Where's Kathryn? - The Long Road Home

Where in the world can you find me and my husband, Bill?

October 2024: Swam, boated and snorkeled in Malta’s blue, blue waters. Back home to Alcobaça for Canadian Thanksgiving, then off to Guimarães, the city where Portugal was born.

Here’s where we’ve travelled in 2024:

January: In Tordesillas and Valladolid, Spain, we learned why Brazilians speak Portuguese. Began our A2 Portuguese classes, which kept us close to home for 2.5 months.
February: Studied Portuguese and read travel books in Alcobaça.
March: Quick trip to Lisbon and then to Zaragoza, Spain, to experience the captivating Easter processions. Shared a walking tour around Alcobaça. Finished our A2 Portuguese classes.
April: In Portugal, we pondered the meanings behind the bones and stones of Evora. On April 25, Portugal celebrated 50 years of freedom after the Carnation Revolution.
May: Flew to Bologna, Italy, where we ate our fill of that childhood favourite: bologna! Then we took a train to Verona, Italy, where we house-sat and pet-sat for two weeks. In the city of Romeo and Juliet, I asked “Wherefore all the hoopla?” and explored northern Italy’s waters.
June: Still in Verona, we strengthened our neck muscles while learning about frescoes and had an excellent guided tour of the world’s oldest library.
July: Visited family in Canada.
August: Back in Portugal, we unravelled the legends of the Mad Baker of Aljubarrota and explored prehistoric rock carvings in the Côa Valley of northern Portugal.
September: Invaded Malta, as did the Knights of St. John, Napoleon and the Brits before us.

Here’s where we travelled in 2023:

January: Celebrated New Year’s in Alcobaça, Portugal. Bought nun cookies while exploring Madrid and toasted my first 100 blog stories.
February: Carnival in Alcobaça was a riot of colour, cute kids and loud music.
March: Madeira, Portugal. Tasted the weird fruits and other culinary treasures while driving, white-knuckled, around this stunning island.
April: Welcomed visitors from Canada to our home in Alcobaça, Portugal.
May-June: Became Portuguese residents! Stopped in London for literary pub and music walking tours on our month-long trip home to Canada to visit friends and family.
June-July: Back in Alcobaça, Portugal. Bill wrote about cycling in Portugal. We admired the strong women carrying towers of bread and fruit on their heads at the colourful Festa dos Tabuleiros in nearby Tomar.
August: Went to the Netherlands to pet-sit and house-sit in the southern city of Den Bosch. We cycled a lot, ate boatloads of cheese and stroopwafel, and followed in Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps.
September: Back in Portugal where we hosted many visitors. Explored more of the Douro River valley, famous for Port wine vineyards. Then Croatia beckoned – highlighted by its romantic old-town alleys and truffle-hunting.
October: Returned from Croatia and hosted more visitors. Travelled with friends to São Miguel island in the Azores.
November: Returned from the Azores for a two-week break, then off to Paris where we learned more about Vincent Van Gogh’s time there and saw filming locations for “Midnight in Paris.” Then flew on to Canada.
December: Returned from visiting family in Canada. Spent Christmas and New Year’s with our son Tom in Alcobaça.

Here’s where we travelled in 2022:

January to March: Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada. Snowshoed up in the mountains, meditated on the positives that came from Covid travel, and dreamed of past travels to Kilimanjaro and Sicily.
March 30 to April 12: Traded Vandalf for Heidi and drove from B.C. back to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, through the United States. We got caught in a buffalo jam, explored South Dakota’s monumental Black Hills, and got our kicks at the Route 66 museum of road trips.
April 13 to July 3: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Prepared for our daughter’s wedding and our move to Portugal. In May, Bill took a boat trip on the Intracoastal Waterway.
July 4 to September: Alcobaça, Portugal. Settled in to our new apartment and explored the Alcobaça Monastery plus other museums and attractions. Continued learning to speak Portuguese. Explored two big parks: Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros and Peneda-Geres National Park. Examined Roman ruins at Conimbriga. Picked and stomped grapes in the Douro River Valley. Got a taste of Sweden while touring the Gotheborg ship.
September to October: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Got our D7 visas for Portugal stamped into our passports, finally!
October: Zaragoza, Spain. Dressed in traditional clothing for the Fiestas del Pilar.
December: Alcobaça, Portugal. Learned about Portuguese Christmas traditions.

Here’s where we travelled in 2021:

Jan. 1 to April 30: Osoyoos, British Columbia. Hiked, biked, explored Indigenous culture, learned about the desert, and sampled wine.
May 1 to 20: Kelowna, British Columbia. Explored nearby areas, such as Wells Gray Provincial Park.
May 21 to 29: Drove from British Columbia to Ontario, stopping for geographical markers and Group of Seven art spots.
May 30 to June 13: Galetta, Ontario. Self-isolated again.
June 14 to October 2021: mostly in Ottawa, Ontario. Caught up (as per Covid restrictions) with family and friends. Canoed the Rideau Canal and marveled at Van Gogh. Toured southwestern Ontario, including Pelee Island, Underground Railroad sites, and the Welland Canal.
October to December 2021: Drove back west, climbed a mountain in Canmore, Alberta, and settled into Osoyoos, British Columbia, for another milder winter in Canada’s desert town. Learned more about driving in B.C.

Here’s where we traveled in 2020:

Jan. 2: San Jose, Costa Rica. Arrived and headed out next day.
Jan. 3 to Jan. 6: Uvita, Costa Rica. Snorkeled, enjoyed the beach and spotted wildlife.
Jan. 6 to Feb. 5: Puerto Armuelles, Panama. Volunteered through HelpX with Gilbert.
Feb. 6 to 15: Boquete, Panama. Tried e-bikes and experienced six senses, up on the volcano.
Feb. 16: Sierpe, Costa Rica. Hiked in Corcovado National Park.
Feb. 17-18 and 28-29: San Jose, Costa Rica: Explored the city.
Feb. 19 to 28: Cahuita, Costa Rica. Enjoyed beaches and baby sloths!
March 1 to 3: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Soaked up history in the Paris of Latin America.
March 4 to 18: Larroque, Argentina. Helped teach English.
March 19 to 24: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Quarantined, then enroute home to Canada, due to Covid.
March 24 to April 10: Galetta, Canada. In isolation and strove To see a World in a Grain of Sand.
April 10 to Aug. 1: Ottawa, Canada. Figured out what to do during Covid. Built a campervan.
Aug. 1 to 18: Ontario. Set off in Vandalf to find Big Things and other treats in northern Ontario.
Aug. 19 to 21: Saskatchewan. Explored the fascinating badlands.
Aug. 23 to Sept. 3: Alberta. Found more badlands, plus the exhilarating Icefields Parkway.
Sept. 4 to 30: British Columbia. Watched whales, discovered Indigenous history, and hunted down salmon and oysters.
Oct. 1 to Dec. 31: Osoyoos, British Columbia. Slowed down as we spent the winter in this desert town.

Here’s where we traveled in 2019:

Sept. 4 to 12: Lisbon, Portugal. Began the long road home.
Sept. 12 to Oct. 3: Portuguese Camino. Cycled from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela.
Oct. 3 to 5: Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Relaxed after completing the Camino.
Oct. 6 to 12: Aveiro, Portugal. Roamed about the “Venice of Portugal.”
Oct. 13 to 22: Chapinheira, Portugal. House-sat and pet-sat, and explored schist villages.
Oct. 24: Evora, Portugal. Checked out the Chapel of Bones.
Oct. 25 to Nov. 22: Alvor, Portugal. Enjoyed the beaches, cliffs, cork and seafood in the Algarve.
Nov. 22 to 23: Sintra, Portugal. Explored castle-land.
Nov. 24 to 26: Lisbon, Portugal. Got ready to return home.
Nov. 26: Ottawa, Canada. Returned home.
Nov. 29 to Dec. 2: New York City, U.S.A. Sang at Carnegie Hall.
Dec. 2 to Jan. 2: Ottawa, Canada. Celebrated Christmas with family and friends.