Author: Allan and Marla

A university professor once visited a Zen teacher in search of more information about Buddhism. The teacher offered him a cup of tea, which the professor willingly accepted. Then the teacher started pouring tea in the cup, continuing to pour even after the tea started overflowing. “Why don’t you stop when the tea is overflowing?” The professor asked, worried. The teacher answered: “Your mind is just like this cup – overflowing with your expectations and opinions. I can’t give you new information until you don’t come with an empty cup”

~ Unknown

Cambodia (Seeking Siam Aug. 2019)

I admit we had reservations about visiting Cambodia; a country with a tragic past.  

The Khmer Rouge 1975-1979 wasn’t that long ago. I felt sorrow with the realization that while I was in high school fretting over my inconsequential adolescent youth, the Cambodian people were being massacred and an entire culture destroyed.

Our local tour guide Soh did not or could not dwell on the topic. He, like most of the Cambodian people, had lost family. Soh expressed hope that maybe some of his loved ones had made it to safety. He then changed the subject by expressing that the Cambodian people don’t dwell on the past but live in the present and look towards the future.

~ Marla

Marla had planned a mystery vacation for us and I hadn’t a clue of where we were going. Our kids and her co-workers knew her plans and they all kept it a secret.

I finally got some clues like being told to buy a hat, pack a swimsuit and bring sun screen. Later I was to purchase some bug spray followed by her telling me that the initial flight would be five hours yet it wouldn’t be our final destination.

~ Allan

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.

~ Izaak Walton

We cruised up the fjord as the temperature got colder and the fog was hanging over the shore. Eventually little chunks of ice appeared in the water floating by like pieces of a styrofoam cooler. Ice! Ice in the water! We approached the glacier as the chunks of styrofoam increased in size big enough to park a car on. How cool, or how cold.

~ Allan

Back in January of this year I received an email from a dear friend’s wife. Kathie was planning a surprise 50th Birthday and a Half party for her husband Kevin and this was to take place in July. His birthday was in January but they wanted to celebrate in July and have a BBQ. We exchanged emails for our surprise visit and we made plans for a Plymouth, Provence Town and Boston visit.

~ Allan

Hello everyone!

Who goes to Scotland in February? We did, and let us explain.

Marla has a co-worker who met a Scottish fellow in California, who works as a stuntman on the show Vikings. The filming of Vikings is done in Scotland. So when there was a break in February, that was when they got married. That was all the excuse we needed to go!

~ Allan

Marla and I had a week to kill in September of 2016 and we wanted to go somewhere that we had never been before. We settled on something really different and new for us : Nashville and Memphis. We became fans of country music and had a wonderful time. Both locations were very cool.

~ Allan

If you are new to our blogs let us introduce ourselves. If not welcome back! My husband and I are some 50’ish year olds who love to write and travel! Typically our adventures involve hiking and/or cycling through countries such as Spain, Morocco, Portugal and France. We are budget nomads who like to explore places off the beaten path. This time however, we’ve been offered a unique opportunity to cruise through Russia on a Uniworld river boat. Allan’s mother had wanted to go to Russia for years and offered to take us, Allan’s brother and his wife. This will be quite a different experience from our usual travels. So please join us as we coauthor our voyage through Russia and a few of the Baltic countries!

~Marla

After cycling a section of the Spanish Meseta on mountain bikes, we arranged to rent cruising bikes for France. Our next goal? …. To transverse France via the Canal des Deux Mers. This waterway, also known as the Canal of Two Seas, connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea by way of two man made canals. Our adventure will begin in Bordeaux France as we head southeast toward the Mediterranean.

~ Marla

 

The Spanish Meseta is a section of the Camino France that lies between Lagrano and Astorga, Spain. This central plateau is considered the “Spanish Heartland” in Spain’s Castile region. It is known for its flat dry areas and lack of shade. It is also known to pilgrims as a place for quiet reflection while crossing this area. The Meseta is approximately 200km or 8 stages.

~ Marla

Allan and I had just completed our hike on the Portuguese Camino when we decided to explore the Andalusian region of Spain.  In order to do so we limited our time in Santiago and purchased train passes southeast. Our first stop would be in Madrid. From there we would head south to Seville and Malaga …… and on a whim Morocco!

~ Marla

The Portuguese Camino is one of many pilgrimage routes that cross through Europe to converge in Santiago de Compostela, the presumed burial site of the Apostle St. James. This path traditionally begins in Lisbon, Portugal continuing north into Spain with a distance of approximately 610km. However we chose to begin the Portuguese Way in Porto, Portugal. From here we can take one of two routes. The first path leads along the inland known as the “Central Way”. The other runs along Portugal’s coast and is known as the “Caminho da Costa”. Both are a distance of approximately 227 km.

~ Marla

El Camino de Santiago or The Way of Saint James is a pilgrimage across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Camino has existed for well over a thousand years. The Way of Saint James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the medieval times. Legend has it that the remains of Saint James lie at the Cathedral in Santiago Spain. There is evidence of a pre-Christian route as well.  El Camino de Santiago is now considered a main European cultural route as well as a World Heritage site. Other major pilgrimages include the Via Francigena toward Rome to the Tomb of Saint Peter and the pilgrimage route to Jerusalem which leads to the Holy Sepulcher of Christ.

~ Marla