Felice Navidad.

 I am sitting at home looking forward to starting our 'lifestyle' trip to Spain.  I say lifestyle with my tongue in cheek as we try not to think of these trips as holidays, rather a lifestyle.  The rationale being that we can't afford to have a lavish holiday lifestyle where we eat out all the time and splash out on excursions.  We live a fairly moderate life doing the same things as we do at home.  We buy and prepare our own food with occasional meals out as a treat.  We look for free activities and places we can get in for free. I am slowly preparing....servicing bikes and getting out the things that we pack in the van.  I am also especially good at eating everything that we have in the fridge.  Also, I have been busy preparing to not be at home for Christmas in the UK.  You wouldn't think that going away would need so much effort but we need to see or contact close relatives, wrap presents for them and most importantly distribute my Christ...

 Last time we were travelling in Spain I did a (very) abridged version of Spanish history.  I hope to learn a little more on this visit but here is the recap from 2018..... I take no responsibility for any mistakes or perceived insults to the Spanish people or nation. Iberian tribes Phoenicians settled in some coastal areas Romans till 4th Century AD Visigoths till 8th Century AD Moors till 11th Century AD covered all but the north of Spain.  Ruled by the Caliphate of Córdoba, receding gradually but hung on in Córdoba and Granada areas till defeated at Granada in 1492 by the Catholic Rulers, Isabel of Castile and Fernando of Aragon.  Catholics Kings and Queens ruled from North Spain and eventually all of Spain. 1492 - Columbus discovers Americas, he is Italian from Genoa, lived in Portugal for early adulthood and sailed for Spain. 16th Century - Spanish expansion in Americas - Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Cuba, Hispaniola, Columbia.   Also control Netherlands...

Well, what has happened since we last blogged?  The last blog was ' landofmygrandfather.blogspot.com ', based on our motorhome trip around Wales in September 2020.  The coronavirus pandemic was still around but restrictions were fairly relaxed at the time.  Much water has passed under the bridge since then with more coronavirus, more lockdowns and more limited travelling.  I know you know all this stuff but when we read this blog in 20 years time we might have forgotten the context of this period! On a personal note we have had managed holidays this year along the Galloway coast of Scotland and then to Anglesey and Snowdonia.  Janice and I climbed Snowdon and then on my 60th birthday we climbed Ben Nevis to complete the three highest peaks of the countries of the British Isles.  We have also squeezed in a French holiday in September this year, getting to the beaches of the Gironde and the rivers of the Dordogne.  After having foreign travel restricted ...