Boldly Go Solo

Farmers markets around the world

The Matador Network wrote a post recently about farmers markets around the world, from Dane County Farmer's Market in Seattle to Mercado Central in Valencia, Spain, and  Rialto Markets in Venice, Italy. 

I'm a fan of food browsing. I love walking up and down every aisle of shops in other countries to check out unfamiliar products, the foreign-language packaging of familiar products and tasty foods that could be gifts to bring home.

Yet I have mixed feelings about visiting farmers markets when traveling. With no kitchen, I can't do anything with the gorgeous fruits and vegetables I spot. 

On the other hand, these markets are places where locals shop, and they often feel less touristy than other places in highly visited cities. And there are often nonfood items for purchase, including handmade items. Knitted scarves. Ceramic mugs. Framed drawings.

Back to (language) school

This is the second year that fall has come around and my thoughts have turned to...Guadalajara. 

The foods, the family I lived with there for a few days and the Guadalajara sights.

The San Juan de Dios Market. (I just recently finished the vanilla I brought home from there, which reminded me of my trip every time I baked with it.) The Corona Market in Guadalajara's city center. And much more. My nice teacher at the IMAC Spanish language school in downtown Guadalajara. 

I was in a class with about five others, who ranged in age from teens to probably 60's. I loved the fact that la maestra couldn't revert to English to explain things (she didn't speak it well) and that I was able to follow along in Spanish pretty well.

Paradores for solo travelers in Andalusia, Galicia and other Spanish cities

I'd heard about paradores, but had never been clear how they'd fit into the solo traveler's world. So after hearing from Holly Maguire of escapio, I offer the following Q & A. 

(Below: Parador de Siguenza)

What exactly is a parador?  

Traditionally, a parador would be a place to stop off for the night on major traveling routes. The Spanish Paradores concept had rescued historic buildings from deterioration by selecting monasteries, palaces and churches across Spain and giving them a modern makeover. 

This makes for unique historic hotels, with all the modern comforts and usually with excellent views of a city or a beautiful landscape.

Why should a solo traveler choose a parador over some other type of lodging?

Solo travelers would get much closer to true Spanish hospitality and history by selecting a parador over a beach resort or classic city hotel.

Anyone looking to discover typical regional cuisine will also be delighted, as there are tasting classes and cooking courses at many of the paradores. These are a great way to spend an evening getting to know fellow travelers.

(At right: Parador de Leon)

Spain wins the World Cup and I wish I'd been there!

Spain has won the world soccer championship and I have faces of Spaniards in my mind rejoicing. Not from the television. Not because I was in South Africa (I wasn't)

But from a week I spent in Spain teaching English to Spaniards, in a little town several hours from Madrid. Which I did on my own. (And wrote about in "Sports brings solo travelers together with locals.")

2010 FIFA World Cup. Soccer. Futbol. Spain. The Netherlands. The countries and the sport blend in a rosy, nostalgic blur in my mind because I've been to these places and met some of the people and it all has a deeper meaning than a game on TV. Ah, the richness of travel.

More mangling the language in English and other tongues

"Don't worry," my new Spanish language partner explained when we arranged to meet for the first time for an exchange of English and Spanish lessons and he wanted to let me know how prompt he is. "I am sharp with the time."

I laugh, but I'm sure I've cracked up many a Spaniard and South American when I attempted to speak my Spanish to them.

Recently I received an email with the headline, "Up Your Bottom." A Japanese businessman meant to toast an American and Japanese audience by saying, "Bottom's Up." Oops.

A publisher has decided to turn these bloopers into a book and is asking for contributions. You can submit similar tales for possible publication in the book. You have until June 4 to submit a funny story. And yes, there are token prizes.

Alone with Gaudi in Barcelona, solo traveler finds love. Of architecture, that is.

Architecture buffs might consider traveling alone through Barcelona.

Fellow travel writer Barbara Wysocki found that she needed time to soak up all that the famed Catalan architect Gaudi had to offer. So it was nice not to have to convince anyone else to come along. And she didn't have to. She was in Spain by herself. (Well, except when she was with people she met while there.)

In her words:

Since I was traveling alone, I spent about three and half hours doing tours, wandering and returning to the spaces that spoke most powerfully to me. My day, my interests. And no need to stop for lunch.

What was interesting for me was my own inner transition.  I like lots of clean lines and glass. At first Gaudi was too sculptural for me.  Every day I visited another of his many famed homes, churches and concert halls, saving the Sagrada Familia for last. Each day my enthusiasm grew. 

I arrived at the cathedral, a convert to his style, and immersed myself at my own pace.  I can't imagine too many others, except perhaps, for architects, who'd have spent as much time as I did there.  I love looking at any building, any age, and this one is still being constructed. Like those of centuries past, it takes generations to complete.

The adventures continued beyond Gaudi, when she locked herself out of the apartment she had rented:

Win a phrase book to help you banter with the locals on your next foreign adventure

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Don't you just hate it when you're in a bar somewhere in Rome or Florence or Barcelona and you just can't think of how to say, in the native language, "I would love to, Handsome?" Or, "That shirt doesn't go with those pants?"

Yeah, me too!

That's why you might want to have a copy of "hide this book EXTREME." Yes, it's kind of an odd name. And it seems meant to appeal to teens and young adults who will learn "dirty words" and funky expressions that will make them laugh or maybe actually learn something.

However, it could be useful and amusing for adults too. We all learned in our school language classes how to say, "Where is the bank?" and "Which way to the Eiffel Tower/restaurant/center of town?

But who wouldn't want to know how to say, "There's no toilet paper?" Or understand clearly when the bartender says, "Tonight, beer is two for one?" Or have in their arsenal, "If you touch me one more time I'll break your face?" Especially solo travelers, on that last one!

So, in the first ever Boldly Go Solo contest, I am going to give away one book each in French, Spanish and Italian. Kindly provided to me gratis by the publisher of the books.

All you need to do to win is contribute a phrase or a story via email (above left, click on "About").

Biking in Madrid and how to spot a fellow solo traveler

How to spot a solo traveler? "You can always tell us apart by overuse of the self timer on our digital cameras or from the outstretched arm." This line by a fellow solo traveler made me laugh. I have to admit to having a self portrait from the outstretched arm technique. I also have to say...not a good look.

But it IS proof that you've been somewhere. I only resort to it when I'm someplace I can't ask someone else to take my photo. The one I'm remembering is of me at the ocean during a Vancouver Island trip. I'd climbed down a hill in the back of Point No Point Restaurant (fabulous food) and had the whole place to myself. Out came the camera for that photo for posterity.

But back to the blogger, a network security consultant who does not give her name on her blog. (perhaps she's very attuned to privacy, being in her line of work.) We'll just call her "Nettie."

After spotting the solo traveler and feeling encouraged by the kinship from afar, Nettie continued, "It struck me that as a solo traveler the last thing I wanted right then was to have a companion; there really is something satisfying about learning to be alone."

I wholeheartedly agree. I happen to be past the "learning" part now. I just know I like the freedom of traveling solo. I also like meeting people. But I have to be in the mood and there has to be a reason. I don't randomly need company.

Kick, throw or spectate. Sports brings solo travelers together with locals

Sports fan? It's the perfect entree for a solo traveler. Perhaps you play a sport. Perhaps you're a big fan of a sport. Either way, it's something you have in common with a large group of people in other countries.

 

Sports bring travelers and locals together in several ways, according to a post in Vagabondish, a Web travelzine. You can learn about a new sport in a foreign country; you can join locals playing casually; and you can visit during a big sports competition.

When I was in Spain (see post) last June, I ended up by accident in a small restaurant in Barco de Avila during the final match of the country's soccer league. It was Real Madrid against...another team. (Maybe you soccer/football fans remember). Well, this place was hopping!

Juan and the Bean Store: A vacation parable

I've been reading lately about a trend called "slow travel." The gist of it is that instead of the "If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium" style of frenetic travel, people are encouraged to slow down. Spend a week in one place. Live like a local, instead of a tourist. Don't try to see absolutely every monument and museum. Relax.

At first, I didn't think this would be a great idea for a solo traveler. It seemed as though living in a rental house alone for too long could get lonely. I'm changing my mind.

Say you're in a small village and go to the same cafe for breakfast every morning, or restaurant for dinner. Soon you're friendly with a shopkeeper or barista. Maybe you get invited to someone's home. Locals see you around long enough, they get curious, right?

When I was Barco de Avila, Spain, for a week, it didn't take long to get to know the bartender/Internet-meister in one establishment, and to nearly get fixed up with the proprietor of another.

That week, I was at Vaughantown, an English-language program for Spaniards, just outside the village. I ambled into town to use the Internet, but in strolling around, I didn't spot any Internet cafes, surprise, surprise. So I walked into a bar/cafe and asked. Someone told me to go farther up the street.