Travel – Retirementally Challenged

Group Travel vs. Going Solo

When my husband and I plan our trips, we usually act as our own travel agent. We select the accommodations, book the flights, and are fully in charge of our day-to-day itineraries. Since we are often away for a month or longer and appreciate having flexibility, this type of travel works well for us.

The task of researching and arranging our trips falls mostly on my shoulders, something that I’ve never enjoyed doing. Even though – so far – our trips have turned out great, I often find the planning process to be stressful.

We have several friends and family members who travel mostly on group tours. OAT, Road Scholar, and Viking are just three of the many organizations that offer attractive packages of pre-planned excursions.

We recently had the opportunity to join a group tour of Valle de Guadalupe – the well-known winemaking region of northern Baja California, Mexico. It seemed like a great way to learn more about the area, indulge in culinary delights, sip excellent wines, and experience this type of travel. All we had to do was pay Road Scholar some money and show up at a hotel on the U.S. side of the border. The next morning, a dedicated bus took our group of 14 over the border and everywhere we went for the next six days.

After crossing the border, one of our first stops was for lunch at Caesar’s Hotel in Tijuana, where the Caesar’s Salad was first created in the 1920s. It was made tableside and it was yummy.

We know several people who have made this trip on their own. It is very doable, but we weren’t crazy about driving in a foreign country, and driving after drinking wine didn’t seem like a great idea in any country. I also would have had to do a lot of research to determine what hotel to stay at, and which wineries and restaurants to visit.

We learned that Mexico was the first country in the Americas (New Spain at the time) to start planting vines for commercial wine production.

The growth of the wine industry has attracted internationally famous chefs to Guadalupe Valley.

As it turned out, our tour guide was fabulous, our ocean-front hotel in Baja was lovely, and the food and wine were bountiful and so, so good.

The view from our hotel room was gorgeous.

I imagine my husband and I will continue to plan many of our trips, but our positive experience has opened our minds to small group tours. Depending on the destination, combining a group tour with time tacked on at the beginning or end – or both – could give us the deeper dive a group trip can provide, with the flexibility of solo travel that we love.

Do you prefer to create your own travel plans, or go with a group?

If you’ve gone on group tours, do you have a favorite provider?

Taking it Easy at La Posada

When most people think of Winslow, Arizona, standing on the corner and flatbed Fords probably come to mind.

But if you visit Winslow, don’t just take it easy, take a selfie, and go running on down the road. Although the Corner is a fine sight to see, you’ll miss what I consider the true jewel of Winslow (sorry, Jackson Browne), La Posada Hotel.

La Posada was opened in 1930 as part of the Harvey hotel and restaurant chain built to cater to railroad passengers. The architect, Mary Colter (famous for her buildings at the Grand Canyon), blended Native American and Spanish cultures into the design. The hotel survived the stock market crash but closed in 1957, as fewer and fewer people traveled by train, opting instead to go by automobile.

In the early 1960s, the empty buildings were repurposed as offices for the Santa Fe Railway. In 1994, when the railway announced plans to move out, it was scheduled for demolition. Fortunately, before that could happen, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added it to their endangered list and a new owner was found.

I first fell in love with La Posada in 2015, when our Route 66 road trip took us through Winslow. My husband and I spent an hour or so touring the public areas and gardens, and watching the trains. We couldn’t book a room back then, but I hoped it might be possible in the future. Last spring, on the return leg of our east coast road trip, we had our chance.

As we explored the historical hotel as guests, I tried to envision La Posada as it must have been in its heyday, when it was filled with long-distance railway travelers. Although those days are gone, I am grateful that we can still experience the beauty and romance of this last, great railway hotel.

The Interior

In 1997, the estimated $12 million restoration of La Posada began, slowly bring it back to its former glory. Arched ceilings, faux adobe walls, period furnishing, and unique doors can be found throughout. (Slideshow)

Our Hotel Room

Despite being close to train tracks, our room was quiet and comfortable. We appreciated the touches of Southwest design and colorful tiles. (Slideshow)

The Exterior

Beautiful iron gates and vintage doors invite guests to wander the property. (Slideshow)

Watching the Trains Go By

The hotel provides several sitting areas for guests to watch the trains. Twice daily, trains on the Los Angeles/Chicago line stop at the hotel to pick up and drop off passengers. (Slideshow)

I found the history of La Posada, railway hotels, and the architect, Mary Colter, fascinating. If you are interested in learning more, check out these websites:

La Posada

Legends of America

Pioneering Women of America

Please visit Dan at No Facilities to see more beautiful doors. His Sunday Recap (to be posted on January 19) will include submissions for the 2025 Thursday Doors badge contest, including mine:

Looking Back on 2024

Another trip around the sun and here we are on the last day of 2024. Even though I haven’t made New Years resolutions in years and even coming up with a Word of the Year seems like too much pressure, it’s always fun to think about the possibilities in the year ahead.

But, before I turn to the first page of my brand new paper (yes, paper) calendar for 2025, I thought I’d spend a moment looking back on the year that will soon be over.

Travel

2024 was the year of Road Trips for us. An airplane gets you from Point A to Point B faster, but you miss so many interesting sights and memorable moments when you are in the air.

In the spring, we spent about five weeks traveling from the west coast of California to the east coast of North Carolina and back, visiting friends and family along the way.

We headed in a different direction at the end of July, driving north through California, Oregon, and Washington before crossing the border into Canada. Just like on our spring trip, this 6-week adventure included many interesting stops along the way as well as meetups with friends and family.

In October, we took a much shorter road trip up to Los Angeles to see family and explore the area. Our hotel was located downtown where there is a fascinating mixture of old and new, historical and modern, and decay and renewal.

Blogger Meetups

The year began with a lunch date with Terri (the first blogger I ever met in person, back in 2016) and a new-to-me blogger, Cheryl.

At the beginning of our spring road trip, we spent a couple of days in Tucson, Arizona, visiting Kathy and Thom. We saw them again in June, when they hosted us at their mountain cabin, and then again on our summer road trip to Canada.

And, speaking of our trip to Canada, it was Bloggerpalooza on Vancouver Island, where Donna, Deb, and Judith (who no longer blogs) demonstrated why Canadians get their reputation for being so welcoming and nice. We had a wonderful time hiking, chatting, attending concerts, chatting, exploring, hanging out, and chatting.

Ups

There were lots of ups in 2024, including having a backyard view of a few satellite launches, which provided quite a show as they streamed across the sky.

… and Downs

Three friends – a previous work colleague, a neighbor, and a friend that I had lost touch with – passed away in 2024. All were close to me in age. A sad reminder of the frailty of life.

Looking Ahead

We have a few travel possibilities for 2025. One is booked, the other two are in the preliminary planning stages. Our 2025 calendar already has several events, gatherings, and celebrations noted and I look forward to what the year will bring.

Thank you for following my blog, reading, and commenting. I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2025 full of grand adventures.

You can see more end-of-year wrap-ups by visiting Terri’s blog, Second Wind Leisure Perspective. It’s not too late to add your own!

A Book Lover’s Wonderland

Several weeks ago, my husband and I spent a few days in Los Angeles. The main reason for our visit was to see family but we also wanted to explore the downtown area.

When I research an unfamiliar destination for things we might want to do, I often turn to the website Atlas Obscura. Unlike other tourism resources, Atlas Obscura highlights lesser known, but fascinating places of interests. They call themselves “The Definitive Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders,” and I have found their recommendations invaluable.

That’s where I learned about The Last Bookstore.

Housed in a hundred-year-old bank building, The Last Bookstore is known for its huge selection of used books and a well-curated collection of first editions, rare, and vintage books (complete with the deep, musty smell that bibliophiles cherish). Customers can also browse through new fiction and non-fiction books, as well as an extensive selection of vinyl records.

Almost as impressive as the books themselves, are the way they are displayed and the visual delights sprinkled throughout the two-story building.

The marble pillars of the former bank’s atrium support a beautifully carved and painted ceiling.

A bank vault serves as one of several themed book nooks.

The stairs leading up to the second floor.

Harry Potter meets Fantasia.

The door into a genre-themed room; this one focuses on True Crime.

The Book Tunnel.

One of several Book Loops found among the shelves.

In a time when so many independent bookstores have disappeared – and even the huge chains that spelled doom for the indies are closing – The Last Bookstore has managed to hold its own. Even at an impressive 22,000 sq. feet, it’s not as large as Amazon, but it has a lot more heart.

If you love books, check out the What’s on Your Bookshelf? linkup, hosted by Donna, Debbie, Jo, and Sue.

And, if you love doors (and tunnels and mysterious loops), visit Dan’s Thursday Doors challenge to see more.

Reuniting With Blogging Friends

I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunity to meet multiple fellow bloggers – 14 at last count – over the years. Each get together has been enjoyable and uplifting and has reinforced my theory that we are pretty much what you see on our blogs.

A few of these bloggers have turned into dear friends who we’ve traveled to visit several times since our first meeting. They have also made it a point to visit us whenever they get close to our hometown.

Recently, my husband and I made our third trip to beautiful Vancouver Island, Canada, to reunite with several of these dear friends… and one very adorable bloggy doggy.

Our first visit to the Island in 2019:

In 2021, we crossed the U.S. / Canadian border on the day the Covid restrictions were lifted so we could meet again:

2021 meetup with bloggers and our all-male fan club.

This summer, my husband and I spent a leisurely week and a half driving north through California, Oregon, and Washington before taking a ferry to Vancouver Island. Along the way, we reunited with family, friends (including a couple we first met during our travels to Spain last year), and saw some beautiful scenery.

While on Vancouver Island we enjoyed fun times and fabulous weather but, most of all, we were embraced in the warm welcome of dear friends.

Enjoying lunch with Kathy (Smart Living 365), Donna (Retirement Reflections), and Deb (The Widow Badass)… I don’t believe the subject of blogging even came up.

Donna, Deb, bloggy doggy Bowser, and me.

Please check out Terri’s Sunday Stills post and follow the links to see how others have interpreted her theme for this week: Reunited.

Although we neglected to get a picture of our first meetup, Terri was the first blogger I met in person back in 2015. We’ve made it a point to *reunite* whenever we find ourselves nearby.

From Silly to Solemn

When we were planning our recent coast-to-coast road trip, we had some “must-sees” along the way and a few hard arrival dates that we needed to hit. Mostly, though, we drove for as long as we felt like it and stopped where it looked interesting. In reviewing the sketched-out itinerary that I put together before we left, it’s apparent that a lot of our “plans” were just “suggestions.”

Roswell, New Mexico

Our first of many unplanned stops was in Roswell, New Mexico. I didn’t know much about this city but, like probably many of you, I associated it with UFOs and aliens. With all the crazy conspiracy theories floating around today, the one surrounding an alleged UFO crash in 1947 and a subsequent military cover-up seems rather quant. (The googles has more information about the incident – that did or did not happen – if you care to go down that wormhole.)

Anyway, like any self-respecting business community, Roswell has fully embraced its unique distinction. While the extraterrestrial spacecraft and captured aliens may – or may not – have been just a figment of a wild imagination, little green men can be found everywhere on the streets of downtown Roswell.

This guy may have had a bit too many cosmo-politans.

Oklahoma City

A much darker reminder of the danger of unhinged conspiracy theories and disturbed thinking was found at our next stop.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the domestic terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. On April 19, 1995, 168 people, including 19 children, lost their lives because of hate. The Memorial symbolizes the turning away from hate and towards finding strength and hope in a wake of unspeakable violence.

I had no idea how impactful the Memorial would be. Just the day before we arrived, there was a ceremony commemorating the 29^th anniversary of that terrible day. On the day we visited, the grounds were mostly deserted and peaceful, a place of quiet reflection.

At each end of the reflecting pond stands a large bronze-clad monument, the Gates of Time that, together, frame the moment of destruction. One, the 9:01 Gate, represents the moment before the attack. The other, the 9:03 Gate, symbolizes the moment healing began. Off to one side is the Field of Empty Chairs. Each of the 168 chairs is engraved with a victim’s name, underlining the magnitude of the loss.

Looking towards the 9:01 Gate. Note the Field of Chairs to the right.

All of the chairs had been decorated the day before for the ceremony. The chairs of the 19 children killed were especially heartbreaking.

We first visited the Memorial in the daylight. On the advice of a security guard, we returned that evening to see the displays beautifully illuminated.

I’ll end this post with the words engraved on each Gate. They are a reminder that violence arising from hate never solved anything. It’s up to all of us to choose the path we want to take going forward:

We come here to remember

Those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever.

May all who leave here know the impact of violence.

May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

6,116 miles, 34 days, and 14 states

I was able to add one more state (West Virginia) to those I have visited over the years. Three to go (North Dakota, Minnesota, and Rhode Island).

My husband and I just returned from a lengthy road trip – both in time spent away and miles driven. We left our coastal Southern California home mid-April and touched our toes in the Atlantic Ocean a couple of weeks later before heading back home. We saw so much beautiful scenery as we traveled across the country and observed some darker sights too. Traveling by car may have taken us a lot longer than flying, but we would have missed so much.

From sea (La Jolla, CA) to shining sea (Wilmington, NC)

The main motivation for our trip was to visit family and friends, and because they live here and there, we were able to include a lot of interesting stops along the way. I added two new stamps to my National Park Passport book and visited my second Presidential Library. I took hundreds (and hundreds) of pictures, experienced a variety of weather events, and ate enough road food and BBQ to last me for a while.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

William J. Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock, Arkansas

I didn’t intend to take such a long blogging break and I appreciate the notes of concern I received from several bloggers who noticed my absence. I had planned to write a few posts while we were gone but the WordPress gremlins had other ideas. Additionally, although I was able to read the blogs I follow, commenting was apparently not in the cards either. Oh well… best laid plans and all that. Now that I’m back and my luggage is unpacked, I will share some highlights, observations, and a few photos from our trip over the next few weeks.

Splitting Meals

My husband and I don’t go out to dinner very often – our home cooked meals are often tastier and healthier – but we do enjoy going out for lunch. Sometimes it’s the sole reason for getting out at midday, sometimes it’s woven into a day’s errands. We don’t often frequent fancy restaurants, but we appreciate a decent sized table (we like to sit side-by side) and a quiet atmosphere. Being able to carry on a conversation is as important – maybe more so – than the food.

Over the last several years, we have gotten in the habit of splitting meals. Not every time, but often enough that we check with each other first to gauge our hunger level before ordering. This has nothing to do with the cost of the meals, and everything to do with the quantity of food. We just can’t eat as much as we used to.

At first, we didn’t think much about asking to share or split a plate. We only wanted one, so that’s what we ordered. Recently, though, we’ve noticed that our request has elicited a variety of responses. Some servers happily bring two plates separated into two even half portions. Some bring one entrée with an extra empty plate. Some just bring one entrée on one plate for us both to dig into. Other times, we are charged a “split plate fee” of a dollar or two. Restaurants that charge this fee usually split the entrée on two separate plates, but not always.

I often feel compelled to let the server know that we just can’t eat the amount of food we used to – I suppose implying, but not saying, that it isn’t because we are cheap. That completely useless piece of info makes me feel better, but I imagine the server is calculating his or her tip based on a check of half the usual amount. Since my husband and I are generous tippers, hopefully they are pleasantly surprised.

One of the many things we loved about Spain were the tapas (small plates) available in many of the restaurants. We could order and few to start, then order more if we were still hungry. We could taste several different items without overindulging and overstuffing ourselves. A few small plates and a couple of glasses of wine and we were completely satisfied. None of those huge mounds of food that are served in many U.S. restaurants.

I don’t think we are unusual in our shared dining habit. Several of our friends say that they do the same. As we get older, many of us experience a decline in the amount of food we can comfortably eat. Long gone are the days when we could – and did – eat anything and everything and not gain an ounce. Even if our weight isn’t a concern, our older tummies just can’t hold what they used to.

How about you… do you share meals at restaurants? If so, have you experienced any push-back – maybe even eye rolls – from the server? If you live where tipping is the norm, do you add extra because you are sharing an entrée?

So, What’s on Your Plate? (#WOYP). Hop over to Donna’s and Deb’s blogs to see what’s on their plates… and to share your own.

Dem Bones

When we crossed over the border from Spain into the Algarve, Portugal’s sunny and picturesque southern coast, we were excited to explore another new-to-us country. Our first stop was the seaside city of Faro where we had scheduled a three-day stay before heading on to Lisbon. We were looking forward to enjoying fresh seafood and beautiful scenery, but we didn’t expect to encounter one of the strangest sights on our trip.

Our Lady of Carmel was just a few blocks from our apartment, but we might have passed it up as we were on serious church overload after spending three weeks in Spain. It wasn’t until someone mentioned the Capela dos Osso, or Chapel of Bones, that we put it on our “must-see” list.

The church’s whitewashed Baroque façade was lovely, and its richly gilded interior impressive, but the real draw was the small chapel in the interior courtyard behind the church. As we approached the chapel, we saw this inscription over the entrance: “Para aqui a considerar que a este estado has de chegar” (loosely translated as: Stop here and consider that you too will reach this state).

Upon entering the chapel, we found ourselves surrounded by bones and skulls… lots of bones and skulls. In fact, in 1816, the skeletons of over 1,200 Carmelite monks who once served the church had been exhumed from the nearby graveyard. They were used in both the construction of the ossuary and to artfully decorate just about every surface. The effect was both stunning and profound.

I’ve read various descriptions of bone chapels (there are several in Portugal, including a larger one in Evora) where words like “creepy” or “macabre” were used. I don’t agree at all. The original intent was no doubt religious—some say to encourage people to think about the life beyond this one—but my secular self took a couple of other important lessons from the display:

Despite our different sizes, shapes, and colors on the outside, inside we are pretty much the same. We spend way too much time focused on what in reality is just a small portion of who we are.
Life is fleeting. We only get one life before we too become a pile of bones. Make the most of it.

As we hoped, the three weeks we spent in Portugal were filled with wonderful food, scenery, and adventures (and I will share a few as my non-existent post schedule goes forward). Looking back, though, we were fortunate that our first stop was Faro, where a small chapel behind a church held a good reminder to enjoy our lives while we can.

Please visit Dan’s blog No Facilities to see other #Thursday Doors.

The Spanish Art of Relaxing

Since this would be the first time either of us had visited Spain, our itinerary included three of the largest cities: Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville. It was tempting to add other cities, towns, and villages but we didn’t want our trip to become a whirlwind of rushed travel. A week’s stay in each of the three cities seemed just about right.

Many guidebooks list the top attractions to see if you are in a location for a short amount of time (one, two, or three days, for example) and, frankly, that sounds exhausting. Because we had more time in each city, we could not only sightsee, but also relax, people watch, and enjoy a less frenzied pace.

Turns out, this less-packed itinerary was the perfect way to embrace Spain and its relaxed lifestyle. It was not unusual to see outdoor cafes full of groups of people in the afternoon, enjoying a glass of wine, sharing a few tapas, and actually talking to each other. If a table was full of people staring at their phones, it was an excellent chance they weren’t Spaniards.

In the U.S., I would feel guilty sitting at a restaurant table for a long time and only ordering a glass of wine. I was a server long ago and turning tables quickly was not only what the management wanted, it helped to increase my tips. Besides, since the customers often were on their way somewhere else, they appreciated getting in and out.

Not so in Spain. They seemingly have perfected the art of chill. That doesn’t mean they don’t work hard too, it’s just that they have successfully compartmentalized the two.

Because we often had no particular place to be, my husband and I enthusiastically embraced this lifestyle. After an afternoon of sightseeing, we’d find an empty table in the shade, order a glass of (inexpensive and mostly very good) wine, and watch the world go by. We weren’t in a hurry, but, best of all, the servers didn’t seem to be in a hurry either. When we wanted our check, we’d have to catch their eye and request it, then wait a while longer for it to come. We never felt rushed to leave so they could seat another party.

When we travel, we seldom purchase souvenirs or other items we really don’t need. But Spain’s slower paced way of living was one keepsake we vowed to carry with us when we returned home.

I am submitting this post to Deb and Donna‘s What’s Been on Your Plate link-up. Check out their posts as well as the posts of other contributors.