Hello, my friends. We are back from our trip to Europe; and happy to be home sweet home. And I am back after my longest blog break ever. The first extended trip we’ve been on where I have not written a blog post. As usual we moved a lot on this trip, and while I set aside a couple of days over the course of the month to do laundry and hopefully blog, I found, even on those designated rest days, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything but read and nap. After doing the laundry, that is. So I hope you’ll forgive my long absence. And I hope, at least, that you followed our trip on Instagram where I tried to post a few photos every other day.
We arrived home late the night before last. Very late. Or very early the next morning, whichever way you want to look at it. After several flights, long layovers, and a situation with the airline which required that, after each flight, we pick up our checked bags, exit the secure area, visit the departures area to check our luggage in again, get boarding passes for the next flight, and go through security all over again. Sheesh. This has never happened before. And by the third time we picked up our checked bags, visited the airline counter, and went through security… again… I was slightly cranky. Make that very cranky. And so done with trailing down long airport walkways. I find that air travel itself can sometimes drive the wonderful memories of a trip clean out of your mind. At least temporarily.
I know many people travel with carry-on only. But even travelling with carry-on only would not have altered the necessity of all that palaver. And palaver it was. All because some airlines don’t talk to other airlines, or so we were told.
So, we’re both happy to be home. I was sighing this morning over a strong cup of tea and toast with peanut butter. I know. The weird things we miss when we’re away, eh? And our view; I missed our view. The river, the trees. Even the geese. Okay, maybe I didn’t miss the geese so much. But the sight of them effortlessly sailing downstream as the steam on the river rose beyond them and the sun glinted on the water was, well, lovely. And lovely to see this morning despite the amazingly wonderful views we’ve seen in the past month.
In case you haven’t read the posts I wrote before we left, our trip consisted of four weeks away, starting with five nights in the Azores, most of the rest of the time in Spain, except for two nights in Portugal and two nights in France. After the Azores we flew to Porto, Portugal, and drove from Porto to Spain and into France through the Pyrenees, stayed a couple of days to hike, and then drove back to Spain through the mountains albeit via different passes. Once back in Spain we followed the northern coast of Basque country from Donastia/San Sebastián, to Bilbao, detoured a bit south to spend a few days in Picos de Europa National Park, then back up to the coast to Viveiro, Malpica, and south through Galicia back to Porto to fly home. Fifteen stops, fifteen different accommodations.
Crazy, I know. But we had so many things we wanted to see and do. And maybe we bit off a little more than we should have. Especially for an eighty-one-year-old driver, and a sixty-nine-year-old navigator who perhaps likes to sit and read a little too much. Ha. Maybe we learned a few lessons this time. The main thing being that four weeks on the go is too much, and that three weeks is probably enough. Next trip, wherever that will be, will be a bit shorter. Or so we’re telling ourselves now.
Perhaps if we’d taken a tour, or a cruise, or otherwise given over control of the driving and the decision making to someone else, we’d not have been so very tired by the time we reached Porto. Maybe. But that’s not how we want to travel. Even though we know that charting our own course entirely comes at a cost.
I don’t intend to go into much detail about what we did and where we went in this post. I just wanted to touch base with you all to say we’re home. And that we had a wonderful trip, fatigue and flight frustrations aside. I will doubtless, in the near future, wax lyrical about some of the lessons we learned, some of the style I observed, and some of the wonderful people we met.
Not to mention some of the wonderful places we stayed. Like “La Caracola”… the beautiful little house, below, in Caracena, Spain.
Or some of the hikes we took and the sights we saw. Like when we hiked the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees.
And of course, the roads we drove. Hubby and I have been on some mountainous roads in our time together, but the two days of driving through the Pyrenees, from Spain to France and back, were some of the most spectacular we’ve been on. And one particular col, not the one below, was in Hubby’s eyes the scariest yet. He said he found the sheer cliff face soaring upwards on one side and plunging down on the other side a bit unnerving. To be frank, I don’t know how he does it. If I were driving, I’d lose my nerve for sure, and we’d be stuck high up somewhere and have to be rescued. I wonder if the rental car company would give roadside assistance in such a case. Ha.
We did venture into cities occasionally. I very much wanted to see the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, for the amazing exterior, of course, and the cool art inside.
We loved San Sebastián, or Donastia/San Sebastián as we learned to call the city. Our host told us that Donastia is the Basque name for the city. And not using it seems to me to be like continuing to call Derry, Northern Ireland, Londonderry. Londonderry being a name not much liked by the locals, or so we were told back when we visited in 2011.
Of course food is always important wherever we travel. And we could not miss the famous pintxos when we were in Basque country. See above and below. Delicious.
After the pintxos, we couldn’t resist the “helado” shop which reminded us of being in Bariloche in Argentina in 2017. Chocolate and lemon, the same combination I had on a cool, rainy evening in Bariloche. And just as delicious.
And on our last night in Donastia/San Sebastián, after a rest day when we read and read and napped, as we contemplated what we would do for dinner, Hubby expostulated that he didn’t care what we ate as long as it was not on a stick. He’d had his fill of pintxos, it appeared. Ha.
So here’s what we did. We visited the fried chicken place we’d seen on our first night and turned up our noses at in favour of the pintxos place across the street. I know. But sometimes you just gotta be you.
We had a lovely chat with the kids who worked in the chicken place. It turned out to be a bar and pool hall as well as a chicken place. They were keen to practice their English, and teach us how to properly order red wine. The laughter even brought the cook out from the kitchen to meet the Canadians. I should add that the chicken and french fries were delicious, and so was the salad. And like good Canadians, even though the weather was chilly, we ate our takeout dinner at the picnic table on the terrace of our accommodation. Just like camping, I said to Hubby. Even down to the long underwear I donned under my jeans and the toque Hubby pulled on.
Not all the eating we enjoyed was cooked by others. Although the restaurant meal we had in tiny Caracena was one of the best we’ve ever eaten, our own concoction of chicken, baked potatoes, and salad was delicious too. Our chicken was garnished with tiny tomatoes picked for us by Maria, our host, from her garden. We always try to stay in several accommodations with kitchens, if possible. I love to eat out, but it’s nice to just cook for ourselves too. And then we can eat in our pyjamas if we want. Ha.
We had lots of picnics too. We always travel with a little collapsible cooler, see below. Sometimes the picnics are on the trail. And sometimes, in our hotel room. Like in Bilbao when we were hot and tired of walking and couldn’t face eating dinner in a restaurant. So we found a small grocery store, bought wine, beer, bread, cheese, fruit, and chocolate … and picnicked in our pyjamas.
It’s hard to believe the trip is over after all the research, and reading, and preparation. But it is. And we’re glad to be home sweet home, as I said. But also very, very glad we went.
I think that Hubby and I fell in love with Spain over the past month. Just as we fell in love with Portugal in 2023, and Croatia in 2019, and Peru in 2017. Of course, I’ve much more to say about our experiences. But I need time to process everything. And do the laundry. And turn my closet for fall. Ha.
Plus we are both feeling a bit rocky. Perhaps it’s just fatigue. Maybe we’re coming down with something. Whichever it is we’re taking it easy for a few days. Taking time to just breath. And think about all the amazing sights we’ve seen this fall. And feel grateful that we were able to see them.
59 thoughts on “Home Sweet Home Again”
Welcome Home! I want to hear more about your trip and was happy to check here tonight and find you home. That’s all.
Thanks, Kristin. 🙂
Welcome home! I can hardly wait to hear more about your trip, but take your time. Relax and revel in the memories you made!
I will. Thanks, Elaine.
Welcome Home! Love to hear more about your trip and the current style in these countries.
Thanks, Sandra. You’ll be hearing lots more for sure.
Welcome Home! Thank you for sharing some of the highlights of your marvelous trip. Yes…I bet the adventurous way you travel requires a lot of research and study. I would be curious as to what kind of research you do? Are there particular websites you use? Book series? Your style of traveling is so engaging. I enjoy reading about your down-to-earth adventures with kind people, winding roads, delicious meals, and cozy places to stay.
Looking forward to hearing more about your trip…and your Fall closet!
I am totally impressed with the energy you two have, both physically and mentally, to take this extended and busy trip. We’ve done some similar type travel but not for as long as and not with as many moves. Wow!! It sounds like you had an amazing time and I’m so glad you had this opportunity. Looking forward to more details over time. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Anne. We are finding that the energy levels are definitely changing.
Thanks, Charlene. We don’t use particular websites. We always start by choosing a region we want to visit and then look for best guide book we can find. Sometimes that is a Rick Steeves Guide and more often than not it’s a Lonely Planet Guide. Then we read about the whole country to see what areas we find most interesting. Stu us better at this than I am. And it’s usually him that charts the overview of our journey. Then we get down to specifics, timelines, cities or towns to stop in and for how long etc etc. There are so many places in the world to visit it’s hard to narrow it down. 🙂
So good to know you’re safely home. Lovely to find your words in my in-box today. They’ve been missed.
Take care and rest up, both.
Thanks so much, Prue.
thank you for sharing your holiday photos on instagram. vicarious travel is the next best thing to doing it yourself. im looking forward to reading your travel post when you have had time to process it all
I’m happy you enjoyed the IG posts, Noreen. 🙂
So glad to hear you are home safe and sound and that you had such a good time.
I’ve missed your writing.
Thanks, Kenzie. That’s good to hear.
We like the same type of holidays as you – a mixture of history , culture , beautiful scenery to walk in , eclectic places to stay , interesting but unpretentious eateries & a car to get off that beaten track . Above all we like our independence which brings with it a chance to meet & interact with the locals . We need the freedom to change our minds & take a different turning too . We didn’t used to book much of our accommodation in advance . There is a price for all this – as you say it’s more tiring than having someone else make the decisions & take care of you . I can understand why coach tours & cruises appeal to older travellers but we couldn’t adapt to that . So no more airports for us ( really don’t mss those ) & I don’t see us going abroad again . These days we book lovely cottages in picturesque locations & travel out from there , either by car or on foot , still exploring. We’ve just got back from a trip to Edinburgh having caught the train from our village station to a not very grand hotel on Princes Street but with a lovely view of the castle & the old town . So when the energy ran out we could go back to our room & enjoy the view . It would be nice to have the same energy we used to have but we still feel very fortunate to be able to explore closer to home . I hope you feel perkier soon , that east to west jet lag is nasty & I’m looking forward to hearing all about your travels . The Instagram pics were wonderful.
I wish that we had more places to explore closer to home without flying or driving for 10 hours. Ha. How lovely to catch the train from your village to so many historic and charming spots like Edinburgh. We had a laugh when we were in Edinburgh at how old the “new town” was.
Welcome home. Looking forward to more of your wonderful fashion posts when you are rested and ready.
Thanks. Plenty of those coming up. 🙂
Welcome back hope you start to feel better soon, the trip looks amazing.
A new system entry system was launched in October where to 29 Schengen countries in Europe will initially prove more complicated. They will be taking fingerprints and other details to improve security from people who don’t live in those countries that will include the UK now. Some busy airports have machines others still getting used to it. It’s a new system and will increase queues and what you experienced. I’m thinking of going on a trip to get my security details done before next summer.
We have been watching for the roll out since last spring. I guess the new entry system is causing issues in the UK. What we saw of it in Lisbon and Porto was certainly very efficient. But that was just the photos and passport checks not fingerprints etc .
Welcome home Sue. Looking forward to your travel tales.
Thanks, Lise.
Glad you had a lovely time and have arrived safely home. Rest, appreciate your honesty and the simple pleasures of the familiar.
I will, Katt. Thanks.
Glad you both are back safely and hope your fatigue is just jet lag! We have always traveled as you do, but now as both of us are mid 70’s, have taken a few tours. They are nice, and on the river cruises, you can pretty much do as you want. Sometimes we skip the included tours and do our own. I could not stay in so many different places; or for quite so long, it’s exhausting to pack and unpack, and find the places to stay while driving. Next year, on our fifth trip to Paris, we have decided to do more out of town train travel, some of which could be overnight stays. But we will have a base, somewhere to hang our hats so to speak. We’ve always done this in travel to other countries, stayed a week or two at each apartment (never a hotel) and used the car for exploring trips. Much more relaxing. And that is one of the many reasons we travel-to experience the country and also, to relax, cook our own meals, wander aimlessly, discover the (to us) unknown. A lot of internet research and travel guides are involved, and a spirit of adventure. And a sense of humor!
Finding a longer term base may be the way we choose to go from now on. With shorter trips out from there. We’ll see.
Your travel posts are very interesting. I admire your patience in going through the various stops and details and charming anecdotes. I went back and read your Yukon post and enjoyed it, too. I like a similar type of meandering, self-directed travel, but tend to prefer shorter routes/getting to know single places for longer. Definite food for thought and admire your energy and humour. Enjoy the geese :). I suppose that you may have to deal with their poop on your lawn? I like the sound of honking and watching them fly in v formation. Signs of autumn.
Thanks, Steph. I’d love to stay longer in some places, but Stu is not ready to…. yet. 🙂
Thank you for sharing some of your trip via Instagram. So many interesting places and sights. And you’re right about plane travel, and airports, plus adding all the right apps to one’s phone and having them ready at just the right time. Welcome home! Enjoy the familiar things around you and relive the trip memories from your favorite chair.
Travel is stressful and complicated, isn’t it? And airports are the worst part of all.
Welcome home! Hope you will soon feel rested and refreshed. I’m in awe of your travel stamina; I usually feel ready for my own bed after two weeks away. I don’t think this is age-related as much as simply being a homebody at heart.
We decided this time that maybe three weeks would be better than four. We’ll see if we stick to that next time. 🙂
Still four weeks, just less places 😉
So glad you are home safe and happy to be here. Your trips are really detailed and I love to travel along with you. I am done with travel across the big pond now, airports and all the stress, I really would like to fly out of our local ( closer) airport for trips now, but will see what we can achieve. I do know that car travel in an unfamiliar country would not be relaxing at this stage and am not a fan of bus tours with the strict times. Some days I just need a longer time to myself in the mornings. I am looking forward to more of your travel recap, and really, also, the fashion and closet turn over. We are doing a 12 day cruise in the spring and do enjoy the chance to go at my own pace and only unpack once.
Hope you two are gently recovering and taking it easy.
I think the unpacking only once would be great. 🙂
What a trip! Thanks for posting on IG. Enjoy that lovely travel fog that hovers over the familiar for a while, casting it in a new light. Northern Spain is one of my favorite regions, and the Azores are magical, each island its own world of beauty, food, and culture. My husband and I like to travel like you do, but also like you, we are learning to adjust to our energy levels. Life on its own terms. We spent two weeks earlier this month traveling around the island of Vancouver – Victoria, Port Renfrew, Tofino, Campbell River, Salt Spring Island. It was glorious.
Gosh, that does sound like a glorious trip. I think that Vancouver Island may be in our future.
Beautiful! Look forward to more of your details.
Thanks, Linda. 🙂
Welcome home! I so enjoyed following your travels on IG – so many places I love in Spain and Basque Country. Looking forward to hearing more after you’ve recovered.
We loved that area as well. And everywhere we were, actually. 🙂
What a great trip (and I’m envious that you got to the Guggenheim — I regret that we spent a couple of days in Donastia (drove from Bordeaux during one of our longer stays there) but didn’t make the extra distance (some of that same fatigue, as I remember).
We’re getting ready for another trip and honestly, I’m already a bit weary thinking about it! And when I got home after the six weeks away in the spring I almost immediately succumbed to some kind of respiratory nastiness that kept me down for a good two weeks. We’re both still thinking it’s worth it, but like you, I’m beginning to strategize for keeping it sustainable over the next few years.
For now, just settle in with your tea and your view and ALL the good books! 😉
I liked the Guggenheim better than Stu. What an amazing building. The size and nature of the exhibits were a bit daunting, so much video and sound and colour and flashing lights. We both left with a headache. Six weeks is too long for us now. Even when planning this trip I had to keep reminding Stu that we needed rest days. But by the end with the rainy cool weather and our fatigue we were happy to be heading home.
Welcome home Sue! What a wonderful trip! Tea and books,lazy days,one own’s bed…….
Xoxo from Vienna
Dottoressa
I am really happy to be home and resume normal life. Hope you are enjoying Vienna. 🙂
Welcome home!! I missed your Sunday posts and I can’t wait to read more about your adventure.
First, get all rested up, enjoy the beautiful scenery outside your own back door with a good book and a cup of tea. Then you can tell us all about your experiences on this trip.
Take care
Ah, thanks, Marg. 🙂
Hi Sue, so pleased your trip went well and I really understand the travel fatigue!
We’ve loved our trip. We begin our travel home at midnight from Helsinki. (I can’t wait to make a pot of tea just the way I like it😄)
I think I’d love to go to Scandinavia. Now I just have to convince Stu.
It’s always good to get home, no matter how wonderful a trip is. Traveling on one’s own is a bit more exhausting, but it can provide such freedom – stop where you want, linger in a special place, try the foods and restaurants you want. My husband and I prefer doing these big trips on our own and sometimes we are very tired from the effort. Driving, getting lost, find a place for lunch during the long afternoon break when restaurants are closed. But, still worth it for traveling our way.
Isn’t it nice to prepare your own food sometimes? It’s fun to shop for ingredients and to have a relaxing meal in the rental or on a picnic. We have a collapsible cooler and a small ice pack that we bring with us.
Air travel is so fraught with delays and changes. It seems that it should be a bit easier.
I look forward to reading more about your trip in the future. I hope that you both do not get sick!
Our collapsible cooler has been all over the world. And its so good to have.
Sounds like a wonderful trip, looking forward to reading more details and stories in your upcoming posts. Stu is brave to drive those narrow, winding roads. Scott has driven rental cars in Ireland, Scotland, Italy and France….he is not nervous….but I am🫢. Last spring in Portugal we used trains exclusively to get around and I found it much more relaxing…but of course it takes a bit more arranging and there are places not well served by trains…everything is a trade-off it seems. Hope you are feeling better and enjoying your cozy time back home.
I don’t know how Stu can drive those roads, but he loves it. Still, by the end of the trip even he was tired of all the twists and turns.
Loved following your trip on Instagram. Like you, we like to plan our own itinerary, and also like you, we are finishing it more tiring. I am cheerleading for a longer trip again, but my mom is a concern right now, so I have to entertain myself watching others. Hope you get past the jet lag and that’s all it is. (I caught some big coming back from a family visit in the UK in the spring and it flattened me for tbeee weeks.) 🙁
I remember worrying about my mum when we were away. Eventually we too had to put travel on the back burner.
We are 5 days home from our grand 15 month tour of Europe and UK. All independent travel. A friend said to us you need a weekend off when you travel a long time and we try to do that. Also we aim for a week in each place so we slow travel as much as we can. Coming from Australia the flights are expensive and long so we try to make the most of our time. This massive trip was too long though and I now think 4 months maximum is our sweet spot. We used a combination of trains, buses and hire cars giving the best of all worlds.
That flight scenario coming home sounds like a nightmare Sue, we are looking at building in stopovers in the future. Looking forward to hearing all your stories.
Each time we travelled to your part of the world we stayed for three months. Had, as you say, to make good use of that very long flight. I am currently comparing this recent trip with others in 2019 and 2018. We moved a lot more this time. Fewer places and more time in each is the answer, I agree.
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