Bodegas of the La Rioja region, going to LaGuardia

Just love that word, “Bodegas”. Most Spanish places the word means small shop, wine shop, wine cellar, you get the idea. I just like the way it sounds. Anyway the villa Laguardia Click here for photos!!!! had plenty of them and this little village is our home base for the tour the La Riojo area. Laguardia is a small walled village with the walls varying to about three stories. It pretty much sits on the highest hill in wine country. Inside the walls there are three main drags each about 400 yards long which are a little more than a two car widths wide. These mostly pedestrian ways are spotlessly clean. You can’t image with all the residents and tourist traffic here. All three streets have bars, bodegas, groceries or residences. The buildings are mostly three stories high with either a vendor or a double door entrance hall. They usually butt up to each other and are built right to the edge of the street. All three streets end at an area Click 4 more photos!!!! in front of the church.

We stayed at a prime location just out side of the walls the Hotel Marixa. Marixa is a 10 room hotel with the best view and the best basque restaurant in Laguardia. Our room had an outdoor patio with bench, table and two wicker chairs that overlooked the whole valley’s vineyard . . . .
see ya,

j'bu

We’re headed to La Rioja region, first stop San Vincente de La Sonsierra

We hit the roadways early maybe 7:30am. Not that much city traffic. You know Spain needs it’s day time for some sleep. Anyway we’re headed to the La Rioja Wine region. First stop a little Spanish truck stop/café about 30 miles out of Vitoria. Wow, one woman operation. We had great café con leche and french bread. Funny, with us ordering food you really never know what you’re going to get. We are learning Spanish and customary behavior as we go. Most of the clientele ordered, ate, drank and paid up all at the counter. We sat at a table. They had to turn the lights on for us after awhile. We got a laugh, then back on the road for our destination town of Laguardia in La Rioja. The highways are outstanding here. No real downsides and the signage was excellent.It was easy driving. As luck would have it, we entered the village of San Vincente de La Sonsierra and discovered a small market opened on this Monday morning. We were in search of cosmetics, bet’s had been confiscated at Stansted Airport by the cracker jack security force. Move along folks and always pack anything you want ( cosmetics ) in your luggage. No luck here.

We began strolling around the maze of cobbled streets and noticed the banners and flags hanging between the buildings which border each side of the streets. Hey, it’s Fiesta, Fiesta time!!!! Little did we know at 10am this fine morning they were barricading all the streets that entering the center of the village square. Yep that’s right, it’s run the bulls around the fountain in the square. It was weird watching young and old taunting these bulls with their horns focused. Damn some of those animals looked like they could easily take out the barricades which separated us. We watched for awhile then walked around the square and climbed to the highest point in the village, a medieval church build at the top of the steep hill ....
see ya,

j'bu

Saturday Morning and we’re headed to Bilboa, Spain!

George to the doggie dude ranch, temporary quarters in the outback dog prison. Off we go to Stansted Airport north of London in our Europcar Rental. Perfect ride, but the Airport is a different story. Stansted is the most modern airport in all the UK. As luck would have it, the Airport computer systems were all shiny side down. This resulted in all airlines processing flights, baggage and customers manually. Delays ensued. We arrive in Bilboa around 9:30 pm. We get the rental car on the road about three hours late headed in the wrong direction from our destination of Vitoria, Spain. Somewhere on the north coast of Spain, we stop at an “autostrada” ( interstate café ). In our broken Spanish and English we get directions to our destination of Vitoria. We got back on the “Camino de Dinero”. Our made up name for the toll road. After a wild night time drive through the mountains we found our way to our destination.

What a trip into Vitoria, we drive around looking for “old town” or “city center” on a Saturday night We stop on a corner in the heart of old town. It’s closing in on midnight and there are thousands of people on the streets. It reminded me of a bourbon street scene. We eventually quizzed some friendlies who played the lead dogs and drove by the Calle de Dato near the train station where our hotel was located. Long story short. We were parked and checked in at the Hotel Dato . By 1am we are dining at the Casa Blanca Café. There are hundreds of people on the wide pedestrian street “Dato”. All ages of people. After ham & egg basque sandwiches, beer and many wines, we’re wore out and asleep at 3am. Good end to this travel day.

Sunday we walked, talked and visited with Spain and concluded the big day in Vitoria at the “XIXILU”, pronounced “see see loo”, it’s a great basque Restaurant. Basque food is very hearty, a lot of it and good. These are manly meals. As far as I can tell, northern Spain life revolves around lots of talking, living, eating and drinking. We can take it. It’s very nice. The life style is totally different than any place we’ve been and we really enjoyed it ....
see ya,

j'bu

York a medieval corner … a tourist destination for UK residents!

Whip Ma Whop Ma Corner, as I call it, is a small piece of landscape in the center of York. It is a very small triangle with a 15th century church set on it. In medieval times it was a common location where public beatings of one’s woman could take place. Here in York they have many laws on the books which thankfully are no longer practiced but are still laws anyway.

On this occasion, our church street pals from Mariettta, Ga gathered for a great visit to our fair city. We had a great time walking, talking and fellowshipping with the locals. They made a drive trip north to Scotland with a St. Andrews round to boot. As you can see, we were all in good form ....
see ya,

j'bu

2006-07 College Football Season Opener

I've spent the summer months reading about Mississippi State's football program, recruits, players, coaches, training camps and NCAA decisions and non-decisions. I've enrolled is a sports Internet service so I could get the whole scope about the state of "STATE" football. Huh. Without this I would be clueless. Maybe it would be better to be clueless. The word "Football" has a complete different meaning outside of the USA. One thing for sure it universally conjures my great emotions most every where in the world. I ordered two "STATE" ballcaps all in preparation for the Mississipi State season opener. Bet brought them back on her return trip from Marietta.

I stayed tuned to the Internet broadcast of the game till four am. on a school night!

Let's say some of my questions were answered but now I have a whole new set. Our boys did well and we'll even be better when we get finished with that Auburn team next week. I can't remember when we played a whole game and came away with just one penalty.

That morning, casual friday I dressed in my colors ... maroon "STATE" shirt and jeans. A new Expat at work saw me and mentioned the thursday night ESPN disappointment. After much mouthing off, we concluded that we would miss the college footbal season the most of anything during our days in York. I'm pretty sure this boy must have been from the south and after just a month he's already home sick for some football!. see ya,

j'bu