No comments about Spain. Jan Morris.

1 comments about Belize in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture (In Focus Guides).

1. It's good to read these details of the People, Politics and Culture, as the author subtitles it.
   
   The "Adapter Kit Belize" was read more thoroughly and had more useful details before we made our first trip to the country.

3 comments about New Tapas: Culinary Travels With Spains Top Chefs.

1. Amazing how such simple food can be so tasty. Seafood, chorizo, tomatoes and more all come alive. This book has beautiful photos too. From very simple to terribly complex, tapas cover the range. A big hit with guests.



2. 9/16/2003

   NEW TAPAS:
   Today's Best Bar Food From Spain
   By Fiona Dunlop, Photography by Jan Baldwin

   Exquisite photography qualifies this cookbook as full-fledged coffee table book. It is also highly organized as to the geography of each region of Spain which prepares you for the ingredients chefs there use:

   The Basque Country
   Catalonia
   Rioja and Old Castile
   Madrid
   The Levante
   Andalucia

   Each region is amply discussed, then the tapas creations of several chefs in each area appears with the name of their bar. Some savory recipes result:

   Smoked Salmon and Cheese on Tomato Confit
   Anchovy and Trout Caviar Toasts
   Sardines Marinated in Chili, Garlic and Bay Leaves
   Pumpkin, Chestnut Feta Cheese and Pomegranate Salad
   Chilled Potato, Tomato and Anchovy Loaf
   Ham, Artichoke, Fava Bean and Aioli Toasts
   Fried Goat Cheese with Honey
   Smoked Fish Tartar
   Squid in Tomato, Garlic and Red Wine Sauce
   Mashed Potatoes, Salt Cod and Garlic
   Chicken Legs with Prunes and Nuts in Blackberry Sauce
   Ratatouille with Quail Eggs

   The back of the books contains a regional list of recommended tapas bars, a glossary of terms and a recipe index by ingredient.

   Tapas are fun, tasty and delicious!




3. I searched high and low for the perfect Tapas book for my wife. She loves this one. Beautiful pictures, great recipes and not too many really-hard-to-find ingredients. Give this one a try.

   I only gave it four stars instead of five because not every recipe in the book has a corresponding photo. Sometimes you have to use your imagination.

5 comments about Fumbling: A Pilgrimage Tale of Love, Grief, and Spiritual Renewal on the Camino de Santiago.

1. Whether you're reading this on a train or on your back porch during a snow storm, be prepared for an extraodinary journey through northern Spain in the summer. For those of you planning to travel the Camino, Egan describes with vivid detail the scenary(especially the wheat), the people, and everything you'd want to know that they don't tell you in a guide book. It is of course much more than a physical journey, and as you travel with Egan it is as though you are taking a trip through yourself, only this time with a witty, insightful, and adventurous tour guide who doesn't stick to the path.



2. No table of contents, no index, I just had to dive in, but by the end of the first page the imagery of the words had captured me. An excerpt from the second paragraph:
   
   "I knelt in the back of the church, my forehead on the top lip of the smooth, varnished pew in front of me. The wood was hard against my forehead, . . . .I'd been crying for a long time . . . ."
   
   This is a story of pilgrimage, grieving and transformation, but not a daily journal. There are thirty one numbered episodes, sometimes causing a page break, sometimes just a break in the middle of the page. At a higher level the book is organized into parts, starting with Part 1 Fumbling, Part 2 Walking . . . and so on.
   
   The episodes are a series of vignettes of the Camino experience. They are roughly sequential, but any one of them could stand alone as an essay, for example in a newspaper column. They all will bring back memories and tug the heart of anyone who has walked the Camino de Santiago.
   
   This is a book you can read for pleasure, but certainly one you will want to read after making the journey.



3. Fumbling is the best book I have read this year. It provides a personal perspective into Ms. Egan's pilgrimage while offering insight into the history and psychology of engaging on a pilgrimage.
   
   The book is written is short chapters that make it easy to read in moments stolen from a hectic schedule. There were times when my eyes filled with tears and others when I laughed out loud while reading this book.
   
   I think I'll read it again.



4. Rebeccasreads highly recommends FUMBLING as an outstanding account of the pilgrimage of a 25 year old divinity student carrying a heavy load of guilt, grief & self-loathing.
   
   Salted in the stories of her trials on the trail, Kerry Egan offers the history of the pilgrimage from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, giving us visions of a fable land, as well as how the journey cracked her open so that she could heal from her raw & unrecognized emotions.
   
   Kerry Egan, back in 1999, was one angry woman. How Alex, her boyfriend, stays with her, is her compass when she's lost, bearing the brunt of her impressive rage & hopeless longing, is just as exciting as how she stumbles across the land upon which others have trod for thousands of years.
   
   If pilgrimages fascinate you, then FUMBLING offers both the reason & the value of taking that first step on the journey to healing.



5. For my recent compilation of pilgrimage quotations ("Ultreia! Onward! Progress of the Pilgrim") I read all 40 or so contemporary English journal accounts available about the various routes. Egan's is clearly within the first grouping of 8 or so best such books (i.e. largely those written by established authors and/or academics). Coming from Harvard's Div School just a few hundred meters from where I work, Egan's book is really one of the handful of best ones that attempts to break free (somewhat successfully here) of the linear (and often dead boring) narratives that characterize many such pilgrimage accounts, as she engages in the sort of inner pilgrimage that makes such journeys worthwhile. And she can certainly pen prose; i.e. I used 11 very nice quotations of hers in the review volume Ultreia! Onward!.

4 comments about Grammar Lessons: Translating a Life in Spain (Sightline Books).

1. Not since Tobias Wolffe's This Boy's Life have I been so moved by a work of nonfiction. Ms. Morano's economical prose, keenly observed detail and emotional honesty are a triple-threat. The essays work that magic of translating what your imagination conjures into an experience which you feel is now a genuine memory, something about which you and she have secret and sacred understanding. Everyone who has had their heart broken by their crazy boyfriend while travelling through Spain should read this book, and then everyone else should too, because after a glass of madeira or a cup of cafe con leche your mind might trick you into reminiscing about that year in Spain when your crazy boyfriend ...



2. The book was delivered before the estimated delivery date. The book was in the stated condition- good.



3. I loved every essay in this book. Beautifully written. Insightful. Entertaining. Thought provoking. Brilliant but never pretentious.



4. In Grammar Lessons, Michele Morano takes the reader on an unforgettable journey, a treat to the senses. She invites us to explore her thoughts and feelings as she experiences daily life in Spain in the early 1990's, while teaching English at the University of Oviedo for a year. While in Oviedo, she enrolled in a Spanish language course for foreigners or "extranjeros."
   
   In thirteen personal essays, Morano captures the reader's heart with her descriptive and poetic style. Her themes evoke a feeling of familiarity, for her stories are organized around topics such as food, travel, and solitude versus loneliness. "I'm hungry in both body and spirit," she writes. "I crave not just a meal, not just the take-out supper I can carry to the emptiness of my room, but a complete dining experience." One pressing issue during the year in Spain was her longing for the man she left behind in New York.
   
   Morano prefaces her book by explaining that grammar is not simply words strung together to form sentences, but the mannerisms, gestures, and ways of life that accompany language. The book is organized into three parts. The essays in Part One reveal her struggle to learn the Spanish language while living the culture. The essays in Part Two revolve around her later trips to Spain. Part Three reflects her attitude toward travel along highways and how it shapes the individual. Morano's sentiments about travel and saying farewell to relationships are reflected in these lines:
   
   "If you move about in the world, if you live fully and fall in love--with friends, acquaintances, and places and periods of time, your heart is going to break again and again. Each time you say good-bye, you'll feel the ache of impermanence, of inevitability, of your own finite days."
   
   I connected with this book because I would have benefitted greatly from studying in foreign lands while I was studying Spanish as my college major. However, overseas travel and study programs were not as prevalent in the late 70's or early 80's as they are now. I have since made many excursions to Mexico and Spain, although at this point in my life I live vicariously as an eager armchair traveler. I comfortably travel to many faraway places through others' spoken and written accounts.
   
   As I read Grammar Lessons, Morano took me on a vivid tour of her daily discoveries of cultural life and relationships in Spain. The pages held me spellbound, and I wished the journey did not have to end.
   
   by Sharon Blumberg
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   www.storycirclebookreviewsorg
   reviewing books by, for, and about women

No comments about Tenerife Travel Pack (Globetrotter Travel Packs).

2 comments about The Rough Guide to Mallorca and Menorca 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. I find some lack of practical information (like transportation schedules, costs of restaurants and places to sleep) and of extra-urban sights (like beachs). I believe the "lonely planet" model is best suited to this subjects which i think are not enough described. unfortunately this editor dont have this destination and since that this one is probably (from my research) the best.



2. This was a great guidebook, with lots of background information on the islands as well as attractions, restaurants, etc. We used it for Mallorca and I thought it was very thorough and enjoyed it greatly. Useful maps and a great listing of local markets by day of the week.

4 comments about Hidden Gardens of Spain.

1. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   There are so many beautiful places in the world, sites to see, pilgrimages to make. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could visit all of them? In reality, one is probably fortunate to travel to just one of the scenic spots on his or her wish list. After leafing through "Hidden Gardens of Spain," that country rose to the top of my hope-to-travel-to areas.
   
   Writer/photographer Eduardo Mencos has trained both his eye and camera lens on some of the most breathtakingly lovely scenes in Spain. His vision is unerring. Stunning photos in this folio size volume are accompanied by perceptive descriptions that are intelligent, informative, and dynamic. Mr. Mencos may well have come by his appreciation of gardens naturally as his grandmother, the Marchioness of Casa Valdez, was a pioneer of contemporary gardening in Spain.
   
   With 250 color photographs the author escorts us from Galician to Granada, Barcelona to the Balearics, Catalonia and the Canaries, Madrid and Mallorca. Many of the gardens are drenched in that country's history, reflecting the influences of the Romans, Moors, and Europeans. Other gardens were created and are tended by their current owners, still others came to life through the talents of respected garden designers, such as Luis Gonzales-Camino and Arabella Lennox-Boyd. Mr. Mencos was allowed unprecedented access to private gardens, and his views of the Alhambra are spectacular.
   
   In his Introduction Mr. Mencos writes, "Exploring the hidden gardens of Spain has been an enthralling journey for me. Each of the owners would welcome me into their own little Eden and we would share an enchanted moment there."
   
   We are in debt to Mr. Mencos for sharing these enchanted moments with us.
   
   - Gail Cooke



2. Spain. What are your first thoughts, food, flamenco, bullfighting, sun, sand, and Hemingway? Be honest, images of beautiful homes surrounded by cool, luxurious, patios, pools and gardens didn't immediately pop into your head. Gazing at a copy of Hidden Gardens of Spain will utterly change your conception of Spain, the Spanish lifestyle and the people who create these intimate spaces.
   
   Thirty-one gardens are profiled reflecting the diverse regions of Spain. Many are classical gardens, located in exotic hispano-moorish settings such as villas, castles, monasteries, and palaces. Several modern homes and gardens are included and they re-interpret classical features.
   
   Exceptional lush photographs explore the beauty and style of Spanish gardens. Each garden profile is accompanied by a passionate personal reflection of the owner. One owner says, " The garden is a dream and with skill and patience you can bring it to fruition no matter where you are." Many of the gardeners discuss the natural challenges they faced creating their personal spaces. Others discuss the history of their properties and gardens. Several Grande dames discuss loss of spouses and their eventual personal healing through involvement in their gardens.
   
   You may not have a volcano as a backdrop or a 1000-year-old olive tree but Hidden Gardens of Spain is full of wonderful executable ideas that would compliment a wide variety of American homes. Spanish gardens have similar features, which are practical and easily interpreted. A short list of essentials includes: patio, pool or other water feature, an emphasis on cool green foliage, strong vertical elements, and formal geometric plantings. Secret spaces, gardens within gardens that manipulate the view so only part of the garden are revealed at one time. Spanish gardens generally have a minimum of flowering plants; there are always a few varieties, for example a huge bed of agapanthus as a center point of color. Box hedges, stately cedars, and cypress are also very common.
   
   Pictured on the cover is Palacio de las Dueñas, located in Seville and owned by the Duchess of Alba. Building began in the fourteenth century and the garden is still a work in progress. Seville is incredibly hot in summer and the tinkling of the water and the refreshing coolness of the green space can be appreciated even in the photo. This portion of the garden illustrates several of the common elements, strong verticals, in this case the palm trees, low geometric box hedges outlining greenery, and a central fountain. This garden has more flowers than most. The enclosed courtyard extends the living space and blurs the boundaries between inside and outside. The courtyard also makes a secret or hidden space, revealing only this section and the remainder of the garden remains hidden from view.
   
   A modern garden, La Mirada, the author's own, uses classic Spanish elements but his choices of materials are unique. For example, he used a mixture of live and dead trees from the surrounding area to create strong verticals. In a reflective moment he admits to ripping up all the trees in order to control the landscape. A mistake for sure, because he didn't realize how hard it was to grow a tree in pure chalk soil! Geometrical elements throughout the garden are made from tinted cement and salvaged automobile glass represents "a pool". A large reflecting pool near the house serves as a true water feature and it is accented with a few water lilies. Green ivy covers the façade of the modern organic shaped house, providing a green cooling respite.
   
   Gardeners, landscape designers and those who are crazy about all things Spanish will appreciate this intimate look at rarely photographed gardens. Many of the gardens are open to the public so those planning a trip to Spain can put some of these beautiful locations on their itinerary.



3. I had expected more court-yard gardens (being in Spain) and more historical gardens. What we are presented are more modern gardens (mostly) at villas and mansions in the country. And they didn't always live upp to my expectations. If you compare to France, gardens in Spain doesn't seem to have that high standard in design. I thought there would have been enough for a book this size to rival the French but no. Although some photos are stunning, this will not be a favourit in my humble collection.



4. A delightful coffee-table book which attacks the senses, giving a glimpse into the gardens of large Spanish estates which we mere mortals will never see.
   
   The photography is fabulous and picks out the essence (and often quirkiness) of gardens in each region. The accompanying text provides good insight into the motivations and character of the gardens' owners.
   
   It is not a book for instruction on garden design or practice - rather it is a good read for a gardener on a winters day. A high quality publication, worth its price.

5 comments about Walking in Spain (Walking).

1. I am walking the Camino de Santiago now and can only comment on the Lonely Planet in this context. Day after day I become more convinced that Lonely Planet's researchers have never been on the Camino. They make much of the albergues or refugios but all this information is printed on the back of pilgrims' credencial (price one euro not 25 cents as LP claim). All of the other places where one might stay are hardly mentioned if at all. Punte Reina is described as a one street village, absolutely wrong! The trail leaving the same town is totally mis-described and all the trail mythology plagiarised from other sources takes up space that might be given over to hard facts. Distances are frequently misleading because of sloppy language. A typical example, is something like ¨"start from the crossroads, you'll pass x, y and z and continue for 5 kms to reach a crossroads¨." So where does the 5 kms start, at the crossroads or is it x,y and z? Whichever you choose you'll be wrong, there's no consistency. It happens time after time. An iron bridge near Estella is described as wooden. All small errors you may say but it just piles up day after day. Do not waste money on this useless book. What you need to know is what awaits you at the end of each day when you struugle into the next place after 20 or 30 kms only to read more vague errors from this.



2. I walked the Camino in 2001, using the 36 pages of the 2nd edition guide, in conjuction with the Confraternity of St. James Camino Frances. I found a large amount of excellent info in the 36 pages, and have been recommending it on our Camino web page ever since. The refugios change so rapidly that you shouldn't rely just on one guide. When I saw the recent negative review from a 2003 pilgrim, I went out and bought the 3rd edition, to see if there were drastic changes. The changes were few, and were all improvements - a list of refugios at the beginning, bolder print on the maps, so they are easier to read, slight rewording of some of the text. The authors of the Camino segment are still Nancy Frey and Jose Placer. Nancy has a PhD from University of California, Berkeley, and has written a well respected book on the Camino: Pilgrim Stories. The two of them own the On Foot In Spain adventure company and personally lead walks on the Camino and other treks in Spain. The history in the Lonely Planet segment is authentic, though necessarily condensed. I stand by my original recommendation. In addition to these 37 pages, get the Confraternity Camino Frances guide, and get either Davies and Cole's guide or John Brierley's guide.

   You will find some errors or changes needed in all of these guides, due to conditions changing on the trail, overlooked typos, etc. When you do, help future pilgrims by sending an email to the publication's website so that they can revise the next edition.




3. I think some of the reviewers' comments below are probably correct but none of them are serious drawbacks. True, the maps in this guide are not EXTREMELY detailed, but if you want a really detailed topographical map, you can always get one. The actual trail descriptions in this book are painstakingly detailed -- it even gets tedious. So if you can't find every tree along your route marked on the maps here, just use your imagination a little and wing it.

   "Walking in Spain" describes thirty or so of the best trails in Spain, highlighting trails in Mallorca, the Alpujarras Mountains of Andalusia, the area around Valencia, Castile's Sierra de Gredos and Sierra de Guadarrama, the Spanish Pyrenees, Galicia, and the Cordillera Cantábrica. Hikes vary from longer hauls like the 23-day Pyrenean traverse and the month-long Camino de Santiago to shorter 5- and 6-day hikes and walks you can do in less than a day.

   I've used the guide to get some great ideas for an upcoming hiking trip to the Alpujarras Mountains and the Sierra Nevada and have found it extremely useful. It lists numerous places to stay, ranging from 30- and 40-euro "pensiones" to dirt-cheap hikers' "albergues". You're not going to find a list of every single cheap place to crash your head here (if you did, you would have a book twice as big as this one), but you won't find yourself stranded. There's also a bunch of affordable eating places listed in this book.

   A plus for hikers who want to tackle all or part of the famous St. James pilgrimage route is that the guide's recommended day-to-day itinerary drops you off at the end of each day in towns where you can get food and water. A chart also shows the distance between each official "albergue" and the next.

   This book comes up a little short on cultural information, but you can always take a look at Lonely Planet's general guide to Spain. Recommended. Five stars.




4. This Guide lives up to "Lonely Planets" reputation as a publisher of well researched Travel guides. It's the only guide you really need to "Walk Spain Flat"!
   
   All the basic info is provided, Maps, discriptions,and language in easy to read format {although now that I'm in my 60's the print/font seems smaller??}. For walking Spain the guide is a "must have" piece of equipment.



5. I used this book to plan a loop-hike in Sierra de Grazalema in Andalucia. Luckily, the inn keeper informed us that the book had published the hike in reverse of the intended route, due to some sort of copyright issue.
   
   If we would have followed the book's instructions, we would have had a more difficult hike, and might have gotten lost. The inn keeper said that many hikers have complained of getting lost after following this book, since all the arrows are pointing in the opposite direction, and the cairns aren't necessarily even visible from the route, if you follow the book. Once on the hike, we could see that he was correct. I found Lonely Planet's inclusion of this "backwards route" to be extremely unethical.
   
   But the book is the reason I even ended up on this beautiful hike, and it has a lot of good information. I don't know if there is a better guide available. But I DO recommend verifying/checking your route with someone local and NOT relying solely on the book for planning your route.

No comments about iSpeak Spanish Beginner's Course (MP3 CD+ Guide) (iSpeak).