Watercolors - Travels in Spain

These are some of my watercolors from my many travels in Spain.

While Ronda, one of Spain’s Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) has always been a tourist focal point, I found plenty of serenity by hiking down to the bottom of the narrow gorge that defines the city’s geography.

Another of my daydreams: a village in Spain as seen through a rain-streaked window. Though I always prefer sun streaming through glass, in Spain even dreary weather is atmospheric and fills me with wonder and optimism.

Another pastoral village in Spain that gives me joy and instills me with a sense of tranquility and calm.

I spent many summers in this petite, isolated hamlet that’s snuggled in a deep, verdant valley three hours north of Madrid. Being enveloped by nature as I was there is what I crave right now.

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Portugal's Schist Villages in Pictures

After visiting Portugal almost a dozen times, I continue to find hidden lands, networked by a tangle of old trails that wander through cork forests, and beside threads of rushing water. Lands with once abandoned villages that rose from stone and are now seeing a new life as artist residences, contemporary inns, quaint restaurants, and shops displaying artisan crafts. These lands in the center of Portugal, referred to as the Centro region, are home to the charming Schist Villages or Aldeia do Xisto, such as Casal de Sao Simao, Ferraria de Sao Joao, and Candal. Check out my YouTube video slideshow of my magical journal.

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Greece Beyond Its Isles

When I travel, I never seem to do things the traditional way. Take a trip to Greece. It typically conjures up images of baking on a sun drenched beach or sitting aboard a sailboat as you hop from isle to tranquil isle. Instead I chose to bicycle for several weeks in mountainous Central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula. My goal: to see the authentic side of the country that many visitors overlook.

The terrain that dipped and rose dramatically a multitude number of times each day revealed a land of contrasts. Riding from Glifada to Sounio, I was overpowered by the pungent scent of eucalyptus trees one moment. The next, a warm salt breeze brushed against my face. Narrow mountain roads zigzagging through the olive tree-coated valleys then wandered through scented dense pine forests. Riding through a lush valley towards the coastal town of Nafplio, I took a high road that was very reminiscent to many a road I biked in the Colorado Rockies, complete with jagged, snow dappled peaks.

The generosity of the locals set the tone for the trip right from the beginning. As I took a breather on the side of the road, a man selling fresh figs, sensing my parched state, gave me a handful. The plump, moist fruits were better than any snack I would've carried.

Grapevine-lined roads to Epidauros sliced through fertile plains that were crowded with pomegranate, orange, fig and walnut trees. Riding through this cornucopia, I often encountered farmers who'd offer me a bunch of grapes they were loading into a small open bed truck.

Even when the usually bright weather turned grim with a blustery downpour on my ride to Livadia, my spirits soared when I pulled into a garage for shelter and a young man, seeing my muddy gear, ran out to hose down my bike. Then, a shopkeeper brought me a chair to sit on as I dried off outside his shop once the rain stopped. A woman next door even offered to dry my soggy clothes.

Later in the trip, on the long road to Olympia, as I paused to ponder the map, a woman walked into her garden and handed me several English cucumbers that quickly quenched my thirst.

Every day provided a wealth of surprises, as long as you were ever mindful of your surroundings. Outside the town of Arahova, luckily I was very attentive and spied a clutch of brightly painted houses perched high on stone outcrops. Zipping down a steep section after Kalavrita, I kept my eyes on the sheep in the middle of the road and almost missed an ancient monastery hugging the side of a windswept mountain.

Near many mountain villages, I shared the road with a menagerie. Sheep, mules and even chickens forced me to slow down as they crowded the road ahead. On other narrow winding roads, it wasn't unusual to see a black clad old woman ambling down the road aside a mule.

A three-mile side trip from Sparta led to one of the most striking sites: Mystra, a deserted Byzantine city set amongst the mountains. Numerous footpaths weave through this stone city whose fortress dominates the 2,000-foot summit. Meandering through this monumental town, I explored the octagonal domed church of St. Theodori, numerous other churches and fresco-laden chapels and lingered at the summit for the views of the snow-capped peaks and pine forests.

Every morning, in even the smallest villages, I followed the aroma of fresh baked bread, almonds and cinnamon to a zaharoplastio or pastry shop. And it certainly was not all about baklava, though honey, nuts and phyllo dough were major players. Among the dozens of sweet treats, I found small chocolate or vanilla iced cakes stuffed with rich custard, shredded pastries with nuts, and honey puffs and honey biscuits.

In the seaside communities like Nafpaktos, fresh squid was a real treat. I passed fishermen who were slamming them on the coastal rocks as a tenderizing technique. In the nearby tavernas, these freshly-caught squid were served fried and drizzled with lemon juice. No need for fancy dipping sauces.

It was easy to spend two hours at lunch where I never tired of Greek salads with red ripe tomatoes and cucumbers picked in the gardens behind the tavernas, and chunks of firm tangy feta cheese; as well as warm crusty bread and thick creamy sheep's milk yogurt topped with rich honey.

My next trip to Greece will surely be to check out the dozens of islands that pepper the Aegean Sea. But there's something to be said for getting away from it all by cycling through Greece's many mountain villages.

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Corsica's Artisan Route

I always enjoy reading books or articles on places I've traveled and perusing the recent article on Corsica in Travel & Leisure was no exception. It's always great to see a country through the eyes of someone who has roots in the land, as the author does. As you know, I've posted on Corsica a couple of times already and have written many magazine articles, all focusing in on the off-the-beaten-track travel and hidden treasures that are my specialty. Since I noticed the T + L article didn't deal with one of my favorite haunts in Corsica, I wanted to share this unforgettable region with you.
The Balagne region of Corsica may be France's best-kept secret. This mountainous area in the north of this island is dotted with hilltop villages that snuggle against the backdrop of jagged peaks. In fact, detouring from the much-loved coastal resorts is a must for those who want to find the Corsica of centuries ago. Many of these villages date back more than 1,000 years and yet these are active communities where artisans and crafts people thrive.


Driving the Routes de Artisans along the wiggly roads that wind through this land of olives and vines, I met an array of personalities producing glassware, pottery, wine, olive oil, honey, almond biscuits, chestnut cakes, knives and aromatic oils. For example, Helene Cancela, a jeweler near the seaside town of Ile Rousse, etches bronze and sets semiprecious stones with healing properties in silver, creating organic works. Outside Calenzana, Rony Annick weaves olive branches, myrtle and bamboo into all manner of traditional baskets. Calvi’s knife maker, Patrick Martin, originally a sculptor, forges knives that are works of art. Don't be surprised when you enter his shop and see it decorated with animal skulls, since he delicately fashions the handles from antelope, goat and even boar horns or skulls. Carole Fanet, a potter in Algajola, produces contemporary works that are influenced by her travels in Asia.
But, probably the heart of this artisanal area is Pigna, the music town, as it's known. No wonder, considering this hamlet became the center to resurrect Corsican traditions, including paghjella singing, and playing the cetera, a lute-like instrument that people from all over Europe now order from Pigna. Every July during the Estivoce festival that virtually takes over this hamlet, visitors can experience five days of theatrical and musical productions.

I wandered the narrow cobbled lanes and met women making wooden music boxes that play traditional Corsican lullabies; in another shop, Mr. Quilichini produces earthenware works that are inspired by Genoan pottery, which divers found off Corsica’s coast.
Herve specializes in contemporary Asian-inspired, etchings as well as 18th century copper prints that he collects from antique shops. Among the most interesting items you can buy is one of Ugo Casalonga's ceteras made from walnut and cypress or Corsican flutes from goat horns.Among the most interesting items you can buy is one of Ugo Casalonga's ceteras made from walnut and cypress or Corsican flutes from goat horns. In Casa Savelli, Dominique Giantini sells locally made items, such as clementine marmalade, myrtle vinegar and chestnut flour cakes.


The hamlet has three restaurants, all serving local products. Casa Musicale is a stone dwelling that combines a thriving music center and a lovely inn that's decorated with an array of authentic items, including a handmade harpsichord. Lunch and dinner is served in the barrel-ceilinged stone dining rooms that are housed in the original olive oil mill. The terrace perched on the hillside is much sought after during mealtime to catch views of the Algajola Bay. U Palazzu is a 400-year-old villa that's been in the Franceschini family for generations. Their fine restaurant, serving dishes that include grilled sea bass with risotto and artichokes and prawns with pumpkin sauce, is also housed in a former olive oil mill, where two centuries-old presses are still present. Finally, A Casarella serves up organic cuisine that focuses in on tapas, such as anchovy filets, sheep's milk cheese and mashed chickpeas with olive oil. Their dining room, dating from the late 1700, was once an animal shelter. But most guests opt for the terrace seats to glimpse the fabulous sunsets.

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Corsica's Beauty Far From The Coast

Corsica’s coastal properties may get almost all the tourist traffic, but hiking through the interior with Vallecime tours is how I experienced the wild side of Corsica. Specializing in guided hikes based out of two bed and breakfasts, this local company organizes private treks for couples, families or groups of friends. For a week, my three friends, Andrea, Eric and Dennis, and I climbed and descended the rugged picturesque terrain covered with aromatic maquis with our local guide, Laurent, who gave us a window into authentic Corsican culture, pointing out all manner of geological and botanical finds, and taking us to plenty of spots so we could sample local culinary delights. No matter which village we enter, our guide meets and greets people, whether a man delivering supplies to one of the mountain refuges, or a woman driving the grocery truck, which brings produce to the villages who live far from markets.

Starting in Sant Andrea di Bozio with its schist stone houses some 2,600 feet above sea level, we trekked through peaceful valleys, circled glacial lakes and wandered along old shepherd and mule paths where, on one day, we ran into a wild boar hunt where Laurent knew the hunters. On another day in the isolated Niolu Valley , we found a shepherd selling fresh sheep's milk cheese. Majestic peaks rose all about, including Mt. Tafunato with its prominent hole -- attributed to the devil as are several other land features -- where clouds often float through.

In the hamlet of Poggio, our bed and breakfast, the five-room Casa Capellini, sits along a terraced property where pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce grow in the vegetable garden. From here, dramatic peaks are visible from just about anywhere. In another village, San Quilico, an old milling stone forms part of a doorway, and a schist oven still stands where villages once baked bread. In the area of Casamaccioli, the village that's home to our second inn, Casa Vanella, most of Corsica’s high peaks can be found.

Interestingly, one of the co-owners of Vallecime, Jean Francois, held the record, until recently, for running the 120-mile GR 20, Corsica’s most famous high mountain, long distance hiking trail. (He managed to finish this rugged route, that's considered Europe's most difficult, in a mere 37 hours; it normally takes hikers about a week.)

Trail markers were rare where we hiked because, as our guide noted, “This is the land of freedom and any signs are a form of pollution.” Corsica’s independent spirit is ever present. The island has few resorts. No wonder, considering separatists have been known to demolish construction sites. And just about everything runs wild: bulls, cows and sheep on village streets, pigs outside our B & B, and horses and goats beside our trails.

In Casamaccioli, the village that's home to our second B & B, Santa di u Niolu , the island's most important folk festival, has been celebrated every September for more than 500 years. Commemorating the old ways, this fair, with its handicrafts and regional food specialties, has long attracted all manner of Corsicans, especially shepherds who would herd their flocks back into the valley.

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