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Ruben Arribas

About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.

Why American Retirees Are Getting Dental Work Done In Spain Before Moving

The first number many Americans price out before a move to Spain is rent. The second, quietly, is their mouth. Not in a glamorous dental-tourism way. Not because they suddenly want veneers and a beach town in the same week. More because a lot of people in their late fifties, sixties, and early seventies arrive …

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My First Year In Portugal Cost $32,000: Here’s The Full Breakdown

That number sounds either wildly high or suspiciously low, depending on which Portugal story someone swallowed first. If they read the old expat version, the one where Portugal is permanently cheap, permanently charming, and somehow insulated from the rest of Europe’s housing mess, then $32,000 sounds high. If they are thinking about Lisbon, central Porto, …

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8 Iconic Spanish Dishes You Need to Try Before You Die

Spanish cuisine isn’t just about food it’s about culture, rhythm, and the art of slow, joyful living. From bustling tapas bars in Madrid to seaside paella feasts in Valencia, every region brings something unique to the table. If you’ve ever wondered what truly defines Spain’s culinary soul, these eight dishes capture it better than any …

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ETIAS Is Not a Visa For Europe But It Could Still Keep You Off the Plane Coming In Late 2026: What American Travelers Need To Know Now

A lot of Americans are already getting ETIAS wrong. Some think it is live now. Some think it is a visa. Some think it is just another rumor that has been floating around Europe travel threads for so long that it no longer counts as real. And some, predictably, are already paying random websites for …

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The European Easter Foods Americans Have Never Tried

American Easter food is oddly narrow for a holiday that is supposed to announce spring. A glazed ham. Deviled eggs. Chocolate rabbits. Maybe brunch if the family is feeling energetic. Maybe a lamb if someone in the family still insists on making the table feel like a proper occasion. Much of Europe goes at Easter …

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Easter Processions In Seville, Spain: The Most Intense Thing I’ve Witnessed In Europe

A lot of Europe does spectacle well. Cathedrals. Mountains. Opera houses. Alpine trains. Venetian light at the exact hour it starts feeling unfair. The continent has no shortage of places that know how to arrive on cue. Seville during Easter week is different. It does not feel staged for your appreciation. It feels like the …

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The Residency Visa Americans Apply For Most And The One With Better Odds

Americans love a shortcut story when they start planning Europe. One visa is the obvious one. One country is the easy one. One residency path is the one “everyone does.” Somewhere in there, a Facebook group starts talking as if this were all settled law, and by the time the first documents get apostilled, half …

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This Spanish Octopus Dish Is Shockingly Simple and Way Too Underrated

Forget tapas clichés and sangria-soaked seafood platters—Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-style octopus) is one of Spain’s most iconic and shockingly simple dishes, yet it rarely gets the global love it deserves. Originating from the northwestern region of Galicia, this dish showcases how minimalism can unlock maximum flavor when ingredients are respected and not masked. Traditionally …

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I Watched Italian Families Celebrate Easter American Holidays Feel Hollow Now

The first thing that struck me was not the food. It was the length. Not the official length of the holiday weekend. The emotional length. The amount of time the day was apparently allowed to take up. In a lot of American holidays, the meal is the event. You cook, drive, host, clean, refill drinks, …

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I Moved €50,000 To Europe At The Wrong Time The Lesson Cost Me $6,000

Move a big euro sum at the wrong moment and the pain does not feel dramatic at first. There is no siren. No official warning. No border officer saying, by the way, your relocation fund just got lighter because you waited too long and the currency stopped being friendly. It just happens in the numbers. …

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The Dollar Dropped 12% Against The Euro Since 2025: What American Retirees Need To Know

A lot of Americans planning Europe still make the same comforting mistake. They treat exchange rates like weather. A little annoying. A little changeable. Probably fine by the time the move gets serious. That is not how this works. When the dollar weakens against the euro, it does not stay on a finance page. It …

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