Debbie Cole

Going back to Mexico today where we’ve permanent residency. It’s a modern country with a female president and reproductive rights for women.

We had the good fortune to be able to see saw this film on Sunday at the Arte Garaikideko Euskal Zentro-Museoa, in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The movie depicts Palestinians denied the right to forage the land for food. Jumana Manna is a US-born Palestinian artist who lives in Berlin. jumanamanna.com/Foragers

Rented a lovely 2 br apartment in Burgos through Booking.com from a host so unresponsive we thought we were being ghosted and scammed. The hubs had actually found a hotel for us to stay in as an alternative when he made a last-ditch phone call standing in front of the building and she answered.

Taking a train to Burgos this afternoon. It's the last town for us to visit before we head back to Madrid. I did get an email yesterday morning from the California Secretary of State informing me that my vote was received and will be included in the election.

Had a tough time time finding a hotel room in Madrid for our last 5 days in Spain due to the All Saints Day holiday but we're in at the first place we stayed 14 years ago and now I'm on the hunt for dia de muertos displays and activities. The main attraction seems to be the Casa de Mexico en Madrid!

Unbeknownst to us, daylight savings time ended here at 3 am this morning so we got a much-needed extra hour of sleep. After the crazy travel day we had yesterday followed by a vote faxing debacle, I needed some rest. Today very few things are open as is typical on Sunday, so we'll be "museuming."

Finally had a chance to print out my voter materials and fax them to the county elections office in California. Per the app all 5 pages were delivered, but it’s 10:30 on a Saturday morning in Sacramento right now so I’ll be on pins and needles until I get an email saying my vote has been received.

Up before sunrise again, this time to return the rental car in Pamplona and take a train to Vitoria-Gastiez. We’ve really enjoyed exploring the little hill towns of La Rioja. Now we’re making our way back toward Madrid.

Getting up before sunrise to catch a winery tour every morning wasn’t what I anticipated doing here but these Rioja winemakers are doing the lord’s work and we mustn’t interfere. We’ve toured bodegas from the smallest family owned and operated to the largest distribution possible. 🍷🍷🍷

You realize you can speak the language when you can follow wheel of fortune in Spanish! #daydrinking

We made it to La Rioja, checked in to our apartment stay and although there’s no dishwasher we do have a free washer AND DRYER!! I can’t overstate how unusual and how wonderful this is. I may have to forego wine tasting for a day just to do my laundry! (Just kidding.) Anyway, here’s a photo.

We're going to rent a car here in Pamplona and drive to the Rioja area for a few days. The hubs found us a nice place to stay in a small rural village advertised as a place to "disconnect as a couple." Something must be lost in translation. Is that where people go to break up?

We're leaving France this morning and taking a bus to Pamplona. I'm switching my Duolingo lessons back to Spanish. Over and out.

Okay. We went for a hike in the Pyrenees. This place is exquisite. Check it out.

We arrived at our hostal and immediately got the third degree from our host about our plans. He translated all of his suggestions for us from French to English via an audio mobile app. I feel like he’s going to be disappointed in us if we don’t spend the day tomorrow hiking in the mountains! 🏔️

Taking a train today from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port in the Pyrenees. It’s our last stop in France this trip before we go back to Spain. France has been interesting and challenging, the country is beautiful, and the people have been very nice to us.

Today we left early for a dinner reservation so we could have a pre-dinner beer. The bus came early to our surprise and the driver picked us up while chiding us that he shouldn’t do so. He told us he couldn’t drive us across the river because of the protest. There was a sit-in. We walked into town.

After 2 weeks in France we're still adjusting to the dining customs here. We recognized right away that standard restaurant hours are not what we're used to, but now we have to adjust the way we order meals. We've been caught off guard enough times; the French do things differently.

The hubs purchased two one-way tickets for us from Madrid to SFO on Nov 5 using our credit card points. Our flight leaves at 6:05 am. We have a little more than 3 weeks to finish exploring this part of France and get back to Spain. I have to put it out of my mind or it will ruin the trip for me.

We arrived in Bayonne, France, and were fortunate to be able to listen to the live broadcast from the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival on @WWOZ in New Orleans while we unpacked and settled in for the evening. We’ll be in this Airbnb until Wednesday exploring the French Basque region.

A president whinging about not receiving a Nobel peace prize while presiding over a government that shoots random people in autos while their children ride alongside them and plans publicly televised executions is so laughable it doesn’t even deserve consideration. Let’s hear no more about it.

We've met a few people today from the UK that are here in Fronsac, France. Without being asked - as I'd prefer not to bring it up - every one of them hates Trump, wishes him dead, and is appalled by his administration including the recently announced public execution by firing squad. #notrespected

Yesterday we visited three châteaus, including Des Milandes, the former home of Missouri-born artist Josephine Baker. We didn’t know much about her before going there, but she dedicated her life to freedom and equality, against racism, and she fought for France during World War II. A true heroine.

We've spent a couple of nights in a chateau, which sounds a lot fancier than it is, but it's peaceful in the French countryside, very quiet at night and we've been fed really well. We're moving on to a gîte stay for the week near where our friends from Guadalajara now live.

Like everything else Trump “fixes,” the reflecting pool (along with the war in Iran, gas prices, beef prices, and mortgage rates) is in exponentially worse shape than when he started.

The largest reflecting pool in the world in Bordeaux, France, on the banks of the Garonne River. Trump could take a tip from the French on this. The pool is drained and filled every half hour. It has no algae.

Little bit of sticker shock over here in France with grocery prices at the same chain (Carrefour) being much higher than they are in Spain. Also having a tough time switching to French after speaking Spanish for so many years. Hopefully I’ll get up to speed soon on that, too.

We're up early this morning to take a bus to Bordeaux. We'll be there a few weeks touring the wine country, caves and medieval villages and connecting with friends who recently moved to France from Guadalajara. Since I've been speaking Spanish for so many years I have a hard time remembering French.

Today we’re taking a bus from San Sebastián to Astigarraga where we’ll be attending an event at a traditional cider house with a Basque beefsteak and cod (bacalao) menu, unlimited natural cider from the barrel and entertainment. It’s part of a traditional harvest festival in the town this weekend.

We visited San Sebastián 13 years ago and always wanted to return. Exquisite food can be found here, it's true, but we've also enjoyed excellent meals in Vigo, Bilbao and even tiny Gernika. Northern Spain has a tapas and pintxo competition and the winners can be found everywhere.

We arrived intact in San Sebastián around noon and fortunately the hubs had a photo on his phone of preexisting damage to our rental car, otherwise we’d be forced to make an insurance claim. The town is chock full of tourists on a Friday evening; we’ve already come across 2 boisterous stag parties.

I’ve been reading #RegimeChange by Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan to see what they perceive as the end game for this unlawful, hurtful presidency but so far it seems Trump is merely crazy, stupid, stuck in the past, and just trying to enrich himself and his family and avoid prison. Hmmmm. 🤨

I have to admit that the very popular agriturismo “farm stay” was a little outside my comfort zone due to the noisy and smelly nature of a working farm and the absence of private spaces around other guests but we adjusted to it. Now we’re moving on to a room in a pensione in a bigger town.

It’s been really hot in northern Spain today (34 C) and we’ve been taking it easy. Tomorrow morning we’re returning our rental car in San Sebastián; it’s a Spanish made Cupra with all the bells and whistles. We’ve enjoyed driving around in it. The car’s features make it easy to navigate and park.

The hubs booked us into a couple of agriturismo farm stays in rural northern Spain where we have a shared kitchen and where making dinner alongside completely Spanish speaking people is completely enlightening and educational. We can’t wait to see how breakfast goes!

We met a young Basque man in a pintxo bar yesterday who'd just returned to Gernika after three months with family in Elko, Nevada. He spoke English perfectly with a southern drawl so strong we thought he was from Texas. Must have learned English by watching television. He was happy to see Americans.

Leaving Bilbao this morning for Guernika. The Guggenheim was closed while we were here but we've been before. This time we made dinner in the apartment, did a walking tour of the old town and made a pintxo crawl. All in all a fine time.

Got caught up in parking hell in Islares, west of Bilbao, as we made a visit to the beach before checking into our Airbnb. The area draws hordes of people on a beautiful late summer weekend like this and we got trapped in gridlock in an overfull parking loop. My driving skills were put to the test!

It’s our 19th wedding anniversary today and, after living out of a suitcase for a month, our gift to each other is a short-term apartment rental where we’ll be able to wash all of our clothes. I brought some Tide pods with me just for this purpose. We’re both super excited about it!

I just downloaded my Military and Overseas voter ballot for the upcoming general election and the hubs just reregistered as an overseas voter. California’s ballot is pages long, as usual, but at least there aren’t 100 options for governor like there were in the primary. #readytovote

I inadversely touched a stinging nettle earlier this afternoon and my fingers still hurt. Apparently nettles are common throughout Europe and we've been touring a rural area. I've never come across them in Mexico or California so I didn't realize what it was. I'll know next time to keep hands off!

The northern coast of Spain is wildly gorgeous and the town of Comillas is beautifully quirky, although it closes up earlier than we’ve gotten used to. Misty rain today and lots of tourists. Tomorrow we’re going to see the caves of Altamira. I’m so excited I don’t know whether I’ll be able to sleep!

Just spent $84 USD to fill the tank with ~10 gallons of gas. And this was at a cheap gas station!

Having a frustrating day today trying to get from one place to another with Google Maps consistently directing us to the freeway and away from the scenic coastal road we wanted to take, no matter what settings were selected in the map app. Ah well, AI knows best, eh?😐

We’ve enjoyed our time in A Coruña and now we’re moving on. Taking a road trip to the northern coast of Spain. Tonight we’ll be in Viviero, tomorrow night Oviedo, after that Cómelas. We’re making our way to Bilbao by next weekend.