It's 'English Only' for a week in Spain

Ken poses with a stone sculpture of San Anton, the local pig of La Alberca.

Take it from me: Learning a new language, especially when you're slightly older than middle-aged, is no easy feat. I've been struggling with French for nearly seven years, and I still sound like a toddler. Worse yet, my comprehension is terrible, especially on the phone or when I have no idea what the topic of conversation is. Our recent return trip to the Diverbo language school (where native Spanish speakers are immersed in English for a week) inspires us to up our French-learning game. Moreover, our week in La Alberca, Spain, nets us some amazing new friends.

The lodge at Abadía de los Templarios in La Alberca, Spain, is the venue
for the Diverbo English-language immersion program.

Diverbo (also called Pueblo Inglés) is a language immersion program that brings together English-language learners with native English speakers. In addition to several locations in Spain, Diverbo also has programs in Germany and offers specialty programs designed for English teachers and teenagers.

This is the view from our terrace at La Alberca.

On Day 1, we arrive by car from Porto; most of the others come on a chartered bus from Madrid. We are staying in comfortable villas. Each villa houses one Spaniard and one Anglo (except for us, the only couple). This will be our home until for the next seven days.

This year, we are joined by seven other volunteers (two are British and the rest of us are American) and nine students. Back in 2015 we had a much different experience, mostly due to the number of participants: 22 Spaniards and 22 Anglo volunteers from around the world. Most of the native Spanish speakers are here to improve their English for their jobs, and some of their tuition is being paid by their employers. We are volunteers, so our room and board is free.

Abadía de los Templarios in La Alberca offers pretty places to walk and
talk English with our new friends.

Throughout the week we will eat together, play together, laugh together, and talk, talk, talk. The No. 1 rule is English Only. We are guided by a program director and an emcee. Each day consists of several hour-long one-to-one conversations and small group discussions. In the evening we listen to talks, sing along with our emcee, perform skits, and play games. Everyone is expected to have fun and make a bit of a fool of one's self. More than once it occurs to me that the experience is akin to a super-cool sleep-away camp.

Johnny, our Irish emcee, guides and entertains us
throughout our week at Diverbo.

Scattered throughout the week are parties, trivia nights, cultural ceremonies, and a field trip to the village of La Alberca where we have a tour, enjoy a wine and Iberian ham tasting at a bodega, and eat a traditional lunch or roast suckling pig (cochinillo asado).

La Alberca was the first rural village in Spain to be designated a
National Historic Heritage site.

Because we are such a small group, we all get to know each other quite well. Throughout the week, we, as volunteers, can see the improvement in each student's English skills. The accents get easier to understand, there are fewer grammar mistakes, and shyness has dissolved. Our one-to-one conversations have become more intimate. By the time the week ends, students will have been immersed in English for around 100 hours.

The experience is intense, and the work of talking and listening is not as easy as it seems. However, by the time the week is over, we have forged friendships with each of the students (and some of our fellow volunteers). Ana, César, Enrique, José Israel, Lola, Lucía, Lucie, Marta, and Victor: You have inspired us, you're our heroes, and we will never forget you.

I wrote more about the village of La Alberca a few years ago, (the link is here), and I include more pictures below. Out of respect for privacy, I have not included photographs of any of the participants. If you want to know more about the Diverbo program, click here.

Donuts have arrived in La Alberca.

This device hanging above the pulpit in La Alberca's Church
of the Assumption allows for amplification of sermons.

This rare statue of Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus
is located in Church of the Assumption in La Alberca, Spain.

La Alberca's Mirador de Santa Fe offers views across the Sierras de Bejar y
Francia, which is a UNESCO listed Biosphere reserve.

Porto, the second time around

The colorful Porto waterfront is seen from Vila Nova de Gaia.

Three years ago, we made our first visit to Porto. Evidently, we liked it because this year we decided to make the city our base for exploring Northern Portugal. Our apartment's location is perfect. It's an easy walk to restaurants, shopping, and transportation. In fact, after getting reacquainted with Porto's hills, we very smartly buy bus passes, which allow us the freedom to go anywhere we want without having to worry about the walk home.

 The Gustave Eifel-designed Ponte de Dom Luís I was the longest
bridge of its kind when it was built over the Douro in the late 1900s.

Once the mainstay of Porto public transportation, the city now has only
three lines using these historic electricos. 

Stopping to admire murals helps ease the pain of climbing a
long, long stairway in Porto.

Our host has given us a good list of restaurants, and in the course of our week here, we try them all. The best place to get a Francesinha (Porto's decadent sandwich) is two blocks away at Restaurante Capa Negra II. The place is huge and packed. We refuse to regret splurging (calorie-wise), but we vow to make this our only Francesinha meal this week.

The view of the Douro River from Vinum in Vila Nova de Gaia is almost
as good as the restaurant's food.

We enjoy an entirely different eating experience at Vinum, the beautiful restaurant located in Graham's Port Lodge. Locally sourced, fresh and healthy. I finish my meal with a glass of port instead of dessert. Unheard of for me!

While waiting for our bus, I take one more photo of Porto's Ribeira district.

Praia de Lavadores in Gaia marks the beginning of a stretch of beaches along
the Atlantic.  

After lunch we walk down to the river and look at Porto from the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the Douro. We think we're pretty clever taking a bus back home, but I've forgotten to check the route of our transfer bus and we end up at the ocean. Not an awful detour on a day such as this.

Porto's new-ish attraction for families is World of Discoveries.

Another new Porto experience is World of Discoveries, an interactive museum that opened since our last visit. Through video screens, life-size dioramas, and a boat ride across the world, visitors can learn all about Portuguese exploration.We have fun here, due especially to the young enthusiastic staff (most of whom are university students), and families with children should definitely put World of Discoveries on their lists of places to visit in Porto.

Interactive information screens (in a choice of languages) teach
visitors about exploration at World of Discoveries in Porto.

A life-size diorama shows the ship-building process at World of
Discoveries in Porto.

Boats carry visitors to the Amazon rain forests at World of
Discoveries in Porto. 

A simulated trip around the globe is the main attraction at Porto's World of
Discoveries. 

One afternoon we decide to go to the movies. I know roughly where the theater is — just up the street from the top of Praça da Liberdade. However, we have a heck of a time finding it as there is no marquee. Eventually we arrive and after buying our tickets I pop into the ladies room. There are three stalls here, but something is a bit odd. There's a bidet in each stall! Now, I have no problem with bidets although I don't generally use them when we are traveling. But I've never seen one in a public bathroom, and I can't ... well, let's just say, it seems very, very wrong.

I am bewildered by bidets in a public restroom in Porto.

Colorful tile buildings brighten up this Porto street.

Soon our visit to Portugal will be over. We're about to head to Spain where we will meet some incredible and inspiring new friends. In the meantime, see pictures from our first trip to Porto here.

University is Coimbra's crown jewel

The city of Coimbra (pronouced 'queen-bra') is seen from the University campus.

We're on a bus from Porto to Coimbra, and I'm studying up on Portugal's former capital and premier college town. The Universidade de Coimbra opened its doors in 1290 and is one of the world's oldest universities. For a time, until 1911, Coimbra was Portugal's only university.

Before heading to the university at the top of the town, we need a mid-morning snack, and incredibly, I manage to find Mijacão, a tiny tavern in an alley off of Rua Da Sofia that serves yummy (and cheap) sandwiches throughout the day. Thus fortified, we stroll up the stunning Aveinda Sá da Bandeira on our way to the campus.

Steps lead to the Largo Dom Dinis at the University of Coimbra.

Once there, we meet two law students who sell us a postcard and direct us to the place that sells tickets to the historical sites on the university campus that we will be visiting.

The plaza of Paço das Escolas is the centerpiece of the University of Coimbra.

Three of these sites are located along the edges of the majestic plaza of Paço das Escolas. We've been assigned a specific time to be at the downstairs entrance to Joanine Library, the most famous and impressive site in Coimbra and one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Originally known as the "Book House," the Biblioteca Joanina was commissioned in 1717  by King João V (hence the nickname). The building contains around 60,000 books from the 16th to 18th centuries and is still considered a valuable bibliographical resource for scholars.

The portal to the Joanine Library at the University of Coimbra is a
triumphal arch framed by ionic columns. Above the door is this message
in Latin: 'This is the home that august Coimbra donated to books so that
the library may crown its front.'

We enter at the lower level into what was once the academic prison. The prison was installed in 1593 underneath another building and moved to its present location in 1773. The jail was used until 1832 to host students who had committed disciplinary offences. The middle floor was once used for collections that only staff could peruse, but it is now used for temporary exhibitions.

The intermediate floor of the Biblioteca Joanina is used for temporary exhibitions.

As we move upstairs to the main level, I put my camera away. No photos are allowed here. Some travel writers claim that the library, and other parts of the campus provided inspiration to JK Rowling as she was writing the "Harry Potter" series. The three rooms that comprise the library are covered ceiling to floor on two levels with books. The walls and shelves are decorated with small oriental paintings of flora, fauna and figures. Ladders are built into the gilded wooden shelves and can be pulled out to retrieve books from upper shelves. The ceilings are covered with splendid trompe l'oeil murals. The library is also the home to bats, valued tenants who keep the moths and other destructive bugs at bay.

The interior of Saint Michael's Chapel at the University of Coimbra contains
tiled walls and this cheerful ceiling.

Because the campus will close at 1 p.m. for lunch, we hurry on to St. Michael's Chapel and the Royal Palace. The chapel dates back to around the 11th century but the current building was built in the 16th century. The interior is slightly newer (from the 17th and 18th centuries). The chapel's outstanding feature is the church organ, but I fancy the ceiling.

A detail of the interior of St. Michael's Chapel at the University of Coimbra
depicts The Last Supper. 

Doctorate candidates would take their oral exams in secret at night in the
Examination Room of the Paço des Escolas in Coimbra.

The Royal Palace, Paço das Escolas, has a long rich history. The Ceremonial Hall, Sala dos Capelos, was originally the Throne Hall. Ceremonies such as the formal opening of the Academic year, the investiture of the rector, and PhD oral examinations are still held here.

A male frog, in shorts, was mated with a female frog, thus creating the first
artificial condom for animals. This is one of the scientific discoveries exhibited
at the Science Museum at the University of Coimbra.

As the bells signals the end of morning classes, we head to the Science Museum, which doesn't close at midday; its young staff evidently doesn't get a lunch break. The museum, which was formerly classrooms, features hands-on exhibits. Across the street, a natural history wing contains hundreds of animal skeletons and stuffed animals.

Can you spot Ken in this photograph taken at the University of Coimbra's
Science Museum?

Ken contemplates the beauty of the University of Coimbra's Botanical Garden
and calculates how far we've walked today.

We still have a few hours before our bus, so we take a walk in the university's Botanical Garden. Created by an initiative of the Marquess of Pombal in 1772, the garden is a living laboratory for science and nature education, research, and the promotion of biodiversity conservation.

An angel appears to take flight from this church roof along Rua da Sofia
in Coimbra.

The return walk from the university to downtown is much easier, and we have time to stop in some shops and have dinner before heading back to Porto — the subject of my next post.

Somethings old and something high in Northern Portugal

Eight days in Porto allows us plenty of time for some out-of-town excursions. After taking a few days off from driving, we hop in the car and head north to see what Northern Portugal offers.

Braga

A large fountain puts on a show in front of Arcada, part of
Braga's Renaissance urban development.

Known as the Baroque capital of Portugal, Braga has the country's oldest cathedral, numerous impressive buildings, and a university, which can be credited with giving the city a certain amount of vibrancy and hipness. The day is sunny and warm (at least for February) and we have no trouble finding Braga's main plaza and tourism office. We are pointed in the direction of the historical quarter and set off through a maze of Gothic streets.

This altar is located inside the Church of the Third Order
of Saint Francis, one of Braga's many churches.

The Episcopal Palace (Paço Arcebispal dos Braganças) was built for the
brother of King João V.

Street art adds a touch of whimsy to Braga, Portugal's
third largest city.

Braga is dotted with pieces of art and murals that provide great contrasts to the austere churches. We spend just a few hours here, as we have a few more stops today.

Maybe if I were a 30 years younger, I would stay up late to check out
this nightclub in Braga.

Bom Jesus do Monte

Five-hundred, seventy-seven steps lead up to Bom Jesus
do Monte.

Just a few kilometers from Braga is Bom Jesus do Monte, a religious sanctuary and pilgrimage site. Pilgrims might opt to climb the 577 steps to the top of the mountain, but we hitch a ride on the funicular. This antique tram was built in 1882 and is powered by water. Once all the tourists are on board and photos have been taken, we take off. The 1,000-foot ascent takes just three minutes.

The views of Braga from the terraces of Bom Jesus do Monte are best enjoyed
on a bright sunny day such as this.

The sanctuary church stands atop the steps of Bom Jesus
do Monte.

Dioramas inside small chapels at Bom Jesus do Monte depict the Stations
of the Cross.

At the top we enjoy amazing views of Braga and peek into the various octagonal chapels that contain life-size Stations of the Cross. The interior of the large sanctuary church is being renovated, but we'd rather be outside anyway, high above the world below.

Landscaped grounds, a restaurant, and a luxury hotel also can be found at
Bom Jesus do Monte.

The steps of Bom Jesus do Monte near Braga are swept
with these rustic brooms.

We depart by way of the stairs, and along the way we nod greetings to the artisans who are carefully repairing the mosaic stone steps.

Guimarães

The Padrão do Salado in Guimarães is a Gothic-style structure
commemorating the Battle of Salado against the Moors,
which took place in the south of Spain in 1340.  

The stunning city of Guimarães is considered to be the birthplace of Portugal's identity. Its roots go back to the 10th century when a monastery was built on a rural estate at the wish of the wealthy and religious Countess Mumadona. A castle was built to protect the monastery from raids carried out by the Normans (from the north) and by Muslims (from the south).

The town has been meticulously restored and is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Oliveira dates back to the 10th century,
when Guimarães was born.

I have only a few photographs of Guimarães as we spend the last hours of the good afternoon light having a late lunch, but we pass a memorable few hours here. Plazas, churches, and monuments seem to be around each corner, and we promise ourselves that on our next visit we will allow more time — possibly a few days — to visit the Ducal Palace, the Casa da Memória, and the Archaeological and Alberto Sampaio museums.

Stops along the Way: Northern Spain

Logroño's Stone Bridge is one of the city's symbols, appearing in its coat of
arms as early as 1285.

Our recent trip to the Iberian Peninsula starts with a visit to Spain's northern coast. This is the part that runs from the border with France westward. Our stops coincide with stops along the Camino de Santiago, and although we are not pilgrims, we take note of sites along this famous religions/spiritual route known in English as the Way of Saint James.

Logroño
(616 km from Santiago de Compostela)

This statue in Logroño pays tribute to those hiking the
Camino de Santiago.

I begin our story in Logroño, which is actually the last stop of our month-long trip, and then pick up the trail at the beginning, in Santander.

Concatedral de Santa Maria de la Redonda stands in the heart of Logroño's Old Town.

The capital city of La Rioja, Logroño is known for its wine, heritage, bridges, towers, churches, and — our excuse for an overnight stop here — its amazing tapas. As I said, the city is a stop along the Camino de Santiago. Hopefully those traversing the Way are not yet weary when they arrive in Logroño: They still have around 600 kilometers to go before they reach their destination.

Signs of Logroño's cultural dynamism can be seen in its concert halls, galleries,
and street art.

Those seeking to hear the beating heart of the Spanish wine country must stop into one of Logroño's eight calados (underground cellars). These caves, built in ashlar stone, maintain the ideal temperature for wine production. Ascend to street level and you're in the Old Town, where we admire several churches. Before we settle in for a glass or two of Rioja, we stroll along the Río Ebro and check out Stone Bridge and Iron Bridge from Parque del Cubo. At last, it is nearly 19:30 and we eagerly head to Laurel Street for pinchos, the Rioja's version of "tapas."

Santander
(471 km from Santiago de Compostela)

Bronze statues commemorating the city fire of 1941 stand in the center of Santander.

Now I return to the start of our trip where we've just enough energy after our long drive, to hop a train into Santander from the suburb in which we're staying. I am somewhat baffled by the city; perhaps I haven't yet found my tourist sea legs, nor my (usual) innately good sense of direction. But with the help of some kind locals, we set out for an evening in the Cantabria region's capital city.

The plaza of Santander's Casa Consistoral is lively on this Monday evening. 

Capricho de Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) was only 30 years old when he finished El Capricho,
the residence of lawyer Máximo Díaz de Quijano (1838-1885).

The next morning, I am refreshed and ready to embark on a day trip. Our first stop is Capricho de Gaudí, located in the village of Comillas. El Capricho, or Villa Quijano, was designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1883-85. The small colorful palace is considered to be Gaudí's first important work, and its construction marks the start of the Modernist movement.

Ceramic sunflowers adorn the exterior of Capricho de Gaudí in Comillas,
Cantabria, Spain.

Framed with oriental accents, the Smoking Room in
El Capricho is positioned to catch the last of the evening light. 

The scissor-beam design of the attics of El Capricho allows for a bright,
expansive space. 

We are just about the only visitors here this morning, which allows us to take our time exploring the house and garden — one of the architect's few landscaping projects that has been preserved. The home is a rich mixture of textures and materials that pay tribute to nature.

El Capricho is seen from the grotto at the back of the garden.

The garden at El Capricho was design by Gaudí and is one of his few
landscapes projects that have been preserved.

Santillana del Mar and Altamira
(446 km from Santiago de Compostela)

I've been looking forward to visiting Santillana del Mar, a village described in the guidebooks as one of the prettiest in this part of Spain. The staff at the tourist office is about the friendliest we've met, and in addition to a map, they give me a new wall calendar, which is now hanging in my kitchen.

Claustro y Colegiata de Santa Juliana, a collegiate church in Santillana
del Mar, was erected over an ancient monastery from the 9th century.

This weathered sculpture sits at the entrance to Colegiata de
Santa Juliana in Santillana del Mar.

We spend an hour or so browsing in the shops along the narrow cobblestone streets before settling in for a pleasant lunch of Spanish tortillas and local cider. The medieval village is remarkably well preserved, and we count ourselves lucky to visit without the thousands of tourists that come here in the high season.  

Renowned for its magnificent colorful cave paintings and rock engravings,
Altamira is the most famous of 17 such caves discovered in the mountains
along Spain's northern coast.

Just two kilometers from town is Altamira, one of my can't-miss destinations. Since the cave of Altamira was (re)discovered in 1868, scholars, artists and visitors have come here to study and admire its trove of prehistoric paintings. Like Lascaux in France, (see my story here) the cave has been recreated to shield the original from being "loved to death."

A simulated archaeological dig is exhibited along the path to the Altamira's neocave.

We are given a reservation time to enter the "neocave," (which we will not need as there are only four of us) and we are free to visit the small museum while we wait. Upon entering the neocave, we watch a short film then walk along a pathway into a large room whose ceiling contains Altamira's incredible art. Yeah, yeah, I know it's just a re-creation, but nonetheless, the bisons, goats and horses are pretty awesome.

Clever exhibits at the Altamira museum help visitors understand the importance
of the prehistoric site.

Afterwards, we take a walk to the entrance to the actual Cave of Altamira, which is open to only five lucky random visitors each week. We've enjoyed our visit here, made all the more enjoyable that admission was only 3 euros.

Luarca
(214 km from Santiago de Compostela)

The old harbormaster's office sits by the sea in Luarca. 

The second leg of our journey takes us through the Asturias region of Spain, cradled between the mountains and the ocean. We stop for lunch in the village of Luarca where we catch the morning market and stroll along the harbor before having a startlingly authentic lunch of calamari in a pungent black sauce.

Ribadeo
(177 km to Santiago de Compostela)

Our lodgings for the night in Ribadeo come with this view over Rias Altas.

We reach our destination of Ribadeo on the Asturias-Galicia border early enough to spend the afternoon and evening exploring the charming fishing town. We feel relaxed and at home as we walk through the streets, discovering the squares and statues that dot this stop along the route to Santiago de Compostela, tomorrow's destination.

This tall couple stand along Rúa de San Roque in Ribadeo.

Colorful houses lead to the harbor in Ribadeo.

A sign in Ribadeo reminds us we are along the Camino de
Santiago.

Ken stands next to a wall with its own unique charm in Ribadeo.

Santiago de Compostela

A discordant workers' protest clears the usual crowds from Praza do Obradoiro
in Santiago de Compostela. 

Santiago de Compostela is a large city, but I've done my homework and we locate a parking garage and easily make our way to the historical quarter. Even before our obligatory stop at the tourism office, we find ourselves in a nearly empty Praza do Obradoiro, one of the plazas surrounding the famous cathedral. We figure out right away why there is hardly anyone here. An ear-splitting drone of drums and horns blares from beneath one of the arcades, making it nearly impossible to stop and admire the cathedral from this angle. We later find out that the noise is part of a workers' protest and that the demonstration goes on all day each Tuesday. Point taken.

The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is said to be the burial
place of Saint James the Great, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela contains hundreds
of exterior details such as this.

A knotted rope secures the botafumerio, the large incense burner
that swings in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The cathedral is undergoing massive reconstruction, but we admire the interior and reflect on those who have made the challenging pilgrimage here. Several sculptures and a pilgrims museum honor those who have walked (or biked) the Camino de Santiago.

Santiago de Compostela's cathedral can be seen ahead
as we walk along the city's narrow streets.

The fair weather and pretty streets provide us with a delightful afternoon before we continue southward to Portugal.