of the astonishing ruins of Iglesia San Pedro

    No Sweat Pilgrim

    June 15 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Total walked today: 19 kms
    Total walked: 87 kms
    Kms left until Navarrete: 21 kms

    Last night a strong wind blew into Los Arcos, and today the temperature plummeted from 90°F/30°C down to 70°F/20°C. We had planned a shortened walk today- 19kms instead of 30kms- based on the expected heat. But! With now-cloudy skies and cooler temps, the 19kms felt almost effortless. It was literally no sweat.

    After leaving Los Arcos, our morning walk was an easy, flat 7 kilometers to the first town of Sansol (which I noted sounded more like a detergent or a vegetable oil brand than a town, but you do you, Sansol). Sansol is a VERY tiny town, and it's Sunday in Spain, so nothing was open except single shop near the town square. I felt pity for the elderly proprietor who was in nonstop motion serving espressos and baguettes to all the hungry pilgrims.

    We were sipping our coffees when a man started yelling in Spanish and threatening another pilgrim- and we realized the pilgrim was our French friend Alan. Apparently this crazy dude was accusing Alan of stealing his euros last night in the town's pilgrim dormitory- and Alan speaks no Spanish and little English, so he was a bit terrified. The police arrived, and we vouched for Alan and attempted to translate the weird situation. It took so long to resolve that there was no longer enough time for Alan to walk to his planned stopping point; he was forced to cut his day's walk short to the town of Viana...which coincidentally was also our final destination for the day.

    Our day's walk was gorgeous. There are no other adjectives. We spent much of it walking along a high ridge overlooking lush green valleys; the descent into Viana was via a lovely flagstone-paved path, bordered by wildflowers and olive groves. As we walked into Viana, we passed by the Pilgrim's Oasis Café...owned by the very same people as yesterday's Pilgrim's Oasis food truck. We walked in and were immediately recognized and welcomed by the owners, who gave us free coffee and cookies while we chatted and exchanged contact info. We expect to see them in Barcelona soon!

    We checked into our Viana hotel- tonight we're splashing out for a room in a former medieval palace, with a balcony overlooking the astonishing ruins of Iglesia San Pedro. And an hour later, as I was sitting on the balcony of our plush digs, I saw Alan down on the street below. The three of us went out for drinks, and in another weird coincidence, in that bar were two other French pilgrims who had been at the Sansol shop that morning. The five of us ended up closing the bar, after many bottles of Rioja, pintxos, and Google-translated conversations. It was a perfect Camino evening.

    I always quote the idiom "the Camino provides." For me, this time around the Camino has provided unexpected moments of friendship with incredibly kind people. The Camino is awesome.

    Tomorrow we cross into Rioja country for our final day of walking!    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    Leaving Estella over the town bridge, 8am
    Ciao, Estella. Vámanos a Camino!La Forja de AyeguiThe iron forge master at workApproaching the famed Wine Fountain of IracheThe Bodega Irache WineryThe entrance to the wine fountain, right on the CaminoFree wine from the fountain!Getting a sello from the winery museum!The gorgeous countryside of our walk todayI'M THE KING OF THE WORLDA little fun with Saint JamesWalking out of the last bit of shade for the next 10kmsThe Pilgrim's Oasis food truck, the only bit of civilization for 12kmsGreatest food truck everCamino picnic at the Pilgrim's Oasis (the food truck provided ice creams!)The last stretch to Los Arcos

    Fields of Dreams

    June 14 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Total walked today: 22 kms
    Total walked: 68 kms
    Kms left until Navarrete: 40 kms

    I think today might be my favorite day of walking the Camino, ever.

    We departed Estella at 7:45am, surrounded by many other pilgrims. This is notable because we're usually the last ones out- most pilgrims leave before 6am. But there was a reason for the early birds' late start: Less than an hour's walk from Estella is the famous Wine Fountain of Irache...which opens at 8am. The Wine Fountain is legendary on the Camino Francés- the Bodega Irache Winery sits right on the Camino, and wanted to pay tribute to the many pilgrims passing by. So in the 1990s, they installed a tap into their external wall, and every day it's stocked with 100 liters of free wine. Pilgrims are invited to have a small cup for "strength and vitality" on the day's walk. It's amazing...the wine itself is a bit rough, but it's free and fun so I'll forgive that.

    Nearby the Irache Winery is the La Forja de Ayegui (The Forge of Ayegui), a heritage blacksmith's shop. The blacksmith works the hot, live forge while you wander his outdoor shop- I've never seen anything like it. Matt was so impressed that he purchased a small iron Camino shell.

    A bit farther on past the forge and the wine fountain, we stopped for coffee at a café owned by a former pilgrim. She had set up the garden with easy chairs overlooking the valley, and it was kind of perfect.

    Today's walk was 22 kilometers; however, once we passed this café's town, at kilometer 10, there was absolutely nothing but Camino path for the remaining 12 kilometers. We had to pack enough food and water, plus hats and plenty of sunblock because not only was there no civilization for 12 kilometers, but also NO SHADE, and today's temp was about 88°F/30°C. But while that may sound painful, it was actually glorious. The landscape was stunning: Rolling hills, green valleys, fields of flowers, and an endless blue sky, with nothing but the sounds of the birds and our feet crunching on the gravel. I loved it.

    We had heard rumors that halfway into this 12 kilometer stretch was a food truck. This mythical food truck appears regularly in the summertime for just a few hours, selling drinks and snacks, and we had our fingers crossed that today was a lucky day. Imagine our glee when, a bit before the halfway point, we saw a whiteboard propped up by the road saying that the Pilgrim's Oasis Food Truck was just 1 kilometer away. We nearly ran that last kilometer.

    The Pilgrim's Oasis food truck is a Camino highlight. It's run by a Canadian couple, who also own a café in Viana, an upcoming Camino town. They're welcoming and kind, and let all the pilgrims set up picnics at their tables under some shady trees. We bought ice creams to go with our picnic, ate lunch with 20 other hot, tired pilgrims, and it was amazing.

    The final 6 kilometers to Los Arcos, our stopping point for the night, was fairly easy, despite being in the direct, hot sun. We arrived in Los Arcos before 4pm, and I was excited to have a bit more time to explore the town- I feel like we missed a lot of Estella with our later arrival. But imagine my surprise to note that despite it having history and architecture from Roman times, and being a major stop on the Camino...Los Arcos does not give a fuck about the Camino or pilgrims. Nothing was open at 3:30pm; no bar offered pilgrim's menus (special discounted menus for walkers); there is zero Camino iconography anywhere; there isn't even a grocery store walkable from the Camino. Huh. Looks like a very quiet evening tonight.

    Tomorrow we walk to Viana!    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    How to reuse a 16th century sculpture
    On the road to CiriquiIf only we'd gone a few steps further, we'd have noticed medieval CirauquiThe staircase exiting Cirauqui, from Roman timesWalkin'A Camino marker outside VillatuertaBeating the heat with a vino break in a Villatuerta parkWith Saint Veremundo, the patron saint of the Camino in NavarreArriving in Estella!Estella from the rooftop of the Iglesia de Saint MiguelEstella's gorgeous Iglesia de Saint Pedro de RúaThe Temple of the Holy Sepulchre

    Luck Be a Pilgrim

    Jun 13–17 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Total walked today: 22 kms
    Total walked: 46 kms
    Kms left until Navarrete: 62 kms

    Happy Friday the 13th! It was another bright, hot day when we left Puente de la Reina over its namesake bridge. The terrain was textbook Camino: Golden wheat fields, dirt paths, and rolling hills.

    For reasons I can't explain, we both thought today's terrain would be flat. It was not. The path up to Mañeru, the first town after Puente de la Reina, was a nearly wall-like incline straight up. It was a brutal way to start my morning, but Mañeru made amends by featuring the cleverest "Pilgrim's welcome" at its town entrance. Not only did the little park offer seating and a water fountain, but the fountain was a repurposed 16th century sculpture that was plumbed for fresh water. I do luvs me some engineering ingenuity.

    We walked through picturesque Camino scenery for the next few hours, en route to the medieval hilltop town of Cirauqui. This section of the Camino, with the rolling path and Cirauqui in the distance, is apparently one of the most-photographed scenes of the entire Camino. I of course took the required photo.

    We stopped at the entrance to Cirauqui for coffee, and despite being told it was a movie-set-worthy beautiful village, it seemed a bit ordinary. So after our break, we continued on...and the Camino led us INTO Cirauqui, a stunning medieval town situated on stone staircases. Had we just walked five minutes past the café, we would have seen this. Oops. But the exit from Cirauqui was equally as impressive- the staircase out of town was built in Roman times, with views over the valley.

    Around noon, we were both out of water and getting a bit hangry, and poof, the Camino provided. We walked past an unstaffed table offering free water, bread and cheese, nuts, and crackers to pilgrims. We were joined by a lone French pilgrim, and marveled on the generosity of the Camino community while I scarfed free peanuts. And at 1pm, we finally arrived at the tiny town of Lorca. But instead of eating lunch at their lone (and iffy) bar, we bought ice creams and bananas from a shop, and had a picnic in the town square. We were soon joined by our French pilgrim (whose name is Alán) who shared his apricots with us, and together with our shared Heineken beers, it was a perfect lunch.

    Later in the afternoon, we reached Villatuerta, where we escaped the heat with an aperitivo in the park, before continuing on to Estella, our stopping point for the night.

    I was a bit surprised by Estella. It was built in 1090 just for pilgrims, by order of the King. But I was not expecting the magnitude of medieval architecture- it is known as the "Toledo of the North" (Toledo, SPAIN!) because of its huge array of historical, medieval, and gorgeous churches. Saint Pedro de la Rúa, situated up a picturesque staircase, is the most famous. But we spent the early evening visiting the stunning 12th-century Saint Miguel, with vistas over the city; the Palace of the Kings of Navarre, now a museum; the Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, an odd, square fortress on the river; and the Iglesia de Santa Maria Jus del Castillo, a church built literally over a Jewish synagogue. I was not expecting a town so steeped in Camino history, but also so beautiful.

    We had a late dinner at a pilgrim's restaurant in the Old City, then our exhausted selves had a very early bedtime.    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    Starting our Camino from Plaza de Santiago in Pamplona
    Our first Camino milestoneHeading up the ascent to the Alto del PerdónThe sculpture atop the Mirador de Alto del PerdónPosing with the sculptureAt the MiradorThe long, slow, rocky descent down from the MiradorWe climbed OVER thatWalkin'At the junction to Puente de la ReinaThe monument to the spot where all the Caminos convergeThe puente of Puente de la ReinaEntering the medieval Camino town of Puente de la ReinaPuente de la Reina's main streetThe statue of Saint James at the Iglesia de Santiago in Puente de la ReinaThe puente at night

    Perdón Me, I'm Walking Here

    June 12 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 70 °F

    Total walked today: 24 kms
    Total walked: 24 kms
    Kms left until Navarrete: 84 kms

    It was a damn good decision to go to bed early last night, because at 10pm, a storm of biblical proportions hit Pamplona, with lightning and sheeting rain that lasted until 4am. But when we were up at 7am this morning, the day was clear and sunny...and a far more temperate 85°F/27°C than the previous days of 100°F/35°C.

    We started our walk at 8am from Pamplona's Plaza de Santiago (also known as a "parking lot"). We spent an hour walking out of the city and its suburbs; and Pamplona will forever be remembered as the city that installed its embedded Camino shells in the pavement BACKWARDS. The shells are pointing pilgrims in the exact OPPOSITE direction, which caused a bit of panic until we realized this. I can only imagine the conversation between the city planners and the contractors who so fully fucked this up. Fun times.

    After a few hours of walking through suburban towns outside of Pamplona, we arrived at the tiny town of Zariquiegui (it's Basque, I can't pronounce it either). It was the first town that looked historically Spanish instead of a modern exurb, so we stopped to view their medieval church and take a break at the lone café. We made sure to drink a lot of water and prepare ourselves, because we'd been warned that the upcoming part of the Camino was steep and brutal (especially in the heat).

    After our break, we continued on to walk a hot, 350 meter/1050 foot ascent over three kilometers to the famous Mirador de Alto del Perdón (The High Outlook of Forgiveness). It was not easy, and I would not call that walk "fun," either. But the Mirador, with its famous 1996 sculpture of Camino pilgrims throughout the milennia, is breathtaking.

    The descent down from the peak, however, is a rock- and scree-covered death trap that took us longer to walk DOWN than UP. By the time we reached the teeny town of Uterga at 2pm, we were starving. Luckily this one-street town had a fabulous tavern, where I ate a roasted chicken platter so fast that I think I scared the server.

    After our lunch break, the Camino flattened out, and wound through some small towns; but it was siesta time and hell-hot, so we didn't stop. At 4pm we finally arrived at our stopping point: Puente de la Reina (The Queen's Bridge), so named because in the 11th century, Queen Muniadona declared that a bridge be built for Camino pilgrims. The entire village is essentially a medieval truck stop for pilgrims- it's gorgeous, and looks like a scene from Don Quixote. The town is also the point at which many of the Camino routes through France and Spain converge, and join with the Camino Francés en route to Santiago de Compostela.

    We ate a light dinner near the town square, and headed to bed early. Tomorrow's walk is both shorter AND flatter, so my feet are happy.    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    The Running of the Bulls statue on the promenade
    Paseo Ernest Hemingway, outside the bull ringThe bust of Hemingway outside the bull ringWarning signs on the streets where the bulls are runPamplona's Town HallThe first Camino sign of the trip!!!The Camino sign in front of Town HallThe Cathedral of PamplonaEl Rincón de Caballo Blanco. Bring me some tapas!Mini slider, morcilla, pisto, and milhojas de foie at IruñazarraThe Best Cocktail Ever, with a yummy huevo frito and tempura shrimp at El RioOoooh that amazing egg with truffle cream and fries, and duck rillette in a phyllo sack

    Walking With the Bulls

    June 11 in Spain ⋅ 🌩️ 66 °F

    In previous Caminos, we would begin our walk the first morning after arriving. But this time, we spent our first day sightseeing and exploring Pamplona.

    We started on Pamplona's pedestrian shopping street, which eventually led us to where the bulls are run. There's a very cool life-sized sculpture of the bull running on the promenade, and the street terminates at the bull ring on Plaza de Toros. Right outside the bull ring is a statue of Papa Hemingway, thanking him for bringing this animal cruelty to the masses. Thanks Ernie.

    To be clear, I get that the San Fermín bull running festival is hugely significant, both historically and in literature, but it's barbaric and should not exist in 2025. Also, the San Fermín festival occurs every year ON MY BIRTHDAY, so I feel like my opinion matters. I am just saying.

    We visited Pamplona's stunning Town Hall, a Baroque fever dream that almost looks Germanic. It's where the Pamplona mayor opens the San Fermín festival every July 6, but most people don't notice that if you go around to the back of the building, there's a parking lot also known as Plaza Santiago. It's the medieval site of the beginning of the Camino from Pamplona, but the plaque is pretty much used as a parking space. I am not pleased with Pamplona's choice to focus on the bull run instead of its ancient Camino history! The white lady in me wants to speak to the manager.

    We had lunch at two different pintxo bars: Iruñazarra and Escalerica. At Iruñazarra, I tried "pisto," a local dish that is like Middle Eastern shakshouka, but with the poached egg over French ratatouille. We also shared the milhojas de foie, kind of like a Spanish tortilla but layered with foie gras and apple jam. Surprisingly this was not fantastic, which is a foie tragedy. Matt ordered the mini slider and morcilla (Spanish blood pudding), which we did NOT share, because yuck. We then moved on to Escalerica, where I had a chicken bao bun that was so good I devoured it before I remembered to photograph it. Oops.

    Before everything shut for the midday siesta, we visited the Rincón del Caballo Blanco and the Baluarte de Redin. We had two reasons to visit: One, it's the former bastion of the ancient city, with views over the town, and the pilgrim's welcome into the city; and two, it was the filming location for the classic scene in the film "The Way" when Martin Sheen asks the waiter to "bring me some tapas." (If you've not seen this 2010 movie, go see it right now. It is the only Camino film that actually captures what it's like to walk.)

    After siesta, we visited the Pamplona Cathedral which actually has the cojones to CHARGE PILGRIMS FOR ENTRY, so by "visited" I mean "we stared in disbelief at the entry fee, took a photo, and bailed."

    We had more pintxos for dinner, starting at El Rio, which is by far my favorite bar in Pamplona. We tried their famous huevo frito (a hard-boiled egg in bechamel, then fried), tempura shrimp, and my new favorite cocktail: A mix of vermut, Campari, and cava. Yes please.

    The final pintxos bar of our Pamplona adventure was El Gaucho, which is my SECOND favorite bar (apparently I prefer old-school classics, none of this Michelin nonsense). We shared a poached egg over truffle cream and french fries, which is possibly one of the best things I've eaten all year. We also had duck rillette in a phyllo sack, which was very good, but I only had eyes for that egg. Mmm.

    With our bellies full of pintxo deliciousness, we headed to bed for an early start on the Camino tomorrow!    Read more

  • TraveljonezBack to the Camino de SantiagoTraveler
    Beers on the Café Iruña terrace
    Inside Café Iruña's secret Hemingway barHave you met my leetle friend?Fritos pamploneses at Café RochChorizo and chocolate croquette and a duck molé pintxo with Cocoa Krispies at BaserriberriPoached egg and foie gras pintxos at Bar FiteroLovely Pamplona at night

    The Jones Also Rises (and Walks)

    June 10 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    It's June! This must mean it's time for our annual Camino. For 2025, we're going old-school, on the Camino Francés- the famous route that is assumed to be "The Camino." We last walked the Camino Francés in 2021, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. That section of the Camino Francés is the final 120 kilometers of the full 800 kilometer path, and the one that's most commonly walked by tourists and noobs. I know...how basic of us.

    The section of the Camino Francés that we're walking this week is 107 kilometers, from Pamplona to Navarrete. We've never been to Pamplona before, a city made famous by Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" (which described the annual running of the bulls), and the pintxos are supposed to be amazing in this region...so this should be a fantastic week.

    In the late morning, we took a high-speed train ninety minutes from Barcelona to Zaragoza, then transferred to a bus for the two-hour ride to Pamplona. We arrived at 6pm and immediately noticed... it's a bit toasty here. Normal June temperatures in Pamplona are in the 70s/20°C, but today it is, holy shit, 100°F/36°C. I'm melting.

    We spent the very warm evening crawling Pamplona's famous pintxo bars, starting with Café Iruña. In the 1920s, this was Hemingway's favorite hangout, and where his characters would gather in "The Sun Also Rises." And if you walk to the back of this stunning art nouveau café and notice a door near the toilets...and open that door...you will enter into a teeny bar area (closed to the general public) that has a life-sized statue of Hemingway at the bar. It is incredibly cool.

    We hit three other pintxo bars, starting with Café Roch, in business since 1898. This bar is famous for its "fritos pamploneses" (like croquettes but with a tempura coating), and we sampled the mushroom and the jamón options. My verdict: Croquettes are better. So there.

    We visited Baserriberri, formerly Michelin-listed, for possibly the weirdest pintxos I've ever had: Duck molé rolled in a tiny waffle, and covered with Cocoa Krispies; and a chorizo croquette with... chocolate sauce. Weird, but in a good way. I think.

    Our final stop was Bar Fitero, where we abandoned the super creative pintxos and went old-school, ordering grilled foie gras and poached egg pintxos. At 11pm, our evening was over; unlike most of Spain, Pamplona closes up early. But we have all day tomorrow ro explore Pamplona before beginning our Camino on Thursday!    Read more

  • TraveljonezA Woman, a Plan, a CanalTraveler
    The entry gates to Plateau Des Poètes frames the Allées Paul-Riquet
    Les Allées Paul-Riquet, with a morning flea marketThe Camino shells in the pavementThe 10th century Church of Saint JamesIron gates protecting the plexiglass view of the church interiorI love my new camera! I managed to get a very good photo of the ancient interior.St James's stunning mirador. This is the view of the Béziers Cathedral from the church's gardens.Lunch at Le Johane on the Les Halles terraceStrawberry, basil, & red bell pepper saladDuck tournedos with roasted potatoesMmmmm chocolate mousse, prepare to please meMy perfect photo of the Béziers Cathedral and Le Ponte Vieux over the River OrbThe first of the eight Fonseranes LocksA view from the top of the 8-lock Fonseranes staircaseThe Orb Aqueduct: I'm walking on the Canal du Midi! On top of an aqueduct!That's not pavement on top of the aqueduct: it's the Canal du Midi.

    A Day in Béziers

    May 24 in France ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Ooh, how exciting, that title rhymes.

    After a long day of a long walk, I happily slept in a bit this morning. I had the entire Béziers spring day to do whatever I pleased, until my 4:45pm Flixbus departed back to Barcelona.

    I began the day with what I WOULD have done yesterday, had my stupid battery not been dying. I took a victory walk down Bézier's famous Allées Paul-Riquet promenade. The last time we were here (NOT counting yesterday's panic-run), the entire Allées was cordoned off for construction with very ugly chain-link fencing. But today, as I walked up the slope of the Plateau Des Poètes park, its entry gates framed the gorgeous promenade. A flea market was in progress on the Allées, and I spent a happy thirty minutes browsing Frenchie treasures.

    Also, fun fact! Allées Paul-Riquet is named for Pierre-Paul Riquet, a Béziers native, who just happens to be the engineer and creator of the Canal du Midi. I love it when it all comes full circle, don't you?

    While walking along the pavement, I looked down and saw a Camino de Santiago shell (called "Chemin de Saint-Jacques" in France) embedded in the road. I had forgotten- Béziers is on one of the French Camino routes! Charlemagne built one of the first temples to Saint James here, in 967 AD (FYI, Béziers is one of the oldest cities in France- people have lived here since NEOLITHIC times. It's mind-boggling). On our first visit here in 2022, we didn't visit the church- so I decided it was a good time to pay a visit to the ol' Apostle.

    The 10th century Church of Saint James is on a gorgeous outlook over the River Orb. The church is so old that people aren't allowed inside anymore- but the city provides viewing access through plexiglass, behind the church's iron gates (the iron gates feature shells, of course).

    My stomach was rumbling by then, so I set off in search of The Perfect Last Meal in France. I ended up back at Les Halles at Le Johane, one of a small group of bistros ringing the market terrace. Its menu was so intriguing that I didn't even mind being the only lunch customer at the uncivilized hour of 11:45am. And color me gloriously happy to report that lunch was possibly even better than my dinner at Mare Nostrum in Agde.

    My first course was incredibly simple, yet one of the best things I've eaten all year: A salad made from fresh market strawberries, red bell peppers, and basil. I cannot explain why the angels sang as I ate this simple salad. Second course was a duck tournedo with roasted potatoes. Also, I learned what a "tournedo" is (a cut of meat formed into a round steak). It's also insanely delicious.
    For dessert I had a simple chocolate mousse with chantilly créme, and like all French food, the most simple is often the most amazing.

    After lunch, I had a bit over three hours before my FlixBus departed, so I walked out of Bézier's Old Town onto the Canal du Midi path, which has been recently refurbished and pedestrianized. The viewpoints provided from the path are simply spectacular. I captured a postcard-perfect photo of the Béziers Cathedral and Le Pont Vieux (The Old Bridge, from the 12th century) over the River Orb, without using any camera filters or trick angles. It really is that beautiful.

    About 2km outside of Béziers Old Town, along the Canal, is the crown jewel of the Canal du Midi: Les Écluses de Fonseranes, or the Fonseranes Locks. This is an intricate staircase of eight locks, that rise up a slope to allow boats to reach a height of 22 meters/71 feet. No joke, these locks are the third MOST-VISITED tourist site in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, after the Pont du Gard Aqueduct in Nîmes and the town of Carcassonne. And Béziers is all-in with this tourism- they've rebuilt a wide Canal path with shady trees, a bar and café at the top of the locks, and a gift shop with a 3D "immersive" theater experience. I was absolutely amazed with how the 18th-century technology has been updated and advanced for modern boat travel (the Canal and its locks are very much in use), and with the government investment in the beauty, history, and functionality of the site. I could have stood on the banks and watched the boats travel through those locks all day.

    The Canal du Midi forks at the Fonseranes Locks; I came from one direction, and the other fork leads to Béziers's OTHER marvel of hydroengineering- the Orb Aqueduct. Now, I will admit that I have yet to find anyone who feels the same level of glee as I do regarding this aqueduct. But I do luvs me some cleverness and ingenuity, and here's the problem that faced the 18th century engineers: When passengers and goods arrived by the Canal, they were forced to cross the Orb via a ferry shuttling between the banks. However, the ferries ran cross-current, and the river often flooded, which backed up ferry traffic. A better way to cross the River Orb was needed.

    The brilliant solution: Don't make PEOPLE cross the river. Make the CANAL cross the river. And voilá, the Orb Aqueduct was built, measuring 240 meters/787 feet long, 28 meters/92 feet wide, and 12 meters/39 feet high, with seven arches. And it's crazy to look at: Boats on the River Orb pass under the arched aqueduct, but up on top, there's a canal with walking paths. It's like a rooftop swimming pool.

    I was in engineering geek heaven.

    The Béziers train station sits nearby the River Orb and the Aqueduct, so at 4pm, I bade good-bye to my canal, and walked over to catch my FlixBus for the four-hour ride back to Barcelona. It has been a spectacular few days, actually exceeding my expectations. I can't wait to return and continue the walk to Narbonne    Read more

  • TraveljonezA Woman, a Plan, a CanalTraveler
    If solitude is what I wanted, I definitely got it
    The deserted funfair outside ViasApproaching the Ouvrages du Libron outside ViasThe Ouvrages over the Canal du MidiUp close with some very cool 19th century hydroengineeringThe canalside entrance to Le Jardin des DélicesThe "dining room" of Le Jardin des DélicesMmmm salade chevreA windstorm kicked up in the afternoon, and I nearly lost my cool hat taking this selfieÉcluse of PortiragnesApproaching the cute town of Villeneuve-Lès-BéziersÉcluse of Villeneuve-Lès-BéziersFinally: My little guestroom in BéziersThe dining room of Hallégria in Les Halles1st course: OYSTERS2nd course: Duck confit parmentier, a bit like shepherd's pie- but with duckLate-night mousse chocolat at Le Honey CaféMy lovely dessert view of the Église de la Madeleine

    A Short Walk On a Long Canal

    May 23 in France ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    My walk began the this morning at 8am, from L’Ecluse Ronde d’Agde (the Round Locks of Agde), just outside the town. I calculated the walk to be about eight or nine hours, including stops for lunch, drinks, and rest.

    8am: 0km– Écluse Ronde d’Agde
    I began my morning at the Écluse Ronde d'Agde, with blue skies, sunshine, and a feeling as if I were the only human left on earth. If it was solitude I wanted, I definitely got it.

    9:30am: 1.5 hours, 6.2km– Vias and the Ouvrages du Libron
    The first ninety minutes were quiet, uneventful, and peaceful. As I got closer to Vias, more people- mainly cyclists- joined me on the path. I walked by something I've never seen on a walk before: A deserted amusement park. Apparently Vias is a beachy resort town for families, complete with camping sites and funfairs.

    I had mentioned yesterday that the Canal du Midi is probably the simplest walking path I've ever been on- if you can see a canal, you're going the right way! Well, that being said, I managed to nearly get lost anyway. In my defense, I blame the Vias, France canal path planners.

    As I approached Vias, my tranquil canal path routed over to a busy road filled with large trucks taking blind turns. I prefer not to die on holiday, so I looked up and saw the "To Béziers" sign pointing left, instead of straight and parallel to the canal. I figured this was a detour to get walkers safely back to the pedestrian-only path, so despite hearing the voices in my head saying "JUST KEEP THE DAMN CANAL ON YOUR RIGHT," I followed the sign. After about ten minutes, it was clear I was heading to Vias Plage (Vias Beach), which is due south, and definitely NOT west. So I said fuck it, and walked back to to sign...and saw the pedestrian overpass bridge that had been cleverly hidden from the canal path behind a grove of trees.

    Also, let's note that the bridge was to the right, and the sign helpfully pointed LEFT. I felt like a really stupid contestant on “The Amazing Race."

    Once I crossed the pedestrian bridge, the path continued to one of the Canal du Midi’s engineering gems: The Ouvrages du Libron. The Ouvrages are a 19th-century solution to allow the Libron River to pass safely over the Canal through six lock gates, even during flash flooding. It's frankly astonishing to see the level of engineering technology that existed in earlier eras. When I first viewed the Pyramids of Giza, I had the same reaction: How did they do this without electricity, trucks, and computerized design?

    11:15am: 3.25 hours, 9.2km- Port Cassafieres in Portiragnes
    There wasn’t much along the canal for the next hour, which kind of sucked because I REALLY had to pee. So, when I saw Le Boat’s marina in Port Cassafieres, the first outpost of civilization since the Ouvrages, I wandered in and asked to use the toilet. Again, not only were the locals gracious and sweet, but they even refilled my water bottle and bid me "bonne journee" after my thirty-minute Duolingo and water break on their terrace.

    1pm: 5 hours, 14km- Le Jardin des Délices and L’Écluse de Portiragnes in Portiragnes
    I had been recommended to stop a bit further in Portiragnes, at a restaurant called Le Jardin des Délices. Jardin des Délices is a private home and garden adjacent to the Canal, that the owners have converted into an outdoor restaurant, bar, and shop. It's got that perfect tumbledown feel of a cobbled-together rest stop, with benches made from old wooden pallets, tables from old wine barrels, old curtains repurposed as doors, and hand-painted signs. It’s perfect and brilliant and I was in love, especially when I saw they served garden-fresh salads. That, and the repurposed shed that functioned as a bar.

    I ordered a salade chevre with pistachios, fresh bread, and some French rosé. And when I attempted to pay with my credit card, the sweet owner told me that I can only use a card for checks over €20. So, given that I was just €3 under that minimum, I ordered a post-lunch pastis, and everyone was happy.

    After leaving Le Jardin, a short walk just a bit farther led to l’Ecluse de Portiragnes, one of the major Canal locks between Agde and Béziers. I do luvs me a waterfall, and I have decided that these pretty locks are close enough.

    4pm: 8 hours, 19.3km- Écluse de Villeneuve-Lès-Béziers
    I arrived in the very cute town of Villeneuve-Lès-Béziers, the last town outside Béziers, and boasting its own écluse. And there was a bar right next to the écluse; given that I was tired, thirsty, and needed to use a free toilet, I stopped for some wine and to admire the écluse. However, I was a jolted out of my relaxed state when I noticed that my phone was at 15%…and I had already drained my backup battery at lunchtime.

    This is a problem when one’s guesthouse address, contact info, and entry instructions are ONLY ON ONE’S PHONE. Commence mild panic. I proceeded to pay my tab, and set off for the final stretch to Béziers at a much more rapid pace than I had intended. I calculated that my phone’s battery was eating 1% about every four or five minutes, so I had approximately an hour to get to my guesthouse. Eeek.

    5pm: 9 hours, 25.9 km- My guestroom in Béziers
    Two things: First, I missed having a triumphant arrival into Béziers (which I fucking EARNED from walking nearly 26km) because I had to panic-run the last kilometer to ensure I had enough battery to get into my guesthouse. I had zero opportunity to sightsee or savor my arrival- I was too busy RUNNING.
    Second, the entire walk into Béziers is ALL UPHILL. Like, brutally uphill. I had conveniently forgotten this detail from my last visit here. So I had to run my sweaty, exhausted, panicked self straight uphill, navigate to my guesthouse, figure out its overcomplicated digital lock, get safely inside, and collapse inside...with just 4% battery remaining. Victory is mine!

    Also, the guesthouse left me fresh madeleines on the bed, so double victory for me. I ate them while lying on the floor in a flop sweat.

    I celebrated my completed walk with a dinner of oysters and duck confit parmentier at Hallégria, a restaurant in Béziers's gorgeously remodeled Les Halles (covered French market). The restaurant was retrofitted into the Les Halles's former courtyard, with a Louvre-like glass pyramid over the dining room. I had showered and put on clean clothes, but they weren't fancy clothes, so I was strategically seated in a dark corner.

    After dinner, I walked to the newly reconstructed plaza in front of the Église de la Madeleine to Le Honey Café, which we'd visited several years ago. Without the construction chaos this time around, the nighttime view was gorgeous. I accompanied said view with a dreamy mousse chocolat.

    Tomorrow I have almost the entire day to see the newly renovated Béziers and its écluses before my Flixbus back to Barcelona!    Read more

  • TraveljonezA Woman, a Plan, a CanalTraveler
    Arriving in Agde
    My salade chevre lunch on the main promenadeSee if you can spot Agde amid all this construction...Inside Agde's CathedralThe symbol of Agde, a Maltese Cross, is found everywhere in the Old Town.Trompe-l'œil art is everywhere in this region, and amazing.My little guesthouse in Agde, complete with kitty cat!The teeny interior of the the guesthouse.My riverside table at Mare Nostrum1st course: St-Marcellin cheese, fig jam, and salad2nd course: Duck confit, ratatouille in tuille, and sweet potato friesDessert: A glorious chocolate-orange mousseLovely Agde at nightThe medieval city walls at night, plus ALL THE CONSTRUCTION

    Écluse-Recluse

    May 22 in France ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    So I have decided to embark on a solo, one-day walk along southern France's magnificent Canal du Midi. It's a marvel of 17th century French engineering AND a lovely trail. When since I first saw the Canal in Narbonne in 2022, my immediate thought was “I would love to walk that.” It took three years, but here I am.

    Why walk alone? Well, the husband unit has some other obligations this week, and I realized I’ve not taken a solo trip in over twenty years. Seriously! I think this is because I have such a fun travel (and life) partner…but also because there’s a bit of a stigma for a person in a committed relationship to travel minus the partner. But my beloved friend Angie-Pangie does so on a regular basis, and I am nothing if not a proud thief of someone else’s ideas.

    The Canal du Midi is an ideal route for a solo walker, because it’s nearly impossible to get lost; just keep the damn canal on your right side, and eventually you’ll end up where you need to go. And as a bonus, the Canal path is somewhat untouristed- and I've been craving a bit of solitude. Between home, work life, and our activities, I am never alone except for one hour each week when I swim laps. An entire day of silence in the Frenchie sunshine sounds like heaven to me.

    But what most drew me to this adventure is that as someone who loves walking, French food, and considers herself a history and engineering nerd, the Canal du Midi is my catnip. I mean how can you not be amazed by 17th century French hydroengineering and its intricate system of écluses (locks)?

    Hello? Anyone? Just me?

    To figure out my route, the Canal du Midi association has a fantastic planning website and navigation app; I was able to input my origin and destination, and find the time and distance required to either walk or bike. Béziers is just 22 kilometers from Agde, so poof, that was my route.

    On Thursday morning, I left on the 7:30am Flixbus from Barcelona’s Estació Nord, and arrived at the tiny Béziers station at 11:45am. I then caught a train for the quick ten-minute ride from Béziers to Agde- the excitement was elevated by the bizarre apprehension of an entire group of tween pickpockets. Several French police officers suddenly swarmed the platform around me, because apparently Fagin’s kids (that's a literary reference, folks) were all standing right next to me. (but the joke was on them- I didn't HAVE any pockets, just a tightly overstuffed backpack that I could barely open). Anyway!

    I arrived in Agde in time for lunch, and quickly realized something about Agde: It is shut down HARD outside of the summer months. Nearly every shop and restaurant was closed, and the entire town felt COVID-deserted. I found a small bar on the main promenade that was serving lunch, so I enjoyed my first Frenchie meal (salade chevre) on the bar’s outdoor terrace, and people-watched. Well, not so much "people-watched," as "construction-watched." It is obvious that Agde, like many tiny towns near a walking path, is gearing up for a big tourist influx from the Canal du Midi. I saw a lot of cyclists come through during my lunch, looking for food. And it appears the town is building, refurbing, and adding signage as fast as it possibly can.

    I will add here that the people working in shops and cafés in Agde have been extraordinarily kind and helpful. It occurred to me that this small town is actually EAGER to welcome tourists! Obviously this is VERY different from my Barcelona life. We happily hate tourists.

    I spent the afternoon taking a self-guided walking tour of the (deserted) Old Town, provided by the Agde Tourism Office. It's lovely little medieval town, with a picturesque setting on a river, and an impressive cathedral...but also very, very quiet.

    Given that Agde seemed like a ghost town, I had assumed that my dinner would be forgettable, at best. But later in the evening, I stumbled onto a riverside restaurant, run by an older man and his wife, that was an unexpected wonder. I was given a window seat in the floating dock-slash-dining room, covered to protect against the wind. And to my amazement, the food at Mare Nostrum was even more glorious than the view.

    After dinner, I walked back to my guesthouse on a perfect spring night. Agde is even prettier at night (perhaps the "prettier" is due to the darkness hiding most of the construction works). My guesthouse is a small attached studio in a local family's home, on the edge of the Old Town. It's cute and snug- it even includes a cat- but there will be no sleeping in tomorrow, as I will be up early to start my walk!    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    My official Cabo Verde photo
    The rainbow stairs up to the PlateauThis roast chicken was the BOMBStrolling Praia's old colonial buildings on the main government streetStopping in the main square for shade and winePopcorn, water, Strela beers, check! We've staked out our turf on the street & ready for Carnival!The Carnival Queen arrives (finally)Brazilian-style samba dancers shake it for the crowdsThe first float: Reykjavik's Cathedral,Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty...WTFDancers cover in black paint as "mud boys" to celebrate Blackness. My fave Carnival photo!Gorgeous sunset over Carnival.Rainbow skirted dancers in Act IIAnother float, but fuck me if i can explain what it isA crowd of orange childrenMore floats!Darkness over Carnival.After Carnival, we went out for one last drink on the beach in Cape Verde. I am obviously very cool.

    Tarde Mardi Gras

    March 4 in Cape Verde ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    FYI: "tarde" means "late."

    So today was our last full day in Cabo Verde, AND Carnival Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday...). Carnival is a big deal in Cabo Verde, though not on THIS island. But that's OK because I LUVS ME A CARNIVAL.

    Our original plans were to see the 15th-century Ciudad Velha (Old City) settlement, a UNESCO Heritage Site about 20 minutes outside Praia. It's Cape Verde's oldest settlement, and the oldest European settlement in the tropics. There is a ton of slave and colonization history, but it's also insanely difficult to get to unless you pay a taxi driver an obscene amount of cash to take you there. So the lazy me won out over the history nerd me, and we opted for lunch and Carnival in Praia's Plateau neighborhood.

    We climbed the staircase up to the Plateau for (hopefully) the last time. To access the Plateau, you must scale one of several steep flights of stone stairs straight up, and Praia has cheerfully painted all the stairs in rainbow colors in an attempt to charm me out of noticing the hellscape climb. (Please note that I am not fooled by this trickery. Screw those rainbows. I see you, Praia.) But it was definitely worth it- we found a tiny restaurant near the main square that offered a fantastic roasted chicken lunch special. With roasted potatoes, salad, and hibiscus juices, our total bill was barely €11. And luckily there was an ice cream shop next door to take my remaining cash, while also teaching me that Algodón Doce (Cotton Candy) is a shockingly delicious flavor.

    We walked around Praia's old colonial streets, now government buildings and museums. It's a gorgeous setting atop the Plateau, surrounded by the ocean. But it's also hell-hot without any shade, so we stopped in the leafy town square to share a bottle of Cape Verde wine, and get out of the sun for a while.

    Nobody we spoke to knew WHEN in "the afternoon" the Carnival parade was supposed to start: We were told 4pm, 5pm, AND 6pm. So we decided "afternoon" meant 4pm, and headed down the Plateau stairs to the main street hosting the parade, and staked out our curb real estate around 3:30pm. We bought Strela beers and popcorn from street vendors, and listened to the samba music playing in the streets. And waited.

    We noticed that we were the only ones there. The viewing bleachers and the sidewalks were completely empty (at least the line for beers was very short).

    We continued waiting...and still nothing by 5pm. At 6pm, the sidewalks began to fill with locals with costumed children in tow (Spiderman, unicorns, and ladybugs were very popular). But by 6:30 even the locals were getting restless. A bit before 7pm, dancers and floats FINALLY began to move down the street. The parade was led by the Carnival Queen and King, followed by a confusing float consisting of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, Reykjavik's (Iceland) Cathedral, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa; and flocks of sequined, marching children, who, I am not gonna lie, looked like they'd rather be anywhere but in this parade.

    And then, just twenty minutes later, everything stopped.

    Thirty minutes later, the parade resumed (only barely before the locals revolted); more floats, more forced child participation, another King and Queen. It was hilarious, and exactly fit my expectations of what this Carnival would be. I will say, however, that Santiago Island's Carnival is less of a "Carnival," and more of a neighborhood event that the locals seem to endure rather than actually "enjoy."

    We headed back to our Airbnb at 9pm, and stopped for one last drink on the beach before our departure early tomorrow morning. On our Airbnb's street was a beach bar in that particular style I've deemed "Euro-Douche": Overpriced cocktails, Thai-inspired bamboo and white linen seating (including beds!), random Euro-techno music, and those giant outdoor white "lamps." We ordered pontche and I enjoyed my drink on one of the beds. I am VERY cool. (This is the fiction I choose to tell myself.)

    Tomorrow we depart on an 8am flight back to Europe, for a single night in Lisbon before continuing on to Barcelona.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    Our 5-minute walk to Quebra Canela Beach in Praia
    A day at Quebra Canela BeachQuebra Canela coveEnjoying a beachy day in Praia on Santiago IslandOn the road to Santiago! Well, we're already ON Santiago...on the road to Tarrafal!Tarrafal's picture-perfect beachI'm in Tarrafal! And leaning ON Tarrafal!Tarrafal's fishermen 's beach, with colorful boatsWe spent hours here. Wouldn't you?During our long lunch, we sampled Cabo Verde's "pontche": Local sugarcane alcohol mixed with fruit.Mmmm hibiscus juice prepare to please meLater that evening, a lovely sunset over Praia (husband photo credit)

    On the Road to Santiago

    March 3 in Cape Verde ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    We're not on the road to THAT Santiago. Though I'm not gonna lie, I'm surprised just how many places are named "Santiago," even in Africa!

    We spent Sunday, our first full day in Santiago, relaxing on the island's famous Quebra Canela Beach, just a five-minute walk from our Airbnb. But after a lazy day of sunshine, this morning we headed out to see Tarrafal, a beachside fishing village at the northern tip of the island.

    There's no real public transport in Cabo Verde, so to get to the other end of the island, it's a 90-minute taxi ride or shared minibus journey. Taxis want €65 each way, and minibuses charge €6. Guess which one we chose! There's just one catch: Minibuses won't leave until all twelve seats are filled. So you might be waiting a while to depart....in our case, nearly two hours. To be fair, that was our fault; we got to the minibus depot at 8:30, hoping to catch an early, full bus, forgetting that nothing starts on these islands until 10am. Our bad. But we were entertained during those two hours, however; not only did I read a book, but a single young white woman dressed in what I can only describe as "white girl who has only learned about traveling via TikTok" swanned into the van. Her entry line to a van full of Africans (looking directly at us), spoken loudly: "It sure looks like someone speaks English in here." Classy. I can cheerfully say that travel influencers are just barely above bedbugs on the scale of things I do not wish to encounter on my holiday.

    The minibus ride took us over Santiago's volcanic mountains and through the national nature preserve. When we finally arrived in Tarrafal, I was struck by its completely different vibe than Praia's. Unlike Praia's busy city feel, Tarrafal had a much more tropical, beachy vibe. The beaches and ocean are stunning, and thanks to the sheltered coves, much warmer than Praia's. The beaches themselves are still filled with working fishing boats, though in 2025 they have to share the space with vacationers.

    We found an oceanside café just in time for lunch, and claimed the best table overlooking the beach ('cuz that's how we roll). This café served different types of fish, depending on what was pulled out of the ocean that morning. I chose the fresh bluefin tuna, and Matt opted for the bonito fish. They were spectacular, and as we ate, we watched fishermen bringing bags of fresh catch from the beach to the restaurant.

    We stayed at the table for a few hours, reading and enjoying the view with some hibiscus juice and beers. Around 4pm, we walked back to the minibus depot, where our van managed to fill up in under fifteen minutes. However, our speedy journey got a bit derailed by massive traffic jams as we approached Praia ("traffic jam on an African tropical island" was not on my bingo card today). We realized all the blockage was due to Carnival setup. That's right! Carnival, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it...is happening tomorrow. We've been told to ratchet down our expectations (the island of Sao Vicente is apparently Carnival Central), but Carnival is awesome and I can't wait. So there.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    Atop the Plateau at the entrance to Praia's Old Town
    Sunset at our beachfront AirbnbBig beers in the garden of Quintal da MúsicaMmmm cachupa at Quintal da Música, prepare to please meLive music at Quintal da MúsicaBananas Foster and coconut grogue for our anniversary dessertMore Cabo Verdean music at an outdoor café

    I Got 29 Ways

    March 1 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    If that song title is unfamiliar, then here are 3 facts about it: It is an awesome bluesy song written by Willie Dixon in 1956; it was covered by Marc Cohn on his 1991 debut album, the same album containing our wedding song "True Companion"; and I clearly remember listening to this album on our wedding day, thinking "I'm going to play this '29 Ways' song on our 29th wedding anniversary."

    Holy shit...that day is today. And how does one celebrate 29 years of marriage? While I'm sure you know that the 25th and 50th anniversaries are commemorated with silver and gold respectively, I'll bet you didn't know that the 29th is observed by "waiting in an African airport."

    Or is that just us?

    We arrived to the Sal Island airport at 12pm for our 3pm flight to Santiago Island. This seems early because Cabo Verde Airlines doesn't have an online check-in process- it's more "show up before your flight and convince us to put you on this raggedy-ass plane." So our patience was eventually rewarded with boarding passes, and then we were ushered into what I can only describe as a "holding pen" for two hours. We took off just thirty minutes late (or as our guesthouse owner calls it, "on time"), but just 45 minutes later we were landing in Praia, on Santiago Island.

    Santiago Island is the most-populated island in Cabo Verde; half of Cabo Verde's 500,000 people live on this island, and Praia is the nation's capital. Fun nerd fact: Praia was Charles Darwin's first stop on the HMS Beagle expedition, when he proposed the theory of evolution.

    Santiago's city atmosphere is quite different than Sal's "island holiday" vibe. Santiago is a bit more grimy, has far more people, and contains a Portuguese colonial Old Town. Its beaches contain black volcanic sand instead of the white sugar sand of Sal. We've rented an AirBnB in a local family's home on the beach; and on one side is the ocean, and on the other is nonstop traffic. It's a bit jarring after Sal's remoteness.

    To celebrate our wedding anniversary, in the evening we walked into Old Town, known as "The Plateau." It's so named because it sits on a high volcanic plateau above the rest of Praia, accessible by (ugh) staircases leading up to the Old Town. We had been told that no visit to Cabo Verde is complete without a night at Quintal da Música in Old Town; Cabo Verde has its own music genres, including Morna (like tango) and Funaná (accordion-based), and Quintal da Música is famous for its nightly musical performances and Cabo Verdean food. We sat in the garden and ordered cachupa (Cape Verdean bean stew) and local fish, while listening to Morna music that to me, sounds oddly like a Vegas lounge act. And we toasted our anniversary with coconut grogue liqueur and bananas flambéed in grogue.

    A bit before midnight, we had coffees at an outdoor café near Quintal da Música; like most restaurants on the Plateau's nightlife street, the café was hosting live music. We listened to a band playing Cabo Verdean standards that had all the waiters and locals singing along word-for-word. It was a glimpse into local life, a moment that's become quite rare in this era of mass tourism.

    After our late-night coffees, we hailed a taxi and headed back to our Airbnb. Happy 29th to us.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    The blissful view from my beach lounger
    Santa Maria's lovely beachMy toes are happySuper glad the loungers were under the palm trees, 'cuz that UV index was 9!It has been a lovely few days in Santa MariaOne last Strela Beer (though I'm sure they have Strela on Santiago, just saying)One last Sal-ty sunset

    Sal-ty Savoring

    February 28 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    After yesterday's eight-hour adventure around Sal Island, for our last day on this island, we decided to simply enjoy the beach and the perfect weather.

    We spent the day staring at some of the bluest water I've seen outside of the Mediterranean.

    It was.... blissful.

    And tomorrow is our anniversary! We shall celebrate by flying to the Santiago Island on a very tiny plane.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    Our SurfZone guesthouse, right on the beach
    Kite Beach (with requisite kites)The fishing village of Palmeira, on Sal IslandGrog tasting in PalmeiraAt the cove in front of the Blue EyeThe Blue EyeWhere roasted chicken dreams are madeThe best cachupa so farThe crazy Mirage of SalThe salt farmsAt Salinas, the former 19th century salt farmWalking on the salt flatsSalty and desolate...at least I'm dressed in the same color schemeMmmm saltJoneses at the Salinas!This is how far he managed to get in...Floating in the 2nd saltiest body of water (after the Dead Sea) (alternate fact)

    That's Sal, Folks

    February 27 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌬 70 °F

    We saw a LOT of Sal Island today. It was...a Sal-ty day (rim shot).

    We joined a small-group day trip to see Sal's most famous sights. There's no public transit on Sal, so if we wanted to see other parts of the island, this was one of the only ways to do it. Sal is barely 35km by 12km, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna walk. I am just saying.

    The van picked us up at 9am, and we headed off for Kite Beach, one of the world's most famous beaches for kite flying (weirdly, I already knew about this place, because Long Beach in Washington state hosts North America's biggest kite festival). Not surprisingly, it was windy on Kite Beach. I do not like wind. If kites could fly on warm sunshine, I'd probably be more interested in them.

    Our next stop was the small fishing village of Palmeira. Fishing is still one of Cabo Verde's biggest industries, and local fishermen still use small rowboats and handmade nets. The harbor was teeny and charming, and made even more charming by the local shopkeeper who invited us to sample her housemade grog (local firewater in various flavors and levels of toxicity).

    We next visited the famous Blue Eye of Sal. This is a weird natural phenomenon in an underwater cavern in a seaside cove. Somehow, the cavern is illuminated by the sun’s rays, making the water crystal clear, and creating a circular pool of shockingly bright turquoise in the water. The visual effect looks just like an iris of an eye. It was really beautiful, and I've not seen anything like that before. It's also big business for Capo Verde- that teeny pool has spawned a visitor's center, a restaurant, a gift shop, and a boardwalk promenade around the cove. Ahh, the sweet smell of tourism.

    By this time it was past noon, so we stopped at Dreams, a small restaurant beloved by our guide. It was a typical local African's lunch joint: plastic tables and chairs, the TV blaring music videos or football, and the owner's children underfoot. In other words, we were very excited because this place had all the signs of serving amazing food. And we weren't wrong- I ordered fogo (Cabo Verdean roast chicken), Matt ordered cachupa (Cabo Verdean bean and meat stew), and both were the best food we've had so far on this trip.

    After lunch we drove by an actual MIRAGE in the desert-like atmosphere. I have never seen this phenomenon in person, and it is mind-boggling. Apparently hot air reflects the sky, creating the illusion of a pool of water on the sand. People lost in the desert follow a mirage in hopes of finding water, but the illusion always appears at the same fixed distance, no matter how far someone walks towards it. "And that is how people die!" our guide explained cheerfully.

    Our final stop was at the Pedro Luma Salinas (Salt Pools). Back in the 19th century, this was a working salt farm; now, it's been converted to a giant therapeutic salt pool. (We were told that it's the second saltiest body of water in the world, next to the Dead Sea, but a cursory glance at Wikipedia called bullshit on that "alternate fact.") Unlike the Atlantic Ocean chill, the saline lagoon was warm and cozy. And like the Dead Sea, you can just bob happily in all that bouyant salt without any floatation aids. It was a fun way to end the day trip (well, at least until my salt crust solidified on the drive back to Santa Maria and fused me to the van's seat).

    We managed to see a lot of Sal in just eight hours, but no joke, I was exhausted by the time we got back. Tomorrow i plan on doing absolutely nothing except lie on a beach.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    "Just chicken" but also just delicious
    How to pass a day in Cabo VerdeI can haz beer on the beachSunset over the Atlantic Ocean

    Sal Good, Man

    February 26 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    Oooh, ANOTHER "Better Call Saul" reference. I'm on fire.

    Today was a gloriously lazy island day; we didn't get up until past 10am, then after several coffees, didn't manage to leave the flat until after 11am. We decided that was perfect timing and weather to walk down Santa Maria's beachside promenade in search of lunch.

    When I envisioned a beachside walk in Cabo Verde, I expected palm trees, beach bars set up in thatch huts, locals selling random trinkets and street food, and stray animals lounging in the sun. What I hadn't expected was the proliferation of upscale, small eco-resorts with pools and private beach access, and higher-end, overpriced bars and restaurants lining the promenade, catering to white European tourists. No joke, there was even an Irish pub. And I will just say that if you come to Africa and go to an IRISH PUB I do not want to know you.

    The area had clearly been developed quite recently, and despite the gorgeous beachside setting, lacked any authentic African island feel (or pricing). It reminded me of the Spanish island of Mallorca: All the local life is in the middle of the island, and the rich tourists are isolated in a northern resort zone, in the locals' no-go zone.

    So we abandoned the promenade and walked the opposite direction towards Santa Maria town, where we found a small restaurant in a bus parking lot that was filled with Cabo Verdeans. It had no menu, and served, according to the server, "just chicken." And it was just fabulous- for an island surrounded by fish, this place knows how to roast a chicken. And at €14, our two lunches and four beers cost less than a single overpriced cocktail we'd seen on a promenade bar's menu.

    We discovered a beach bar near our apartment, far away from the promenade. The bar was similar to my beloved Catalan xiringuitos (beach bars in the sand), so we spent the remainder of the day there, reading and drinking adult beverages while enjoying the sand between our toes.

    Later in the evening, we watched the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean from our rooftop. Eventually, we ventured out to find dinner; Sal is very small, and that same fancy beach promenade curls away from the beach, and becomes the main tourist walkway through Santa Maria town. While the rest of Santa Maria is unevenly paved, filled with random concrete architecture, intermittent street lighting, and populated with shops and restaurants bearing handwritten signs, this one promenaded street reeks of money. It is obviously meant solely for the rich white Europeans, and frankly feels like Main Street in Disneyland. The lighting is perfect; the cobblestones on the walkway are new; and every shop and restaurant has perfect signage and matching decor. It was a bit unreal and off-putting, so we walked to a nearby neighborhood bar where we had salads and fish and watched football with the locals. To be fair, the "ensalada con queso de cabra" (goat cheese salad) was actually mozzarella, but at least it came with a side of authentic Cape Verde life.    Read more

  • Traveljonez(Es)Cape VerdeTraveler
    On the rooftop of our apartment overlooking the ocean
    The view from our apartment to the beach and the Atlantic OceanThe open-air Criollo Restaurant

    Better Call Sal

    February 25 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌬 73 °F

    Greetings from the island of Sal in Cabo, or Cape, Verde- a country off the west coast of Africa, consisting of a string of islands. And fair warning, I am a ginormous "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" fan, so I'm taking full advantage of the island's name (Sal!).

    Cabo Verde is its own country, and #84 in my li'l collection. But until it regained its sovereignty in 1972, Cabo Verde was a Portuguese colony for over 500 years. The colonial period was ugly for many reasons, including famines, being used as a penal colony for expelled Portuguese Jews, and the many Cabo Verdeans who were stolen into slavery and forced to work in the salt mines (clever readers will note that the name of this island is literally Sal, or "salt" in English). Like many countries colonized by Europe, today Cabo Verde is a gorgeous place, but still recovering from the colonial damage, while adapting to tourism from those same countries.

    This is my long-winded history nerd way of saying: We are not in Mexico. Cabo Verde is not Cabo San Lucas. I promise, we are in Africa!

    We arrived on Sal in the late afternoon, and checked into our beachside apartment. The owner of the building is a fellow expat American who has lived here since the 1980s, and he happily pointed us to the nearest grocery from the building's rooftop. And I do mean literally pointed; Santa Maria, the capital town of Sal Island, is that small. So we walked five minutes to pick up essentials: coffee, milk, wine, yogurt, and Cabo Verdean biscuits that are sold everywhere in unmarked bags. They taste like Danish butter cookies in that blue tin. Nom nom nom.

    We headed out for a late dinner at Criollo, a local restaurant recommended by our host. I ordered the local fish stew, Matt ordered the local rice dish (fish, sausage, and white beans in a thick stew). The food was typically African, with lots of beans, local fish, root vegetables, and rice (though ironically, not with a ton of salt!). We split a pitcher of local wine- yes, Cabo Verde makes wine! Much like the nearby Canary Islands and Greece's Santorini, Cabo Verde is a volcanic island with excellent winemaking soil. The wine was good, but for €3 per liter I shall bump that rating to "excellent."

    We don't have a ton of plans for the next week beyond "spend time on the beach" and "read books." So far, so good.    Read more

  • TraveljonezFull of BolognaTraveler
    Enjoying mulled wines at a Bologna deli
    Bologna Christmas markets in the rainy chillMmmm Pignoletto, prepare to please meHow one passes an afternoon in Bologna at Christmastime

    A Last Bunch of Baloney

    December 9, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    Our final day in Bologna was gray and chilly, but at least it wasn't pouring rain. The three of us lingered in our AirBnB until our 11am checkout, then walked through the porticoes in search of lunch near the train station. Queen Rey-Rey's train to Venice was departing at 2:30pm, so we had ample time to enjoy (?) one last Italian meal together.

    We found a tiny trattoria and spent the next two hours sharing spaghetti carbonara, tagliatelle, and lasagna, and a jug of red wine. It is not an understatement to say that I will not require pasta for the next year. Or three. Maybe four.

    After ensuring Rey-Rey was safely on her train, we had the rest of the day to while away in Bologna, before our 11pm RyanAir flight. Today was a regular workday in Italy, so the streets and cafés were much quieter than yesterday.

    We strolled the Christmas markets, then ended up back at Osteria del Sole, where we read books and sipped wine into the early evening. We discovered a new-ish Italian sparkling varietal, called Pignoletto. It's only been around since 2014, and is a frizzante similar to Prosecco, but created using method champenoise and a LOT less sugar. It's like Italian cava! I am pleased.

    We caught a taxi at 7:30pm, with the idea of warming up in the lounge before our late flight, but Bologna had other ideas: First off, their epically shitty lounge closes at 9pm, and then our 11pm flight was delayed until 12:30am. Sigh.

    So our Emilia-Romagna adventure ended a bit inauspiciously, but I shall not let RyanAir diminish what was an amazing trip. A new country! Fun with Rey-Rey! Christmas lights! Roman ruins! Gelato!

    Wait...five days in Italy and I never got gelato! Shit. I may need to return sooner than expected...    Read more

  • TraveljonezFull of BolognaTraveler
    The Fountain of Neptune and Piazza Maggiore
    The atrium of the Biblioteca, with the ruins of ancient Bononia underfootThe stunning interior of Palazzo d'AccursioThe massive statue of Hercules inside Palazzo d'AccursioThe mismatched façade of Basilica di San PetronioInside the massive BasilicaThe endless porticoes of BolognaCheers to Lambrusco in a tavern from 1465 (Osteria del Sole)Discovering lovely Christmas decorationsFun at Bologna's Christmas marketsOur fine bartender at La ProsciutteriaPerhaps they're enjoying that grappa a bit TOO muchThe canals of Bologna, as seen through the FinistrellaBologna's Christmas tree in Piazza Maggiore

    Soggy Bologna

    December 8, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    Our incredible weather luck officially gave out this morning. We awoke in Bologna to pouring rain, gray skies, and a wintry chill. According to our weather apps, the rain was not going to stop anytime soon in the next two days, so we decided to attempt our Bologna walking tour in the pouring rain.

    Luckily, Bologna is a city with 38 kilometers of covered portico archways (all designated as a UNESCO Heritage site). But I'm not gonna lie- it was a soggy day.

    Bologna is ancient. I honestly had no idea that this city has been around in some form since 1000 B.C. (that is not a typo!). Its prestigious university was founded back in the 11th century. That's amazing, and not just a little intimidating for someone with just a day to see it all. So we started in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's main piazza. It's dominated by the 16th century Fountain of Neptune, considered a Renaissance masterpiece, and one of the symbols of the city.

    This massive square contains several medieval Italianate masterpieces, including the Biblioteca Salaborsa. It's now a modern library...except for the ruins of Bononia from 200 B.C. (ancient Rome's original name for Bologna) lying just beneath the transparent glass floor of the atrium. We took the stairs down to the archaeological site, which is free and frankly amazing.

    Across from the Biblioteca on Piazza Maggiore is the Basilica di San Petronio, Bologna's main church. It features a bizarre half-marble, half-brick mismatched façade. Apparently its construction began in the classic Renaissance style in the 14th century, until the Pope got wind of the city's plan to use the basilica for "civic endeavors" rather than purely religious. So the Pope pulled the funding plug when only a third of the façade was built, and it remains unfinished to this day. And here I thought that Spain was the only country that couldn't finish a church- but Sagrada Familia's 2026 completion date will definitely win the race against the Bologna basilica's "how about...never."

    We toured the Palazzo D’Accursio, the town hall next to the Basilica. To be clear, we only went inside because it was free to enter, and out of the pouring rain. But we were happily surprised by how beautiful the Palazzo is; aside from its stunning 12th century architecture, it's also filled with ceiling frescoes and statuary, including a massive statue of Hercules.

    After seeing the Palazzo, we stopped for snacks and wine. We stumbled into Bologna's oldest wine bar, Osteria del Sole, which has been in the same spot since 1465. There's no food offered- you're expected to bring in food from the nearby market- just glasses of wine and beer served on scarred wooden tables and benches. It was fascinating to watch Bologna families pile in for Sunday picnics. We sipped Lambrusco while trying to dry our soaking wet selves.

    We bought salumi sandwiches and pastries at a nearby alimentari (like an Italian deli), and continued our exploration. Given that it was late Sunday afternoon, and dark and rainy, many sites were closed up early. So we window shopped, enjoyed the Christmas decorations and the Christmas markets, and stopped for more wine and snacks at adorable little salumerias and enotecas. We spent a few hours in La Prosciutteria, sitting on tiny wooden stools and sampling the house-made grappas, poured by a very friendly (and handsome) bartender.

    Our final stop on the walking tour was an unexpected surprise. Apparently, back in 12th and 13th centuries, Bologna had a network of canals similar to Venice's. But in the "modern" era, especially after World War II, most of the canals were covered over by roads and parking lots. But five of these canals still flow underground, and the "Finestrella di Via Piella" (Little Window of Piella Street) offers a view into what Bologna might look like if these canals hadn't been paved over. The city cut a square "window" into a portico wall of a building over the canal, and you can look down into a different world. Mind blown. I had no idea.

    Later that evening, we had dinner at Osteria Le Mura, a small trattoria with a more modern (and less weird) vibe than last night's Ristorante Diana. Matt ordered one of Bologna's most classic dishes- salsiccia e gramigna, a pasta dish with ground sausage. I ordered the tagliatelle, and Rey-Rey ordered another Bologna staple: Tortellini en brodo (tortellini in a clear broth). It was all very good, but have I mentioned that I would kill for a vegetable?

    Tomorrow is our last day in Bologna!    Read more

  • TraveljonezFull of BolognaTraveler
    The fortress walls of San Marino
    One of San Marino's 3 fortress towersWaymarks of the San Marino CaminoThe view from the top of San MarinoA fairy tale setting in San MarinoRey-Rey looking fabulous on the fortress walls in the sunshineConquering San Marino!The cliffside Christmas market and ice rinkThis is a Bombardino and you should drink one right nowRey-Rey climbs the stairs of the city wallsWhat constitutes a "little prize" when your country is filthy richSome local San Marino product souvenirsTHIS IS LITERALLY MY TICKET TO CROSS THE RUBICONTortelloni with truffles and cream at Ristorante DianaClear eyes, full bellies, can't loseBologna's massive town Christmas tree

    Crossing the Christmas Rubicon

    December 7, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    San Marino's morning sunshine and clear blue skies made as perfect a day as you could expect in December. We decided to walk the Passo della Streghe, the fortress wall path that links San Marino's three fortress towers. Imagine our surprise to discover that this walk is a Camino- the Cammino del Santo Marino!

    We've walked a lot of Europe, on Caminos or city walls and paths; but without a doubt, San Marino's fortress path is the most stunning walk of all. With its sheer mountain drop, views over the rolling green valley, and the castle towers jutting off the rock cliffs, it feels like the setting for a fairy tale. I've never seen anything like it, and on such a gorgeous day it was breathtakingly beautiful.

    We met up with Rey-Rey on the other side of the Old Town, which houses the annual Christmas market. At the risk of repeating myself...I've never seen a Christmas market like San Marino's. The wooden huts selling mulled wine and Christmas ornaments bordered the cliff edge, with gorgeous views, and an ice rink was fitted into a rock cliff wall. We also discovered the magic of a Bombardino, an Italian winter beverage that is like hot eggnog with brandy and whipped cream. Oh yes please.

    San Marino's Christmas markets offered a game: visitors are given a postcard with spaces for stamps, and for each Christmas market location visited, like the ice rink or Santa's village, you receive a stamp. Once your postcard has all its stamps, you then return to the Christmas market, and redeem the postcard for a small prize. I love this shit, and so we each dutifully got our cards stamped, and expected a typical prize like a candy cane or some stickers (I am apparently a 12-year-old at heart). So imagine our shock to each receive jewelry- specifically, a silver charm in a Tiffany-like bag.

    That, my friends, says all I need to say about this insanely rich country.

    And on that note, we said ciao to San Marino, and headed back to Bologna.

    On the drive back, I noticed our toll receipt listed the region as "Valle de Rubicone." A quick internet search confirmed that this was indeed the Rubicon River crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 BC, essentially declaring war on Rome, and creating the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" (meaning "the point of no return"). Being an unapologetic trivia and history nerd, I was so excited I literally clapped with glee. So the next time someone makes a reference to "crossing the Rubicon," I will be sure to say that I've done it in a rental car, and didn't have a problem.

    We returned the rental car in Bologna, and taxied to our AirBnB.
    After much-needed naps, we set out to have a Bolognese aperitivo before dinner. But I have to say: after San Marino, Bologna felt WAY too full of people.

    We had aperitivo at Botiga Bottle, a wine bar that uses debit cards to access vacuum-sealed wine bottles. You load the debit card, then the tasting machines pour wine samples, and the bar offers free food to accompany the wine tasting. We plundered their wine cellar until it was time for dinner at Bologna's historic Ristorante Diana.

    Ristorante Diana has been a fixture in Bologna since 1920. It's one of those linen-tablecloth, dark-wood-walls places in Europe that has served the same menu for 100 years. It's also a bit off-putting; it was obvious that the staff could not be bothered with us, and the house specialty- a shit ton of boiled meats, served tableside on a trolley- was frankly kind of gross. But I ordered mortadella-stuffed tortellini in truffle sauce, Matt ordered a cut of beef in truffle sauce, and Rey-Rey ordered turkey in truffle cheese sauce, and truffles make everything amazing (though at this point I would kill for a green vegetable).

    We had post-dinner coffees at a tiny bar near our AirBnB, and rolled our full bellies home.    Read more

  • TraveljonezFull of BolognaTraveler
    Homemade pastry breakfast at Amerigo 1934 in Savigno
    With Rey-Rey on our Hotel Rosa terrace in San Marino's Old TownSan Marino at Christmas!Al fresco mulled wine on the castle wallsThe Joneses at one of San Marino's fortress towersAperitivo at a San Marino caféWandering the empty Old City in the eveningThe gorgeous San Marino main plaza, lit up for ChristmasAt night, it's spooky, romantic, and gorgeous

    It's Between a Rock and a City-State

    Dec 6–7, 2024 in San Marino ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    We woke up in Savigno to bright sunshine and a cloudless blue sky. We left our snug little stone B&B and walked back down Savigno's single street for breakfast at Amerigo 1934. We were once again charmed by the lovely staff, and the homemade pastries and breads they had prepared for our breakfast ratcheted that charm up to 11.

    We lingered in Savigno until 11am, when we set off for our 12pm airport rendezvous with Rey-Rey. We met up in the short-term parking lot, set the stereo to Christmas carols, and headed off on the ninety-minute drive to San Marino.

    We arrived San Marino 2pm. It's a hilltop country carved right out of the rock, accessed by a dizzying set of switchbacks up the mountain. We checked into our cozy little triple room at the Hotel Rosa, and immediately began exploring the medieval Old Town- the entirety of which is a UNESCO Heritage Site.

    San Marino is a quirky little country (or city-state, to be exact). It's the third-smallest country in Europe, behind Vatican City and Monaco, and fifth-smallest in the world (behind the Micronesian islands of Nuaru and Tuvalu). It is completely surrounded by Italy, yet not in the EU. San Marino managed to maintain its independence by cozying up to Napoleon in the late 18th century, who then ensured that San Marino was not included in the 19th century Unification of Italy (it helps to know a guy).

    San Marino has zero bodies of water (it relies on groundwater), no airport or train station, and with a population of 35,000, is one of three countries on earth with more cars than people (the other two countries are Gibraltar and Guernsey). It is also one of the richest countries per capita on the planet. So very, very rich.

    The first thing we noticed about San Marino is that despite Old Town being over 1000 years old, it is so clean and perfect that it feels like a movie set or a Disney park. It's amazing how tidy you can keep your country when you're so rich you run a surplus every year, and your citizens are too busy counting their money to graffiti or litter. I am just saying.

    We walked up to one of San Marino's three medieval fortress towers. The entire Old Town was hewn directly out of solid rock, including its intact city walls and fortress towers. It's an extraordinary sight, right out of a fairy tale; a castle hanging off a clifftop, with rolling green hills below. My initial reaction was, how did I not know how stunningly beautiful this little country is?

    Dusk falls very early (and COLD) in San Marino, and the starry skies were clearly visible so high up on the mountaintop. We spent the evening wandering the Christmas-lit streets; with the day-trippers gone, it was like having a fairy tale kingdom all to ourselves. I hesitate to use the word "magical" and risk sounding like a dipshit social media influencer...but it kind of was.

    We enjoyed mulled wine at an outdoor café on the fortress walls, and then discovered possibly the most lovely city Christmas display I've ever seen. In front of the Town Hall, San Marino installed a giant Christmas tree overlooking a cliff edge, and a life-sized Cinderella coach and horses made out of lights. Again, it's amazing what a few spare billion euros will purchase!

    After a late dinner at a pizzeria, we bade goodnight to San Marino. Tomorrow we leave for Bologna!    Read more

  • TraveljonezFull of BolognaTraveler
    Palacio Ducal in Modena
    The Cathedral of Modena, with its Ghirlandia TowerOutside the delicious Mercato AlbinelliCappucinos at the classic Caffetteria GiustiSavigno's one main streetOur snug little room in Amerigo 1934 Locanda1 Michelin star dinner at Amerigo 1934Pumpkin-stuffed pasta in wild game ragú at Amerigo 1934Chocolate cremeux and zabaglione layered with waffle cookies...mmmm

    You Can Catch More Truffles With Vinegar

    Dec 5–6, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    ....or something like that.

    Welcome to one of my most glorious boondoggles EVER.

    I had been complaining about only adding one new country this year- Jordan, for our wedding anniversary back in March. But then I noticed that San Marino, a tiny country completely surrounded by Italy, was actually quite close to Barcelona. And then I saw that the nearest airport to San Marino is Bologna- and given that we've never been to Bologna, or any part of the Emilia-Romagna region, a boondoggle was born. And even better, when she heard about this boondoggle, Rey-Rey was in as well!

    So this morning we were up at 5am, and caught a 7:30am flight to Bologna. We picked up our rental car and drove 45 minutes to one of Emilia-Romagna's many food-famous towns: Modena. While Bologna is synonymous with ham, and Parma is synonymous with Parmesan cheese, Modena produces the famous Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. And like every other town in Emilia-Romagna, Modena is a food mecca.

    We spent the afternoon walking through Modena's gorgeous Italianate Old Town, with its miles of colonnaded porticos. I had thought Verona was untouristed; Moderna was a ghost town in comparison. It was so empty that when we stopped for lunch at a pizza restaurant, I got locked in the women's toilet, and only Matt heard me banging on the door. (the chef was kind enough to open the lock and get me out)

    We visited Mercato Albinelli, a 100-year-old covered market in the center of Modena. Many local producers offer balsamic wine tasting, and we were going to try some, but...it's VINEGAR, people. I do not want to drink this as if it's a beverage. Italians are weird.

    We visited the 12th century Cathedral of Modena, and its attached Tower Ghirlandia. The Cathedral was lovely, but not especially notable....until I saw that the north entrance, known as the Portal della Pescheria (the Fisherman's Entry) did not have the typical Jeebus sculptures and artwork decorating the entrance. Instead, the Portal is covered in stonework depicting Arthurian legends. That's correct: Instead of Jesus and Mary and Saint Peter, this cathedral has Guinevere and Lancelot and Arthur. Apparently this is the oldest monumental sculpture of Arthur in the world. It's just bizarre to see this on a 12th century church IN ITALY (which, as you may note, is not actually England), and no one could explain why. But it was weird, and I do luvs me sum weird.

    In the late afternoon we left Modena, and drove 30 minutes south to the teeny town of Savigno. Savigno is a one-street town that's famous for truffle production, and its one-Michelin-starred restaurant: Amerigo 1934. We had reservations for dinner, and an overnight stay in its nearby B&B. The B&B is built from an old abandoned stone home, with rooms created from old kitchens, bathrooms, and classrooms. The Joneses were booked in the former bathrooms, now a cozy double room.

    We arrived at the restaurant for our 9pm reservations, and were surprised that the entire restaurant was filled, on a random Thursday in early December. It speaks to how good the food is. We ordered pastas (gnocchi and a pumpkin-stuffed pasta with deer ragu) and the game of the day (wild mallard), The pastas were divine...but also huge, so when the duck arrived, we were already full. That didn't stop us from ordering the chocolate and zabaglione desserts, to be clear. Overall, the food was very good, but it was the people that made it amazing. I've never felt quite so welcomed before, and staying in the B&B felt like I was staying with friends. It was quite remarkable, really.

    Tomorrow we meet up with Rey-Rey!    Read more

  • TraveljonezChasing Juliet (and Grappa)Traveler
    Bassano's old Mill Dam, and Ponte Vecchio in the background
    Gorgeous frescoes on Porta Dieda, the town gateThe Viale dei Martiri (Avenue of the Martyrs) from the Italian ResistanceUpstairs at Libreria Palazzo Roberti, one of the world's "most beautiful bookstores"The Palazzo del Municipo (Town Hall) in Piazza LibertáVilla Ca' Erizzo Luca, where Hemingway stayed after his WWI injuryMmmm Bigoli d'Anatra (big pasta with duck ragú)Our final view of Bassano before departing

    Grappa-ling with Departures

    October 27, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    For our final day in lovely Bassano del Grappa, the four of us spent the day walking through the town, viewing the architecture and the historical sites.

    We walked to Bassano's beautiful but tragic Viale dei Martiri (Avenue of the Martyrs). Here, during World War II, 31 members of the Italian Resistance were brutally hanged from the 31 trees as punishment for opposing the fascists. Each tree is dedicated to the Resistance member who was murdered there. It's shocking and chilling, particularly given current political events in the US and Italy.

    We strolled through the town gate, Porta Dieda, and admired its Renaissance frescoes that still remained vibrant over 500 years later.

    We stopped in at Libreria Palazzo Roberti, a bookstore I'd seen mentioned in Architectural Digest as "one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world." This bookstore is a 17th century palazzo, and Napoleon himself once lived here. From the bookstore floor, it isn't so impressive; but our friends asked a clerk if we could view the upstairs rooms. And Architectural Digest wasn't exaggerating; the clerk unlocked the doors to a stunning, fresco'ed ballroom with a Murano chandelier.

    We walked along the River Brenta, and stopped to view Villa Ca' Erizzo Luca, the villa where Ernest Hemingway convalesced after being injured in World War I. Like the rest of Bassano del Grappa, the villa and its setting is historical, serene, and elegant.

    Our flight back to Barcelona was at 10pm, so we settled in for a late lunch on the main piazza. I discovered a delicious regional specialty- bigoli con anatra, or thick pasta with duck ragú. With a Campari Spritz, this was a perfect farewell meal to the Veneto region.

    After some limoncello shots, we caught a 5pm train to Venice, to spend a bit of time there before our flight. And that would be the end of our adventure.

    Well, except that....

    1. On the train to the airport, at about 6pm, we received an email from Vueling Airlines saying oopsie, so sorry...your flight has been cancelled! But no worries, they could rebook us on the next flight to Barcelona...on FRIDAY. Five days from now.

    (Luckily, after an hour or so of research, I found an Iberian Airlines flight at 6am tomorrow morning. Instead of a two-hour direct flight, it was now five hours with a connection through Madrid. This also meant that we had to spend a night at an airport hotel, because I ain't sleeping in Venice Airport. But thanks to EU regulations, Vueling is on the hook for our expenses. So there, stupid Vueling.)

    2. In Venice, we bought airport bus tickets to get to our airport hotel. Imagine our surprise when the bus was cancelled (AFTER they took our €20), because hey, it's Sunday night!

    (Luckily, I managed to convince another bus driver to let us hitchhike on his bus out of pure pity.)

    3. When we finally arrived in Barcelona, we boarded the airport bus...only to be kicked off halfway home because there was a transit strike today.

    This was an inelegant ending to an otherwise amazing weekend.    Read more

  • TraveljonezChasing Juliet (and Grappa)Traveler
    Bassano's Piazza Libertá on a lovely morning
    Making friends at the Poli Grappa MuseumGrappa exhibits at the Poli MuseumSniffing the grappa, the next best thing to drinking itLine 'em up, that grappa ain't gonna taste itselfAmortizing our free Poli Museum entry with free grappa tastingsPasta carbonara "as god intended" at La BottegaraChocolate and grappa gelato, and pumpkin spice gelato at ChocoMi...yes pleaseBassano's iconic Ponte Vecchio at night

    (Over) Eat-aly

    October 26, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Today was a day of waaaay too much food and booze. I have not been kind to my body today. But this is the price one pays when in Rome (or Bassano del Grappa)...

    We started the day at the Poli Grappa Museum, conveniently located across the street from our flat. Poli is another famous grappa producer, and they've made the brilliant marketing move to create a small, FREE museum to explain grappa distillation and history...and host a large Poli shop and tasting room at the end. The museum itself was surprisingly interesting- it included a "sniff display" of all Poli's grappa flavors, solving that timeless problem of "how to give free booze samples to everyone without boozing up kids, or wasting precious liquor."

    Also, grappa up one's nose is fun.

    We took full advantage of the free samples at the end; each of the four of us chose two different grappas, and we all shared. My goal of the day was to find a grappa that I would drink voluntarily- most grappa tastes like lemony lighter fluid- and I happily succeeded. I discovered I like egg grappa (its creamy flavor and texture is reminiscent of eggnog), mocha grappa, and aperitivo grappa (an Aperol-like flavor). I also learned about the four types of grappa, facts of which I promptly memory-holed after a few grappa shots. Anyway.

    By the time we finished our grappa-fest, it was time for lunch. However, being already full of grappa, I opted to skip lunch and advance directly to gelato.

    People: I have discovered drop-the-mic gelato.

    Our friends took us to their favorite gelato and chocolate shop, ChocoMi. Not only was ChocoMi's gelato delicious, but the flavors were freaking EPIC. I had two flavors: Chocolate with grappa, and- wait for it- PUMPKIN SPICE. While I know that an American white lady ordering Pumpkin Spice is a stereotype, in my defense, PUMPKIN SPICE.

    We spent the afternoon on various terraces, drinking (a lot of) wine and Campari Spritzes. Later in the evening, our friends had reservations for dinner at La Bottegara, a trattoria known for its pasta carbonara, "come dio comanda" ("as god intended"). And after eating a bowl of this rich, guanciale-heavy carbonara, I must say I agree with this restaurant's god. It was fabulous. But it was also ginormous and grossly filling. But despite that, we still managed to order several bottles of wine, and huge tiramisus.

    I'm not gonna lie- I felt like a python that had swallowed an entire goat, and now needed two weeks to slowly digest it. When we finally left three hours later, I could barely propel myself forward.

    We finished the evening with a long, post-gorge stroll over the Ponte Vecchio to admire the town at night.    Read more

  • TraveljonezChasing Juliet (and Grappa)Traveler
    Verona's Castelvecchio Bridge
    Conquering Castelvecchio BridgeSaying ciao to lovely VeronaThe view of Bassano del Grappa's Old Town from our friends' flatEnjoying Mezzo e Mezzo cocktails in Nardini's bar on Ponte Vecchio BridgeConquering the Ponte VecchioBassano and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge

    Who Needs Romeo When There's Grappa?

    Oct 25–27, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    We took our time leaving Verona on Friday morning. We visited the Castel Vecchio and its stunning bridge, had one last view of the old city, and attempted to get gelato before our 12:30pm train (I say "attempted" because stupid gelato shops open at 12pm, and we didn't want to miss our train).

    We arrived in Bassano del Grappa in the late afternoon, and met our friends at the station. After checking into our apartment, we strolled Bassano in the early evening. I have to say: Bassano del Grappa is a tiny slice of perfection. It's small, but stunning. The picturesque little piazzas are filled with both gorgeous medieval architecture, and locals happily drinking Aperol Spritzes. The town's 16th century Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) and castle feel so perfectly Italian and scenic that it's hard to remember they're real, and not theme park re-creations.

    There aren't many tourists in Bassano del Grappa- it's a bit remote and off the beaten path. The local community is so tight-knit that Nardini Distillery, Ponte Vecchio bridge's famous bar, will serve takeway glasses of apertivo to customers, who then wander away and walk along the bridge to enjoy their drinks. These customers are trusted to return those glasses, unbroken and unstolen, post-apertivo. Nobody steals the glassware, or hurls them off the bridge for funz. As a big-city dweller, I find this amazing. Let's be honest: In London, this bar would run out of glassware in one evening, and all of them would later be found shattered at the bottom of the river.

    We had aperitivo with our friends at this famous (but tiny) bar. Nardini is one of Bassano's original grappa producers, and they also sell a top-secret liqueur called "Mezzo e Mezzo." It's apparently an apertivo of vermouth, bitters, and rhubarb grappa; it's also insanely delicious and perfect as a pre-dinner cocktail. (I say this as someone who had one cocktail. OK maybe two.)

    We strolled to dinner at an osteria nearby, where I ate too much gnocchi and drank way too much table wine. While the food was not as impressive as Verona's Pane e Vino, it was still yet another Italian meal that I liked. Amazing!

    I turned down dessert in favor of post-dinner gelato. But...during our late-night post-dinner walk back to the flat, I was once again thwarted. I say "thwarted" because stupid gelato shops CLOSE at 11pm. So, the score of Me Getting Gelato In My Mouth is Italy 2, Denise 0.

    The hunt continues tomorrow.    Read more

  • TraveljonezChasing Juliet (and Grappa)Traveler
    The Verona amphitheater
    Our palazzo in VeronaOn Verona's Ponte Piedra Bridge on the River AdigePiazza delle ErbePiazza dei Signori, aka Piazza DantePonte Scaligero, aka Castelvecchio BridgeJuliet's "balcony"The Juliet statue underneath her balconyChasing Juliet: we found her!Riverside al fresco aperitivo with Hugo Spritz, prepare to please meLovely VeronaPiazza Dante at nightPiazza Bra at night, with the amphitheater on the leftMy pre-bedtime gelato view

    Two Gentle-Joneses of Verona

    October 24, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    We spent a lovely day exploring Verona and wandering its streets. In Verona, I have found the perfect little Italian town: Small enough to navigate, not overrun with drunken tourists, still fairly authentic, local, and preserved, with excellent food, stunning architecture and history, and simply gorgeous. For the first time ever, I am charmed by an Italian town, and I would love to return. Holy shit! This is not something I have ever said before.

    We started our walking tour of Verona this morning at the astonishing Piazza Bra. I say "astonishing" because right smack in the middle of the piazza is a Roman amphitheater from 30 AD. It's the fifth largest Roman amphitheater on the planet, and color me excited that we've now seen the entire Top 5: The Colosseum in Rome; the amphitheater of Nimes, France; El Jem in Tunisia; and Arles, France. (These are things that history nerds find impressive. I am just saying.) I do luvs me an amphitheater.

    We continued on to Verona's most famous sight: La Casa di Giulietta, or Juliet's House. Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" was based here in Verona, and in 1905 some creatively-thinking marketing types decided to cash in. Juliet's House is a beautiful 14th century palazzo, previously owned by the Cappello family (who MIGHT have been related to Shakespeare's fictional "Capulet" family). In 1905, the family sold the palazzo to the city, and the town collectively agreed that yessiree, that's Juliet's house! And then eagerly awaited the delicious tourism money to begin rolling in. (Spoiler alert: it did, and has never stopped.) In 1936 someone decided to crank the contrivance up to 11, and added the iconic balcony. No joke: The city found an unused medieval sarcophagus (don't we all have one or two lying around?), SAWED IT IN HALF, and stuck it on the exterior wall. Voila, it's her balcony!

    So people come from all over the world to see her balcony, visit her statue (and grope her boob for "good luck"), and leave love notes and requests for love advice stuck to the garden's walls...with chewing gum. It's as repulsive as Seattle's gum wall, except romantic and literary???

    People! Juliet and Romeo were FICTIONAL!

    Anyway, it all reminded me of Kronberg Castle in Copenhagen, which was the setting for Shakespeare's "Hamlet." So many British tourists would ask "where is Hamlet's grave?"- despite the fact that Hamlet is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER- that the castle gave up and created a "grave."

    I do not understand people.

    We strolled the morning market at the stunning Piazza delle Erbe. With its medieval Venetian architecture and bell towers, it looks like a movie set. Nearby is Piazza Dante, which is also shockingly well preserved, devoid of touristy shit, and utterly elegant and charming.

    Our walking tour led us by several tiny, dusty shops selling local specialties and wines. These types of shops are dwindling in Barcelona (we call them "colmados"), so we eagerly supported the local economy and bought some wine and cheese.

    We stopped for lunch at a small osteria on the river, then walked along the riverside promenade to see the lovely bridges spanning the Adige River. Ponte Pietra is the most famous; it was built in 100 BC (not a typo!), bombed in WWII, then rebuilt from the original stones dredged from the river. The 14th century Castel Vecchio, or Scaliger Bridge, is equally amazing- not only does it look like the love child of a castle and a bridge, but when it was built, it was the longest span in Europe.

    Later in the evening, we wandered the city. At night, with no day-tripper tourists, and the architecture beautifully lit, Verona is one of the loveliest towns I've ever seen. The piazzas and squares were peaceful yet buzzy; we snagged a riverside table for aperitivo hour, and enjoyed Campari spritzes under the terrace fairy lights. Around midnight, we had pre-bedtime gelato (that's a thing!) on a bench in Piazza Bra, in front of the amphitheater. Bliss.    Read more

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