San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende is a retirement town for ex-pats, mostly US and Canadian. Its a beautiful town, an old silver mining town built in the days of the Spanish Conquistadors, I think. On my second day here, I went with a couple acquaintances to a market away from the plaza where the real Mexicans go. Dave had a truly antique backpack he left with a shoe repairman in the market who did quite a miracle number on it. This guy was quite a character, very lively. I didn't ask about the rather prominent swastika in his stall. I did shake hands with him and he does it with a flourish. He's the first person that really connected this trip so he got the magnet.

He calls it his peace handshake.

Kenya

Gheeta is a doctor and a dedicated Quaker who is more than willing to give her time and energy where there is need. Her favorite place to go is India but this time she went to Kenya. For a very interesting read, follow the links about the project. Below are her comments about giving away my magnet:

The groom (and bride) who got the magnet were the daughter of the
head nurse, Irene, of Kaimosi Quaker Hospital where I volunteered.
She pulled back together a hospital that had been top-notch but had
suffered through theft and neglect.
http://changeinsights.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/overcoming-challenges-kaimosi-friends-hospital/
I am attaching pictures of the wedding couple and the Mother nurse
Irene, holding a chicken, with her sister, also the bride and
groom's daughter in front of the other dancing girls.

I also volunteered with Mobile Clinics

http://www.chatafrica.org/

Spain 2011

I always wanted to go to Barcelona to see the Gaudi architecture. In our local food co-op, I found a magazine about travel in Spain with each section written in the local dialect. I couldn't understand a thing but the photos were incredible. It lit a fire under me.  So my son, nephew and I flew into Barcelona and rented a car.

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia Cathedral seen from the rooftop of another of his creations, Barcelona.

The best breakfast in town was at the local market: potato omelets. We sat on stools at a counter surrounded by the usual market bustle, fresh fruit priced outrageously, fresh meat, and lots of people. The man who waited on us never cracked a smile the whole time, not for us or his buddies, and for some reason I decided he should have a magnet which I passed him with my payment. He took it and boy did he go bonkers. Through awkward Spanish and gestures I told him, yes, I made it. From his rather excited ramble, my son understood that he would keep it for good luck. I didn't find out until much later that in Spain, finding a frog meant you would have good luck. I had given him a magnet with a frog on it.

The Barcelona market entry.

There is a village built inside castle walls atop a mountain called Albarracin. Inside the walls it is incredibly well preserved, still having the cobblestone alleys, red tiled roofing and second floors that wet out over the walkways so people didn't get drenched with slop buckets. Some of the walls leaned crazily. I loved it. We stopped in a little dark cafe that didn't seem touristy. The food was good and the owner and his wife treated us well. I gave her a magnet.

A building in the oldest sector.

There is an old salt mine in Cardona that is no longer being worked. Now they give tours into part of this mine inside a whole mountain of salt. We were able to communicate with our guide who told us the town was having economic difficulty since operations ceased and they hoped to bring in revenue by opening the mine up to tourists. We left her with a magnet.

Mountain of salt.

Cantabria is where we went to see Altamira Cave where there are prehistoric cave paintings. Unfortunately, they are not the real thing. The changes in the atmosphere caused by the presence of so many visitors was destroying the originals so the government shut that cave down and replicated the paintings in another. We had quite an adventure trying to find another cave with paintings that was open. Instead we had another mine tour and a day of driving through beautiful mountainous countryside. We stopped at a little cafe/bar for lunch and our waitress was taken in by my nephew who was drawing postcards. Clearly she was having fun though we didn't understand her. She did indicate to me that I should be drawing so I drew a caricature of my nephew drawing on the paper tablecover. She showed us that she was going to clip it and save it so we left his postcard and a magnet with her.

View from our B&B

In Spain, cows have the right of way...always!

In Rubielos Del Mora, a man and his grandson led us to our apartment. I gave the small boy a magnet. The old man made sure he told me thank you as parents tend to do.

 I can't even remember who I gave a magnet to in Granada. It was so different from the rest of what we'd seen that I have to make comment. This area is much more middle eastern in flavor then other places we'd been. I wonder if any Catholic tendencies there are the result of the inquisition as there are more domes than spires. Al Hambra palace is there and is truly incredible.