Last year, I had the good fortune of exploring Northern Spain, including the beautiful territory of Galicia. I was onboard the luxury train Tren Al Andalus and the journey took me from Zaragoza to A Coruña, right along the St. James or Santiago de Compostela Route. After that wonderful luxury trip, our Galician guide, Manuel, took…
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Photo Diary: A Sweet Day in Astorga
Here’s something not many people know about me: I can ‘nurse’ a chocolate bar for hours. Yup. You can give me a regular-sized Toblerone, for instance, and it can take me the whole day to eat it— only because I want to relish it down to its last gooey bit. Not that this information is…
The Ancient City of Zaragoza
Why, hello Zaragoza! I first met the Aragonese city of Zaragoza in Spain during lunch. Our train, the historic Tren Al Andalus, had just arrived at the Delicias de Zaragoza train station at half past one in the afternoon. We only had a few minutes to freshen up before being rushed into the coach that would…
The Way of St. James: The Journey Begins
Railways are irresistible bazaars, snaking along perfectly level no matter what the landscape, improving your mood with speed, and never upsetting your drink. -Paul Theroux There are too many spoons, forks and knives laid on the table before me. For a moment, I cannot remember which cutlery to use for which course, perhaps because…
Prayers for the Santiago Train Crash Victims
I have been on the road for almost two weeks now. I am currently in Spain at the tail end of a press trip for Al Andalus, one of the top 15 luxury trains in the world. It has been a wonderful trip, something one can only dream of. But before I write about my…