Memories of the Camino Autumn 2015

Posted on June 2, 2021 by MargaretNowling

I tend to be an 'in the now' sort of person. What's in the past usually doesn't have a long half life in my brain. Since I don't know how to access my 2015 posts from Facebook any descriptions I use now will not have the freshness or immediacy of those. In fact they may be totally wrong. Oh well, here goes:

flew into Biarritz. Spent the night there. Next morning took the 2 hour bus ride to S. Jean Pied de Port where I would pick up my Passport and spend the night.

Passport office. 2015 was the year of the Americans. More typical were Canadians, Australians, Europeans

This is the port. on my way. Photo taken by Darn Tough Linda (her brother owns the Darn Tough Sock company)

A short day since the walk all the way to Roncesvalles is too far for one day. I was lucky to get a reservation.

lunch break. I believe that is a shepard’s hut. this is a super nice former nurse who was very helpful when I strained my knee.

Sometimes there would be a sign at a diverging path saying, ‘alternate route’…. take the alternate route. I didn’t and ended up hurting my knee. the mountain bikers really whizzed by even though there were huge boulders on the path.

I usually left at first light. the moon was always before me in the west. This is Basques country.

This Korean man carried his 4 year old son on his back. They were very popular. I lost track of them as they were faster walkers than I was.

I have a feeling this is the gate into Pamplona. I foolishly decided to carry my very heavy pack from Zurburi (sp?) to Pamplona, not realizing Pamplona is a HUGE city. getting to the center and to the hostel – thought I would die. so hot, so tired, so thirsty. Back and knee….ugh.

A Pamplona hostel where I didn’t stay. very nice though.

I believe this is Puente la Reina. The queen had this bridge built so pilgrims would have an easier time crossing the river on there way to Santiago.

loved the flat sided spoon for eating yogurt.

Yellow arrow is the Spanish one pointing to Santiago. White over red indicates this is the French Way to Santiago

some excavation was being done in this grave yard so headstones were all higglety pigglety. I wonder if they ever got put back right.

nurse Vicky from England and Darn Tough Linda.

This place was huge, so many beds, communal bath. Had some trouble communicating with the manager. i was fortunate to get a bed that night. I believe it is called Anfas.

free Wine unless, of course, they are out for the day…..

so many churches, so much gold…. or gilt.

Hiking get-up. I wore a hiking skirt. started off the morning in wool long underwear and two wool tops but by 10 am or so stripped off the wool and wore a long sleeved linen shirt. It’s amazing how easy it is to strip in public when you don’t know anybody.
I shared this apartment with two women who came in later than I did. So in the morning I was especially quiet leaving. Outside the door the stairwell was dark so i pushed the button to turn on the stair light…. it was the door bell. So much for good intentions.

Early morning: the Moon, in the West, showing the way.

This municipal hostel had a kitchen for the pilgrims use. they made use of every square inch here. even had cots in closets.

reproduction of a capital in the church at Santo Domingo de la Calzada

I don’t remember what the miracle of the Cock and the Hen was but this church keeps live chickens.

Many routes. Mine included getting lost.

decommissioned church. used for meditation.

possibly the outskirts of Burgos. Not all paths a pretty.

a festival means few rooms available. this had me nervous. found one but my spirit felt cramped and rushed.

Cathedral in Burgos. this is the town El Cid left for the Crusades

some kind of wine pressing screw. spent the night here. tried my hand at turning the screw.

quite the story teller. later we toured the wine cellar.

in the Castillo/Leon area. an artist’s hostel. quite the accommodation. I didn’t stay in this particular building on the property.

a room and a bath all to myself! not feeling well so this was welcome.

bodegas de Moratinos – food and wine storage

super posh monastery where I spent the night. fine dining room, too.

I did not carry my extremely over packed and heavy pack except for the day’s walk to Pamplona. I think I only carried it then because I felt guilty because a trio of Canadian women about my age were carrying theirs. and they were suffering. I was not there to suffer. I was there to walk.

Chocolate and churros! too rich in the end. Astorga?

came to this chapel for evening vespers. A man who was staying at the same hostel as i wanted to engage in an argument about the Catholic church. I had nothing for him though since i was only there for aesthetic reasons. He was nice though. He was biking the camino. Started up at S. Vezelay in France. So impressive.

You were supposed to bring a stone representing your burdens to lay down here. I carried my stone from almost the beginning of my journey but when time came to lay it down it was nowhere to be found. I guess I’m destined to continue carrying them.

Not HOPELESSLY lost but I went a ways out of my way. chestnuts.

People kept opening the door thinking my room was the bathroom. In reality the bathroom was down some narrow spiral stairs to the floor below.

entering the Celtic area of northern Spain. O’Cebreiro

i used this app to book rooms when I could.

Those mushroom shaped supports keep the rats out of the stored grain.

I don’t envy these cows. I met an old man in one of the tiny villages who asked me if I was married. said I should be walking with a man.

one of many small chapels by the road. the doors are kept locked. no glass in the windows.

At an old monastery searching for someone to stamp my passport. Pull that handle all you want. nobody answers.

Microwaved veggie lasagna. nice atmosphere.

the least satisfying breakfast ever. Cafe con Leche is THE BEST coffee in the world and I so looked forward to it each day.That drip coffee and store bought pastries were a pass for me.

SO MUCH RAIN! my shoes never did dry completely. boy did they smell.

Buy the Brierly Guide and rip out the pages to use daily. then toss them to lighten the load.

headed to Finis Terre this river flows directly into the atlantic.

Muxia. Where Mary in a stone boat appeared to some saint

unfortunately, I do not know how to insert a video. the video of the sensor swinging over our heads was pretty neat.

the West Street house

Posted on December 7, 2016 by MargaretNowling

If you click on the photo it should enlarge and there should be a caption. Lotta shoulds…

My studio is a smallish room upstairs behind the kitchen.

At first I thought I would sleep here, too. I did so for a couple of weeks. Then I decided that if I were to paint here that might not be a good idea due to the fumes.

Stairs to the studio. Behind the double doors is the laundry room.

Panning to the left. The door on the right leads to a nice 3/4 bath. to the right you can see the screened in porch at the back of the house.

Looking into the kitchen from the dining room. That door leads to a narrow inset porch. Things are stored there. Ladders, grills, and such.

The door leads to the dining/living room.

The walls are not really this bright. The painting is by Robert Gratiot. The doorway leads to the front stairway. And, of course, every two story house needs a door to the exterior from the stair well.

There used to be a fireplace over there. My sideboard would look great there if only it weren’t broken (my fault, poor packing of the POD).

The door on the left leads into the kitchen. Painting by me and a chair that is so ridiculously ornate I had to buy it.

The simplicity and graceful curves of the newel post are what sealed the deal for me.

Even the ceiling is papered in this area.

Top of the stairs. Someday sewing area.

On a whim bought a queen size mattress and moved into the bedroom. Sculpture by Audra McKay Webster. Luckily the windows are shuttered to the top as there is a very bright streetlight out there.

The only closets in this house are the laundry room and the water heater closet down stairs. And I still have lots of boxes to unpack.

Sewing area. Looking towards the absurd wast of space that is the upstairs bath. Turn to the right and you see…

This area…. a closet? It is totally open. But it is a large enough area that I can use it as an exercise room.

Upstairs bath. That window, looking toward the rear of the house where you can see the roof of the kitchen and the wall of the studio.

Two person shower and a large soaking tub. Totally wasted space. The wall that separates the bathroom from the ‘workout closet’ is 8 feet high but the ceiling is 10 feet high. So, in effect it’s an open room. Can you imagine showering or bathing in such a drafty place in the winter?

Unfortunately crooked photo of a very sweet room. Book cases on either side of the fireplace.

Front door. Notice it has a bell for ringing… broken.

Broadway Street fountain.

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies: Could this be cookie heaven?

Posted on July 20, 2014 by MargaretNowling

A variation on Farmgirl Fare: Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

I don’t know about you but for me oatmeal cookies have always been the cookies I WANT to love but just can’t. They are the cookies that are still left on the tray after the TollHouse cookies have been scarfed down at a party. They usually have all the appeal of the bowl of oatmeal your grandkid slid under his bed two days ago. (Don’t ask).

But these oatmeal cookies are a delight! The edges are crisp. The centers soft, chewy and moist. The flavor!!!! Even my grandson preferred these oatmeal coconut cookies over the Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownies that were his other dessert option.

I made some slight changes to FarmGirl Fare’s recipe. I changed the brown sugar to coconut sugar (to lower the glycemic index a bit) and used raw sugar instead of regular granulated sugar.

Did I mention before that these cookies are fabulous tasting?. I look forward to trying some of FamGirl’s other recipes. She has some very helpful advice regarding the making of these cookies which I have eliminated here so, check out her site:

http://www.farmgirlfare.com/2012/04/recipe-soft-and-chewy-oatmeal-coconut.html

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies – makes about 3 dozen.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks/8 ounces) salted organic butter, melted
1 cup organic coconut sugar
1/2 cup organic raw cane sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons organic milk (or more, see note above)
2 large farm fresh eggs
1½ cups organic all-purpose wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups organic rolled oats (sometimes called old-fashioned oats; NOT instant or quick cooking oats)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper (when I bake cookies, I just use the same piece of parchment for the entire batch).

Melt the butter and place it in a large mixing bowl.

Using a large rubber spatula, stir in the coconut sugar and raw sugar. Add the vanilla, milk, and eggs and stir until well combined.

In a bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until blended. Stir in the oats and coconut.

Using a 1½ Tablespoon round scoop, drop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet (12 cookies per sheet – they spread out while baking).

Bake until golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for two to three days or freeze.

Salted Chocolate Nut Crunch Cups

Posted on October 8, 2013 by MargaretNowling

I was just getting out the Baker’s Chocolate to make some of these yummy but not bad for you treats when I remembered I promised my son-in-law the recipe. So, here it is, Bryant. This is based on a recipe found on the internet called Crunch Cups. I will include that recipe at the end. Caveat: This is pretty good but not high end gourmet stuff. But you also don’t have to feel bad about eating it as it has a minor amount of sugar in it. And that sugar has a low glycemic index number.

Salted Chocolate Nut Crunch Cups
Makes 24 minis of 12 full size

Process until not coarse but not fine: less than 2c whole nuts of choice (pecans, cashews, macadamia, almond) about 225 gr

Stir in (no processing):
1/4c coconut
Melt:
1/2c coconut oil
¼-c peanut butter or almond butter – raw almond butter is very good
2 squares 75% – 100% chocolate
2 T coconut sugar
pinch of sea salt
Add:10 drops vanilla stevia

Mix: all together in a bowl

Spoon: into paper lined mini-muffin pan*

Sprinkle: lightly with Sea Salt
Cool: in fridge or freezer
20 minutes or until solid.

*If you make them in full sized muffin tins there is no need for the paper liners. Simply insert a table knife down the side and pop them out of the pan.

Halvah by any other name

Posted on August 3, 2013 by MargaretNowling

A couple of weeks ago, the Sunday I discovered it is not a good idea to go to ‘the Sunday Market’ on a Sunday, at the Dashanzi bus stop I heard a voice say, ‘Lady, look’… if you have been in Beijing for a while you know to resist those words with all your will. But then the voice said, ‘Halvah’. Oh, word i recognize. I turned around. Propped up on his bicycle was a long piece of plywood with a 36 inch slab of heaven. It was beautiful. He said, ‘Halvah, try. ‘ I said ‘Woa bu yaow’ (Don’t want it)out of habit as well as principle. He raised his sharp and alarmingly large butcher knife and sliced off a sliver for me to taste.

I looked at him: middle-brown, hair, narrow face, behind his glasses -light brown, heavy-lidded round
eyes, long nose. I said, ‘Hao’ (okay), though normally, I’m not a halvah fan.
OH MY GOD!!!!!! this was the most delicious food I have ever tasted – so much
better than chocolate. So I said, ‘Doe shaow chien’ (how much money) he
looked puzzled . Then he said ’20 kwai a kilo’. Not knowing how much a kilo is I said, ‘Ee guh’ which means ‘one’. He sliced it, he weighed it, he wrapped it up and handed it to me. I said, ‘xia xia ni’. He looked a bit puzzled again.

As I sat on the 998 bus going home greedily picking off pieces to nibble I pondered what an odd looking Chinese person he was and how strange that this Chinese street vendor should be selling a Middle Eastern treat. I was back at the studio before I occurred to me that the man hadn’t been Chinese (Han, anyway) at all. AND that I hadn’t even occurred to me to speak English to him even though he spoke it to me.

October 23, 2007

The Bus: Beijing

Posted on July 21, 2013 by MargaretNowling

Bus Stops are easily moveable. Just because the 944 stop on this corner today doesn't mean it will be there tomorrow

Bus Stops are easily moveable. Just because the 944 stop is on this corner today doesn’t mean it will be there tomorrow

The bus is so crowded with bodies I wonder how any more can squeeze in but they do and the small attendant with the harsh high thin voice moves through. She always knows who has paid and who has yet to pay. I hold on tight to the high rail as the bus wobbles back into traffic, the driver laying hard on the horn to let others know to make way.
Other vehicles /cars, motor bikes, three wheeled motorized-and non motorized carts, bicycles/ honk in reply.

Whenever a driver (bus, auto, other) pulls into traffic on the narrow road an accidental death is a possibility.
In Beijing traffic you only pay attention to what is ahead of you. Drivers are constantly being cut off and worse. but every body honks or beeps to make their others aware of the ensuing action. The roads are kind of noisy.

As the bus travels west, or maybe it’s east, we pass miles of
garrishly colored, shabby shops wth laundry hung out on the fences that surround them, and women in doorways squat to scrape vegetables for lunch.

Fairly often in the long line of shops you will see an ornate metal gate thats wide enough for 3 or 4 cars to pass through. Inside, around a parking lot you see more small shops of the same type as on the road.

The road is two lane blacktop, more or less. we cross a small canal, then a rail road , then a forested area. Beijing is heavily forested.

What’s odd about it is that the trees are of the same age and type,and planted in rows. they all appear to be 30-40 years old. I have read that, during The Great Leap Forward, all the trees were cut down to fuel the furnaces to melt ore (and household pots and pans) for steel. So these are about the right age to have been planted after that disastrous time.

September 2007

Spanish supermercado: three coming – three going

Posted on March 31, 2013 by MargaretNowling

The first time you step into a supermercado in Spain you may be surprised by it’s seeming lack of ‘super’. But all is relative. Compared with ‘un autoservicio’ (a closet sized convenience store), and ‘una frutería’ (a tiny greengrocer which may offer a few, well, very few, comestibles), a supermercado is a paradise of abundance. It will have a wide variety of products on offer just not as wide a variety as you may be used to. Here are a six tips for shopping in a supermercado:

Coming:

In a grand supermercado, such as El Corte Ingles you will drop off your packages and backpack at the guardaropa (coat check) the attendant will give you a number in return. Pay attention to what pocket you put that number in!
Make sure you have some 1 euro coins In supermercados like Carrefore and Mercadona make use of the available lockers to store your, packages, backpack, carrito (granny cart), etc. You will need a coin for that. Pay attention to what pocket you put the key in!
You will also need a coin as a deposit on a shopping cart. You will get the coin back when you return the cart.

Going:

While you are in line watch what people in front of you are doing. When they get to the cashier, do the costumers put the money or card on the tray? If they do that then you do that, too. Also pick up the change or card from the tray.
For the time being, single use plastic shopping bags have not been banned. But you will be charged for them and you may be asked how many you want.
You are expected to bag your own groceries. Do you remember the best way to pack a grocery bag? Watch the baggers at home if you don’t remember.

AND remember to pick up your packages, carrito, and backpack at the coat check or out of the locker. I don’t know how many times I have been so distracted by the novelty of the experience that I did not pay attention to where I put the coat check number or the key to the locker. A couple of times I completely forgot I had left anything behind until I was back out on the street.

Semana Santa: Holy Week in Seville, Spain

Posted on March 24, 2013 by MargaretNowling

My favorite time to be in Seville is Semana Santa. Every year at this time I grow nostalgic for late March 2005. I loved being part of the crazy crowds holding their collective breath as the palio dips down to clear the arch of main door of the church. The quick gasp of terror as it appears to fall only to be caught and pushed back up level.

Looking for my photos from the 2005 Semana Santa I came across this article written by my son, Jonah Bailey. Jonah lived in Seville Spain for 15 years before relocating with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2011. Thank you, Jonah Bailey, for allowing me to share:

TRADITION

Semana Santa – “Holy Week” – is the period preceding and including Easter. Between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, Sevilla turns into a city “held hostage” by ritual. Although these rituals are centered on the death, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the worship of the Virgin Mary, it would be hard to say that the fervor and devotion shown during this week has much to do with Roman Catholicism or even God. It is a week of tradition; a time where being “Sevillano” means something special and social life is lived between processions in the bars and cafés of the city.

This is where Semana Santa starts for most people. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, all the chapels, temples, basilicas and churches from which holy week processions will leave are open for people to visit the religious icons and images that will be carried through the streets of the city.

BULLA

Crowds are a guaranteed during Semana Santa. The overall population of the city swells exponentially, all the hotels are full and there are too many cars… But people are in the street and a good time is to be had by all. Forget what you wanted to do in the centre of town this week. You’ll be stopped at every turn by the famous “bulla” (sudden apparition of thousands of bodies to see a procession) and you’ll be endlessly frustrated by the amount of time it takes you to get to where you want to go. Just enjoy the week’s festivities and don’t make a lot of plans to get things done.

NAZARENOS

I know they look like members of some strange order of the KKK, but I assure you they aren’t. They are “Nazarenos”, members of “Hermandades” that organize these processions during Semana Santa. Their garb pre-dates the KKK by a quite a few centuries. It takes time to get over the weird feeling you get when you see them. There are between 300 and 3000 Nazarenos in each procession. They usually hold very tall candles called “sirios”. Their livery varies in color depending on the hermandad.

PASO FROM JESUS DEL GRANDE PODOR

After a bunch of Nazarenos, the Cristo comes out. Every procession has these big float like platforms called “pasos” Most processions have two pasos: a Cristo and a Virgen. The Cristo can be a depiction of the crucified Christ or a scene from one of the Stations of the Cross. The Virgen is a depiction of one of the many apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The pasos are carried by 18-30 men called “Costaleros”. They carry the pasos on their backs and are located underneath.

PENITENTES

The Cristo is usually followed by “Penitentes”. Penitentes carry crosses during the procession in penance for some sin or to fulfill a promise made to God. Some carry more than one cross. I saw a guy carrying 6 crosses strapped together this year. He must have felt really guilty about something or be really thankful for something.

PALIO

After Penitentes and more Nazarenos comes the “Palió”, the paso that carries the image of the Virgin Mary.

LA MACARENA

This is a particularly famous image called “La Virgen de la Macarena”. Her Basilica is pretty close to our house, so we run into her every year. Her procession comes out in the wee hours of Thursday night/Friday morning and lasts over 13 hours. Devotion to her is unparalleled. I’ve talked with people that don’t believe in God, but they believe in the Macarena!

The Macarena has her own legion of Roman soldiers. They precede the Virgen with wailing trumpets and pounding drums. These guys are the party animals of Semana Santa. They are usually a hundred strong at the beginning of the procession, but very few actually finish it the following day. Most get lost in the cafés and bars of the city living it up with friends. One big party!

HOLY THURSDAY

Maundy Thursday is a day of morning in Spain because of the crucifixion of Christ. All the women dress in black and most wear a large comb in their hair on which they drape a huge black lace veil. Men wear black too, usually three-piece suits.

GENERATIONS

Semana Santa involvement is something that is passed down from generation to generation. No belief is really necessary. We have friends that have converted to Buddhism, but continue to be in two processions in the city. They have already passed this tradition on to their children.

It’s gotta be great. You get to dress up, be the centre of the attention, stay up late, no school, loads of candy and good food to be had every day. Who wouldn’t want to be a kid during Semana Santa in Sevilla? I wonder what our family traditions will be when our little one gets to be this age? (2005)

(It is now 2013 and Jonah and Heather have not one but two little ones.)

Jonah Bailey: As a student of European history, a practitioner of design thinking and an intense interest in the way things work, I bring an unusual perspective to any project. I blend a taste and skill associated with aesthetic classicism with the latest front end development techniques available and mix them with a passion for solving complex problems in the best ways. http://jonahbailey.com/

Shopping in the south of Spain

Posted on March 3, 2013 by MargaretNowling

In one of my day jobs, I am a college art gallery director. As a director, I have to hire students to guard the artwork so the gallery can be open. One of the first things I say to them in the interview is:

“We have hours of business posted on the window. Consequently the gallery must be open during those hours. Whether hundreds of people come in or no one comes in we must be open when we say we are.”

That’s a good solid business policy here in the U.S. It is expected here.

However, if one were to take that attitude to Andalusia, one would end up a very grumpy traveler, indeed. After all, one does not wish to be the angry American with steam boiling out his ears bellowing: “Why can’t I find a #@!$% pastrami sandwich anywhere in this %$#@! country!!!!”

Now, I know one reason you travel is to experience new foods and new ways of being in the world and you would never behave like that. But to make your time in southern Spain more delightful, perhaps you would accept a few words of advice:

First, watch how others behave and then mimic them. For example, those women there in the dress shop: do they politely form a queue at the register? Or, is everyone out for herself, squeezing through to be the next person helped? Do not be alarmed or offended by this behavior — just do as the Spaniards do. It can be exhilarating!

In the tienda (shop) do the vendor and the customer greet each other and have a brief chat before business is taken care of? Or, does the vender ignore the customer until directly confronted.? Also, does the customer just make a purchase and leave with minimal interaction? (hint: It’s probably a good idea to say hello to the vendor.)

Second and most important: be flexible and be prepared.

Do not assume that just because the tienda you’re standing in front of is open right now (while you are not in the mood to shop) that it will be open 30 minutes later when you finally are ready.

Prepare your list before you leave the house, carry it with you, and if the shop is open make your purchase.

These days, siesta is observed with less frequency, even in the south. However, the shop owner just might decide a siesta is needed on the day you need some strawberries at 3 pm. So, shop from 9 am until 2 pm; or 4 pm to 7 pm — just in case.

Though more and more markets and department stores remain open on Saturday and Sunday, most small independent fruterias (produce shops) and carnicerias (butcher shops) will close at 2 pm on Saturday, and not reopen until Monday morning.

Insider Information

There are things that everyone living in Andalusia just knows, and so they are not mentioned.

Spain is a very Catholic country. You may not see many people at Sunday Mass but the holy days and Holy Week are a part of Spain’s cultural heritage. And, as such, they are honored.

Just as in Italy, there are many, many holy days in Spain that result in shops being inconveniently closed the afternoon you need some oregano for that very special dish you are making for dinner.

In the grocery windows, holy days are not necessarily posted in an official looking way. If you see a handwritten note on the window (even if you can’t read what it says) that includes a date (in day, month, year order) you can probably assume the tienda is closed on that date. During Semana Santa you are expected to know that shops will only be open mornings.

Shopping in Andalusia is great fun. There will be times that you will be confounded by the seeming arbitrary closure of businesses. There will be times when you will be unable to find a can of tomatoes for your stew because all the stores are closed. Save the stew for tomorrow or the next day and do as the Spanish do – go out with friends for tapás and a cerveza.

Tapas with Heather and Jonah Bailey, Sevilla, 2005

Walking in the sun

Posted on April 30, 2010 by MargaretNowling

This is a reminder that while we are in Italy we will spend a WHOLE LOT OF TIME walking in the sun.

Walking:

So, if you haven’t already begun your ‘getting in shape for Italy’ regimen start this weekend. Personally, I have been exercising to Gilad’s Body Sculpt on fittv. I am not enjoying it at all. But I want to be able to put my own suitcase in the overhead compartment on the plane and I want to be able to keep up with the tour guide on the walking tours. By the way, this is the perfect time of year to walk in the evening…

In the sun:

I choose my sun screen by smell: does it remind me of summers in Indiana (Coppertone, sweat, chlorine) or does it smell like coconut (mmmm, coconut cream pie). Needless to say, my skin is sun damaged.

Please share what sunscreen you plan on taking with you (and maybe why that brand) so I can make an informed decision on what sunscreen to take with me.