It is a big world out there...

I realize it has been a while since my last post.  A health set back could be used as part of the excuse :-( 

Last year we did not have a clear idea of where to travel because so much was depending on my health. We did not want to commit to an exchange then being unable to travel.  We had informally agreed to an exchange in London but they changed their minds...a blessing in disguise.  

We travelled to Costa Rica in a traditional way, staying at hotels.  It was an interesting experience and really loved it but I have to admit we missed home swapping.  We missed visiting markets, home made food, and the neighborhood atmosphere.  The landscape and nature in CR was lovely.  We enjoyed meeting friends and spending time hiking, zip lining, turtle watching.

It is a big world out there so we always have a problem deciding where to go next.  After many offers we have settled on an exchange in Vienna.  We will travel back to Turkey as David is determined to show his dad this fascinating country that sits on two continents then we will travel to Austria.  I am excited to go back to Turkey as we only scratched the surfaced when David and I were there a couple of years ago.  After Turkey we will travel to Vienna, Austria. We are making Vienna our home base but hope to travel through Eastern Europe as well.  So many cities so little time -- we want to see many cities but we also want to do each justice, a difficult task given our time limit.  But the wheels are in motion and we are in the process of contacting possible hosts.  Have I mentioned ad nauseam how much we love to travel this way as a way to meet new people.  We are always awed to find so much kindness throughout the world. 

House swapping -- not for everyone --

     Whenever we mention house swapping people seem curious with the concept. In theory, it sounds like a good idea for many although some find it troublesome and won't ask further. I have to say it takes a certain kind of people to feel confident with the idea of allowing a "stranger" into their home. We were reluctant in the beginning but after researching it thoroughly felt that the advantages outweighed the risks (hardly any).

     The idea of "affordable" travel has always been intriguing to us, especially since we travel for a month (even longer) at a time. We are always on the lookout for ways to save money. Our first trip to Europe involved visiting relatives and staying at hostels when necessary. Out of affordability concerns we looked into house swapping but now could not picture us traveling any other way. We love meeting new people and staying in regular neighborhoods.

     Exchanging our home is a more personal experience which allow us to "immerse" ourselves in the local culture. We shop at the local supermarkets which affords us with an interesting cultural experience. We are always fascinated by the difference between US supermarkets and the ones in other countries. Also, there is also something reassuring about going back "home" after a day of touring. 

    With curiosity and an open mind, we feel like modern day explorers. Often times we have taken the road less traveled and it has led us to wonderful experiences.

Our first few days in France…

The first few days in Paris are rather slow on account of the jetlag. We manage to go to an Internet café to check our e-mails and we also visit the Rodin museum. I really wanted to visit this museum last time we were in Paris but we ran out of time. David like his dad can spend hours in a museum reading every description of the art being displayed! I tend to admire the work and keep moving. We get a brochure before entering the museum that David reads from beginning to end. I wait patiently for him as I realize this is part of the learning process for him. It also becomes handy, as he is able to relate more to the exhibition in the museum. He tells me about some of the sculptures and the context in which they were done. Rodin was an amazing artist and I thoroughly enjoy the museum as well as the beautiful outdoor garden.

After two three days in Paris we go to Beaugency to visit friends. They are very happy we are spending the 4th of July weekend so they prepare a barbecue for us. Bernadette is so wonderful! She cooks so much food and encourages us to eat well: you are going to be walking a lot today, the train ride is long. Luckily, she loves vegetables so we are never left feeling too full. We visit the Chartres Cathedral which sits in a town by the same name about 50 miles from Paris. We also visit the Caste of Chambord, the largest castle in the Loire Valley. I am very impressed with the castle and its condition. Very well maintained and huge…440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases!!! The double=helix stairs that lead to the top of the castle fascinates David and it takes a few hours to see this monster castle. Needless to say, at the end we are exhausted.

Visiting so many historical places continues to be an allure for us. There is so much history in Europe!

The Reluctant Traveler

David was reluctant, almost until the end, about this 7 weeklong trip. He made sure to let anyone willing to listen that he was being “dragged” around in Europe or that he was “wasting” his summer. He was not able to elicit much sympathy after all it is hard to feel sorry for someone who gets to travel to Europe as often as David does. Having said that…I completely understand his desire to spend time with his friends. He is at that age where friends become more and more important. My only hope is that in due time he will fondly remember this vacation.

Once the day of our trip arrives he is less anxious and is very helpful through out the process. He insists in putting the luggage in the car himself…trying to prove he is a big boy. James took us to the airport and I had forewarned him about putting on a strong face for David. David tends to be the sensitive type and I did not want him to feel bad about leaving his dad and his two sisters behind (Alex and Amina). So James acts very casual about the whole thing even though this is the first time him and I (and David of course) had been separated for more than a couple of days.

The flight is uneventful and to our surprise it goes by rather quickly. By the time we look at the clock we only have 2 ½ hours left!!! David managed to finally sleep for about 2 hours, I was not so lucky. Needless to say we arrive exhausted. Our friend Bernadette is already waiting for us and takes us to the apartment where we will spend a few days. Long story but we ended up with two generous invitations and decided to split our time in between the two places. She welcomes us with a generous breakfast of homemade bread and croissants. We talk for a little bit but then we go to our room to take a short nap. We could probably sleep for hours but we want to adjust as quickly as possible to our new schedule. After we wake up we realized she had been cooking to leave us enough food for three days!!! She is wonderful…before leaving she opens a bottle of champagne and brings some stuffed mushrooms and an assortment of olives and pickles. Even David gets a bit of champagne that he quickly transforms into a mimosa! I Love France!

Decisions, decisions, decisions

It has been a long time since my last post...since this is a blog about home swapping it is difficult to write about anything else in between exchanges. We arrived last August from our exchange in Portugal and Spain and almost immediately, we were receiving offers for the summer of 2010!!!

This is the time when we really wish we had more time and money to travel. Too many offers come our way, many from places we have not visited yet. We settle early on two offers: one in Amsterdam and one in Southern Italy. Then the fun of planning begins as well as the not so fun part of fishing for airfares. This year airfares have been higher than usual so landing a "good" deal has been challenging.

What is new this year...is that David and I will travel before James to spend time visiting friends in France. We will be staying mainly in Paris although we will visit friends in Mayenne and hopefully travel throughout Normandy. Although 3 weeks seems like a long time it never really is. We will make do with what we have! We realize we are very fortunate to be able to take this month long (and this case almost two months) trips every summer. So we should not complain but we will any way!

One of the challenging things about coordinating two exchanges is the logistics of it. James will fly to Paris to meet us and will spend a couple of days there. Coincidentally we will be in Paris for the last stage of the Tour de France so James, being and avid cycler, wants to attend. We will take the train to Amsterdam and spend a week there. Afterwards we will fly into Rome for the second exchange. The family is from Arezzo but will fly to Chicago from Rome. We will fetch their car then travel to their house. There are many details to be worked but I will not go into them.

Getting ready for a 7 week trip is lots of work! I have 10 days left and still have so much to do. I will try to post more often and add more pictures this time.

Our last week in Spain

We have been in Vigo for a week now. We were a little concerned thinking that switching 4 different homes in the same trip would be a lot of work. By work I mean, not the actual moving but having to tidy up every home we visit. To our surprise it was manageable! Last Friday we took a plane from Madrid to Vigo. Prior to our trip, we debated as to what was the most economical way to get here. Renting a car for one day meant driving 5 hours or flying which is the fastest but usually the most expensive for a family of four . In retrospect, driving would have been cheaper. We did not realize we had to take a taxi to and from the airport which adds to the cost. Normally, we take public transportation but it has to be available. That was not the case with this house as it sits on a maze of roads.
This is our first time in this region and it is quite a contrast from the South (which we still prefer). However, it is beautiful here...being so close to the Atlantic guarantees plenty of fresh fish. We have been to fish markets and the prices are reasonable. Of course there are so many varieties I would not even know how to prepare them so as usual I talk to people (something I do in the states as well) and ask them questions about what they are buying and how to prepare them.
We have visited many small towns with views of the Atlantic ocean. I have to admit it is very peaceful driving along the coast line. Or, walking around fortresses facing the Atlantic. Just breathtaking!!! We are partial to some Celtic ruins (at least 4000 year old) which look down at the town from a mountain above. The views of the River Mino Estuary are just spectular...words can not describe it!
It is hard to believe we have been here for almost a month now, so much more time is needed to learn about a region or a country for that matter. Having spent one a week in each region has its drawbacks as we have to rush to see as many things as possible. When we have a home base for a month, we become more intimate with a region.
We have loved our vacation this year and look forward for the next one!

Hotter than...

Southern Spain can be scorching hot during this time of the year. Rule #1 always, no, never travel to Spain in August. We look quite tanned despite our efforts to evade the powerful sun rays as much as possible. Long gone are the days of careless tanning in an effort to achieve the ¨desired¨ look. Now, I follow a philosophy of avoiding premature aging and cancer!!! In places like Arcos de la Frontera and Vejer de la Frontera the heat feels even more intense. We loved these small towns with their whitewashed facades, narrow streets, wrought iron windows displaying georgeous red geraniums. There were not many souvenir shops or stores of other kinds for that matter but we liked having it to ourselves (or so it felt as there were not many tourists in sight). By mere chance we found a restaurant which sat in the courtyard of one of the town hotels. The food was reasonably priced and they welcomed us with a complimentary glass of Sangria. I am not much of a sangria drinker as I prefer "Claras" or "Tinto de verano" but this sangria was actually good...I loved the mint flavor. It did the trick, after walking up hills for a while we immediately felt refreshed and rejuvenated. We have made it a point to always carry a big bottle of water as it helps when we go on these long walks. We learned this the hard way!