Not much going on today concerning sight seeing. I have done lots of writing, editing, and making submissions, however. One thought was weighing heavily on my mind. While Airbnb is a fine service most of the time, some of these people putting their property up can be dishonest/miss-representative in varying degrees, and somewhat difficult at the same time. We have heard claims of this emerging fact from other teachers in residence. We also have our own experience.

The lady who we rented our room from is very welcoming and friendly, yet her man doesn’t really want her renting rooms out. He is not rude by any stretch, yet one can readily observe an air of resentment, even if they don’t speak his language. She filed a complaint against us with Airbnb, claiming that we did not fully close her door, and that she felt unsafe as a result. The problem is that we did close the door, and checked to see if it was secured, so we feel that maybe her man prompted her into making this claim.

We have been very careful not to give her reasons for making complaints. We clean up behind ourselves, clean the kitchen and bathroom, etc. Being accused with Airbnb can give negative ratings for the potential renter, consequently eliminating one’s ability to take advantage of savings in rental opportunities. Renters should always go the extra mile to secure positive ratings, this fact of being simply can’t be overemphasized.

There is more that readers should be made aware of. This lady miss-represented her place as being a college residence, rather than a private one. A college residence would have had fellow teachers as roommates. This private residence had her, her man, and their children, among many more from the surrounding neighborhood.

This lady advertised breakfast as being served with her room rental. We have been living here some five weeks, and have yet to see anything resembling breakfast being served, not even coffee and cookies, etc. On the contrary, we always had to prepare our own.

After some time living here, I soon found the place to be somewhat unsanitary. The neighbors keep dogs, as does this lady. These dogs are allowed to run around, often indiscriminately, leaving waste, etc. Waste attracts flies. In Spain the weather is hot, so that means one must leave the windows open. The kitchen and the house in general always fills with flies. I am forced to shut the kitchen up and kill five or more flies every time I bother to cook or sleep in our room. This gets old after a while.

The woman complained to us about making noise during siesta time (1100-1600 hrs), yet when her children and others play, they scream, yell, throw things, and make so much noise until neither the wife nor myself can sleep. This usually continues on from 1200 until 2100 hrs! Not only that, the woman and the man often scream and yell at all hours of the evening until mid-night. They argue about finances, food, her not acting right, etc. Sometimes I feel as if they might actually come to physical blows.

The distances from the center of town/wife’s college was miss-represented. It was advertised as being only 15 minute walk from the Plaza de Mayor or the college of Salamanca. The truth is it was at least a 45 minute walk from the Plaza, and a 30 minute walk from the college.

The moral of the story is this: our first time dealing with Airbnb was this one. Keep all of these facts in mind and be certain to ask the proper questions, should you choose to rent with them. In the end, our stay hasn’t been that bad, but it sure could have been much better. The residence hall would not have been much more expensive, and the accommodations far better! Hold these facts dear when planning your next adventure!

On Sunday we all awoke to eat breakfast at the hotel in Grenada. This breakfast was a fine meal, contrary to what I was expecting. As a general rule European breakfast amounts only to serial, toast, jam, and coffee. European coffee tends to be foam in a cup. I, on the other hand, prefer water boiled over roasted beans, and the end result. Some fruit might be scattered about, but such is about it.

After we completed our meal our tour group headed out the door toward the bus. The trip from Grenada to Salamanca was three hours in duration. We also stopped along the way for thirty minutes. When we finally made it there, our first destination was the Plaza de Spain. The Plaza de Spain in Seville appears to more Arabian architecture that one assumes is hundreds of years old, but it only dates back to 1926. Nevertheless, it is one beautiful place that one simply must visit if he travels to Spain.

Once we completed our two hour tour of The Plaza de Spain in Seville, we headed out into the town. Here we walked with our tour group, passing a number of famous land marks, such as the Golden Tower, and walking on down toward the river front park. The Golden Tower was where all the gold extracted by the Spanish from the New World, was transported and contained. I glanced in as we passed, and it was still heavily guarded, with one needing special permission to enter. I also had the feeling that it might have been some sort of bank, but I never heard any discussion in regard to the matter, nor did I bother to ask.

When down in the river front park one may relax on the numerous metal benches in the shade of the china berry and fig trees, or he could choose to take a harbor cruise. The harbor cruise is a three hour tour that includes a cool drink and a sandwich, all for 20 euros, if I heard right when I investigated. The three hour tour includes a guided investigation into the history of the city itself, since on the opposite side stand many historical homes and buildings. Also the port side was once the main side of entrance, so any hero of the past who journeyed into Seville more than likely passed through the area, if he didn’t walk in on land.

After our bus driver completed with his version of a city tour, all included in the price of the bus package, we were free to roam about throughout the city on our own. Here we were responsible for our own meals, but no problems since there was plenty to eat at decent prices, from 5 to 13 euros. By 1500 hrs we all met in a central roundabout in town, where we loaded back aboard the bus, and headed back toward Salamanca. We would arrive back in Salamanca at around 2030.

Today is July 22, Monday. Our tine in beautiful Spain is winding down. The wife has final exams all week. This weekend was our big trip to Seville and Grenada. It was a five hour bus trip from Salamanca to the Grenada, since Grenada sits not far from the beach. We had booked the trip through the agency on main street, walking passed the hospital from the college. There is a quiet park shaded by what appears to be ancient ruins shaded by wisteria sitting immediately across from the agency.

Prices were not bad at only 150 Euros a person. For that 150 Euro price we had a very comfortable bus ride with air conditioner, a room in a luxuriant hotel that would have cost more than 100 Euros by itself, and a very fine breakfast. The bus ride was pleasant with frequent stops at service stations and cafeterias. Prices in these places can be rather high with only basic sandwiches being 3 euros or more. My personal advice, however, would be carry along some apples purchased at the local Marcado, or homemade sandwiches with a few cans of Pepsi and/or bottles of water. Seville and Grenada are scorching in the summer, and many places exist where the emptied water bottles may be filled for free.

We traveled to Grenada first, arriving there by 1400 hrs. Once we made it into town our first destination was to the famous Alhambra. This complex is rather vast. Expect to spend half a day here, if one’s tour allows the time. The immaculate Alhambra has been around since the 1200s. The Arabs took it over, but were conquered in 1492 by the catholic priests. Since that time it has been used as a palace for the king. The first monarchist couple were King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. It was in this palace where Christopher Columbus besought Queen Isabella on both knees twice, successfully negotiating investor financing for his now famous expeditions. No record exists, as far as is known, of the exact interest amounts demanded, but it would be a good bet that the second loan was a high rate of return, more than likely standing somewhere around 30%. The very king’s chamber where Columbus dropped down on both knees before the queen’s throne may still be viewed.

Some two hundred years afterward the Alhambra fell into a state of disuse and neglect. Paintings exist showing weeds growing up to cover the palace. Squatters began to use the facility as their own campsite hangout. This fact of being didn’t change until the late 1700 and early 1800’s when various British Romantic artists, poets, and writers, began to idealize the old ruins for their long lost past glory. City leaders then commenced a process of restoration that continued on until the 1970’s. Today its one of Spain’s most visited sites.

The only area where one may get an overview of the city of Granda, Spain, is on the Alhambra. Virtually everywhere else one is locked inside the city itself with virtually no overview what so ever. For this reason alone one could never visit Grenada, Spain, without spending time on the Alhambra!

Our tour group exited the Alhambra by 1700. We continued on walking through town to the local plaza. There were many music shows going on with dancing of many sorts, from the Waltz to the Tango. If one does not know how to do these dances, then he might want to brush up before coming to Spain. This continued on until around 1900 hrs, where we made it back to the hotel.

Once inside the hotel we dropped off our bags, bathed, then headed out to the next big event. This event was a sight seeing party. The cost was 30 euros per person, but very well worth the expense. A number of famous people had taken this same tour, from what I could gather from signatures and photographs. Some of these famous people included Mic Jaggard and Michelle Obama. The sightseeing tour concluded with one of the best Flaminco dance parties I have ever bore witness to.

The Flaminco club was packed. Here was where we actually paid for the tour. When our tour finally made it inside, the staged scene was one of a traditional Gypsy wedding party. The women present were the bride, her mother, and three sisters. The groom was present, but didn’t say much right at first. The story spinster begins to moan the words of the poem as the music plays. Beginning with the women each one tells her own version of what is about to commence. The last woman to do so is the bride.

After the bride dances her part in this lyrical tale, there is a break. During this break one’s choice in the drink of his choice is served. The final show and the best dancing act, to my shock and surprise, was the groom. While the women were outstanding, the man was beyond description. His grace on the dance floor did not match his slightly overweight physical body. He appeared to be somewhat out of shape, but he danced like a well toned champion. At the conclusion of this show after about an hour of watching the dancing, all of the dancers danced with our tour group, including myself. I danced with the mother of the bride.

Here it is 7/17/2019 already. The wife has taken all of her tests and scored no less than B+. I have had several calls for job interviews offshore teaching ESL. I have walked all over Salamanca, or ridden the bus for 1.50 euros. Just for the record, there have been many days when I didn’t even spend a single dime. Most importantly of all to me, I have had time to engage in some serious writing, editing, and making submissions. I didn’t bother to count, but yesterday I made multiple submissions to individual publishers and journals. I figure there must to have been around 50 at least! Four submissions were for prizes and money grants.

Other concerns people may have might be directed toward issues of security. Salamanca appears to be crime free, from a practical point of perspective. The wife and myself have been out walking around at 2300 hrs to 0200, and we have seen old women and children playing in the streets all around. There has been no boisterous talking or imposing approaches by erratic appearing people. I have seen no rough looking people sitting around smacking their lips when we walked passed, like I have in some other places we have traveled, to include places in the US. One primary reason I attribute this to is because I have seen virtually sign of drug use among the people, and I am very well versed in the art of making these types of conclusions by the general appearance of people who are heavy into the vice. While the beer and wine here is rather heavy, cheap, and strong, and the proletariat drink it like water; out of thousands who could stand as examples, I have yet to see one who was intoxicated.

There are other reasons why the crime rate might be so low. I have no idea about how strict the laws are here in Salamanca/Spain in general, insanely harsh laws combined with hard labor prison sentences, often eliminates criminal activity. The level of brutality in Spanish prison combined with all of the above, could compel individuals to avoid condemnation. China has virtually no crime, as does Japan according to my son since I haven’t visited there, for essentially all the reasons above.

I have yet to be stopped and asked for a visa or passport display, except when I entered in a casino. This morning some police were gathered around by the bar I walk passed on my way to and fro the room where we currently reside, not one stopped to request a passport display from me, even though I am an obvious foreigner ( I never try to conceal the fact, although doing so may be a wise choice for obvious reasons). Casinos here in Spain resemble arcade rooms in the US. I simply showed the person my driver’s license however, and this seemed sufficient to quell her demanding attitude toward me. City buses do not request any sort of ID display, and neither do subways in big cities such as Madrid, for example. One simply pays his transportation costs or puts it on a card, which is more efficient. Buses going out of town via the travel agent do request passport numbers, ID, etc. If needing to avoid an ID display might be a problem for some unknowable reason, then catching a bus on ones own at the local station or hopping a cab would be a viable alternative option.

With these details in mind, staying in hostels and renting rooms do demand that one display his passport/ID details. He might be able to slide through the situation by tactfully displaying his US driver license. Should showing an ID ever become a real problem for some unknowable reason, then I guess its back to backpacking and living like a refugee, from what I can presently determine at the time of this writing. I have noticed only three people who live out their days in the large municipal park here in Salamanca. One is a guitar player, the other two are street panhandlers.

Shade is a necessity in a land where the sun shines brightly most of the time, and it seldom rains. Water spouts are available in the parks for people to use. I, myself, pack in water collected from these spouts, to save on cash, since water can cost one a euro per large bottle. These same three people are often seen sprawled out in corners on the shaded pedestrian streets in old Salamanca. At the same time there is a noticeable Gypsy population, who are obviously living somewhere outside nearby. They must be very proficient at hiding, because I have yet to spot their caravans.

Other observations might be of importance to certain readers, since fellow adventurers are among those whom I try to direct an appeal toward. The other day I walked to the park down by the Roman bridge here in Salamanca. I could not help but notice great thriving beds of cattails. If one were in a financial pinch, these could easily be collected by the bag full, since in most cases few people are out in the park; especially during midday siesta, and at night. All parts are good for food.

There are ducks in the park, which would not be difficult to collect . One must research how-to techniques for doing so on his own, since a blog is not the best place to post this type of information. When times turn difficult, as opportunity fades for reasons both self directed and imposed by the corporate accommodating authoritarians in charge of enforcing the US system; even though the laws of men may lock us out of the employment & business license market, we are still commanded by the laws of nature to provide food and shelter. In such often overwhelming negative circumstances, having access to how-to information is a virtual must. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/893652

There seems to be many eating sized fish in the river. One is at liberty to gather these in, from what I can tell. A well placed trot line would work like dynamite, I think; and the authorities here could care less, since I see locals fishing all the time, every day and every hour. People eating for free and local businesses potentially losing profit, doesn’t seem to be an authoritarian concern around here. So called “animal rights” people don’t seem to be much of a problem in Spain, when citizens at large finding viable employment is. Animal rights people need to eat to.

Big fat pigeons are everywhere, to the point that they must be viewed as a pest more than an asset. These would be a simple matter to collect, and avoiding people spotting one doing so would be a simple matter. Pigeon soup, rice, and potatoes, is certainly not bad table fare.

I also noticed huge jack rabbits near the river ( I am talking knee high in height) and on the open wooded hills late in the evening. One came out yesterday evening that I believe could have been collected with a hand thrown rock. Getting my hands on a bunny would not be a difficult matter had I tried, with all of the scrap wood, wire, etc, laying all around. Those interested in such information must research the methods of collection for themselves. Many of the Tapas we have been told, are served up with rabbit meat.

The bulls slain at the bull fights are always butchered, quartered, ground into hamburger, and sold to the restaurants; so I personally have no problem with the entertainment. I know, however, that cow (female) flesh would be much higher in quality, than the bull. Please don’t feel bad about going to the bull fights, do it when you have the opportunity. More than likely in 10-15 years the timeless custom of fighting bulls will fade into history all across Spain. The young people have lost interest, the elders are the only ones keeping it alive. We were told that many bull fighting arenas actually lost money during the past five years. If such is the true case, then one’s chances of actually seeing one in action could perish within the next five years from many areas throughout Spain. The custom has already died out in Barcelona, to my great disappointment.

In my mind, my time has been well spent. On top of all that, I must say that I have really enjoyed myself. In the end, having fun living our lives and doing what ever it is that we do, is what matters most. Big money unused along with real-estate, stays right here when our last day passes into darkness. Has anyone else ever bothered to take notice?

My venture is still not over with yet. We have three more weeks left. I would like to repeat in summary some valuable information. If one had a strictly personal reason to do so, such as creating his own writer’s retreat, stretching his retirement, etc; Spain is one nation among a number of others where he could rent a decent apartment for 400 euros a month, which equates to 2400 at 6 months, including his utilities (WiFi,electricity, water). Three thousand extra euros extra would allow him to live in relative comfort in Salamanca, which is a quasi-central location.

To put it simply; for 6000 euros a 6 month period, or 12000 euros a year, one could live relatively well in Spain, if he operated from a centralized smaller town location such as Salamanca. A small amount above that would vastly increase the quality margin of his life. Retirees bored with their home location, extended stay travelers/backpackers, people seeking a new experience in general, and others for a variety of reasons, might want to bear these details in mind. Hostels are everywhere in Spain that myself and the wife have traveled to thus far.

This euro amount would also allow him to hop a bus out of town once a week. From the beach backwards, there are a number of very interesting places to visit, especially if one is into the arts, history, wine vineyards, etc. A small amount above 6000 or 12000 euros would vastly increase a person’s level of comfort. The big city of Madrid is only a two hour bus ride away, and we have covered only a few of the many sights there. Before our return flight back to the US, we shall spend a few days more there in Madrid, so stay tuned.

In Madrid the price at the hostel is 50 euros a night, but it is possible to share rooms dividing the cost down to 25 euros, if doing so doesn’t bother a person. That being said, I honestly feel that renting a room in a centralized location is a much more efficient travel strategy than exclusively using the hostels. Hostels can offer daily work opportunities, however. While backpacking has an appeal and a certain definite advantage when used in combination with other travel strategies, living like a homeless person doesn’t to this adventurer.

Travel agencies also offer outstanding packages, if one only negotiates to a small degree. Room, breakfast, and a small localized tour can be included. One can net a weekend/three day stay for less than two days operating on his own. Once one learns how to move around, there is no doubt in my mind that his level of savings and his travel experience, would be vastly increased. Things will certainly become much more interesting as the week moves along.

Here it is the morning of 7/15/2019 . Its hard to believe how quickly time has flown. There are always free musical shows, skits, and other displays in the Plaza de Mayor. There is the Plaza de Engles, which as been called the Spanish Version of Wallmart. Its a good place to walk around in the air conditioner, read books, and spend a day. There is horse back riding and canoeing down in the knee deep river surrounding Salamanca here that is inexpensive to do. Recently I had my suspicions confirmed by some British people I met regarding Spain as being the least expensive European country to visit.

The wife went out with the class to a town called Alise, just outside of Madrid. She put some decent pictures up on Facebook. Alise is a living museum of Roman built architecture. Marks of the old Pax Romana still lives around here in Spain everywhere. Often we will travel to a nearby villa or town. We walk around in these places and to my surprise, the area reminds me if Italy. Sure enough, when I investigate the history, the part of town I was in was the oldest section and Roman built.

In virtually all of the old areas inside these towns I can look at the walls on the structures and tell where it appears the buildings have crumbled during some time period, then been reconstructed with blocks, a different kind of stone, or concrete on top of an obviously very old boulder/ concrete and stone foundation. I know that Spain supported the Allied efforts during WWII, and some serious battles were fought in Madrid and surrounding areas, against Mussolini and the Germans . From the best that I can gather, the same rule would apply with Salamanca.

On the other hand, there was also serious resistance against Napoleon, not to mention the Vandals and the Moors long before him. In other words, the past destruction I can visualize in these buildings may have arrived from numerous sources, not to include natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

Spain, so it seems, has truly been a war torn nation all throughout its long history. Before the Romans arrived the land was owned and worked by a series of Celtic tribal groups. More than likely these Celts wrested control of the territory from other groups already here. These Celtic tribes battled one another, until the strongest tribe and their allies dominated. The Romans finally conquered these tribal groups after an enduring, drawn out period of warfare. It seems the area was very unstable in spite of Romes best efforts to quell the many rebellions.

When Rome finally backed out, there were a series of provincial wars, more than likely instigated by decedents of these tribal groups attempting to wrest control. There was continuing warfare with the Basque country, the Moors, and the Vandal tribes from Germany. Napoleon attempted to conquer Spain, and when he did manage to take an area, his control was unstable at best. There were many battles and wars in between all of this that have not been mentioned. We have yet to mention WWI.

The most stable period of time in Spain’s long history from my own perspective, appears to be from the end of WWII to the present day. In our own time, however, there have been a series of succession calls and a level of violence resulting from it. I find this interesting, since the long history of Spain, predominantly, has been rule by a series of tribal dominated provinces. The general spirit found in the speech of the people when asked about other areas tends to be from a stand point of the next province being “different” from their own, at times in positive or negative light. Could we conclude that some level of isolated provincial/tribal rule in Spain is still true in our own time?

That being said, the Basque country located in North Western Spain, has rattled its sword in recent years. The Basque people themselves are truly an interesting group of people, and are vastly different from the other people found throughout the nation. The Basque were always thought of as being in possession of wealth, according to legendary accounts, as far as I can ascertain. Largely speaking they are homogeneous. Their DNA in majority is lucid, reaching backward into time some 10000 years. People who devote their lives studying such matters have yet to firmly determine the origin of the Basque; however, they appear to have been the truly original people not only in Spain, but in all of continental Europe.

The Irish have long claimed in their age old oral traditions, to have originated with the Basque. On the map, Ireland is positioned immediately due North from NW Spain; thus the geography and present day DNA research substantiates the possibility. The DNA comparisons between traditional Irish populations and the Basque were virtually a perfect match. The Irish were always known/thought of stereotypically for having vast wealth stored up in gold coin, jewelry, etc, according to the age old stories. Maybe their past immigration from Basque country could be the source for this long standing legendary belief, with a grain of truth being that the wealthiest in Basque country constituted the primary families who exited out for virgin territory in distant antiquity, for some yet to be known reason.

Surely the Tuatha de Dannan stories seemingly from that time period of the Basque colony in ancient Ireland, are among some of the most interesting to read. It is possible that the “outer realm” referred to by medieval record keepers of these legends was the old Basque province. Some people claim that this “outer realm” referred to in these legends constitute an environment somewhere in the beyond, but we are getting into a deep topic here.

The industrious, creative, entrepreneurial Basque people still constitute the wealthiest province in all of Spain to this very moment. I hate to say it, but more than likely this province is carrying the dead weight in taxes of every Spanish province outside of their own, which explains the on going call for succession. (45 relatively nonproductive US states are supported by 5. Recollect the call for succession in Texas a few years ago, and the reason given for it) Remember I mentioned earlier that the Spanish government issues a “guaranteed income” check (free health care, food, housing, etc) to the Spanish people at large, who supposedly can’t afford it due to the most predominant sources for middle class employment being expunged so corporations could exploit cheap/slave labor in other lands. There exists little here in the way of a production base, since it was shipped out some time ago into third world nations. Sweet sounding socialist programs demand financing, while nothing in the real world comes for free, and money simply doesn’t grow on trees. The level of past violence due to this provincial call for independence seems to be on par with the IRA in northern Ireland.

Last night the wife and I attended the concert that was canceled Friday night. It was a good native Spanish display of music from the Caribbean. A man who appeared to be from one of these islands added in his own style to the music. Right at first I wasn’t very impressed, but the music became better as time passed. Several of Glenda’s classmates arrived. These people were from places as diverse as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. I was more than likely the only person born on American soil who was there. We all got up and danced, which added into the general fun and vibe to the music being played. In the end the evening and the day went well, in general.

Well on Sundays there is not much going on in Salamanca, Spain. Church service seems to be held at night. Honestly, I never could catch one. The doors on these massive 1000 year old buildings are open on the inside. The really large, impressive two, want 3 euros just to enter inside. One may secure a nighttime tour of the two for five euros.

For me, this morning will be a day for writing, editing, making submissions, and cleaning our room up a bit. Some time after 1200 I shall saunter on into town and see what is going on. A much better move might be to hop a bus for the beach, or some other attraction on Sundays. It costs no less than 20 euros one way to do that. Forty euros is quite a hit in a pauper’s purse, especially considering that next weekend we shall be gone on a really nice outing for three days. I will discuss that when the time arrives.

Every Sunday people who are enrolled in classes get to tour a different town or place. This is all inclusive with the college enrollment package. This Sunday the wife will be in a prior Roman town called Alise, just outside of Madrid. She will return at 2000 hrs. When she returns we are walking into town for a concert at 2100 hrs, rescheduled due to unusual heavy rain and thunderstorm last night.

Companions are not allowed to go with them on these trips, as I had hoped to do in earnest. Some have managed to slide passed the tour guide and the driver, but to get caught might be an embarrassment to the companion or the other who is enrolled. On that note I decided to sit it out.

Last night we both saw a Fandago dance. This dance was given in the residency down from the 88 Hall that I have described earlier. Most importantly from the perspective of this blog title, it was given for free. This dance team called El Alva. They specialized in Fandago, but could perform the Flaminco dance as well. Their fees when hired, were very reasonable.

In the Fandago, the singer is telling a poetic story and the dancers are placing emphasis on the exiting parts. The difference in the Fandago and the Flaminco lay here, to the best that I can ascertain. In the Flaminco the dancers are literally singing the poem one at a time, and then retelling it through their dance. While I enjoy the poetics and the dancing dramatics of both versions, my personal favorite lays with the Flaminco, being honest about it.

The Fandago, on the other hand, also reminds me of a belly dance without the belly motions. We have the poem being sang, the theatrical dance, the smiles and the claps, but few slinky body motions. From a literature perspective, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching what I did. The dance commenced around 2100, and lasted until 2300. In the Plaza de Mayor a much larger version of the Fandago was being conducted at the same time. The dance at the residence was conducted on a much more personal basis. Most importantly, the same rule still applies in both cases; the show was conducted for free, unless you choose to give tips.

The wife made A- on her two tests yesterday. I still have not resolved my issue of changing American cash to euros, and avoiding the outrageous exchange rates that I did not anticipate. Shame on me for that. The rates at the airport stateside were only 5%, not a jaw dropping thirty percent! Having an debit card would have solved my situation beautifully, however.

There are ATM machines everywhere here in Spain. Take the ones by the banks, not on the streets. People tamper with those to extract debit card numbers. I would have only been charged 4% for the exchange. All that I have was cash and a credit card. I haven’t asked the wife for an exchange yet, but I will, and soon. Let her take the increase in dollars, not some greedy, thieving pig calling himself running a business.

My next option will be a European bank, although many now demand that one have an account for them to make the currency exchange. There still exists some who do not. If all else fails, then I shall try that next. Catching one when it is open is a different concern, however. When siesta time comes, everything shuts down.

There also exists individual vendors on the street. If one offers me a better rate of exchange, then I will take him up on the offer. One must be careful doing so, since we have ran into one incidence of counterfeit currency. Inspect all currency received in such a manner very carefully before accepting it.

I would only attempt to receive 40 euros or so like this. A large amount might invite complications where the foreigner making the exchange could fall on the dirty end of the stick. At the present time I only have one euro and about 60 cents. I could buy a bag of rice and a one liter bottle of refreshment with this. Rice can get me by for more than a week, and I only have two weeks remaining.

While making such street transactions are relatively commonplace, the process is illegal, so I have been informed. Keep an eye out for the police when one is trading coins. The police should focus on the coin exchanges in business, and arrest them for outright theft, as far as I am concerned. Earning a living in Spain is more often than not, tough for average people. Allow them to provide an accommodating service that others here seem not to.

In the end, if I have no choice remaining but to take the 30% hit, then I only have one strategy remaining at my disposal. We have two weeks remaining. We have enough food at the apartment. I will wait a week before we exit out for Seville and Grenada next weekend, then simply take the hit. I may, however, use my credit card while we are there, then wait until we exit out for Greece. Maybe I can give the wife 25 US dollars, for 20 euros, and have enough to buy a few desired things while I remain here.

There is some really good looking ice cream all round, but to get a large cone is 2.80 to 3.20 euros. A really decent meal can be had here for 8-10 euros. However, I can go to the residence to the left or the right from Hall 88 on the college campus here, depending on how one comes in, and eat a fabulous buffet meal for only 6 euros. I discussed that fact of being earlier in this blog. Well made hand crafted trinkets with a time honored catholic motif can be purchased here for 5 euros, and the list goes on and on. All of these things are of an interest to me.

While I hate the idea of walking around looking dumb and feeling stupid for a week or two, the truth is when we miscalculate, all too often there is a price to pay. If doing so will get me through to the other side in relative smoothness, while still allowing me to have a reasonably pleasant experience, the so let it be. If I should land work, then my problems would be solved, eh? We’ll see in the passing of time.

The wife scored a good B on her three tests yesterday. She will take two more today. B is not the best of grades in grad school, but its certainly not the worst. She anticipates doing much better today. She certainly studied enough last night, until the twelfth striking in the Villa de Mayor.

I have had my own successes. I have an old Bookrix account, with several uploaded books refused for the sales label, and consequently were never published. I cleaned these up. Now all of my works are listed for sales.

In most cases I was asked to simply drop the price. In others, it was my own cover that didn’t cut it, so I allowed them to make one for me at no cost. I also updated my author page with them. I included a link to my Booksie page, and back to this one. I changed my profile photograph. I also began writing my own autobiographical e-book in my Bookrix account. Be sure to check it out when you can find the time! I will be writing daily in it for some time to come. There is much to speak of in my life.

I am still seeking to land a teaching contract here for next year. I haven’t had success as of yet. Bus tickets to any town outside of Salamanca here are at least 40 euros, there and back, if the place has any tourist appeal, or potential to have. There are a few places that list tickets for 20 euros, but when I investigated through google, there was not much to be seen there in my opinion. The 20 euros in my hand was worth more than I could have gained from going to these places.

What I find on google in regard to all of these places in Spain is pretty much the truth, once I travel there. That being said I feel blessed for all of the experiences I have had. I know people with far better finances than I, but have seldom left their home area. I, on the other hand, virtually live on the road. It has barely been two months since I sailed on a cruise boat for five days to Cozumel, Mexico, and Grand Cayman island. The wife and I had a blast. Now we are in Spain, and have been for over a month now.

I needed to exchange some dollars for euros. I had $260.00 American dollars. I went to the currency exchange booth in the Plaza de Mayor here in Salamanca. I had checked it out on my computer prior. I knew that I would lose $30.00 . That narrowed my money down to $230.00 . I figured the exchange rate would be 10, maybe 20 dollars, fair enough, right? Boy was I wrong! That greedy pig wanted to take 45 more dollars for the exchange fee. Had I followed through, I would have literally lost one third of my cash traveling money remaining for my time out. I still have 2 more weeks here, and then three days in Santorini, Greece.

I still have not solved this problem yet. I read where the banks have the best rates. I am going to see if the wife will take $260.00 for 230.00 euros, since this trip is winding down. If she would only give me 40 euros for $50.00 I would be fairly pleased for the time being. The moral of this story is to get all of your money changed before leaving out. Its difficult to do, but try to prefigure all that you will need. The air ports have the best rates, so I have found out thus far. I didn’t anticipate such ridiculous exchange rates, but at least you know right here from the horses mouth.

Here it is the 10th of July, 2019, 1247 Spanish time. Come Friday we have two more weeks remaining here in Salamanca. My wife has struggled with her Master’s studies this second half. They certainly don’t give Master’s degrees away here. Technically speaking, in my observed opinion of this experience, this MA study is a cram course. I curtly informed her of this observed fact. The thesis must be completed, or else one consequently fails. She has already turned this in, with corrections made.

She has a close associate who did not manage to conclude on this, and consequently failed the MA program here., as do more than a few people , so we have been informed. Come here determined to succeed, or waste one’s money and time. I want to earnestly stress that absolute fact. That being said, the prices and the potential opportunities gained from travel experiences all across Spain, are extraordinary, to say the least.

The wife had better pass, is all that I can say right now. She has three exams today. These courses given to Spanish instructors are all in Spanish, but such was no surprise and not a problem to the wife. My Spanish speaking skills are basic, so I am not much help in reading the work, or assisting her in her studies without being able to translate it.

I have contented myself in walking around Salamanca, Spain. During my entire stay thus far, I have only spent three hundred dollars, American! I have eaten Spanish buffets three times. I have enjoyed ice cold refreshment by the large mug full, with tapas or potato chips at night, at least three times a week. I have gone to concerts of various types, from classical, to Tunas time-honored musical demonstrations, similar to the Mexican Mariachi; all the way up/or down, depending on one’s perspective, to music from the local pop culture; all for free! How is that for living on the cheap while traveling, without sacrificing one’s quality of life?

For a writer seeking a type of writer’s retreat, traveling to Salamanca, Spain, for a few months would be perfect in that context. In between all of this walking around, I have had much time to compose and submit several pieces of poetry, one novella, while I edit and rewrite several other works that I have been submitting to a line of potential publishers. Earlier in this blog I mentioned the process and general formula of approach for staying in Spain long term. Refer back to that if the general idea of such a retreat generates interest. This same formula could also be utilized in a number of potential personal contexts, other than the one mentioned, so bear that in mind as one reads along.

I sincerely hope that I don’t offend any potential reader with my down to earth, hard core, realistic presentation on this experience. I, personally, have a sensation of total exhilaration found in only being here in Spain. This place is immensely beautiful, but there are realistic concerns that become all too apparent during extended stays. My objective is to speak of those concerns in my account, so that should readers attempt a similar course of experience while using this information, they will be aware of specifically what they are up against. People are not rude here, and tend to be very friendly, largely speaking. English is known, but the more Spanish one can speak with fluency, the better they shall fare, I promise!

Day before yesterday the wife and I purchased bus tickets to Seville, Grenada, and a place nearby that I can’t recall. This place was thrown in as a marketing bonus, with the ticket. Our tickets included hotel room for three days, the bus ride, and breakfast for the three days, all for 179 euros, or $210.00 at the time of this writing. I am here to tell everybody that the value of the euro changes abruptly; thankfully decreasing, rather than increasing, which we haven’t had to experience yet.

I read where plans are in the making for decreasing the value of the dollar, so my fear is that the euro may increase, reducing my spending power when in Europe. Keep in mind as well that the Spanish have siesta from 1100 hrs until 1600 hrs. Should one not make it to the travel agent’s office before 1100 hrs, he may be out of luck completely.

I have been attempting to secure a teaching position for the year 2019-2020. Students are gone on summer vacation at this time. The academies are manning up. I show my credentials and they make copies and give me encouragement, but nothing finalized right now. I received an offer to teach in Ecuador next year while here in Spain, when word passed around that I was here. I have also filed an application to teach in Malta, which is not too far in the overall scheme of things, from where I presently am. I am going to keep trying for Spain during this time, however. We shall see where all of these waves carry me.

Currently my most immediate personal goal is to secure a bus ticket to Pamplona, which is not too far away, in the overall scheme of things (280 miles/5hr,35 min bus ride). Honestly my wisest most efficient move may be to research a closer, more exotic town. What e’er I choose to do, I hope to go there this weekend sometime. Problem is the local bus station does not offer tickets to Pamplona, at least, as of yet. My task for today is to find out specifically where I can secure my tickets there. If I can land a cool, all inclusive package deal through a travel agent at a pauper’s rock bottom bargain price, I shall be overjoyed. Stay tuned until tomorrow, same Spanish time, same Spanish channel!