 From The Extremadura Region, Spain, To Travelling With Pets
For the month of February, Postcards From Millie profiles Mary-Ann Lopez, active supporter and volunteer for Brainwave, a national paediatric charity. Read on as Mary- Ann gives us an account of her childhood travels, and a very detailed insight into the gorgeous Extremadura region in Spain, where she travelled to recently with husband Alex. An avid dog-lover, Mary-Ann is “mother” to a stunning German Shepherd named “PJ”. She briefs us on how she and Alex travel with their much-loved pet.
PFM: Mary-Ann, tell us about Brainwave.
ML: Brainwave is the only national paediatric charity with the mission to support the treatment and care of children suffering from the wide range of brain conditions. Neurological (brain/spinal) conditions include brain tumours, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, strokes, childhood MS, injury through road trauma, acquired brain injury (ABI) and many more.
Brainwave’s aim is to help children to cope with and overcome brain conditions and provide support and assistance to their families. We help families to get home from months spent in hospital and commence long recovery programmes focusing on full family support including the parents and siblings too.
Brainwave receives no government funding. Instead, we rely on donations from corporations, trusts and foundations, private donations and through the various fundraising activities we organise throughout the year.
PFM: Why has Brainwave become such a passion for you?
ML: I work on a volunteer basis for Brainwave, fundraising for events and coordinating family days. I know why I am passionate about Brainwave when I spend time with some of these children. The kids are so beautiful and they certainly have been dealt a “rough hand”. If I can help them in any way to make their life better, then I feel that I have accomplished what I set up to do. The smiles from these kids are “priceless”.
Take the time to look through the Brainwave website, as it truly is a worthwhile cause.
www.brainwaveaustralia.org
PFM: Can you remember your first international trip?
ML: My first international trip as a child was in July 1969 when I was 8 years old. I travelled from England to Australia with my Mum & sister by Ship! My father had been transferred to Australia with his work as a Perfumer & Flavorist Chemist and we followed. This was a horrendous trip and I was sea sick for 4 weeks & 6 days so will not go into detail on that one!
 My second international trip was a few years later when we all returned to England for Christmas with family & friends. We flew via Hong Kong. I’ll never forget my first flight landing, seeing people literally washing themselves on their balconies! I also vividly remember wearing my favourite white pantsuit and spilling Coca Cola down the front of it --- not a good look! We stopped off in Rome and we drove to Grasse (France). My Father got very lost and circumnavigated The Colosseum 3 times! We eventually made it to Grasse and spent a few days wandering this beautiful City while my father was working. I remember Grasse being a very pretty city, with beautiful cobbled lanes and the Patisseries (my love of sweet things started very young). And finally, Christmas in England was wonderful. It was so lovely to catch up with family and friends and being spoilt! I still remember the tears when leaving (even today, I cannot go to the airport without crying)!
PFM: What was your first travel disaster?
ML: It was actually on a stopover in Singapore on the way back to Sydney from our Christmas trip to England. I put my bag down for a minute and before I realised it, it was gone. When you are 12 (or any age) it is horrible thing to lose --- inside my bag was all my Christmas money!!! I learnt early in my travels not to leave a handbag unattended.
PFM: Please tell us about one of your most memorable trips?
ML: I have been very fortunate to have had so many wonderful adventures, and having family in Europe, (mine in England and my Husband Alex in Spain), we do tend to visit as much as possible. Two years ago in January however, we visited a part of Spain which I found breathtakingly beautiful called the Extremadura Region. We shared these special 6 days with our great friends Eddy & Anne who live in Madrid and with our beautiful God Daughter Elisa who was 5 at the time. We hired a small van for us all, and travelling with a 5 year old (Alex & I don’t have children), we learnt so many new games and different ways to answer the question, “are we there yet”?
Our first destination was Salamanca, and we arrived just in time for lunch. Eddy is one of the top English Translators in Spain (he has done work for the likes of George Bush), so he travels intensively throughout and knew of the perfect restaurant situated in the most stunning Plaza Mayor called Don Mauro Asador Restaurante. The food was sensational!
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Two other stunning places in Salamanca we visited is the famous Salamanca University, which has two parts new & old, the old is used as a museum now and was built between 1415 & 1529 --- well worth a tour. The other is a stunning Cathedral which also has a new & old part, however, the new is 15th century and the old is 11th Century! Salamanca has a river running through the town with a beautiful old bridge crossing it. Even in the freezing cold of a winter night walking across this bridge is a must as the view at night looking back to the city with the Cathedral lit is “illuminating”. Information can be found at www.salamanca.es
 After leaving Salamanca we headed towards Caceres. We passed by “Guijuielo” which is a town famous for “Jamon” (ham) in particular “Pata Negra” which is the “king” of all “jamones”; the pig is fed on black acorns and the flavour of this ham is a degustation delight not to be missed. The majority of all major providers are here in Guijuielo and this is where the “Jamon” is prepared and distributed. The town itself is not pretty as it is quite industrial, but it was an interesting lunch spot and the aroma in the air was quite interesting. Like what so often happens in the non tourist areas, we ate in a Bar and had the “menu del dia” for 8 euros each (at the time approx $12). We had a 3 course meal, bread and a bottle of wine. Very good value!
Caceres is dual city, it has 2 parts. The interesting part is the very old (25BC) “Walled City” and is also declared a World Heritage Site. Enclosed in this City is an enclave of cobbled lanes, beautiful old buildings, churches, restaurants and the most beautiful 14th Century hotel in the middle of it, it is a Parador (which is Spain’s exclusive Hotel Chain) www.parador.es .
Our next stay was at Trujillo, via Merida, which is a much larger and busy City and is famous for its Roman Ruins, which are spectacular. Trujillo is “my kind of town”, very quaint and quiet. We also stay at a gorgeous boutique hotel Isla Del Gallo, which has been converted from an old convent. The facilities are superb with an amazing old library, sauna, a wine cellar (to dream about) with a private dining room for 10 to 12 people. Travelling in the cold (& off season) has its advantages, we were the only ones eating in the restaurant and the food and service did not disappoint.www.isladelgallo.com
I wish had Elisa’s stamina, her energy was boundless, and apart from a few “cat naps” in the car, this amazing little girl kept up with us the whole time. And like a true Spaniard, she was eating up until midnight. Before you report us to DOCS, we were never up early in the morning, so Elisa was not exactly sleep deprived. Everything in Spain just moves at a different speed!
Trujillo has an old castle (950AD) and to reach it you pass the most tranquil “Plaza Mayor”, (classic movie scene with old men and walking sticks, sitting on the bench seats) and keep walking up a particularly steep hill, but the reward at the end where the view is breathtaking is worth it. There was an incredible amount of large black birds flying around the Castle. Darling little Elisa called them the “Witches Birds” and duly appointed herself as official “witch hunter” in the Castle Tower!!
About 40 minutes drive from Trujillo is a Park area called “Monfrague”. This day was the clearest of winter days and the sky was blue like sapphires, it was literally “picture perfect”. This area yet again, you guessed it, had another castle which was the current home to about 80 Vultures. The Castle was also the same vintage as the one in Trujillo (950AD) and again on top of a huge hill with about 100 steps to climb, (you certainly do not feel guilty about consuming Spain’s exquisite cuisine & wines). The view again was breathtaking, from the exquisite views of the valleys to a sky so blue that the water below reflected the colour.
Sadly, we leave this little adventure and head back to Madrid the next morning. If you ever do have the pleasure of visiting Spain, which in itself the country has so much to offer, this is one little area I can fully recommend.
 PFM: What is the one thing you always do when you travel?
ML: Always try to spend as much time in the non tourist places as possible, this way you can really experience the culture and the “feel” of the City. We always eat in the “local” restaurants, so as to really sample that country’s cuisine & the specialty produce of that area.
PFM: Mary-Ann, tell us about the 3rd special member of your family.
ML: PJ is a 6 year old German Shepherd who has the sweetest nature and whose only vice is to lick you to death. PJ is also a fully qualified visiting dog who visits Nursing Homes and Children’s Hospitals, which is a whole other story.
PJ unfortunately can not travel with us when we go overseas, (we are fortunate to have wonderful friends who take care of her while we are away). However, we do love to travel with her as much as possible for short breaks around New South Wales. PJ is intelligent enough to know by what we are packing as to whether she is included or not. Once she has worked out she is included, the minute we start putting things in the car, she is in first!
 PFM: Tell us how you negotiate travelling with a pet.
MIL: Travelling with a pet is no different to travelling yourself. Always make sure you take any medication that may be required and always have ample supply of water in the car (like you, they need to drink along the way). We always pack her favourite blanket (bit hard to pack the couch) and a special toy for security.
I find the short breaks that Alex and I have with PJ relaxing and enjoyable. There is a great book called Holidaying with Dogs www.holidayingwithdogs.com.au which have lots of options for holidaying with your pets around Australia. We always go for the place where dogs have a free rein, as PJ is definitely part of the family.
We live in Sydney, and a favourite place that Alex and I love to travel to with PJ is Lake Munmorah (1 and a half hours drive north). It’s an easy drive and a quaint two bedroom cottage right on the lake awaits us on arrival. This is a place to “recharge” the batteries! The cottage has a lovely deck where we like to sit and watch the world go by, reading, enjoying a glass of wine or dining “al fresco”. If we don’t feel like cooking, not far away is Budgewoi, which has a great “fish & chip” shop where we can eat in (again looking at the water) or take away. I can highly recommend their lobster! www.lakecottage.net
There is also a dog-friendly beach nearby, which always brings a laugh when you can play and swim with your best friend and just enjoy their antics. Alex & I always find it so therapeutic. We forget about all the “hustle & bustle” of every day life. I am lucky enough to work from home so I get to spend many hours with PJ; Alex however does not, so when we are away it is beautiful to watch Alex & PJ bond and how, for the duration of our holiday, she becomes his virtual shadow.
PFM: And lastly, Mary-Ann, what are the 5 travel accessories that you would never travel without.
ML: (1) Photos of PJ, family & friends – I like to look at them and it is always nice to share them with others you meet on your travels.
(2) My travel diary – I like to read & reflect on it, also helps me to remember places & facts.
(3) Everyone says it, but it is true, a great moisturise – air travel and especially travelling in winter dries the skin.
(4) Some “Australiana” souvenirs like Koalas (for children), Tea Towels, soaps etc – there is indelibly someone you have forgotten (when visiting relatives or friends) or even people you meet that have gone out of their way for you to make your trip extra special.
(5) Clothes that have that “little extra give” in them – our trips to Spain always turn into a gastronomic indulgence!
|
Comments