The LL is Sick: Our First Formal Interaction with a non-US Health System

A couple days ago the LL started showing signs of an eye infection. After some emailing back and forth with my physician sister-in-law and a phone call with our home pediatrician, we decided we needed to get her seen here in Spain. Here are some of my takeaways from that experience.

In Oviedo . . . It's Often too Early for Lunch but Never too Early to Drink!

We've been in Oviedo for one week, and in that week I've made a few observations about the culture of the place. While the conclusions below are definitely preliminary, one of the things I love so much about living in different places is how you can learn from the ways that people do things in other cultures. So, observation one: while it's often too early for lunch in Oviedo, it's never too early (or too late) to drink. More after the jump.

Settling into Oviedo

We've now been in Oviedo for a few days. Already, I'm feeling really good about being here. I think it's going to be a great place to live and work for a few months. My post today is mostly about the mechanics of moving into a new place abroad for a medium-term stay. More after the jump.

The Blessing and Curse of Happening Upon a Cultural Event

We had basically a day and a half in Cordoba as we started northward toward Oviedo. Details after the break.

Ronda and a Road Trip to the White Villages

On Wednesday we traveled from Granada to Ronda. Ronda is in the south of Spain and is one of the bases for visiting what are known as the white villages, small towns that typically are set up on hills with whitewashed buildings that stand in stark contrast with the rocky background in which they are set. We spent two lovely nights in Ronda. More details after the jump.

The Cultural Riches and Hot Shade of Granada

Yesterday we finished up a two-plus day stint in Granada, Spain. Lots of highlights, with a quick overview after the jump.

Sometimes the Typical Tourist Fare is Just Fine: Lisbon

We just finished up about three days in Lisbon prior to heading to Spain. Since we didn't have that much time and we aren't sure if we'll ever be back, we decided to just hit some of the major, standard stops on the Lisbon tourist circuit. More after the jump.

Getting Through an Airport with too Much Stuff

We have now completed the first leg of our current journey, from Newark to Lisbon. It was tiring, of course, and probably the most important lesson learned has to do with getting through an airport carrying way too much stuff.

Packing Day

Packing for three months in Europe today. It's really easy to over-pack for a trip like this, so I try to remind myself of that fact constantly. Really, I'm packing for at most two weeks, with a few extra things thrown in that might not otherwise make the cut for a shorter trip. More details on packing for a long trip after the jump.