Roads Less Traveled In the Algarve: Portugal’s Forgotten Costa Vicentina (PHOTO ESSAY)

July 13 – 22, 2013 Southwestern Algarve, Portugal The Algarve is Portugal’s infamous bastion of summer tourism.  Young Germans and Brits come in droves to places like Albufeira and Portimao to prop up the country’s stagnating economy with countless euros spent on over-priced one-star hotels, beachfront caipirinha shacks and rental sun loungers.  As we hurried… Continue reading Roads Less Traveled In the Algarve: Portugal’s Forgotten Costa Vicentina (PHOTO ESSAY)

Worldschool Spring Semester 2013: The Great Gaelic Games

April 2013 Dublin & Kilkenny, Ireland In Ireland earlier this spring, we had the opportunity to learn about the fascinating and ferocious (fascinatingly ferocious?) world of Gaelic sports.  And while I’m not referring to competitive Guinness-swilling, I have been a witness to that at one point in my life, and I can attest that it… Continue reading Worldschool Spring Semester 2013: The Great Gaelic Games

Now, How On Earth Did I End Up With A Six-Year-Old? (Love, Your Mother)

August 2 Tabuaço, Portugal For what it’s worth, today I still have a little boy.  I still have a little boy who tells me not to go too far when it’s time to put out the lights, even though I’ve been sleeping in a bed right next to him for months.  I still have a… Continue reading Now, How On Earth Did I End Up With A Six-Year-Old? (Love, Your Mother)

Happy 6th Birthday, Oliver: Love, Daddy

August 2 Tabuaço, Portugal Oliver, I still remember the day that Mommy called to tell me the good news that you were growing inside of her. There is no question that from that very first call, you changed everything in my life for the better. I am quite certain that you helped to save me,… Continue reading Happy 6th Birthday, Oliver: Love, Daddy

Bedtime Stories: A Boy and a Girl With Reddish Hair

July 26 Marvaõ, Alto Alentejo, Portugal Late last night as we tucked the kids away to bed in the little room we are all sharing in an old quinta in the high granite hills of the Upper Alentejo, Oliver asked my husband to tell him a story.  Ryan closed his eyes for a minute before… Continue reading Bedtime Stories: A Boy and a Girl With Reddish Hair

Out on the Tiles: Living Lisbon’s Summertime

June 25 – July 7 Lisbon, Portugal It’s been a while since my last post, but I can admit to having a pretty qualified excuse.  For the past two weeks, we’ve made our home the ancient and decadently crumbling neighborhood of Alfama; Lisbon’s historic and, in many ways, cultural heart. In an attempt to align… Continue reading Out on the Tiles: Living Lisbon’s Summertime

What it Means to Captain This Ship: To My Husband On Father’s Day

June 16 Vigo, Galicia, Spain This has been a challenging week, to say the least.  Somewhere in the lovely Picos de Europa, our van started to sound as if it were towing a refrigerator up and down the mountains.  After consulting a mechanic in Oviedo, we learned that our driver-side caliper was shot and our tie… Continue reading What it Means to Captain This Ship: To My Husband On Father’s Day

Take A Hike Series: The Clifftop Walks of San Sebastián

May 22 – 28 San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain After going several knockout rounds against the sublime pintxos bars (pronounced: “peen-chos,” Basque for tapas) in San Sebastián, our latest favorite city and first stop in Spain, we decided to go out for some much-needed exercise.  Fortunately for us, the Gipuzkoa province, one of seven that forms… Continue reading Take A Hike Series: The Clifftop Walks of San Sebastián