Eleanor Widmer and the Reader
Willie Shoemaker, Carl Rogers, John Vietor, Michael Copley, Tropic of Cancer
Eleanor Widmer 8:30 a.m., March 23
Spain
Art meets nature in the Canaries
Lanzarote offers an off-beat artsy vibe, stunning beaches and volcanic wonders.
The island of Lanzarote, part of Spain’s Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa, is for many budget tourists synonymous with cookie-cutter resort towns and all-inclusive holiday packages. The truth is that the island’s ...
What enters with difficulty goes not out easily
From "The Dove's Necklace" by Ibn Hazm
Some men there are whose love becomes true only after long converse, much contemplation, and extended familiarity. Such a one is likely to persist and to be steadfast in his affection, untouched by the passage ...
Sevilla goes to Seville
Like a call from a muezzin when it starts, the tone grows gradually more profound. Rhythm gets stronger and more intense – now accompanied by the powerful stamping of feet from a dancer, whose long, ...
Walking the Camino, an intermission
Near the end of Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago — Lydia Smith’s finely observed documentary about travelers along Spain’s 500-mile pilgrim trail, the Camino de Santiago — one of the pilgrims makes a ...
A señorita in Girona
Laid-back culinary capital of northeast Spain.
It wasn’t long ago that we visited Girona. After a six-hour drive from Nice, France, and just a few drops of fuel left, we arrived in the northeast conurbation of Catalonia. It was impossible to ...
Spain's Costa Brava awaits
The road was treacherous. It was mid-Feburary. The blustery weather showed no signs of mercy. Driving along the northeastern coast of Spain from France, I felt like I was living some kind of nocturnal Spanish ...
Shoestring Travel: Madrid
Taking you to European destinations on a dime.
After leaving Barcelona and falling in love with the city, we hopped on the high-speed train to Madrid. Three hours later we arrived at our flat (that we found on AirBnb) overlooking Plaza De Santa ...
Madrid: The City that Always Sleeps
For a city known for nightlife, Madrid's residents sure like to sleep. Don’t expect to accomplish much in the land in la mañana. I remember hearing stories during a city tour: it took city workers ...
Shoestring Travel: Barcelona
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (6 of 7).
After traveling all around southern Spain this past year, we figured it was finally time to give some love to northern Spain. We started with 3 days in Spain's Catelonian capital, Barcelona. The minute we ...
Canary Islands Getaway
This island chain off the coast of Morocco is worth a visit.
While living and working in Europe, I traveled extensively during my time off. I took a lady friend along to the Canary Islands one year, where we spent two weeks in bliss. Although it was ...
San Diego in Ronda, Spain?
The past few years, I’ve encountered a sweet picture of my wife’s parents’ wedding on the wall in their living room – a distinctly ‘70s vintage scene set in none other than the San Diego ...
A Week in Madrid, Spain
I was at the end of adjuncting three college courses, and hadn’t traveled internationally since 2006 when my husband and I went to Taipei to visit family. I had some money and time to go ...
Historic Toledo, Spain
Escape the busy streets of Madrid for the quiet walkways of Toledo. Forty-five miles away from Madrid, Toledo makes a great day trip for just about any traveler. Transportation is easy, with high-speed trains that ...
Sevilla, Spain: A Celebratory Day To Remember...Maybe
I woke up on Monday, April 8, 1996, from my daily siesta in Sevilla, Spain, to my host father, Paco, telling me the police just called looking for me and George, my New Jersian housemate. ...
Vibrant Madrid, Spain
I arrived in Madrid from the airport via its sparkling, modern metro system a bit lost and concerned at how inadequate my Spanish was. Stopping at a corner market for assistance, I was guided by ...
