Living overseas – Ex-pats in Mexico

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

Spain is more than just Alicante

Leslie and I have been living in our Alicante apartment for a little over a month now. Some days are like today: rainy and chilly. So we just stay home and read our books or work on planning our next vagabond move. There have only been a few of those days, although it seems the rainy season may actually be here now. And when I say “chilly” I mean highs around 62º or 63º F. The locals are bundled up in winter coats, while we put on a light jacket or a sweater. Most days, we’re out doing something, like going to Central Mercado for groceries or visiting one of several local museums.

But we also realize that we need to get out of town and see more of Spain. Last week we hopped on an early morning train for Valencia and did an overnighter. Valencia was one of the cities we considered living in for an extended period. It’s famous as the birthplace of paella, and we wanted to see what the “real thing” tastes like. To do that, we found, takes some planning. You need a car to get out into the countryside and find a place that cooks paella outside, over an open fire. That’s the Valencian way. And we learned that true Valencian paella does not include seafood, just chicken, rabbit and sometimes snails.

We took advantage of a walking tour to see the historical sites in the old city, and we got a tip from our tour guide about a nearby restaurant — not a tourist trap — that does Valencian paella. It was great. We definitely needed a siesta after that meal! We’ve had several different kinds of paella now. I can’t decide on a favorite.

The walking tour covered the major tourist sites, such as the cathedral, the archeological museum with its Roman ruins, the Central Mercado and the narrowest building in Europe. This building is only one meter wide. Really. Take a look (left). One meter. That’s not quite 3.3 feet. And people actually lived in it a few centuries ago. Today it’s just for tourists to gawk at. Most of it has been reworked so that it’s part of the building next door.

Valencia is larger than Alicante, with more than 800,000 people. We liked what we saw and think we could live there. It’s got a different feel, a stronger vibe, more energetic. Get out of the old city and you find City of Science and Industry, an attraction almost like a theme park that includes Europe’s largest aquarium, Oceanografic. We hope to see it on our next visit there.

Old city housing is similar to where we live here in Alicante. We didn’t get a chance to visit any modern areas, but the outskirts of the old city have newer buildings, and a hustle and bustle that’s similar in ways to downtown Chicago.

The next day, we spent some time in the Cathedral of Saint Mary, built between the 13th and 15th centuries, with additional work done over the centuries since. When we arrived in the plaza to meet our tour, we thought the building was a synagogue because the stained glass window includes the Star of David, as you can see in the photo (right). On the tour, though, we learned it was designed as a tribute to Jesus having been Jewish.

There are a number of chapels that contain precious works of art, including two Goya paintings. In one chapel, the left arm of St. Vincent the Martyr — patron saint of Valencia — is on display. And in the most important chapel, we saw the Holy Grail. Yes, THE Holy Grail, the cup Christ used at the Last Supper. Always skeptical, I did some research later. One brochure says this cathedral’s claim is actually quite strong. It seems other potential Christ cups have been debunked, but they claim the jury is still out on this one. Anything’s possible, I suppose.

Heading out of town, we were really impressed with Estacio del Nord, the train station that handles most regional traffic. The other station is for the high-speed AVE trains to Madrid. Nord is impressive, as you can see. Built in 1917, the tile work is incredible, inside and outside.

This weekend we plan to visit two smaller towns just up the coast from Alicante: Altea, which we once considered for a base, and Vila Joiosa which we’ve only learned about since being here. More on that later.

Finally, it seems that everywhere we go, we run into a wedding. Remember I told you about the wedding at Edinburgh Castle that stumbled upon us back at the beginning of the journey? And when we were in Greece a year ago with Educational Opportunities, I took some shots of a photographer shooting a wedding on the island of Santorini. Well, we were just about to leave the plaza outside the rear of the cathedral in Valencia when I turned and saw this couple. Weddings are everywhere, it seems. We hope they will be very happy together.

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, 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.

Living overseas, Retirement, Travel, wine

A great day at Raventos i Blanc: Vineyards, mules, sparkling wine and our friend Pepe

Two years ago at the Hinsdale Wine Shop, we tasted some fantastic Spanish wines and met the winemaker, Pepe Raventos of Raventos i Blanc. We told Pepe back then that we hoped to relocate to Spain in about two years, when I retired. He signed one of the bottles we bought that night, “See you in two years!”

It took a little more than two years, but today we saw Pepe again when we spent a few hours touring his family’s estate, about a 40-minute train ride west of Barcelona in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. Pepe is the 22nd generation of his family to run this winery. His ancestors started out in 1497. That’s not a typo. Over 500 years in the same family. Here we are with Pepe. The bust behind us is of Pepe’s grandfather.

We saw some vines that are about 70 years old, as well as some new plantings, and we met the two mules that help out on the property. Our guide was Anna, a young English woman on Pepe’s staff who is highly knowledgeable about wines. She’s off next week to Hungary to promote Raventos wines in that country.

Anna treated us to some sparking wine as we looked over the vineyards with Montserrat in the background, but nearly shrouded in clouds. It was a bit chilly for this time of year.

Pepe is moving his family’s business into a more organic style called biodynamic. It’s almost as if he’s guiding his family’s business into the future by going back to techniques from its storied past. Please take a look at their website, http://www.raventos.com, to learn about biodynamics and their fabulous sparkling wine, or cava in Spain. I think you will be impressed with the materials on the website, especially the video. Definitely watch the video.

We know Pepe thanks to Sean Chaudry at Hinsdale Wine Shop. If you want to purchase some of their very fine wines, head for Hinsdale and tell Sean you’re friends of Mike and Leslie Rogers. I’m sure he’ll sell you some of Pepe’s good stuff.

Two more days in Barcelona, then the vacation is over and we head for Alicante. There, we begin six weeks living in an apartment just off the central plaza (in Castilian Spanish, that’s pronounced, “plah-tha”) and only two blocks from the beach. We’ll be going to the markets like locals, walking around the plaza like locals, and visiting other places along the Costa Brava that could become our new home.

The vagabonding begins in earnest on Oct. 24!

Retirement, Travel

The Adventure Begins!

Front

We have sold our home of over 15 years and are ready to begin a great adventure, which begins by transitioning from a three-bedroom house to a tiny one-bedroom apartment!

We are Leslie and Mike Rogers, soon to be vagabond retirees. Leslie retired in 2007. Once Mike retires at the end of July, we begin our travels in southern Spain. From there, probably France, from there — who knows. We’re looking for a new home. Might be Europe, might be Central or South America. This is the research phase.

You can keep track of our travels through this blog. The adventure begins. There’s a lot more to come!