(originally posted on 8/19/06)
I've posted my pictures online.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72598258@N00/sets/
Hope everyone is enjoying the rest of summer.
Caryn
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
The Worst Breakfast
(originally posted on 7/27/2006)
Several Days Ago: Molinaseca AM
The croissants were stale. The magdelenas crumbly. The bananas were green as our sick friends who remained in bed. When we heard the news that Allie too had gotten sick overnight, I cringed at the likelihood of it not being the last we saw of that breakfast.
Epilogue: Everyone is okay. Only queezy stomachs remain.
Several Days Ago: Molinaseca AM
The croissants were stale. The magdelenas crumbly. The bananas were green as our sick friends who remained in bed. When we heard the news that Allie too had gotten sick overnight, I cringed at the likelihood of it not being the last we saw of that breakfast.
Epilogue: Everyone is okay. Only queezy stomachs remain.
Cafe Con Leche
(originally posted on 7/27/2006)
I recently understood a little bit of Spanish humor. Not particularly good humor, but it made me feel special nonetheless. First I shall give you the background information:
At one particular point in time, Castilla and Leon were regions of their own. Today they are a province with the ever-so-clever title, ¨Castilla y Leon¨. Throughout the province, there are some individuals who think Leon should be an independent nation. These dorky high-schoolers write in spray paint on the wall, ¨LEON SOLO¨. We´ve seen this often.
Coffee here is simply with milk or with out it. You get a ¨Cafe con Leche¨ (with) or a ¨Cafe Solo¨ (without)
Now, last week we saw the usual ¨LEON SOLO¨ on the wall. Only this time, someone had added underneith, ¨¿O CON LECHE?¨ (Or with milk) Get it? Leon con leche? Ha-ha.
I recently understood a little bit of Spanish humor. Not particularly good humor, but it made me feel special nonetheless. First I shall give you the background information:
At one particular point in time, Castilla and Leon were regions of their own. Today they are a province with the ever-so-clever title, ¨Castilla y Leon¨. Throughout the province, there are some individuals who think Leon should be an independent nation. These dorky high-schoolers write in spray paint on the wall, ¨LEON SOLO¨. We´ve seen this often.
Coffee here is simply with milk or with out it. You get a ¨Cafe con Leche¨ (with) or a ¨Cafe Solo¨ (without)
Now, last week we saw the usual ¨LEON SOLO¨ on the wall. Only this time, someone had added underneith, ¨¿O CON LECHE?¨ (Or with milk) Get it? Leon con leche? Ha-ha.
A Look at the Bikers
(originally posted on 7/15/2006)
Though we have opted to walk the Camino, many pilgrims chose to complete the journey on bicycle. I can honestly say that this is an honorable feat. Though you move at a faster pace, biking the Camino is much more intense physically than walking it. Personally, I know that my legs could not pedal up the rocky slopes without rolling back down again.
So, as these admirable, athletic souls pass me by on the Camino, and call out the friendly greeting ,¨Buen Camino!¨ why do I have a sudden urge to reply with the finger?
Now don´t get me wrong. I wouldn´t actually flip a fellow perigrino the bird. I politely reciprocate, ¨Hola, buen camino!¨ But nevertheless, the feeling is there, and the time has come to look at why. Sometimes you don´t hear a biker coming up from behind you. You realize they´re there when they either ring their little bell, or someone yells out, ¨Guys, bikers!¨. Once you know of their presence, you´re not sure which side they´re coming up on, so there´s a moment where you look back to try and figure out which way to scoot. By that time they´ve zipped passed you, missing you by an inch. They basically disturb the peace. And often they genuinely scare you. Then again, maybe we just have a twinge of jealousy that they are going to have their next cafe con leche much, much sooner than we are. Either way, it is interesting that the most prominent divide among pilgrims is not one of race, class, gender, or age, but one of bicycle or foot.
Though we have opted to walk the Camino, many pilgrims chose to complete the journey on bicycle. I can honestly say that this is an honorable feat. Though you move at a faster pace, biking the Camino is much more intense physically than walking it. Personally, I know that my legs could not pedal up the rocky slopes without rolling back down again.
So, as these admirable, athletic souls pass me by on the Camino, and call out the friendly greeting ,¨Buen Camino!¨ why do I have a sudden urge to reply with the finger?
Now don´t get me wrong. I wouldn´t actually flip a fellow perigrino the bird. I politely reciprocate, ¨Hola, buen camino!¨ But nevertheless, the feeling is there, and the time has come to look at why. Sometimes you don´t hear a biker coming up from behind you. You realize they´re there when they either ring their little bell, or someone yells out, ¨Guys, bikers!¨. Once you know of their presence, you´re not sure which side they´re coming up on, so there´s a moment where you look back to try and figure out which way to scoot. By that time they´ve zipped passed you, missing you by an inch. They basically disturb the peace. And often they genuinely scare you. Then again, maybe we just have a twinge of jealousy that they are going to have their next cafe con leche much, much sooner than we are. Either way, it is interesting that the most prominent divide among pilgrims is not one of race, class, gender, or age, but one of bicycle or foot.
The Products of Spain
(originally posted on 7/14/2006)
I´m telling you this in confidence. I´m going to make it big one day, you know. I´ll tell you how, but don´t go stealing my ideas.
Alright. So there are some products here in España that we need in the States. I know there must be a way that I can make that happen and cash in. Our Danish friends, Peter and Markus told me that in Denmark they have a little store that sells American products, and it´s the only place they can get root beer. I told them how to make a float. In any case, I plan to do a little importing myself, and I´m going to start with these products:
Principes. Perhaps someone has already blogged about these little edibles from heaven, and if so, I apologize for being repetative. Principes are circular sandwich cookies composed of two light, crispy, buttery slabs of goodness filled with chocolate creamy creaminess. No American elven could make these puppies in some silly tree! They come in a roll wrapped in blue plastic, with a picture of a little cartoon prince on it. They cost a Euro or less and are a simply fabulous snack after 20 K or so. But then again, just about anything is simply fabulous after 20 K, so that is a bad example. But trust me, they´re the best!
KAS. The slogan is, ¨Bebe KAS y nada mas¨. That is, ¨Drink KAS and nothing else¨. Oh KAS, why would I bebe any beverage that is not your fizzy fizziness of refreshment? KAS is a fruity soda in Naranja (orange) or Limon (figure it out). I prefer limon, personally. It´s like lemonade with the perfect proportion of carbonation. Delicious!
Maxibon. A product of Nestle. Half ice cream bar, half ice cream sandwich. You hold on to the sandwich part and eat the bar part first. Hello, America! Where is Maxibon?
I´m telling you this in confidence. I´m going to make it big one day, you know. I´ll tell you how, but don´t go stealing my ideas.
Alright. So there are some products here in España that we need in the States. I know there must be a way that I can make that happen and cash in. Our Danish friends, Peter and Markus told me that in Denmark they have a little store that sells American products, and it´s the only place they can get root beer. I told them how to make a float. In any case, I plan to do a little importing myself, and I´m going to start with these products:
Principes. Perhaps someone has already blogged about these little edibles from heaven, and if so, I apologize for being repetative. Principes are circular sandwich cookies composed of two light, crispy, buttery slabs of goodness filled with chocolate creamy creaminess. No American elven could make these puppies in some silly tree! They come in a roll wrapped in blue plastic, with a picture of a little cartoon prince on it. They cost a Euro or less and are a simply fabulous snack after 20 K or so. But then again, just about anything is simply fabulous after 20 K, so that is a bad example. But trust me, they´re the best!
KAS. The slogan is, ¨Bebe KAS y nada mas¨. That is, ¨Drink KAS and nothing else¨. Oh KAS, why would I bebe any beverage that is not your fizzy fizziness of refreshment? KAS is a fruity soda in Naranja (orange) or Limon (figure it out). I prefer limon, personally. It´s like lemonade with the perfect proportion of carbonation. Delicious!
Maxibon. A product of Nestle. Half ice cream bar, half ice cream sandwich. You hold on to the sandwich part and eat the bar part first. Hello, America! Where is Maxibon?
The Minister's Cat
(originally posted on 7/02/2006)
The other day we played a word game while walking called ¨The Minister´s Cat¨. What this game entails is using a letter such as ¨a¨ and going around the group thinking up adjectives beginning with the letter to describe this cat. They do not, however, actually have to describe a cat. So. Let´s say it´s my turn. I go, ¨Acrobatic¨. Then Ryan´s like, ¨Ample¨. Casey goes, ¨Agile¨. Kate: Ailing. Ti: Acidic. Chun Yi: Afluent. Etc, etc. This entertained us for about an hour (not bad, right?), though we exhausted the game before reaching ¨b¨.
The other day we played a word game while walking called ¨The Minister´s Cat¨. What this game entails is using a letter such as ¨a¨ and going around the group thinking up adjectives beginning with the letter to describe this cat. They do not, however, actually have to describe a cat. So. Let´s say it´s my turn. I go, ¨Acrobatic¨. Then Ryan´s like, ¨Ample¨. Casey goes, ¨Agile¨. Kate: Ailing. Ti: Acidic. Chun Yi: Afluent. Etc, etc. This entertained us for about an hour (not bad, right?), though we exhausted the game before reaching ¨b¨.
Taking it Home for the Team
(originally posted on 6/29/2006)
So back in Madrid we were at a bar watching a soccer game. Someone hadn´t finished their beer, and Casey mentioned to them, in a coach-like manner, that they should ¨take it home for the team¨. Later on, the next day perhaps, we were eating lots of meaty goodness at the Museo Del Jamon. I couldn´t finish my sandwich, and so Casey says, ¨Take it home.¨ I thought he meant for later, and so I said, ¨Yeah, okay.¨ and I put it down. ¨No,¨Casey said, ¨Take it home.¨ I think I was jamoned out at that point, and Allie took it home for me, but in any case the phrase stuck.
Soon we realized that ¨taking it home¨ applied to many aspects of our trip, and we have more or less adopted it as our team motto. For example: We´re on the trail, we´ve got 5.7 K left. What do we do? Take it home, of course. Breakfast? Take it home. Wine? Take it home. Mountain? Take it home, duh. I feel better if I think of the trip in mini-accomplishments this way, taking it home one day at a time.
So back in Madrid we were at a bar watching a soccer game. Someone hadn´t finished their beer, and Casey mentioned to them, in a coach-like manner, that they should ¨take it home for the team¨. Later on, the next day perhaps, we were eating lots of meaty goodness at the Museo Del Jamon. I couldn´t finish my sandwich, and so Casey says, ¨Take it home.¨ I thought he meant for later, and so I said, ¨Yeah, okay.¨ and I put it down. ¨No,¨Casey said, ¨Take it home.¨ I think I was jamoned out at that point, and Allie took it home for me, but in any case the phrase stuck.
Soon we realized that ¨taking it home¨ applied to many aspects of our trip, and we have more or less adopted it as our team motto. For example: We´re on the trail, we´ve got 5.7 K left. What do we do? Take it home, of course. Breakfast? Take it home. Wine? Take it home. Mountain? Take it home, duh. I feel better if I think of the trip in mini-accomplishments this way, taking it home one day at a time.
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