Internet Sabbatical Update

It hasn't even been a week!
Here is my nearly daily view* during our Internet Sabbatical

This is my current todo list once I'm connected:
- check mail, reply
- check in/out library books; search for more
- photo / blog updates
- Facebook
- check coupons
- German phrase book (offline)
- Montpellier guide book (offline)
- update offline maps as needed
- download Google translate offline packages
- update apps (waiting for androxplorer bug fix)

What I realized I normally do at home, (but now I can't):
- when reading or watching a movie, look up locations, words (spelling, pronunciation, meaning), history, people
- send or read links via email, then discuss
- keep up with friends on Facebook; read their links and long posts, add comments, stay in a fun thread
- upload pictures and write posts real-time
- load coupons to my grocery card
- plan an excursion on Google maps, using wiki
- look for books to borrow from the library
- see how to get somewhere new
- listen to internet music channels (Pandora)
- read news from the foreign press
- checking the weather before going out

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* this is a piece of public art, called "Metal Paper," outside the entrance to the main library in Albuquerque

France II Planning

We're planning a nice, long, slow trip to France - about as different from our last trip (France I, in 2011) as you can get!
This time, we'll have a homebase in Montpellier, and make day trips (and perhaps a few multiple-day trips) around the Southern part of France. We'll have a car, but we're also considering using trains and buses.

And just where in L'Hexagone is Montpellier? Right here!

It cracks me up - we're staying on "The Giant Dirt Clod" - it sounds so much nicer as "La Grande-Motte" in French!

Here's our current odds-n-ends list:

1. Arrange apartment*
2. Get flight and rental car 
3. Investigate driving guides (what is different / the same about driving in France)
4. Check whether our driver's licenses are sufficient (they are)
5. Buy electrical converters
6. Investigate best method to get Euros
7. Check into getting a chip and pin credit card (with good foreign transaction terms)
8. Get a VPN for secure internet (and check it before leaving). Skip the international phone; we'll use skype - and we're pretty much joined at the hip when we travel :-) , so who are we going to call?
9. Buy new luggage and linens
10. Download offline maps (tablet, phone)
11. Find an up-to-date guidebook
12. Rough out a budget and activities
13. Practice French!!

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* Search VRBO, contact owner, get contract, sign it, return it, send money, arrange for renter's insurance (find a company for this!)...

Internet Sabbatical

One thing that we have learned from traveling (especially the low-budget and/or long-term way), is that we don't really need 24/7 access to the Internet. (Click here for an example) Is it nice? Yes. Convenient? Yes. Necessary? No...

Knowing that internet at home is not up there with shelter, safety, and food, it was (somewhat) easy to say "thanks, but no thanks" when the local provider decided they wanted more (a lot more!) dough to keep us connected. This "low introductory offer," followed by high-pressure tactics to "upgrade" is happening all over (Just this week, I saw a complaint about this on a France forum).

So, we evaluated. And we decided we didn't need the hassle. There are a few things that will cause headaches, and there will be a lot of small annoyances. But, we're going to try it! We'll go at least one month, and we're aiming for 3. My personal odds are high that we will go back on the juice before winter.

How? Glad you asked!

1. Our house phone (via internet) is forwarded to my cell phone.
2. Netflix is gone - we'll get our movies from the library, Redbox, or buy them. And the TV antenna works as well as ever.
3. The library is walking distance, has wi-fi, and is open every day except Sunday.
4. We have regular appointments in an office with wi-fi; we're stuck going, so we'll use the time instead of wasting it.
5. Our apartment complex has a secure phone we can use if needed.
6. We added a VPN to the laptop for when we need a secure connection. We can add this to the cell phone if needed (but it's a huge pain, so I hope we won't)
7. We can change my cell phone plan to include data (but only if push comes to shove).
8. It's SUMMER! This is the time to be out and about, not tethered to our tether!

Fiesta Weekend

This was definitely a weekend for fiestas in Albuquerque!

Friday, we checked out the Food Friday at the Civic Plaza - beer, band, and food, as well as a nice breeze and giant fountain

Saturday, we were out early to volunteer at the Albuquerque Folk Fest - our jobs ended before noon, and then we enjoyed the music! And more beer and food :-) I tried a Scottish beer - it had the name "Jameson" in the title - it was goooood!

Sunday, we had a collapsed morning :-)  then Rick went to a Songwriter's group. We both sat through an unexpected cloudburst (it lasted less that 15 minutes), then headed to Old Town for the San Felipe de Neri Fiesta

The church courtyard was quiet,

but across the street, it was another story! Here is only a part of the kid's zone

The plaza was packed! The area immediately around the bandstand was for dancing

The rest was full of people and food booths

ABQ Old Town Weekend II

It's summer again in Old Town Albuquerque, and that means music, flowers, and people in the plaza!

Last weekend, Los Primos performed - mostly latin folksongs with *lovely* harmonizing voices!

Hollyhocks and other flowers abound - botany is not my strong suit, but I do like even un-named flowers!

And we always see car enthusiasts - what year did we say?

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On most summer weekends, Old Town hosts free music and/or dance on the plaza Friday and Saturday evenings 7-9, and Sunday afternoons 12-4.
Next weekend is the San Felipe de Neri Fiesta.
More information is here: https://www.cabq.gov/culturalservices/historic-old-town/events