Spain

Traveling the Way of St. James

One interesting way to see the countries of France and Spain is to take a journey down the Way of St. James. This famous pilgrimage route has many branches, so you can start in several different places, though all lead to the Spanish town of Galicia and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the reputed burial location of St.

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Monday Medley: Babies remember

Could a glass of wine a day cut your risk of depression? Or is it the social aspect of drinking with friends that does it? When I lived in Spain, I did drink about a glass a day, usually with my evening meal, and it was one of the happiest times of my life.

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El Bosc de les Fades

Some places are just so unique that one should not miss the opportunity to see them if it arises. One of these places happens to be in one of the greatest tourist spots in Spain, the city of Barcelona. It’s called El Bosc de les Fades (the forest of the fairies), and though it’s not a full restaurant, it is a nice little café and bar (that serves some food) with a truly amazing atmosphere.

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The Canfranc Railway Station

This week I bring to you yet another amazing construction that has been left empty due to the fortunes of time. The Canfranc railway was once an ambitious project meant to link France and Spain. To accommodate the railway, the station was built on the border of the two countries, just a small ways into Spain. And though the building of the railway would prove to be less than successful, the Canfranc Estacion remains as a symbol of what might have been.

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The tragic temptations of Clipperton Island

Hundreds of miles south of the tip of Baja lies a small island. Just outside the boundaries of Mexican waters, the shallow ring of land has been disputed through history. Originally it was discovered by Magellan in 1521 but the name comes from an English pirate who, rumor has it, hid treasure on the atoll after he led a mutiny against William Dampier in 1704.

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Take Action Tuesday: Child marriage and gentle parenting

Here are a few important issues that you can take action on right now. Pick any that you feel strongly about and share your opinion or use the link provided to add your voice.

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Easter week surprises in Barcelona and Venice

Wandering Barcelona’s Barrio Gotico is always a pleasure. The narrow streets and colorful facades, the late night tapas bars and people-watching on Las Ramblas - all make for memorable hours. On one trip my partner and I hadn’t expected to participate in ancient religious rituals, but locals led us to some of the most memorable encounters ever.

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Better know a fiber: Rambouillet

This French breed began its history in 1786 when Louis XVI purchased a flock of Merino sheep from his cousin, who happened to be the king of Spain at the time. The legendary Merino was a closely-guarded breed, and the French monarchy held the Rambouillet in similarly clandestine regard. They developed the breed on a special experimental royal farm, located in the Domaine Rambouillet (from which the breed takes its name).

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Traveling naked

More and more, people going on vacation are looking to lighten the load in their suitcases. They don’t do this by exercising self-control and refusing to buy tons of touristy junk to pass out at Christmas. Instead, they’re opting to leave some clothes behind and take a vacation that’s a little more risqué. The phenomenon of the naked journey is becoming popular, especially among the American crowd, who, if surveys are to be believed, come in at 50 percent willing to take a trip to a destination that is clothing optional.

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Super Bowl XL and the Grand Script

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Two things always confused me about the Super Bowl XLrefereeing: (1) Why did the league believe they could be so daringly obvious with their script manipulation?

It's one thing to take a tight game, and make one or two controversial calls that swing the game. It's another thing to take a 21-point win, and turn it into a 10-point loss, with a series of eight or 10 howlingly obvious referee'ing mistakes.

Any soccer mom - of which a billion were watching - could see not only the bad calls of Super Bowl XL, but also the gameflow. Seahawks charge, take back control of the game - bang. 40-yard penalty again, Steelers dodge a bullet. Anybody could have seen the flow of the script, and everybody did.

This question was answered for me in -- well, after -- the 2011 UEFA championship. Mighty Barcelona has, according to Cesc Fabregas, the greatest soccer team in history. Arsenal, improbably, won the first leg of a home-and-home series by a 2-1 score. But in the return match in Spain, the referee threw Arsenal's superstar off the field in the first 10 minutes of the game. Van Persie, in a very loud stadium, didn't hear an offside call and continued on to kick the ball at the goal a second or two later. The ref jumped on his opportunity, red-carded Van Persie, and the match was over. Barcelona was through.

It wasn't this howler that helped me understand why the fixes are so blatant. It was the reaction of soccer fans after. Fans, even Arsenal fans, defended to the death the idea that the ref's decision was within reason. 95% of Arsenal reaction, from the cheap seats, was that it was a shame that the referee did not show ... better judgment.

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