Anticipation

I have decided - much to your pleasure? - to dip my mental quill into the succinct and evocative world of haiku poetry as I partake in my whirlwind, back roads tour of Italia.  For each blog entry, I will begin with a little juicy, rhythmical piece of the Tuscan pie before launching into my usual gypsy sentiments.  Why?  Because it's my honey-loon, and I'll poetize if I want to.  So as I make my packing/to-do list and check it twice with my heart beating in utter anticipation of being once again with the one I love, I offer you my first Camino Gypsy Haiku...

Bag locked and loaded,

Hair tweezed, skin polished, smile white;

Ready for takeoff!

"2 Gypsies, 2 Journeys, 1 Destination" - The Itineraries

Our actual calendar.

This Sunday I'm once again Europe bound, headed to Belgium to begin my long awaited honeymoon.  Hannes and I had to say goodbye in January just ten days after saying our vows, and the time apart has be excruciating to say the least.  Spending your blissed-out newlywed days in Skypeworld (as we like to call it) is like eating an apple and calling it dessert.  Now finally, after all this time, I get to toss the core into the composter and dive into a box of Belgian chocolates!

Without getting long-winded about it, I wanted to post our "Italian Honey-loon" Campervan itinerary, as well as Gypsy #2, Emily's, "Rome-by-Southwest" (RxSw) schedule to wet your adventure appetite.  Keep in mind, Hannes and I have decided to put the best of both of us into our trip; meaning, while some things will be planned, mapped out and organized Blackheart-style, the rest will be left to where the Tuscan wind takes us, a la the Hannes experience.  And if anyone has suggestions of hotels/agritourism farms/campsites/B&B's to stay, sites and cities/villages to visit, restaurants to devour, vintage stores to scavenge or cafes to linger at, for either Emily or myself, please please please share!


"Italian Honey-loon" Itinerary:

March 27 - Leave Belgium for campsite outside Genoa.
28 - Riviera, Deiva Marina campsite.
29 - Hiking Cinque Terre.
30 - Pisa/Lucca, La Boheme B&B.
31 to April 3 - Explore hill towns of Tuscany.  Siena, Cortona, Montalcino...
4 - Day at Lake Tracimeo.  Camping lakeside.
5 - Assisi.
6 to 9 - Roma!  Where your 2 gypsy writers unite.
9 - Rome to Orvieto, Stay at Farmhouse at Sossogna.
10 - Emily leaves our crew to return to Rome. Explore Civita and Bagnoregio.
11 - Milan.
12 - Drive back to Belgium.



"RxSw" Itinerary:

March 30 - L.A./Venice Beach, Hotel Erwin.
31 - Tucson, Hotel Congress.
April 1 - Tucson, Arizona, La Paloma Hotel.
2 to 3 - Phoenix, Visit family.
4 - Explore Phoenix.
5 - Fly to Italy.
6 to 9 - Roma!
10 - Orvieto.
11 to 12 - Rome.
13 - Scottsdale, Saguaro Hotel.
14 to 17 - Moab, Utah: visit Zion and Arches National Parks.
18 - Death Valley, California, Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel.
19 - Yosemite, Wawona Hotel.
20 - Back to San Francisco!

“Love In The Mud” Part 6 – His Story

Sorry to not give my story on our first kiss sooner, but as you know, life sometimes has changes in store that make you do other things than write about this moment (like a Las Vegas wedding!)

A first kiss is always an exploration. You wonder, ‘How is it going to be?  Is she going to be a good kisser?  Is the kiss going to give me butterflies?  What if I am not a good kisser?  I hope I didn’t eat garlic today…’  All those thoughts race through your head.

My very first kiss I still remember.  It was in high school, and it was a mess.  I didn’t know how to kiss yet, and neither did she (all tongue, no lips.)  Although I still remember the moment, it wasn’t quite what it should be.  Little did I know that the best kiss would come on the most unlikely journey of my life!

As the Camino gang and I walked through the streets of Leon, out of the blue Red pulled me aside and whispered in my ear, “You should kiss Tess” – a little to my surprise I must admit.  So I told Red my fear of kissing Tess and then having to say goodbye like summer loves I’d had before.  I hate goodbyes, so I sometimes avoid it before it even happens.  Stupid, I know, but it’s a way of protecting myself.

As evening fell, and we were still cruising the streets on foot, Tess and I looked back to see where our Camino friends were.  Where had they gone?  Thinking on Red’s earlier command, it soon became obvious they’d sneakily ditched us.  So we decided to walk back to Tess’ Parador.  This walk would normally take about 10min… but in reality, it took a little longer (wink).

Along the way, Red’s words kept haunting my thoughts.  There was a battle going on inside my head.  Maybe I should kiss Tess… or maybe not.  We continued walking, although the park along the river wasn’t that big.  We were savoring the moment.  It was a lovely warm night, and summer romance was hanging in the air.  After hours of talking, we sat next to each other on a wooden bench in the park close to the water.  ‘Hannes what are you waiting for?!’ I thought to myself.  That’s when Tess, in a soft, sweet voice asked me, “Would you mind kissing me?”  

‘Can she read my mind?!’  It was kismet.  And that’s when I had a new thought pop in my head – ‘WHAT THE HELL, MAN.  GO FOR IT!  Even if you don’t see her ever again, it might just be the best kiss ever between two people!  I smiled and answered, “I wouldn’t mind at all.  Yes.”

Time seemed to be slowing down as our lips touched…  And OMG what a kiss!  Butterflies unfurled in my belly and started flying around.  I was floating on air.

‘Damn, Hannes, what if you wouldn’t have done that?!  You would have missed out on the best kiss you ever had!’  And I couldn’t get enough of kissing Tess… her loving, tender lips moved in perfect symphony with mine.  We kissed like we had kissed a million times before.  It felt so natural, so pure.  No doubt about it, that moment I found my match.

As the morning came closer and street cleaners began sweeping up, we decided to call it a night… or a morning… and go to the big square in front of the Parador Palace to say ‘bonne nuit.’  I had to do the one thing that has always scared me, and that was say goodbye…

No, that could not happen.  That shouldn’t happen!  If I had a hand in it, I will see her again!  So I just let it out – “We have to see each other again,” I told her.  We just have to, no doubt about it.

And we did in the Medieval town of Ponferrada with its Templar castle and hot Spanish wind… But that’s another story – Part 7 to be exact.

To be continued… 

Ponferrada where the love story continues...

Meet The Newest Guest Gypsy Writer!

Fellow gypsies and pilgrims, meet my roommate, writer, hotelier and travelphile, Emily Oestreicher.  We will both be setting off on our own Camino-esque adventures late March.  Myself, on my Italian Campervan honeymoon with my Camino love/husband and Emily, on a southwestern US road trip.  April 6th, however, we will join forces in Rome for the ultimate Roman holiday filled with pistachio gelato, sun speckled bicycle rides, spaghetti in every shape, taste and size, espresso shots on the hour, rambling cobblestone walks, limoncello at sunset, bustling farmers markets and lots of speaking with our hands.  

This will be the second time I get to explore Italy with one of my all-time favorite travel partners.  But what makes this trip special is that, while I'm writing you from the back of a van traipsing through the Tuscan countryside, she'll be writing to you in cozy cafes or on the plush linens of the hippest boutique hotels the southwest has to offer.  We're calling this segment....wait for it.... "Two Gypsies, Two Journeys, One Destination".  Excited yet?  I am.
  
So to give you a taste of what you're in for, Emily has offered up a pint-sized biography (fitting for a pint-sized adventuress) and past travel highlights in the hopes that you'll want to come along for the ride.  So without further adieu, may I present Gypsy EO!

----------

Born in a conservative valley town in California, I was raised by two liberal parents in a large, 70’s style house in the country. As much as I didn’t mind being surrounded by cows and brown shag carpeting, my Mother despised almost everything about it, so I was fortunate enough to travel a lot in my childhood. From Peru to Whales, many of my fondest memories were of the hotels. While most kids would write about their pet hamster or new Nintendo game in their school journals, I was discussing how lovely the Embassy Suites in Hawaii had been because they offered free Shirley temples and popcorn at sunset.

Come high school, I had taken on some of the same sentiments as mom with regards to my little town, so I headed to the Spanish Basque country for a semester. Not only was this was an amazing opportunity to learn a new language and culture; it was also a great way to be able to stay up all night and drink peach liquor with my host-sister. I noticed while living there, however, that when people found I was American, they immediately associated me with George Bush. When I then told them I was from California, suddenly talk turned to Baywatch. What was going on here?

When I later graduated from UC Santa Cruz with an American History degree, my time is Spain had left me curious about what it meant to be American. With all the travelling I’d done, I really hadn’t explored my own country, and it absolutely fascinated me. Yet, that curiosity would be put on the back burner, as I celebrated my American History major with a month-long trip to Europe. I travelled around with my dad and younger brother Alex and then met up with your very own gypsy writer, Tess, for a spell, eating pumpkin ravioli and attempting to sunbathe on the rock-infested French coastline.

Post college, I moved back to my hometown to open up a solar powered café with my dad. After two years of valley living and untold hours of sandwich making, I sold the business and moved to San Francisco to pursue a career in hospitality (cut back to love of hotels). I am now a Sales Manager for the Hotel Abri, and I adore it! One of the great things about being in the hospitality business is that they recognize the importance of a good vacation. Because of this, I am able to take 20 days off to embark on a little adventure, which I believe has been a lifetime in the making. Leaving from San Francisco with my camera, prescription sunglasses and music mix in tow, I’m headed to Los Angeles and then over to Tucson and Phoenix to check out the Great Southwest. From there, I’ll be catching up with Tess and Hannes in Italy. I guess I just can’t stay away from Europe! Then, it’s back to Arizona and a route home to San Francisco through Utah and their amazing National Parks. I’ll also be searching out a variety of hotels and surfing a few couches along the way.

Don’t get me wrong, I long to sit in an outdoor cafe in Rome with Tess and Hannes drinking vino rosso and eating up an Italian storm, but mostly what I hope to gain from this trip is a better understanding of my own country. Like a lot of us, I began working right out of college and haven’t had more than 10 days of vacation in a row since. I have always wanted to see more of the United States, but the time and opportunity has never presented itself until now. I can’t wait to see with my own eyes this section of the country, and I look forward to expressing my thoughts, emotions, and the ups and downs of the journey as best as I can on this inspirational Gypsy blog.

Hope to take you all along with me!

-Gypsy E.O.

The Ultimate Camino Packing List

Recently, mom and I have been hearing about more and more people who want to make the Camino plunge.  Some of whom our humble excursion even inspired!  Mom, being ever-organized, went so far as to put together a little living room seminar for future pilgrim inductees.  But for those who couldn't make it, I thought I would offer up the Ultimate Camino Packing List.  

All packed and headed to Arles by train.

Now, this one has a few women's things you fellas won't have to worry about.  And there are also some items that won't apply to certain people or that you might find superficial and useless (I will defend my miniature Chanel mascara to the bitter end!)  But never the one to shy away from full disclosure and honesty, I'm putting it all out there, iPad 2 and all.  So please take this list as more of a guided suggestion based on three months and nearly 1000 miles of experience as we tossed, bought, ditched, exchanged, re-bought, donated and renegotiated our way through France and Spain.

Also, if you'd like to read about our packing misadventures and clever finds, read "The Baby With The Bathwater" entry as we began the desperate plight to lighten our load in the days leading up to the big transatlantic flight.

Backpack Essentials:

•  Backpack
• Rain cover for backpack
• Small purse or day pack
• Hiking poles with duct tape wrapped around handles – you never know when you’ll need tape for repairs
• Stuff sacs for tight packing
• Quart and pint-sized Ziploc bags
• CamelBak bladder

Electronics:

• Camera
• Phone
• E-book with chargers – English books are rare finds (and usually bawdy romance novels only) and trust me you’ll go through your first book fast
• Adapter plug – you no longer need voltage converters for modern electronics
• iPad 2 – I bought this (lightest thing I could find) to write and post pics for you lovely folks, watch movies on occasion and listen to music (keep in mind we were on the road for three months), but I was the rare one.  It also served as my E-reader.

Clothes (easy to wash by hand and quick drying):

• Rain jacket and pants
• 1 pair nylon hiking pants and shorts
• 2 pair hiking socks, 2 pair liners, 2 pair undies, 2 bras
• 1 skirt/pants and extra shirt/blouse for town or, as I did, a dress 
• 2 short sleeve hiking tops
• 1 fleece-type jacket
• 1 long sleeve top
• Sun hat
• Gortex mid-level boots (recommend Lowa), shower shoes & sandals
• Small belt – for when you inevitably lose weight
• Lightweight scarf – I bought a souvenir one and it turned the most worn, ugly Camino outfits of mine into something verging on fashion, whether worn in my hair or around my neck

Hygiene (miniature sizes):

• Hanging toiletries bag so it’s easy to take into the shower (recommend Rick Steve’s)
• Bath gel
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Toothpaste/toothbrush
• Comb
• Deodorant
• Lotion/moisturizer for face & body – I went without for awhile & really regretted it, as the sun and dry air sucks your skin dry
• Insect repellent - I had scars from my first mosquito attack outside Arles for three months.  Buy over there where the stuff is so strong you might grow a third eye.
• Quick-dry towel
• Razor - bath gel makes good shave cream)
• Sunscreen
• Nail file
• Jewelry – trust me, a simple pair of studs and a small necklace will keep you from feeling as if you’ve turned completely androgynous
• Bed-bug repellent spray or tea tree oil
• SPF lip balm – I got mine with a touch of color in it
• Make-up – I had a miniature tube of mascara (in case of emergencies) and face powder.  Just having those two things brought me infinite joy.
• Sleep-ware
• Saline solution if wear contacts
• Tweezers
• Vitamins or Pills if you need them - at first I didn't, but quickly realized the food in Spain wasn't nutrient rich enough for all the exercise we were doing.

Misc:

• Sunglasses
• Contacts and/or Glasses
• Wallet or holder for passport, cash, credit card, medical cards, etc.
• Photocopies of passport & cars and index card with important number written on it
• Rubber bands - would MacGyver leave home without at least a few?
• Pen & small writing tablet - I just used my iPad

Laundry:

• Soap – preferably single-use Tide or Woolite packs
• Stretchy clothes line
• Clothes pins and/or safety pins
• Sink stopper
• Patience

Sleeping:

• Sleep sac or light weight sleeping bag (latter preferred)
• Travel alarm – you can also use your phone’s alarm
• Ear plugs & sleep mask – smartest investment you’ll make
• Head lamp – for the lights-out albergue policy both at night and in morning
• Toilet Paper – always keep extra on you!

First Aid: 

• Swiss Army Knife
• Body glide
• Whistle
• All of the following are very easy to obtain and need not be in large quantities:

o   Pain killers

o   Anti-biotic ointment

o   Band-Aids

o   Cortisone cream

o   Allergy pills

o   Antiseptic wipes

o   Large aids to arrest bleeding and treat wounds

o   Moleskin and Blister aids

Eating: 

• Spork
• Small water container – we used this for water when not hiking and leftover wine (not ashamed)
• Snacks
• Pepto-Bismol packets

Mini-Moon

My Camino Love and I have tied the knot.  On January 4th at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas (famed home of the Britney nuptials) we became official, and soon hit Highway 1 to cruise down the Pacific Coast so my hubby could get his feet wet in the Cali lifestyle.  He was hooked instantly.  Who wouldn't be?

I love a good road trip.  Not much else elates me in quite the same way.  Blame it on my reading "On The Road" at 10-years-old or repeated viewings of "Thelma & Louise" (minus the cliff dive), but I go nutty for AAA guides (I read all the highlights aloud, even the boring ones) and mini-coolers that fit between seats.  I have searched a long time for that perfect partner to sit by me in the front seat - feeding me chips as I drive, DJing the right music, flipping on my butt warmer when it gets chilly, massaging my shoulders when traffic is tense, not getting angry when I have to stop to pee a hundred times, taking pictures out the window as if everyday, even in the Nevada desert, is an African safari.  Hannes is that perfect co-pilot. 

Rather than give you a travel play-by-play, some highlights of our windy tarmac journey: 70-degree crystal-clear weather, gray whale sightings, being swallowed by redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park, crispy tacos in Santa Cruz, artichoke bread from Whale City Bakery, dolphins flanking us on a sunrise sea stroll in Carmel, the ethereal jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Campervan gypsies of Rio Del Mar, our legs dangling off a cliff as we ate veggie burgers at Nepenthe, the rock sculptures on the 17-mile-drive, red light kisses...  But perhaps the most memorable of all - the nirvana of all nirvanas - was The Ventana Inn & Spa.  Our one-night honeymoon splurge.

This bohemiam oasis, nestled in the happy redwoods of Big Sur and overlooking the sparkling Pacific, was beyond any daydream I'd had as I mapped out our trip.  Firstly, their smiling 'I-love-where-I-work' staff upgraded us to a suite, which for a girl who's been obsessed with hotels all her life - hell, I can even appreciate a good motel, scratchy towels and creepy truckers and all - was like telling a fat kid, "A slice?  Have the whole damn cake!"  There were two bottles of wine and gargantuan chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us in a luxury suite I can only describe as 'the place I want my ashes sprinkled.'  It consisted of an enormous room with a fireplace (equipped with a stack of adorable Goodwood fire log bags), king-sized bed (ahem) with clouds for blankets, an ocean view balcony, delicate hammock, the world's largest bathtub that opened to both the living room and bathroom (have they been looking at my 'Dream Home' Pinterest board?), plush bathrobes and a display of products that would make even the biggest mini product-hoarder (ahem) blush. 

The property is just as amazing.  The Japanese Baths were exquisite.  We went twice - once to toast champagne at sunset and again to watch the night sky with its endless possibilities.  The pool was relaxing (80-degrees, what?!)  And the breakfast scrumptious - oh how I love endless cups of rich coffee with fresh soy milk and an ocean view!  We even took the complimentary guided stroll around the property the next morning with Stephen from Big Sur Guides.  There were two other married couples with us on the hike who had been married 30 and 40 years... and they still held hands as they walked.  But then, who wouldn't want to hold hands in this place?  It just has that infectious Kumbaya ambiance that makes you want to grab the one you love tight. 

That night we had a picnic by our fireplace in our robes and then a swing in the hammock listening to the crickets trying to find their own Camino Loves.  I can't say I remember a time when I was happier and more at peace... except when I told my Belgian pilgrim that I'd love him forever with our Rastafarian minister looking over us and grinning. 

A Year of Extremes

Photo by anat_tikker.

I have never been one for extremes.  I'm not a couch potato nor am I an adrenaline junkie.  I don't like thrift stores nor have I ever bought anything at Chanel.  I workout on a regular basis, but I'll eat a buffalo burger and fries with the best of 'em.  I've baked a few cookies in my day, but I couldn't tell you what the hell a 'roulade' is.  I've never been straight-edge nor have I been a hardcore partier.  I even claim agnostic... how much more neutral can one get? 

Every NYE a dear friend of mine 'deems' the next year "The year of [fill in the blank.]"  If I could sum up 2011 upon looking back, it would be "The Year of Extremes."  I didn't simply go on a vacation this year; I took three months off to walk 1000 miles through Europe with my mother.  I didn't simply fall in love; I met the love of my life.  And the kicker?  He lives thousands of miles away overseas.  I didn't just move; I suffered through a bout of bed bugs that sent me packing to a new apartment with an eviction notice awaiting.  I didn't have a few doctor's visits; I had two surgeries and mounds of medical bills.  I didn't simply get a few parking tickets like normal folk; I got into a full on car accident with a couple who hopped out like paparazzi and took pictures of the damage before I even realized I'd been in an accident.  I didn't simply chip a tooth; I cracked it on piece of sea salt in a thousand year old convent and had to have a root canal.  I'm not simply engaged to be married; I'm getting hitched in Vegas - the town where extremes are born.  And for the first time in my life I've had to hire a lawyer... Two of them!

Life has been a roller coaster ride since I took my first step in the Arles soil and began my Camino journey.  On the Camino, every day plays out much like the one before.  The real extreme is not so much the miles or the vagabond lifestyle (although those are up there), as it is the emotions you have to roll up your sweat-wicking sleeves and deal with.  Emotions you either have to battle or find a comfortable home for.  Every day new things were unearthed inside me.  Some good, some bad.  But none of them temperate.

But as this year comes to a close, I would like to say, My Dearest Camino, that I'm ready to get off the roller coaster for awhile.  You see, my back is a little tweaked from all the rocking, and I simply can't afford anymore tickets to ride.  The ups and downs of life keep it interesting, true, and when you go on the Camino, you're asking for a wild ride... a ride that doesn't end when the Cathedral of Santiago looms before you.  Yet, sometimes you've just had enough of the zigzags and free falls. 

My friend suggested that 2012 be deemed "The Year of Happiness," and I like that.  But for me, I'd like to deem my new year "The Year of Mellow Moderation."  Not only because I have a soft spot for alliteration, but because I'm ready to get off the roller coaster ride the Camino has sent me on, plant my feet and eat a funnel cake as I watch others laugh, cry, scream, barrel roll, corkscrew and twist their way to the end of the track.  And there I'll be waiting, to hand them a frozen lemonade and welcome them back to solid ground.