Another interesting weaving of explorer history, geography, and recent forward-thinking planning plus friends and lovely photos! I enjoyed reading all of this. I appreciate the time you take to research the historical details, having now tried to add some to my own stories. It really enriches your craft. Plus I’m always delighted to see photos of our friends and beautiful places!
Thank you! I had a good time digging up any kind of relationships between the two countries. There weren't many! And I also find people's bravery and commitment amazing and heartwarming, though I realize unfortunately those same characteristics can also be used for harm.
We had a wonderful time with Tim and KC, as you can imagine. I thought it might be hard to pry me off the couch after a week in the campervan to get up and out but they had lots of adventures lined up for us. One nighttime adventure was walking in the botanical garden after dark to look for glow worms. Spotting them made us ooooo and ahhhhh. I later learned that tour companies take people, who pay lots of money, to see glow worms. Tim could have a whole new career ahead of him.
It's amazing how wherever you go you find these fascinating stories and links to Spain and Madrid 😊
I absolutely love the idea of you finding yourself at the exact opposite point on the planet to home, that is so poetic and oddly comforting that you can be as far away from home as it is possible to be, yet still connected directly to it.
It looks like you had a great time and a real adventure. So happy for you! But also: welcome home!❤️
Thank you, Jayne, for your nice comments. On one of our excursions, we found ourselves with a group of eight Spaniards. We were so excited to find each other so far from home. Oh, your here too? How long are you here? Where do you live in Madrid? Oh, I know that street. Maybe it made us feel better that other people were as nutty as we were to subject themselves to a twenty-four hour flight.
Ufff, that is a long flight…! Meeting all the other Spaniards made me think of that programme ‘Españoles por el mundo’ or something like that. I used to love that programme. Spaniards pop up all over the place 😅
They always have and continue to do so. The other nice thing about running into them was that I felt something from home. That doesn't happen when I run into Americans, despite the fact American tourists far outnumber those from Spain.
Such a fascinating tale this week. I love the way you connect Spain & New Zealand (and I learned a new term to describe that connection!). Lovely photos.
This snippet is a tour de force! (I was not aware that Madrid and Wellington were almost exactly antipodal). One of those Polish refugee children is our friend-- she is a painter. I had no idea about Kiwis fighting in the Spanish Civil War. They were brave souls with big hearts. Such tales always inspire me. Your account is rich and multifaceted. Thank you.
Thank YOU, Tim, for the comments and for providing the place and visit where we can all learn about the courage and strength of those Kiwis. I bet those descendents of the Polish refugees have some moving stories. Acts of generosity and bravery like theirs and the generosity of the New Zealand government remind me that the world and people can be so good-hearted. I need reassurance like this now when many things are so ugly and our government is behaving in the opposite way.
Fab post! As a Kiwi in Spain I’m always looking for these connections. Do you know about the pōhutukawa trees of A Coruña? They’re a NZ native and one specimen in the police station there is hundreds of years old. Legend has it there’s a connection to those early explorers. Another connection: Kiwi Aviator Jean Batten is buried on Mallorca where she spent her last years
Oh! And perhaps the most fascinating and enduring NZ-Spain connection of all: the Māori tribe with a Spanish forebear. The Paniora. There’s a documentary about them on RTVE I believe.
Oh!!! Thank you for letting me know. That's amazing! I just read a little about Manuel José de Frutos. What an intriguing story. I'll watch the documentary. I really appreciate your sharing that info and for reading and commenting.
Wow, I see I might have to write another post on the Kiwi - Spain connections :). I'm so glad you shared this information with me. Thank you. So much more than I imagined.
I see you live in Malaga. Is that correct? Jayne Marshall to whom you subscribe, another Substack writer, Sabrina Simpson who writes Geography of Home, and I will be in Malaga for a short time from May 2-3. If you're around and would like to have a drink or coffee, we'd be game.
Hola, increíble viaje a Nueva Zelanda, con tu maravillosa descripción de los paisajes, su historia y geografía, ademas de la relación con España creo q ya la conozco. Me sorprendes cada ves mas, con tu forma de hilar una idea con otra sorprendiéndonos a los lectores, con una muy buena historia que no podemos dejar de leer hasta terminarla. Bravo👏👏❤️
Hola, mi melocotón. Gracias mil veces por tus comentarios entusiastas y muy amables. Me hacen muy feliz que los relatos enganchen a los lectores. Siempre es interesante y divertido buscar ideas y jugar con ellas para crear algo relevante e interesante.
That is exactly how I feel. I can be kind, generous, and considerate no matter what. I completely agree that now is the time more than ever to let those qualities come pouring out.
Another interesting weaving of explorer history, geography, and recent forward-thinking planning plus friends and lovely photos! I enjoyed reading all of this. I appreciate the time you take to research the historical details, having now tried to add some to my own stories. It really enriches your craft. Plus I’m always delighted to see photos of our friends and beautiful places!
Thank you! I had a good time digging up any kind of relationships between the two countries. There weren't many! And I also find people's bravery and commitment amazing and heartwarming, though I realize unfortunately those same characteristics can also be used for harm.
We had a wonderful time with Tim and KC, as you can imagine. I thought it might be hard to pry me off the couch after a week in the campervan to get up and out but they had lots of adventures lined up for us. One nighttime adventure was walking in the botanical garden after dark to look for glow worms. Spotting them made us ooooo and ahhhhh. I later learned that tour companies take people, who pay lots of money, to see glow worms. Tim could have a whole new career ahead of him.
It's amazing how wherever you go you find these fascinating stories and links to Spain and Madrid 😊
I absolutely love the idea of you finding yourself at the exact opposite point on the planet to home, that is so poetic and oddly comforting that you can be as far away from home as it is possible to be, yet still connected directly to it.
It looks like you had a great time and a real adventure. So happy for you! But also: welcome home!❤️
Thank you, Jayne, for your nice comments. On one of our excursions, we found ourselves with a group of eight Spaniards. We were so excited to find each other so far from home. Oh, your here too? How long are you here? Where do you live in Madrid? Oh, I know that street. Maybe it made us feel better that other people were as nutty as we were to subject themselves to a twenty-four hour flight.
Ufff, that is a long flight…! Meeting all the other Spaniards made me think of that programme ‘Españoles por el mundo’ or something like that. I used to love that programme. Spaniards pop up all over the place 😅
They always have and continue to do so. The other nice thing about running into them was that I felt something from home. That doesn't happen when I run into Americans, despite the fact American tourists far outnumber those from Spain.
Such a fascinating tale this week. I love the way you connect Spain & New Zealand (and I learned a new term to describe that connection!). Lovely photos.
Thank you! We had a wonderful time and I learned a lot about so many things along the way.
Another fantastic story, Andrea!
Thank you so much, Margo. I appreciate your reading these.
What an amazing adventure!
This snippet is a tour de force! (I was not aware that Madrid and Wellington were almost exactly antipodal). One of those Polish refugee children is our friend-- she is a painter. I had no idea about Kiwis fighting in the Spanish Civil War. They were brave souls with big hearts. Such tales always inspire me. Your account is rich and multifaceted. Thank you.
Thank YOU, Tim, for the comments and for providing the place and visit where we can all learn about the courage and strength of those Kiwis. I bet those descendents of the Polish refugees have some moving stories. Acts of generosity and bravery like theirs and the generosity of the New Zealand government remind me that the world and people can be so good-hearted. I need reassurance like this now when many things are so ugly and our government is behaving in the opposite way.
Correction: Our friend is the daughter of one of the Polish refugee children (I should have known that the math was wrong!)
Fab post! As a Kiwi in Spain I’m always looking for these connections. Do you know about the pōhutukawa trees of A Coruña? They’re a NZ native and one specimen in the police station there is hundreds of years old. Legend has it there’s a connection to those early explorers. Another connection: Kiwi Aviator Jean Batten is buried on Mallorca where she spent her last years
Oh! And perhaps the most fascinating and enduring NZ-Spain connection of all: the Māori tribe with a Spanish forebear. The Paniora. There’s a documentary about them on RTVE I believe.
Oh!!! Thank you for letting me know. That's amazing! I just read a little about Manuel José de Frutos. What an intriguing story. I'll watch the documentary. I really appreciate your sharing that info and for reading and commenting.
I love the antipodes! I have to figure out where I’d be from Portland.
Yes! And then go there.
Wow, I see I might have to write another post on the Kiwi - Spain connections :). I'm so glad you shared this information with me. Thank you. So much more than I imagined.
I see you live in Malaga. Is that correct? Jayne Marshall to whom you subscribe, another Substack writer, Sabrina Simpson who writes Geography of Home, and I will be in Malaga for a short time from May 2-3. If you're around and would like to have a drink or coffee, we'd be game.
Ohh I would love to but I’ll actually be in NZ then, funnily enough!
Rats! Maybe another time. If you’re in Madrid, please let me know. Have a wonderful trip.
Hola, increíble viaje a Nueva Zelanda, con tu maravillosa descripción de los paisajes, su historia y geografía, ademas de la relación con España creo q ya la conozco. Me sorprendes cada ves mas, con tu forma de hilar una idea con otra sorprendiéndonos a los lectores, con una muy buena historia que no podemos dejar de leer hasta terminarla. Bravo👏👏❤️
Hola, mi melocotón. Gracias mil veces por tus comentarios entusiastas y muy amables. Me hacen muy feliz que los relatos enganchen a los lectores. Siempre es interesante y divertido buscar ideas y jugar con ellas para crear algo relevante e interesante.
Te agradezco por ser una lectora fiel y querida.
May compassion and generosity at home and abroad be a guiding principle for us all right now. It’s more important than ever.
That is exactly how I feel. I can be kind, generous, and considerate no matter what. I completely agree that now is the time more than ever to let those qualities come pouring out.