Wanderlust and Words

There are so many, many things to see and do in Madrid, and I’m not going to try and reproduce a list of the top sights. Instead, here are some places and areas that I enjoyed that you might not find in a standard guide book. Map I used the planopopout maps for both Madrid and Sevilla, and they were excellent. They are compact and easy to open discretely so you feel less like a stupid tourist, fit easily in a pocket, have a firm cover so they don’t fall apart, but fold out to provide a comprehensive map of the central parts of the city. They advertise some stores, which is actually very helpful as it gives you some additional landmarks if you’re not sure where you are. Neighbourhoods I only had 3 ½ days in Madrid, but I quickly recognized that I liked some areas better than others. I particularly liked the area around the Palacio Real, extending south into La Latina. If the weather had been better, I would have liked to spend time in the parks on either side of the Palace. Don’t miss ...

“Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility and utility is success.” Thomas Edison The Game-Changer: How you can drive revenue and profit growth with innovation by A.G. Lafley and Ram Charan is a fascinating look at how large companies like Procter & Gamble (P&G), LEGO and General Electric have increased profits by focusing on innovation. But of far greater general interest is the authors’ assertion that innovation is not a single, solitary creative act but an integrated management process. Innovation – An Integrated Management Process As the book explains, “An invention is a new idea that is often turned into a tangible outcome, such as a product or a system. An innovation is the conversion of a new idea into revenues and profits.” They go on to say, “To succeed, companies need to see innovation not as something special that only special people can do, but as something that can become routine and methodical, taking advantage of the capabi...

My sister, Clare, and I went for a walk at Beaver Creek this morning. Summer in Saskatchewan is a delight. The grass comes alive with tiny flowers – prairie rose, flax, scarlet mallow, vetch – and the air is perfumed with wolf willow blossoms. Wolf willow always reminds me of WallaceStegner’s book of the same name about his childhood in southwestern Saskatchewan. Wolf willow has silver leaves and yellow blossoms with a very distinctive scent. They grow abundantly in Saskatchewan. According to the Alberta Plant Watch , Blackfoot Indians used the yellow-and-brown-striped seeds to create necklaces and the bark to make berry baskets. Beaver Creek Conservation Area , 13 km south of Saskatoon, is one of the few uncultivated short grass prairie sites in Saskatchewan. The land slumps in gentle curves towards the river, and the creek meanders its way around and about. There are beavers and deer and room to breathe. Beaver Creek jun09

It's far too easy to sleep walk through life and to be completely self absorbed. I am always grateful to street musicians who bring subway tunnels to life. There is such happiness and joy on the faces of the people watching as 200 dancers bring Antwerp train station to life. And watching the video started my day off with a smile and a song on my lips. "The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." (Henry Miller)

The following notes are logistical footnotes which may be helpful to fellow travellers. They accompany earlier blog postings (see below) written when I was in Andalucia. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like additional information. Baeza I spent 4 nights at the Hotel Fuentenueva (Calle Carmen, 15) in Baeza. It’s an older building that has been renovated with a very modern look, which was fun. The ceiling in my room ascended two stories over the bathroom, and I had a wonderful view from my window over the tiled roofs and churches of Baeza. There is free wifi and an attractive lounge/library if you want a quiet place to sit. The hotel is midway between the downtown core and the bus station, which was very convenient as I took buses to and from various locations every day. I had two, excellent meals at Antica Roma, an Italian restaurant (Calle de San Francisco, 39). There was an elaborate décor with Roman statues and frescoes. The pastas were excellent, and there were various v...

I greatly admire small business owners and freelancers. They have a passion for their business and an energy and determination that I strive to match. Neal Rosenthal , author of Reflections of a Wine Merchant (2008), opened a wine store and wine importing business in New York in the early 1980s. He imports wines directly from small vineyards throughout Europe. Many of his suppliers have been with him for over 30 years, and he has established a deep, enduring relationship with his partners. The book describes Rosenthal’s relationships with some of his suppliers, and he does an excellent job of painting a picture of these individuals who have devoted their lives to growing grapes and making wine. For example, “Monsieur Forey was in his early fifties when I met him in 1982. He had a round red face and a gentle demeanor that made him appear less physically imposing than he actually was. His wines mimicked him, impressing more through delicacy than through power.” Rosenthal has some very ...

We Meant Well More than US $300 billion of foreign aid has been sent to Africa since 1970, and yet sub-Saharan Africa remains the poorest region in the world. And it’s not improving. Between 1981 and 2002, the number of Africans living in poverty almost doubled. Dambisa Moyo was born and raised in Zambia, obtaining degrees from both Oxford and Harvard universities. She has worked for the World Bank and Goldman Sachs. Her 2009 book, Dead Aid: Why aid is not working and how there is a better way for Africa , examines why aid isn’t working and proposes alternative ways for African countries to improve their economic and social infrastructure. Outlined below is a summary of her key ideas. Aid Is Not Working African governments view aid as a permanent, ongoing source of funding. They may get their fingers slapped for misuse of funds, but the money keeps flowing so there is no incentive to develop alternate sources of economic support. Moyo demonstrates that aid does not promote investment, ...

European cities are so much more compact than North American cities. England, despite its enormous population, still has green areas. In northern France, cities like Lille and Amiens had pedestrianized downtown shopping areas with parking lots around the periphery. People shop and work and walk their children to school in downtown Cordoba. In contrast, most North American cities sprawl for miles in every direction, and you need a car to go almost anywhere. So I really enjoyed this 3-minute video, which was the winning entry in the 2009 Congress for the New Urbanism video contest. It’s fun and positive and does a great job of promoting the idea that the greatest threat to our planet is not aliens or nuclear warfare – it’s cul de sacs and urban sprawl. (courtesy of Presentation Zen )

I loved Spain and Andalucia, but I found it hard to find satisfactory vegetarian meals. By the time I arrived in Madrid, I was craving whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Fortunately, Madrid is a large city, and there are some great vegetarian restaurants. A quick Google search provided me with a variety of options. As the reviews were fairly dated, I was concerned that the restaurants might not exist any more. But that wasn’t the case. El Estragon, Plaza de la Paja (metro La Latina) This was my favourite of the three vegetarian restaurants I went to in Madrid, and I would have happily returned day after day. There are lots and lots of imaginative vegetarian main dishes with lots of vegetables and a variety of protein sources. It was tasty, nourishing and attractive. And the chocolate cake for dessert was very good! The service was good as well. In addition, Plaza de la Paja is part of a chain of small plazas that are alive with restaurant patios and crowded with young people. It’s a...