Europe – Page 4 – Ex-pats in Mexico

Europe, history, Living overseas, Retirement, Spain, Travel

Alicante is the best place in the world!

That’s actually the city’s official motto, as we learned today from guide Maria. She led our little group on a walking tour from the waterfront through the old town and up to Central Mercado, pointing out landmarks and giving us quite a history lesson.

Alicante has a troubled past. Lots of death and destruction in the War of the Spanish Succession and later the Spanish Civil War. This city was on the losing side in both conflicts. But since the mid-20th century — and especially since the 1980s — things have gotten progressively better. Tourism has created many jobs, helping the population grow to more than 300,000. Now when you look northwest from the heights of the Castle Santa Barbara, you see a thriving city that feels good about itself. Hence, the motto.

While a few historic structures remain, most of the city’s buildings are 20th and 21st century. Alicante was bombed repeatedly by the fascists in the Spanish Civil War, and it became the last Republican city opposing Franco’s forces. Many of those who opposed Franco escaped Spain from the port of Alicante, which you can see in this photo, also taken from Castle Santa Barbara. The old city is prominent also. Just right of center, you may be able to see the blue domes of Co-cathedral of St.Nicolas. Stunning from the inside. It dates to the 1600s, but has been renovated several times, once following a fire.

In an earlier post, I wrote that I didn’t know the age of the apartment building we’re in. Update: Only about 60 years old, according to its owner, but the foundations are over 200 years old. That’s why the streets are so narrow. Some buildings in the area are older, such as the Alicante City Hall and Basilica Santa Maria, both of which survived bombardments from sea and air.

Central Mercado also survived an aerial bombardment on 25 May 1938. But 300 civilians were killed when bombs fell on the plaza just north of the market. A plaque in the plaza floor commemorates that tragic event.

On a cheerier note, Maria explained that tourism started taking off here when Scandinavians discovered Alicante’s beaches. At the time, though, highly restrictive dress codes for women prohibited bikinis. Even into the 1960s! So a delegation traveled to Madrid and petitioned the Franco government for relief. The Scandinavians won’t come if the women can’t wear bikinis on the beach! And did we mention how much money tourists bring into the city? So the government eased off, and the tourists are still coming today. Here’s part of the main beach on Friday, Nov. 11, from Castle Santa Barbara.

So the people here think this is the best place in the world. Is it the best place for us to retire? Hey, this is our first stop. And we’ve only been here three weeks. Let us check out some other places.

But it’s definitely on the short list.

Europe, food, Living overseas, Retirement, Spain, Travel, wine

The good life in sunny Spain

Today, Leslie enjoyed getting a pedicure at a nail salon here in Alicante. We found this place online, then stopped by yesterday afternoon and made the appointment. You should understand that she really liked getting her toes done at Karma in our former hometown of Westmont, Ill. So going to someone else, especially someone who does not speak English, was a big question mark. I think Leslie has a new favorite nail tech! They managed to communicate just fine, and the pedicure was slightly less than at Karma, just 25 euros.

We’re trying to be like locals, so Leslie is cooking our main meal at midday, which for Spain is around 2 p.m. We have a big dinner, what we would call “lunch,” between 2 and 3 p.m., with a glass of red wine. Then we enjoy siesta until 5 or 6 p.m. Sometimes that’s an actual nap, sometimes it’s reading a book, or taking a walk or working on a blog. Many shops close between 2 or 3 p.m. and 5 or 6 p.m., then reopen until 8 or 9 p.m. Siesta is very civilized. Here’s one of those midday meals, a favorite of mine and one of Leslie’s amazing creations: Spanish steak baroness, along with a 2012 crianza from Protos winery in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain.

OK, the selfie’s not that great, but the meal was incredible!

Most Spaniards have their evening meal as late as 9 or 10 p.m. Something light like tapas. I’ve been making dinner salads for us almost every evening, usually about 7: 30 or 8 p.m. That was our lunch back in the States. Having a light meal before bedtime is, we think, healthier.

We usually dine at home, but some evenings we go out for tapas and a glass of sangria. And a few times we’ve had the midday meal at a restaurant, taking advantage of the menu del dia. For a fixed price, often less than 10 euros per person, you get an appetizer or soup, entree, wine and dessert.

We’re buying food at a couple of different places, but the most interesting is Central Mercado on Avenida Alfonso X El Sabio. Built in 1911-12, it’s a cavernous old building with modernist architecture and tilework. Seems like hundreds of vendors on two floors, selling fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, etc. Like the Downers Grove farmers’ market on steroids, but indoors and all year ’round. Prices are even better than the farmers’ market, too. And if we don’t know the Spanish name of something we just point to the item and ask, “Como se dice esta en Espanol?” This morning, Leslie pointed to the broccoli and asked that question. “Broccoli,” the vendor smiled. Sometimes it’s easy.

Another great thing about this part of the world: We’ve been here a little over two weeks now and have not used heat or air conditioning in the apartment. Most days, the windows are open. It’s been a little cool the past few evenings, but most it’s usually at least 22 degrees in the afternoon, and the coolest overnight so far has been 10 degrees. Remember, they use the Celsius scale in Europe so that would be a high of 70-plus and a low of 50. And very little rain.

One more month here in Spain, then we move on to the island nation of Malta for another month. We’ve heard lots of good things about Malta, and can’t wait to check it out. The original plan was to go to France or Italy next. But even southern France is a bit chilly this time of year. And our preferred location in Italy, the Amalfi Coast, was a logistical nightmare. So we opted for Malta and we’re still hopeful our daughter Stephanie will be able to join us for Christmas.

On Jan. 15, we must leave the Schengen Zone. Options include hanging out for three months in the UK, Ireland or Croatia, or something more exotic such as Cyprus or Israel, then back to Europe proper. The current Plan A, though, is to come back to the New World, probably to Montevideo,Uruguay, where it is now summer!

That could change, though.We’ll keep you posted.

Europe, Living overseas, Retirement, Spain, Travel

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

Just a brief pause in this travel blog to celebrate something not related to travel, or Spain, or retirement. Bigger, some might say.

The Chicago Cubs won baseball’s World Series for the first time since 1908! Just so you know, I grew up in Arkansas watching the St. Louis Cardinals on TV — on Saturday or Sunday afternoons — with my dad. They were the closest major league team, so that’s the team we saw on our TV. One great memory of my dad: Whenever a batter came up in the eighth or ninth inning and the announcer said he was “oh-for-four” or “oh-for five,” my dad would always say, “Well, he’s due.” Invariably, the batter would get a hit.

I lost interest in baseball when I wasn’t picked for a Little League team. I think that was 1960. Flash-forward to 2000 when Leslie and I moved from San Antonio to the Chicago suburbs and I landed a job with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Having a cubicle right next to Mick Hans, and working closely with Sue Pastor, I quickly became a Chicago Cubs fan. Not long-suffering like those mentioned, but a fan. And I did love my lengthy Cubs-related conversations with fellow editor John Peterson.

Today, in glorious retirement, Leslie and I spent some time on the beach here in Alicante, Spain. Yes, on Nov. 4 we were on the beach. Here I am:

44552eb3-10e9-4c99-b0f2-1fa8eec84026

Luggage space is highly limited when you’re packing for a 10-month trip over three seasons, so I only brought the cap. I wore it one day in Barcelona and was approached by someone who recognized the logo. Fist bump.

Today I wore it proudly, even though most of the other people on the beach were speaking Spanish, French, Italian or Russian. I’ll wear it again tomorrow. Proudly.

So what was the U.S. like in 1908? Teddy Roosevelt was president, Henry Ford produced the first Model T and Thomas Selfridge became the first person to be killed in an airplane crash. Grover Cleveland died and Lyndon B. Johnson was born. Mark Twain was still alive, as were Harry Houdini, Florence Nightingale and the Wright Brothers. None of them, however, saw the Cubs win that year.

So even though I am many miles from Chicago today, I’m excited about this historic win. Let’s do it again next year, guys!

Fly the W!

Europe, Living overseas, Retirement, Travel

Settling in to the Spanish lifestyle. The siesta is alive and well in Alicante!

Buenos tardes from our apartment, or “piso” in Spanish. Here’s a photo (right) of our end of Calle Mayor in the Cosco Antiguo, the Old City of Alicante. I have yet to learn how old the buildings are in this area, but much of the city was destroyed by cannon fire from English ships in 1691, so most are likely 18th or 19th century, although a few older structures survived the battle. More history later.

The Cosco Antiguo, as you can see, has narrow streets, some of cobblestone. Just wide enough for one car, or most likely for two hombres with their burros to pass each other. Vehicle access is restricted to those with special permits.

Below is a shot of our building, Calle Mayor, 43. It’s a very comfortable apartment with two bedrooms and two baths. We’re in piso 1 on the first floor, but European “first” floors are what we would call the second floor in the U.S. Here, though, when you enter from the street you are on the ground level, or floor 0. We’ve checked out the rooftop terrace, from which we can see most of the Cosco Antiguo and Centro barrios, and just a small part of the Mediterranean Sea. Looks like a great place to hang out with a glass of wine in the afternoon.

It’s about 1600 as I write this. If you were in the military, or if you’ve spend much time in Europe, you will recognize that as 4 p.m. Lunch is over and siesta has begun. Most shops, and some restaurants, close around 2 or 3 p.m. and re-open after 5 or 6 p.m. Spanish families generally have their main meal of the day at lunch, anywhere from 1 to 3 p.m., then a light dinner or tapas after 8 or 9 p.m., often followed by a stroll through the plaza or down the rambla. It’s not unusual for tapas bars to be full of people at midnight or even later. We’re not fully acclimated to siesta yet (although Leslie is napping right now!) but we think it’s highly civilized!

We started our day early today (Friday, Oct. 28) with a walk along Alicante’s most popular beach, Playa del Postiguet, for sunrise at about 8:30 a.m. Lots of local folks were out, too. Some were jogging, some walking dogs, a few were even swimming. We were very comfortable in T-shirts. High today, about 74 degrees F. Here’s what it looked like this morning during our walk:

Later we roamed through Central Mercado, an indoor market place with hundreds of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, seafood, and pastries. This is where the people of central Alicante come to buy food.

The fruits and vegetables area brought to mind our Saturday mornings at the Downers Grove farmers’ market the past several summers. But this was much bigger, with more vendors. At one stall, we picked up some lemons, apples, celery, broccoli, potatoes, a big red pepper and a bunch of seedless grapes– all for 8 euros, less than $10.

We still have some exploring to do in our temporary home, but so far we like Alicante. Hey, it’s been almost a week and we have yet to turn on any AC or heat. We could get used to this.

Adios!

Europe, Living overseas, Retirement, Travel

The vacation is over. Now we try out the Spanish lifestyle.

We are now in Alicante, Spain, where it’s nice and warm. No jacket required here! Our “vacation,” traveling through the UK and spending time in Barcelona, is finished. We have moved into our temporary quarters at Calle Mayor, 43, first floor, apartment 1. We are in the Casco Antiguo, or Old Town, with narrow cobblestone streets and very old buildings. Our apartment, however, is modern and cozy. More on that later.

First, a bit about Barcelona, since this is partly a travel blog. We visited the Gothic Quarter and walked down the famous Rambla. Some of the shops and restaurants are for locals, while some are just there to take the tourists’ money. Fascinating to see the stalls in the Mercat de Saint Josep de la Boqueria. You can buy candies, pastries, seafood and the Spanish “jamon iberico,” the thinly sliced cured ham that comes only from black Iberian pigs. Sabroso!

But the highlight of any trip to Barcelona is seeing Sagrada Familia. This is the cathedral designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Construction began in the late 1800s and continues today. You can see construction cranes in any photo you take of this building. The authorities say they expect completion in 2026.

It’s unlike any church or cathedral anywhere. You’ve probably seen photos of the soaring spires, the crazy architecture and the modern statues depicting the life of Christ. But your jaw drops when you go into the basilica and look up.

Gaudi designed the stained glass windows differently for the east and west sides of the basilica. On the east side, struck by the morning sun, he used blues and greens. Cool colors. On the west side, he went with warm colors of red, yellow, orange. The difference is stunning.

We were there about 3:30 p.m. The sun coming in those west windows was dazzling. So bright I could not get a good photo. Here are the east windows.

Heavily influenced by nature, Gaudi designed the supporting pillars in the center of the church to look like trees. You can see how the branches spread out as they approach the ceiling. Yes, I did get a little dizzy looking up, but you have to look up!

Then there are the statues on the two main facades. They are stark and modernistic. The photo below shows Christ on the cross, but looking up toward Heaven, not down as in most crucifixes. Below that are Roman soldiers, but they appear to be wearing midaeval style armor. On either side of this sculpture are statues of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, and Peter, who denied Him. This facade is all about Christ’s death. The opposite facade is about the Nativity.

Barcelona practically worships Antoni Gaudi. You can see more of his buildings throughout the city. His unfinished cathedral draws millions of tourists, and his style is now Barcelona’s style. Meanwhile, the English word “gaudy” means something that does not look stylish at all.

When Gaudi died in 1926 in a tram accident, thousands attended his funeral. He is buried in the crypt section of his cathedral. He saw the structure as his gift to God.He once responded to a critic who thought the work was taking too long, saying, “My client is not in a hurry.”

The crypt, below the main level, is actually the only place were services are held. There is an altar set up there, and priests say mass daily. There is also a small chapel behind the nave set aside for prayer. Leslie and I spent some time there, and it was awesome.

Europe, Living overseas, Travel

Worshipping With Wesley

We decided to go to church Sunday. Surely there’s a Methodist church somewhere in London, right? So we rode the Tube to 49 City Road and attended the 11 a.m. service at Wesley’s Chapel. Yes. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, built this church and preached here until his death. Here we are, shortly after the service ended. Our good friends at Grace UMC in Naperville will appreciate this the most. Today, we walked in the steps of John and Charles Wesley.

This is an amazing place. Roughly half the congregation is African, many of the rest would fit right into the Forum Class at Grace! Being here was awesome. The Rev. Jennifer Potter gave an excellent sermon (not as good as Pastor Cindy, though!) from the high pulpit. In Wesley’s day, the pulpit was three times higher than what you see behind us here. That was so Wesley could see everybody, including those in the balcony, and be heard by all.

Following the service, we had coffee with some of the congregants. Wouldn’t be a Methodist church without coffee, would it? Then we went on a tour with other visitors, including a group from Idaho. A volunteer showed us the church, the Methodist Museum, Wesley’s original Foundry Chapel (next door to the current church), Wesley’s home and his tomb. I won’t take up space here with details. If you want to know more, go to www.wesleyschapel.org.uk. The church was closed for a number of years and has been changed significantly from what Wesley built in the 1700s. For example, there were no stained glass windows then. I’ll just add that it was pretty cool when I was able to stand in the same pulpit that John Wesley preached from. Wow!

Here’s that pulpit from the Foundry Chapel, now in the Methodist Museum. What’s still in the original chapel is the organ Charles Wesley used to write many of the hymns we still sing today.

In Wesley’s house, we saw the parlor and study, along with Wesley’s bedroom. All the rooms are very, very small. Much like the hotel room we’re in right now!

Here’s his study, complete with the chair he used, a replica of his preaching robe and the grandfather clock originally owned by Wesley’s parents. Notice that the chair is designed to be used as a normal chair, but Wesley also sat backwards on it so he could place a book on the small shelf, making study easier. The tour guide pointed out the size of the robe. Really short. Wesley was quite short, even for people in the the 18th Century.

Finally, here’s a shot of the church.