Author Archives | Brian

Do You Have What it Takes to Unlock The X Door?

The X Door, Puzzle Game, Valencia, Spain

00:40 . . . 00:39 . . . 00:38 . . . 

“Look, if you put those two things together it gives us the code for that lock. I think this is it. Hurry, we’re going to make it!”

35:13 . . . 35:12 . . . 35:11 . . .

“I can’t believe we missed that. We must have walked past it a dozen times.”

“Well, thankfully you saw it now and it looks like that’s how we open the door. Does that mean we’re out?”

“I don’t think so. Check this out.”

60:00

The door closes behind us with an audible click. Somewhere within this room is the key to unlocking the door and gaining our escape.

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US Capitol, Washington DC

Washington Capitol

Strange Things We Wouldn’t Travel Without

Shannon with Backpack

Living out of two carry-on sized bags requires making some tough choices about what to bring. We can’t possibly carry everything. In fact, we can’t carry most things. But hard experience has taught us to make room for these often overlooked items.

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Grinning Like Idiots in Segovia

Segovia Cathedral, Spain

Segovia’s Gothic Cathedral towers over much of the town

Some people might tell you that Spanish and Greek are two totally different languages. But to us they’re nearly identical in one important respect: we understand very little of either.

On a bus, somewhere in Segovia, Spain, we managed to decipher enough Spanish to know that the driver wasn’t letting us off where we wanted. We wouldn’t figure out why until a bit later. And although we couldn’t make heads or tails of his precise directions, we did understand the universal sign for “that way.”

So with a shrug we hefted our bags and set off in the direction of the bus driver’s outstretched finger. A light rain fell as we made our way in this new and unfamiliar city. It wasn’t long until we saw the crowds. And then the barricades blocking our way.

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La Almudena Cathedral

Almudena Cathedral, Madrid, Spain

Santa María la Real de La Almudena Cathedral, Madrid, Spain

The Almudena Cathedral is another place that should have appeared in our Madrid on a Budget post. The church has no set admission but asks visitors for a 2 Euro donation. It’s well worth the price.