Today was an old lady day. By that I mean that everything ached and I was tired before I even woke up. Of course, getting to bed at 3:30 AM and getting up again at 7:30 AM to make sure we got in our dose of hot chocolate and still get in line at the next destination before the lines get too long, might have something to do with it. Anyway, getting up and ready was really hard -- we both moaned and groaned. Vacations are supposed to be easier than this, but on the other hand, we are traveling, which is often not easy, just interesting.
We walked out of the hotel into an absolutely perfect day -- cool breeze, warm sun, beautiful blue sky -- and hobbled 3 whole blocks to the third hot chocolate place on our list, La Pallaresa. The hot chocolate there was better than La Dulcinea but not as good as Museu de la Xocolata. But that’s still pretty spectacular. After our chocolate, a plate of churros, and a plate of another Catalan-style pastry that’s kind of like a sugar donut (wow, chocolate and sugar and fried bread for breakfast -- doesn’t get much better than that no matter how you look at it), we felt much perkier and ready for our next Gaudi experience.
The target for the morning was Casa Mila, an apartment building designed by Gaudi and yet another UNESCO World Heritage site. We arrived by 10:30 AM to find a fairly long line and ended up standing in line for an hour, something I am rarely willing to do. But oh boy was it worth it.
When we finally got to the ticket and audio guide counter, we discussed just running through the building to save time, but thankfully our better judgment prevailed and we took our time -- we ended up staying there for 3.5 hours. I can’t help it, Gaudi’s designs just fascinate me. We were both mesmerized by absolutely everything -- the architecture, the structural design, the metal work, the mosaic work, the plaster work -- you name it, we gazed at it with full attention. Did I mention the 8 zillion stairs and additional 8 zillion little steps? My old-lady-day body did not take kindly to the constant step-up then step-down requirements of the tour.
By the time we got out of there it was 3:00 and we hadn’t eaten any real food that day (no, even I am not able to seriously claim hot chocolate and pastries as real food) and we were hungry. We hailed a taxi and dashed off to a famous restaurant for a full, Catalan, Sunday afternoon lunch experience.
The 7 Portes Restaurant (7 Doors) has been in continuous operation for 175 years. That isn’t a typo -- I really mean 175 years. It’s down by the port and specializes in seafood (oh goody, I can hear my friends say who know that I dislike seafood) but has lots of other interesting dishes as well. They also specialize in paella, a truly Spanish and Catalan dish. The maitre d’ looked like he’d worked there for 50 years and sternly kept potential diners at bay -- you have to get on the list and then wait until you are called. No problem -- he wrote our name on the list, which authorized us to sit in the chairs outside. But wait, the real problem was trying to recognize our name when he called it out. Luckily a multi-syllabic last name helps. We only had to wait about 30 minutes before we were called and shown to our table -- up an extra long flight of stairs. By this time I was nearly hobbling again.
But what a wonderful lunch we had. We started with Catalan-style spinach with toasted pine nuts and plumped raisins, drizzled with olive oil (I know, raisins with spinach is not a combo I would put together but it was delicious). Accompanied by a liter of sangria, of course. Then we shared a meat and vegetable paella. When we ordered, we got a bit of a raised eyebrow from the waiter because the paella was designed for one person and we were planning to share it. When it was served, the portions were huge and neither of us could figure out how any one person could eat that much. It was truly wonderful. And we kept drinking the sangria.
By the time we started giggling, we figured out that the sangria was rather more potent than most sangrias, but who cares, we’re on vacation! It about then that my sister said “stick out your tongue. Yup, purple.“ We compared tongues and both were a dark, vivid purple from the sangria. We started giggling again -- I guess we are easily amused, especially when drinking sangria.
We finished up with profiteroles for my sister (really good chocolate sauce) and a classic Catalan pastry for me that was a thin flaky pastry with a layer of pumpkin marmalade, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. I had already eaten a few bites (finding it OK but a bit bland) when the waiter came over and poured me a generous glass of a desert wine that is intended to go with that dessert. Oh heaven -- the wine was perfectly paired with the dessert and all of a sudden the pumpkin flavors just came through beautifully. But between the sangria and the dessert wine, we were both a wee bit tipsy.
By this time is was 5:00 PM and we were exhausted. All we had done all day was visit one place and have a meal. You would think that could not take all day, but that seems to be our typical travel schedule. We decided to stroll along the marina for a bit and then caught a taxi back to the hotel. We both just crashed, but only allowed ourselves to sleep for 1.5 hours because we had reservations for dinner and a flamenco show (no rest for the weary travelers here).
Dragging ourselves out of bed again was simply murderous. We were definitely not hungry and we were not energetic enough to go anywhere. Nevertheless, we didn’t want to miss a good flamenco performance, so we pulled ourselves together and by 9:00 PM set off in a taxi for somewhere across the city to see El Tablao de Carmen. The restaurant/theater is located in El Poble Espanyol which is a set of buildings designed to be a miniature Spanish town. Originally built for the 1929 International Exposition, it is now filled with shops and restaurants with goods and food from all the different areas of Spain. Wow, we didn’t know about this place before and were very sad that we didn’t have time to come back during the daytime to explore. It is definitely on my list for my next visit to Barcelona.
Anyway, we wound around various small avenues in the venue to finally find the flamenco theater.
The theater is a small supper club with tables set in front of a small stage. The food was pretty good, a solid B+ I’d say, but we rated the show an A. We ordered a liter of sangria (2nd liter of the day) and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I’d forgotten how intense and emotional flamenco is -- the dancer seems to be dancing only for him or herself. Of course I couldn’t understand the songs that were sung, but it was very clear from the facial expressions of the singers and from the dancing that some were tragically sad songs, some love songs, and some songs of joy. 3 women and 2 men took turns dancing. They were very good and we enjoyed it thoroughly.
We got back to the hotel by midnight (it felt downright early!) and I proceeded to spend the next entire hour trying to book and pay online for a tour in Dubai. With all the security procedures in place nowadays, it is very difficult to try to order and pay for something when you are connected on the hotel internet service in a country not your own. We really wanted to pay for the tour in cash but they wanted it prepaid online so I decided to pay by PayPal, which brought up a screen saying that they needed to verify my account and were going to call my home phone in the next 5 minutes. There was no way to tell them that I was traveling and not available by phone. But somehow, I was able to stumble onto another option and the deal went through, only to be told by the tour company site that I needed to print the confirmation and hand it over to the guide. But I am traveling and don’t have a printer with me. I suppose we’ll muddle through somehow -- maybe I’ll pull the I’m-an-old-lady-and-I-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing card. That works sometimes. And so we ended our last full day in Barcelona.
Total score so far for 4 days: 3 hot chocolates, 5 liters of sangria (shared), 2 bottles of wine (shared), 1 glass of dessert wine (shared). We have one more chance tomorrow morning to increase that hot chocolate count.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
DAY 4 SANGRIA WITH CHINESE FOOD?
We flagged a taxi and as we were driving through the city our first interesting sight was that of a friar, in brown, hooded robe with white robe belt, walking across the street carrying a large, wrapped painting. It pays to keep your eyes open.
Our first destination was La Sagrada Familia, which is the cathedral that Gaudi spent 43 years of his life working on and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005. Lines are always long (about 3 million visitors a year) so we were up and out by 8:30 -- only bit of cheese for breakfast. By the time we arrived 10 minutes later (the church opens at 9:00 AM) the line for tickets was halfway around the block already. But luckily, once it opened the line moved fast so we were in by 9:10. Quick travel advise tidbit: we didn’t have breakfast but we did nibble on a couple of little bon bel cheeses before we left the hotel. They are the perfect non-sugary snack to keep you going if you skip a meal when traveling.)
Anyway, the building work on the cathedral is still in progress to this day and it will probably take another 50-100 years to complete Gaudi’s whole design. I was in Barcelona about 10 years ago and visited here and at that time the roof wasn‘t yet completed. It was wonderful then but the contrast between then and now was startling. Today the main interior is mostly finished, many stained glass windows are done, and some of the interior lighting has been installed, and work on additional towers is in progress. It is stunning. The entire design is organic, like being in a forest of trees with dappled sunlight coming through the leaves. All in stone and cement, decorated with amazing (and how I hate the overuse of that word nowadays but in this case it is truly an accurate description) mosaic work everywhere, especially on the ceiling, accented with brilliant, modern and abstract stained-glass windows. Gaudi carefully thought about and designed the light, making sure there was enough to illuminate and elevate one’s spirit but not enough to blind you to the greater purpose of the Christian message.
My sister and I wandered through all the information stops with our audio guides, but mostly we just stood and gawked -- spending most of our time tilting our heads as far back as we could to drink in as much of the upper regions as possible. We were there for 2.5 hours before we reached sensory overload and just couldn’t take in one more exquisite detail.
So we started searching for a restaurant, somewhere a bit off the standard tourist snack area around the cathedral. By this point we were both pretty hungry so we were focused on our goal until we happened to pass an intriguing optical store. We just had to go look. Mindful that on our Venice trip a couple of years ago, we each bought a pair of au courant eyeglass frames to take home, we decided to do the same here in Barcelona. After trying on many pairs, we each settled on something that was different from our current glasses, different from anything we’ve seen in the USA, and fun and flattering. It’s a great kind of souvenir, one that reminds me of a trip everyday.
By that time we were each very hungry and couldn’t find a restaurant. After wandering a few blocks, we spied a Chinese restaurant and decided that although it wasn’t really a Barcelona experience, we were too hungry to care. It turned out that the food was good (although I must admit that a Chinese menu written in Spanish just seemed a bit strange), the waitress was markedly listless and seemed unable to manage more than 3 syllables (in Spanish) in any conversation and even that was mostly swallowed so that we couldn’t understand her very well, and the beverage choices included sangria. But we enjoyed the meal and were sufficiently full by the time we left.
We walked back to the cathedral then caught a cab to our next destination, Parc Gruell, which is an outdoor park designed by Gaudi and commissioned by Senor Gruell. It has something of a fairyland look and was crammed with visitors, with Gaudi-esque gingerbread houses at the entrance crowned with white mosaic roofs that look like cake icing and typical, whimsical mosaic chimneys. One of the most famous parts is a very long mosaic bench that is in an undulating snake shape and that circles an upper platform in the park that overlooks the city. Every few feet of the bench is a different mosaic design and it is fascinating.
Did I mention that the park is built on a hill so that everywhere you go involves major steps up (and then down)? By the time we left, we were both exhausted and our knees and hips were definitely begging us to just give them a rest for awhile. But once again, the place is so fascinating that we ended up spending a couple of hours.
By the time we caught a cab back to the hotel it was 4:00 pm and we were way too tired for hot chocolate (how sad is that?) so we limped to our hotel room and simply crashed for 3 hours. After we revived, it took a couple more hours of puttering and a bit of time to do hand laundry before we were ready to forage for dinner.
We walked out of the hotel into a drizzle -- not cold and not a heavy rain, but definitely wet enough to require an umbrella. It was Saturday night and the activity on Las Rambles was not dampened by the weather -- vendors were selling cheap souvenirs, gelato booths were doing a brisk business, and lots of people were strolling up and down. This is a major pickpocket area, which several people warned us about as did all the guidebooks, so we are always extra careful when walking around. Anyway, we decided to return to the restaurant from last night, MataMala. Yes, I know, it isn’t as adventurous as one might hope, but it was so good that we wanted more. It turned out that we ordered completely different dishes this time and even a different wine -- a red Catalan wine made with garnatxa grapes (nope, I haven’t heard of it either) and everything was, once again, wonderfully delicious. One cute thing was that my entrée was described on the menu as cannelloni with cheese au gratin. Nothing like a little au gratin on your cheese! On the other hand, I loved sitting at a table with a couple on the left speaking Catalan and a couple on the right speaking Castillian -- I felt very much the world traveller. It was 12:30 AM by the time we left.
We didn’t feel very tired so both of us read and I worked on my computer a bit. By 3:00 AM we decided we needed some bedtime chocolate (note the word “needed,” don’t you love it?) so we nibbled on one of the chocolate bars I bought at the chocolate museum. We finally got to bed by 3:30 AM, somewhat dreading our full schedule the next day, but heck, that part of the travel experience.
Total score so far: 2 hot chocolates, 3 liters of sangria (shared), 2 bottles of wine (shared). I think we’ll try to bring up the hot chocolate count tomorrow.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
DAY 3 SANGRIA FOR BREAKFAST
Decided to start walking in the direction of one of the Gaudi buildings, hoping to find a restaurant on the way for breakfast. Our first fun discovery of the day was the boqueria, which is a huge, covered food market. And I mean huge. There are at least a hundred vendors: fresh fruit stalls, dried fruit stalls, nuts, produce, ham, fish, candy, chocolates, poultry, cheese -- you name it except for baked goods. Each stall is a work of art, with the wares arranged so attractively that I just wanted to buy everything. Fruits I’ve never seen before -- pig ears -- chickens with the heads still on -- cocks combs -- fish I’ve never seen before -- marzipan animals -- mushrooms I’ve never seen before. And kazillions of people. It was a wondrous place.
We continued down the street and found a nice place for breakfast/lunch with outside tables in a little alley off Las Ramblas. Ordered sangria again and discovered it is a great beverage for washing down my daily vitamin pills. My sister and I shared a salad (we decided that fresh lettuce was probably safe to eat), a chicken soup with a tomato base that tasted great, and a platter of mixed shish kabobs. Quite good. We finally pushed ourselves away from the table and continued on our way to the Palau Gruell.
The Palau Gruell (Gruell Palace) is a UNESCO World Heritage building, designed by Gaudi and built for the Gruell family in the 1890’s. And what an extraordinary experience to walk through it. They give out audio guides so we were able to walk through it at our own pace. The tour takes you through the entire building, from basement to the top of the roof (wouldn’t want to miss those incredibly recognizable Gaudi-style chimney tops), which means lots and lots of stairs up AND down. The huge house-restoration project was completed recently and it is a marvel. The family organ (quite impressive) is played every hour and it is delightful to hear the music of the day fill the whole place. But my favorite things are the ceilings and the chimney tops. Gaudi designed every aspect of the house, down to the intricate wood-carved ceilings with delicate iron-work decorations. The ceilings in every room are different and I would have been perfectly happy to just lie down on a rolling platform and spend all my time looking up.
We spent a good 2.5 hours at Palau Gruell and by the time we walked up and down 6 stories and stood around on hard marble floors, we were both walking like old ladies. Clearly, we needed a bit of chocolate to soothe our tired joints. So we wimped out and took a cab to the next chocolate place on our list, Museu de la Xocolata (love the way they spell chocolate). And wow!
We entered a big chocolate store and my sister bought the tickets for the museum while I stood at the turnstile waiting to enter. She handed me a candy bar, which I thought was a nice gesture and when I looked at her questioningly, wondering where the ticket was, the ticket taker grinned, pointed to the chocolate bar and said “ticket.” The candy bar WAS the ticket. How cool is that. Best ticket ever.
The museum was mildly interesting but the best part was still to come. We exited the museum part and sat down at a table and ordered hot chocolate and a brownie. They added free samples of their dark salted chocolate. OMG!!! Can I say that again? The hot chocolate was A+, maybe even A+++ -- very intense dark chocolate flavor, just sweet enough to counteract the bitterness of the cacao, and very thick. Absolutely beyond description and I think I’ve probably had the closest taste of heaven I’ve ever had. Of course I figured that the brownie was an afterthought, but not so. Quite an outstanding, milk chocolate, brownie, again not too sweet, with walnuts and some kind of faint spice that I couldn’t identify. Between the hot chocolate and the brownie I think I could be cured of most anything that ailed me. And then came the salted dark chocolate samples. Could life get any better? Well, yes, as a matter of fact. Intense chocolate, not sweet but not bitter, melt in your mouth texture, enhanced by the punch of sea salt. I really don’t think I’ve ever had chocolate this good before. I mean really.
I decided that I wanted to buy some salted chocolate to take onboard the ship, so I went to the counter where the ticket taker gentleman was standing and pointed to the free sample plate and asked him to show me which chocolate bar in the showcase was the salted one. He looked and looked and then gestured that they were out, whereupon I looked comically stricken and he laughed. Undaunted, I bought several other chocolate bars and then sat down. A few minutes later he came over and handed me a salted chocolate bar and said something that I didn’t understand, so I just blew him kisses as a thank you. Not quite knowing what to do, I went to the counter to pay for it, but the girl explained that it was the last one and he gave it to me as a gift. So in my enthusiasm I took his hand and kissed it. He walked away smiling and so did I. Life is definitely good.
Came back to the hotel for a little relaxation and reading (well, you know, reading with your eyes closed). Siesta time is truly a luxury.
By 10:00 PM we started walking up the Las Ramblas to a slow food restaurant, MataMala, that was recommended by the hotel. It turned out to be a gem of a place specializing in traditional Catalan food, all organic and locally grown. Our menu choices really required a decent red wine rather than sangria, so we were forced to drink a very nice cabernet franc. Had a cheese plate that provided a delicious variety and I had onion soup while my sister had leek soup. The presentation of my onion soup was interesting -- they brought me a very hot soup bowl with 3 separate piles of things in the bottom: shaved cheese, carmelized onions, and dark bread croutons. Then they poured the hot onion/beef broth on top. Very nice indeed and the flavor was wonderful. I was introduced to the slow food movement a few years ago by a guide in Tuscany and I’ve been a convert ever since. I highly recommend the restaurant -- right on Las Ramblas.
Total score so far: 2 hot chocolates, 3 liters of sangria (shared), 1 bottle of wine (shared). Of course, as these numbers get embarrassingly high I may need to stop announcing my total score just to protect my reputation. J
Friday, April 27, 2012
DAY 1 & 2 BARCELONA
Getting up at 3 AM so I can arrive at the airport at oh-dark-thirty is just plain punishment. And being squeezed into an airplane for a zillion hours is near miserable and no way to start a fabulous trip. OK, now that I’m done complaining, the flight to Barcelona was remarkably smooth with the one exception of a really fun roller coaster ride as we descended for landing. My sister’s friend at the airline was able to get us exit-row seats so we had lots of room to stretch out and we were able to get some sleep on the plane. We flew a new airbus which was interesting but there is a bit of a design flaw in the bathrooms. The available/vacant indicator is so small that nobody could see it and I witnessed many people open a bathroom door only to find someone else already in there -- apparently the door locking mechanism is not that intuitive. On the other hand, they had a wheelchair accessible bathroom, which was great because it is a bit larger than the normal airplane bathroom -- not nearly large enough to accommodate a walker but an improvement nevertheless. Enough about bathrooms.
We arrived in Barcelona around 8:30 AM and took a cab to our hotel, which is about a half block off Las Ramblas in the gothic quarter. A fabulous location from which to head out to a number of great destinations. Our room was not available until after 2 PM so we dumped our luggage and headed out, wearing the same clothes we‘d been wearing for 24 hours already. As with any trip where we spend a few days in the same place, we have a quest -- it’s always a fun thing to have quest. This time, our quest is to find the best hot chocolate in Barcelona. A bit of background: Barcelona (and all of Spain) is known for its thick, intensely-flavored, not-too-sweet, hot chocolate. About as close to heaven as a person could possibly get. So, with a lovely map from the hotel, we walked to the closest hot chocolate place on our list, Dulcinea, which was only about a 5 minute walk. It was a little, tiny place but lovely and we sipped our first hot chocolate of the trip and ate churros (not as sweet as churros at home) and another Catalan pastry that is a lot like lemon-flavored lady fingers. YUM. Definitely an A- to an A in my rating book.
Thus fortified, we wandered down narrow alleys of shops -- there were many tile placques on the walls with various pictures of people and little proverbs very interesting. Discovered a shoe store that sold only one style of shoe but in hundreds of different colors. Loved it but was able to avoid the temptation of buying any. Discovered an earring store with literally thousands of earrings that were wonderfully unique, many quite humorous, but again was able to avoid temptation. We eventually found the main cathedral in Barcelona -- not the Gaudi one -- and went it and looked around. Very lovely stained glass windows and lovely gothic architecture. We decided against paying the fee to go into the choir section in the middle of the cathedral, only to discover as we walked around it, that we could see into it from the other end. The wood carvings are amazingly delicate and intricate. I wonder how they maintain that wood over the centuries -- I mean, how do they keep stuff like that oiled? With q-tips?
We wandered around a bit more and discovered an interesting lunch place, so we went in. Ordered sangria, of course. We both ordered “bean salad” as a starter and were served a hot bean soup that was really good. So much for translation. By the time we finished lunch and slurped up the last drops of sangria, it was 2:30 pm and the sangria (nap juice) was working and we both felt sleepy. So we went back to the hotel, shed our clothes and fell into bed for about a 5 hour nap. We read and puttered around a bit and when it started to get dark tried to turn on the lights in our room. No lights. We looked around the room with our flashlights (never, ever, travel without a flashlight) and found the thing by the door where you have to insert your room key for the electricity to work. Aha, we said to ourselves and rushed around to turn on the lights. No lights. We finally gave up and called the front desk. It took two people and a bit of complicated replacement of fuses, but we now have lights. While waiting for the hotel guy, we were serenaded by a large group of French men (just a guess on the national origin) lustily singing La Marseilles. Don’t know the reason -- perhaps a football game. They were clearly enjoying their adult beverages but the singing wasn’t that bad.
By this time, it was 11:00 pm and time to forage for dinner (remember, we’re on Barcelona time now) so we headed out again. Night time is when Barcelona comes alive.
We only got about a half-block away and discovered 3 interesting restaurants with tables outside. We settled at the tapas place and ordered sangria (what else?) and tapas. Enjoyed a plate of that famous Spanish ham (sliced tissue-paper thin and full of flavor) and several other things. (Well OK, my sister ordered anchovies in vinegar with green olives and she reported that they were quite nice, but I wasn’t about to go near that stuff.)
We ended the evening by walking up and down part of Las Ramblas -- lots of people out strolling and vendors and street artists. Great entertainment. We finally got back to the hotel by 1:30 AM.
Final score for the day: 1 hot chocolate, 2 liters of sangria (shared). Not that I’m counting, mind you.
We arrived in Barcelona around 8:30 AM and took a cab to our hotel, which is about a half block off Las Ramblas in the gothic quarter. A fabulous location from which to head out to a number of great destinations. Our room was not available until after 2 PM so we dumped our luggage and headed out, wearing the same clothes we‘d been wearing for 24 hours already. As with any trip where we spend a few days in the same place, we have a quest -- it’s always a fun thing to have quest. This time, our quest is to find the best hot chocolate in Barcelona. A bit of background: Barcelona (and all of Spain) is known for its thick, intensely-flavored, not-too-sweet, hot chocolate. About as close to heaven as a person could possibly get. So, with a lovely map from the hotel, we walked to the closest hot chocolate place on our list, Dulcinea, which was only about a 5 minute walk. It was a little, tiny place but lovely and we sipped our first hot chocolate of the trip and ate churros (not as sweet as churros at home) and another Catalan pastry that is a lot like lemon-flavored lady fingers. YUM. Definitely an A- to an A in my rating book.
Thus fortified, we wandered down narrow alleys of shops -- there were many tile placques on the walls with various pictures of people and little proverbs very interesting. Discovered a shoe store that sold only one style of shoe but in hundreds of different colors. Loved it but was able to avoid the temptation of buying any. Discovered an earring store with literally thousands of earrings that were wonderfully unique, many quite humorous, but again was able to avoid temptation. We eventually found the main cathedral in Barcelona -- not the Gaudi one -- and went it and looked around. Very lovely stained glass windows and lovely gothic architecture. We decided against paying the fee to go into the choir section in the middle of the cathedral, only to discover as we walked around it, that we could see into it from the other end. The wood carvings are amazingly delicate and intricate. I wonder how they maintain that wood over the centuries -- I mean, how do they keep stuff like that oiled? With q-tips?
We wandered around a bit more and discovered an interesting lunch place, so we went in. Ordered sangria, of course. We both ordered “bean salad” as a starter and were served a hot bean soup that was really good. So much for translation. By the time we finished lunch and slurped up the last drops of sangria, it was 2:30 pm and the sangria (nap juice) was working and we both felt sleepy. So we went back to the hotel, shed our clothes and fell into bed for about a 5 hour nap. We read and puttered around a bit and when it started to get dark tried to turn on the lights in our room. No lights. We looked around the room with our flashlights (never, ever, travel without a flashlight) and found the thing by the door where you have to insert your room key for the electricity to work. Aha, we said to ourselves and rushed around to turn on the lights. No lights. We finally gave up and called the front desk. It took two people and a bit of complicated replacement of fuses, but we now have lights. While waiting for the hotel guy, we were serenaded by a large group of French men (just a guess on the national origin) lustily singing La Marseilles. Don’t know the reason -- perhaps a football game. They were clearly enjoying their adult beverages but the singing wasn’t that bad.
By this time, it was 11:00 pm and time to forage for dinner (remember, we’re on Barcelona time now) so we headed out again. Night time is when Barcelona comes alive.
We only got about a half-block away and discovered 3 interesting restaurants with tables outside. We settled at the tapas place and ordered sangria (what else?) and tapas. Enjoyed a plate of that famous Spanish ham (sliced tissue-paper thin and full of flavor) and several other things. (Well OK, my sister ordered anchovies in vinegar with green olives and she reported that they were quite nice, but I wasn’t about to go near that stuff.)
We ended the evening by walking up and down part of Las Ramblas -- lots of people out strolling and vendors and street artists. Great entertainment. We finally got back to the hotel by 1:30 AM.
Final score for the day: 1 hot chocolate, 2 liters of sangria (shared). Not that I’m counting, mind you.
Friday, February 10, 2012
TEXAS IS ANOTHER COUNTRY, INDEED
Just got back from another trip to east Texas to visit friends. In case you don't know where Texas is, it is a country in North America, just above the Gulf of Mexico, and is surrounded by the USA. The native diet consists mainly of beef and various forms of potatoes (mashed, french frys, and tater tots are most common), accessorized occasionally by vegetables such as iceberg lettuce, catsup, and tomato soup. Although English is the official language, the natives mostly speak a dialect that is decipherable if you listen carefully. They are highly social, employing an interesting mix of southern plantation graciousness and cowboy charm. All in all, an interesting place to visit but I don't think I'd last long if I tried to live there.
On this trip, I repeated some of my favorite activities from last time. I went to the drive-through daiquiri spot again (got a "sexy sour" this time) where they put a big piece of scotch tape across the top of the to-go cup to comply with state law but just manage to miss taping over where you put the straw. That way you can insert your straw with the tape still on the cup and drive off while sipping your drink! My favorite BBQ place burned down just before I got there (the whole town cried) -- but the good news is that they are already starting to rebuild so they'll be ready for me next year. And, yes, I did make sure to have a steak dinner -- yum.
For new experiences, my friends took me on a day trip to Natchitoches, Louisiana (Yankee pronunciation guide: NAKAdish) where they filmed the movie Steel Magnolias and where that family actually lived (I hadn't realized that it was a true story).
Next, we went on a day trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas which has been a vacation and spa destination for national leaders (FDR, for example) and the Chicago mob since the 1920's. The old part of downtown is a national park and the hot spring water is fabulous -- not sulphurous at all and delicious to drink. We went to one of the old, gracious lady hotels, The Arlington, that has a bathhouse build in the early 1920's -- all white tile and teal-colored copper pipe and fixtures. I was treated to "The Works" which turned out to be 2-hours of sheer pleasure and included a nice soak in a huge tub with a jacuzzi, then my bath attendant scrubbed me down, then a sauna (I skipped that option), then I layed-down on a table and was wrapped in hot, wet towels with an ice cold towel on my face, then a needle-spray shower, then a massage. I was a very happy and relaxed blob of jello after that. All for $62 -- can you imagine? At home that would have cost $200-$300 or more. I plan to make Hot Springs a required destination every trip to Texas!
Did I mention that the speed limit on most Texas roads is 70 MPH except where it is 75 MPH? Whew, people just barrel along. Oh, and speaking of roads, I saw my very first armadillo. Yes, it was dead and on the side of the road, but I'm told that is the most common way you see armadillos.
And, of course, I must mention our trip to the Kilgore College Rangerette Museum. The Rangerettes were started 60 years ago and are a precision dance team, much like the Rockettes (the Rockettes asked the Rangerettes to open for their show when they played in Dallas). They were on the Ed Sullivan Show, too, and they always perform at the half-time show at the Cotton Bowl. The museum was fun to see -- old costumes and video clips. And, as you can see from the photo, we fit right in.
Another highlight was seeing my friend get shot. It turns out that on the first Saturday of every month, my friend gets shot in a gunfight downtown. OK, here's the back story. My friends live in a little bitty town called Jefferson, which is quite a nice tourist destination because there is something going almost every weekend, there are a lot of lovely old homes to look at, and there are a lot of B&Bs to stay in. Every Saturday morning, they reenact a bit of Jefferson history. This time there were two bad guys who walked down main street having a big argument. They started shooting at each other (finally killing each other) right in front of the delicate ladies (who were scandalized because one of the outlaws was chewing tobacco and spitting in public!), the banker and the sheriff, who finally got off a few shots of his own just to make sure. All in all, it was wonderful fun.
And because it is a small town, I can truthfully say that the mayor of Jefferson cooked my breakfast on the day I flew home (he owns a cafe in town) -- good breakfast, too! And speaking of small towns, there is no such thing as a quick dash to run an errand because everyone stops and visits a bit with every person they walk past. It is charming in a way, but I'm accustomed to the relative anonymity of the big city that allows for rushing in and out of stores. There's not a good or bad here, just a different way of conducting daily business.
I flew in and out of Shreveport, Louisiana because it is closest to Jefferson and boy, when you are in the Shreveport airport you know you are in the south -- every day at noon everyone in the airport comes to attention while they play the Star Spangled Banner over the loud speakers. The south is very proud of its patriotism.
On this trip, I repeated some of my favorite activities from last time. I went to the drive-through daiquiri spot again (got a "sexy sour" this time) where they put a big piece of scotch tape across the top of the to-go cup to comply with state law but just manage to miss taping over where you put the straw. That way you can insert your straw with the tape still on the cup and drive off while sipping your drink! My favorite BBQ place burned down just before I got there (the whole town cried) -- but the good news is that they are already starting to rebuild so they'll be ready for me next year. And, yes, I did make sure to have a steak dinner -- yum.
For new experiences, my friends took me on a day trip to Natchitoches, Louisiana (Yankee pronunciation guide: NAKAdish) where they filmed the movie Steel Magnolias and where that family actually lived (I hadn't realized that it was a true story).
Next, we went on a day trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas which has been a vacation and spa destination for national leaders (FDR, for example) and the Chicago mob since the 1920's. The old part of downtown is a national park and the hot spring water is fabulous -- not sulphurous at all and delicious to drink. We went to one of the old, gracious lady hotels, The Arlington, that has a bathhouse build in the early 1920's -- all white tile and teal-colored copper pipe and fixtures. I was treated to "The Works" which turned out to be 2-hours of sheer pleasure and included a nice soak in a huge tub with a jacuzzi, then my bath attendant scrubbed me down, then a sauna (I skipped that option), then I layed-down on a table and was wrapped in hot, wet towels with an ice cold towel on my face, then a needle-spray shower, then a massage. I was a very happy and relaxed blob of jello after that. All for $62 -- can you imagine? At home that would have cost $200-$300 or more. I plan to make Hot Springs a required destination every trip to Texas!
Did I mention that the speed limit on most Texas roads is 70 MPH except where it is 75 MPH? Whew, people just barrel along. Oh, and speaking of roads, I saw my very first armadillo. Yes, it was dead and on the side of the road, but I'm told that is the most common way you see armadillos.
Another highlight was seeing my friend get shot. It turns out that on the first Saturday of every month, my friend gets shot in a gunfight downtown. OK, here's the back story. My friends live in a little bitty town called Jefferson, which is quite a nice tourist destination because there is something going almost every weekend, there are a lot of lovely old homes to look at, and there are a lot of B&Bs to stay in. Every Saturday morning, they reenact a bit of Jefferson history. This time there were two bad guys who walked down main street having a big argument. They started shooting at each other (finally killing each other) right in front of the delicate ladies (who were scandalized because one of the outlaws was chewing tobacco and spitting in public!), the banker and the sheriff, who finally got off a few shots of his own just to make sure. All in all, it was wonderful fun.
And because it is a small town, I can truthfully say that the mayor of Jefferson cooked my breakfast on the day I flew home (he owns a cafe in town) -- good breakfast, too! And speaking of small towns, there is no such thing as a quick dash to run an errand because everyone stops and visits a bit with every person they walk past. It is charming in a way, but I'm accustomed to the relative anonymity of the big city that allows for rushing in and out of stores. There's not a good or bad here, just a different way of conducting daily business.
I flew in and out of Shreveport, Louisiana because it is closest to Jefferson and boy, when you are in the Shreveport airport you know you are in the south -- every day at noon everyone in the airport comes to attention while they play the Star Spangled Banner over the loud speakers. The south is very proud of its patriotism.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
I'M STILL IN BETWEEN TRIPS
I haven't been travelling since I got back from the safari, but will be making some big trips in 2012 so stay tuned. First trip is in February, then a big trip in May and another big trip in October. So keep checking this blog.
SAFARI PACKING LIST
A few people have asked me for my packing list, so I thought I would add it here and annotate it. Because you need to fly on bush planes from one lodge to another, you are limited to one 25-pound check-in bag and one 10-pound carry on. That’s it! But it is not as restrictive as you may think (unless you are trying to haul 50 pounds of camera gear, which I recommend against).
BEFORE YOU PACK
· Before you pack, check www.packforapurpose.org. This is a great program that encourages travelers like us to bring just a few additional items that can be easily donated at your destination.
· Leave your vanity at home. Every day is a bad hair day (you cannot use any hair products at all because they attract insects); you’ll never look smartly turned out – always somewhat bedraggled. You’ll feel crisp and clean for about ten minutes after a shower and hot and sweaty after that.
· You can have your laundry done at the lodges – they pick up in the morning and return the clean laundry by dinner time.
· YOU REALLY DO NOT NEED AS MANY CLOTHES AS YOU THINK. REALLY! TRUST ME.
CLOTHES
All game drive clothes should be neutral colors – for example: khaki, sand, stone, olive, sage. Boring colors, but it helps you to blend in and not scare the animals. You can buy safari clothes that have both a sunblock SPF 15 or higher rating and also insect repellent embedded in the fiber (usually good through many washings). That is a big help because slathering on sunblock followed by a layer of insect repellent every day is yucky.
For clothes without the build-in insect repellent, you can buy a super-duper repellent and spray your clothes before you go – shirts, pants, and socks. Use something like Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent (you hang your clothes outdoors, spray them, then let them dry for 24 hours).· 2 pairs of pants: one to wear and one to pack
Pants with pockets in the legs are useful; pants that unzipper and turn into shorts are useful.
Get pants made of a material that wicks away moisture and has a built-in sunblock and dries fast when you wash them. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. DO NOT bring jeans – they are too heavy and don’t dry easily.
Pants with pockets in the legs are useful; pants that unzipper and turn into shorts are useful.
Get pants made of a material that wicks away moisture and has a built-in sunblock and dries fast when you wash them. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. DO NOT bring jeans – they are too heavy and don’t dry easily.
· 2-3 shirts: one to wear and 1-2 to pack
Layers are helpful – a tank top with a long-sleeve shirt over it is useful. Get shirts made of a material that wicks away moisture and has a built-in sunblock and dries fast when you wash them. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. You can even get ones that have insect repellent embedded in the fiber, which is very helpful.
Layers are helpful – a tank top with a long-sleeve shirt over it is useful. Get shirts made of a material that wicks away moisture and has a built-in sunblock and dries fast when you wash them. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. You can even get ones that have insect repellent embedded in the fiber, which is very helpful.
· 1 outfit for dinners at the lodges
Pack something that squishes down to nothing and you don’t care about wrinkles. You can skip this item entirely if you want – wearing game drive clothes at dinner is perfectly fine.
Pack something that squishes down to nothing and you don’t care about wrinkles. You can skip this item entirely if you want – wearing game drive clothes at dinner is perfectly fine.
· 2 sets of underwear
Ladies: buy underwear that dries fast and wicks away moisture. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. If you are a “full figured” woman, get bras that can provide good support for when you are bouncing around during game drives.
Ladies: buy underwear that dries fast and wicks away moisture. ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well. If you are a “full figured” woman, get bras that can provide good support for when you are bouncing around during game drives.
· 1 thin jacket for early mornings and evenings
I didn’t need it but several people in the tour group did. Again, ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well, or pack a really thin fleece jacket. It is also good to wear in the airplanes.
I didn’t need it but several people in the tour group did. Again, ExOfficio and Magellan’s sell good ones that really are comfortable and hold up well, or pack a really thin fleece jacket. It is also good to wear in the airplanes.
· 1 set night clothes
Nights get really cool but you’ll always be provided with blankets and comforters so pack something lightweight.
Nights get really cool but you’ll always be provided with blankets and comforters so pack something lightweight.
· 1 pair of walking shoes and maybe one pair of flip flops
All you really need is a pair of sandals that are closed-toed, allow air flow, have a band around the heel to keep them on your feet, and have good, sturdy soles. The closed-toe part is important to keep out the sand and dirt and the soles are important to protect you from thorns. You might want a pair of flip flops for walking to the pool or just relaxing in your room. (If you are traveling in the wet season, then perhaps water-tolerant shoes are better.)
All you really need is a pair of sandals that are closed-toed, allow air flow, have a band around the heel to keep them on your feet, and have good, sturdy soles. The closed-toe part is important to keep out the sand and dirt and the soles are important to protect you from thorns. You might want a pair of flip flops for walking to the pool or just relaxing in your room. (If you are traveling in the wet season, then perhaps water-tolerant shoes are better.)
· 2 pairs of socks: one to wear and one to pack
Get the kind that dry fast. I especially like the Tilley Walking Socks (http://www.tilley.com) because they are thin, easily washable, last forever, and fit well.
Get the kind that dry fast. I especially like the Tilley Walking Socks (http://www.tilley.com) because they are thin, easily washable, last forever, and fit well.
· Swimsuit: If you are a pool person, bring a swimsuit. All the lodges we stayed in had pools.
ACCESSORIES
· Hat: You need a hat with a brim wide enough to provide sun protection and that allows air flow. I recommend hats made by Tilley (http://www.tilley.com) because they are lightweight, easy to scrunch up and pack, and darn near indescructible.
· Jewelry: Leave gold and diamonds at home (I actually bought a simple silver ring to use as a substitute wedding ring). Ladies, wear one pair of earrings that you won’t cry over if they get lost, and pack one or two other pair if you really feel compelled. Some evenings it felt good to put on a different pair of earrings.
· Glasses: You will really want a good pair of dark glasses. A pair that protects your eyes from the side as well as the front is most useful in dusty situations. If you wear prescription reading glasses, it is a good idea to pack a spare pair.
· Flashlight: Don’t take a wimpy penlight. You use your flashlight to watch for wild animals as you walk to your room (yes, you are always escorted but it is good to have a fairly powerful light of your own) and also to check for critters on the floor in your room when you get up in the middle of the night. You’ll have to figure out your own balance between a powerful light and how much it weighs.
· Rain: Forget bringing anything. Getting wet on a hot day feels good and, besides, you’ll dry off pretty fast. However, I did bring a small, very lightweight umbrella to use in the sun.
· Carry-on bag: Get one that is lightweight but large enough to hold the following on your initial flight over to Africa:
o All your electronics
o All your medications
o One complete change of clothes (in case your check-in bag gets lost)
o A few basic toiletries
I weighed several large totes that I have but they were all too heavy (remember the bush plane limit of 10 pounds). I finally got a Rick Steve’s Civita Day Pack (available in most luggage stores and about $20) that worked like a champion. It is well designed, very lightweight, and seems to hold an amazing amount of stuff. Thank you Rick Steves.
TOILETRIES
· Your daily toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shaving gear, brush, deodorant, etc.
One trial-size toothpaste lasts for 2 weeks. Same for trial-size deodorant. Forget an electric toothbrush (you could probably keep one charged up but the extra weight is not worth it). If you are staying at good lodges, they supply shampoo and hand soap (which is also usable for doing hand laundry), so don’t pack that stuff.
One trial-size toothpaste lasts for 2 weeks. Same for trial-size deodorant. Forget an electric toothbrush (you could probably keep one charged up but the extra weight is not worth it). If you are staying at good lodges, they supply shampoo and hand soap (which is also usable for doing hand laundry), so don’t pack that stuff.
· Occasionally needed toiletries: moisture lotion, nail clipper & nail file, scissors & tweezers, glasses wipes (good for camera and binoculars also). Although I usually pack a small roll of duct tape on every trip (it is good for fixing shoes and luggage and who knows what else), I left it at home due to the weight limits.
· Wash cloths: I often take a face cloth when traveling because accommodations outside the USA do not provide those. I also often take a lightweight, water absorbent cloth to use for wringing out my hand laundry. You don’t really need those on this trip because you can use a corner of a towel to wash your face and your hand laundry dries quite quickly.
CAMERAS, ELECTRONICS, ETC.
Keep in mind that all cameras and binoculars will be hanging around your neck for up to seven hours a day, every day during your trip. Therefore, make sure the straps are friendly to the skin on your neck.
Keep in mind also that you’ll want to take all camera and electronic gear in your carry-on bag when flying.
· Camera: Take a nice camera but leave behind the super-duper professional camera body with the five lenses and the fantastic telephoto lens. The reality is that everything gets dusty, and most of the time you are shooting when something is in motion -- either the animals are moving, or the game truck is driving along, or the truck may be stopped but every time someone breathes the truck jiggles. Remember that the animals just do not stand there and pose for you and you cannot get out of the truck and set up a tripod. If you want to take professional-level photos or videos, then arrange a personal safari so that you have the game truck all to yourself and you can set up a tripod in the truck and wait at the watering hole for as long as you want to. For the rest of us, a good quality point-and-shoot works fine.
Be sure to take extra batteries or a charger to charge your camera battery.
Take one extra memory card – they are cheap enough to be worth it.
Be sure to take extra batteries or a charger to charge your camera battery.
Take one extra memory card – they are cheap enough to be worth it.
· Binoculars: I took a pair of medium-quality Nikon binos, but I noticed that the birder people brought their big, fancy binos. Take your pick. Also, the birders all wore their binos on a kind of harness that rested on their shoulders instead of their neck and looked a lot more comfortable than my neck strap.
· Other electronics: Cell phones with international coverage (I got the AT&T international package for my iPhone), iPads, Kindle, etc are fine. The good quality lodges all have wi-fi and I was able to send texts home to report that I hadn’t been eaten by a lion yet. Remember to pack your charge cables for every item.
· Adapters and transformers: You must bring an adapter plug for every country you are visiting (most luggage stores have a nifty list of exactly which adapter you need for each country). If your electronic item is relatively new (within the last couple of years), check to verify that it is dual voltage (110/220) – it probably is, which means that you do not need to pack a heavy transformer.
MISCELLANEOUS
· Medications: It is a pain in the behind, but pack your medications in their original containers. (I usually don’t do that, but did on this trip just in case some customs official was in a bad mood.) For prescription medications, take enough to last the duration of the trip plus another 4-5 days in case you get stuck in an airport and you are away from home longer than planned.
Be sure to bring your malaria medication. This is what our tour company recommended:
“Currently the CDC recommends the drug mefloquine, marketed as “Larium,” to protect against the chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria. There is an anti-malarial drug (Malarone) that received formal approval from the FDA in 2000. Please discuss these options with your physician. We have experienced that many travelers have had bad reactions to Larium and to date there seem to be fewer side effects caused by Malarone. Malarone is prescribed based on the number of days spent in an infected area.”
From the experience reported in conversations during the trip, the side effects of Larium were hallucinations. Most people in my tour group were taking Malarone with no side effects; a few people had low-level nausea for a few days.
In addition, most travel doctors also write a prescription for some kind of antibiotic to take if you get severely ill with diarrhea. Be sure to bring that stuff too (although, we had no problems during our tour).
· Insect repellent: You don’t need a huge bottle if you only need to cover your neck, face, hands, and ankles. Get one that has at least 30% DEET and is in a spray pump container, not a pressurized spray can (repellent in pressured spray cans are often removed from your luggage as a hazardous material).
· Sunblock: Bring sunblock (SPF 25 or higher). Because I don’t like the sticky feel of sunblock on my skin, I wore long-sleeved quick-wick, quick-dry shirts that have a SPF 15 built into the fiber. That was very helpful. But I still needed sunblock for my hands, neck, face, and ankles.
· Hand sanitizer: You don’t need much because most places you go have washing facilities. But it is nice to have in airports and for tea time in the bush.
· Sewing kit: I always take a little sewing kit that consists of one small spool of thread and a needle and thimble. However, if you pack a needle with a large enough eye, you can use dental floss as thread to sew a button back on.
· Laundry line: I brought one but never used it. I just draped hand washing over towel racks and chair backs. Worked fine.
· Makeup: It’s your choice, but then again trying to figure out which stuff to put on first (makeup, sunblock, insect repellent) gets confusing. This is not a glamour trip.
· 1 or 2 extra luggage tags: Let’s face it, these things get ripped off by airport machinery and rough handling. Best to have an extra handy for the trip home.
· Extra pen (or two)
· Time: Bring a small, travel alarm clock. You’ll need it to get up in time for those early morning game drives. You’ll probably want to wear a watch, too.
· Bandanas: Bring at least two – one pre-treated with insect repellent to wear around you neck occasionally, and one untreated one to sit on, or to get wet and mop your face.
· Kleenex: Bring several packets (I blew my nose a lot because the dust).
· Toilet paper: You need to provide your own toilet paper if you have to go in the bush during a game drive. I make a roll that, when squashed flat, fits in a snack-size zip lock bag (I usually bring five or six of these). Any paper you use in the bush must be packed out with you, so you’ll end up putting the used paper back in the zip lock bag and throwing out the whole thing back at the lodge.
· Extra zip lock bags: I always pack a few empty zip lock bags – the 1 qt size and the 1 gal size. They come in handy every now and then and don’t weigh much.
FIRST AID
· Pain reliever: Bring some over-the-counter pain reliever. · Pepto Bismol (this soothes an unsettled digestive system and also kills some bacteria that may be causing problems)
· Immodium AD (for when Pepto Bismol is not enough to solve the problem)
· Antibiotic ointment (a small tube is enough)
· Bandaids
· Aloe gel (for sunburn or any scrape)
· Tooth wax (I always bring this on every trip in case I break a tooth or a filling breaks off. You stuff the area with tooth wax and you can tough it out until you get home. It comes in a very small case.)
· Eye drops (very helpful after a dusty game drive; I suggest the kind that comes in individual doses)
LEGAL STUFF, $$, ETC.
· Passport: For USA travelers, the expiration date must be at least six months after your return date. In addition, you must have at least four completely empty pages for visa entry and exit stamps (visa pages, not the amendment/endorsement pages in the back).
Make three photo copies of your passport (I also write my emergency contact info and my allergies on the photocopies), then put one copy in your check-in bag where it is easy to find, one in your carry-on bag, and one in your wallet or money purse.
· Extra passport photos: Bring two extra passport photos. Not sure why, but most travel agencies say it is a good idea.
· Yellow, World Health Organization immunization form
· Money: In reality, you can use US dollars exclusively for all tipping and market purchases. In South Africa they prefer that you pay with Rands. In Botswana and Zambia, they prefer US dollars. Do not expect that people will have change in US dollars. Therefore, bring small bills. My suggestion is: 10% in 20’s, 50% in 10’s, 20% in 5’s, and 20% in 1’s. Yes, that ends up to be a bulky pile of money, but live with it. I took $1000 with me and had quite a time of it trying to pack stacks of cash in different places in my carry-on bag and on my person.
· Credit card: Bring one. Make sure you notify the card carrier of your trip dates and destinations. I also write down the emergency phone number from the back of the card and stick it with my money or in my check-in bag.
· Visas: You do not need a visa for South Africa or Botswana. However, you need to buy a visa when you enter Zambia – they require $50 cash in US dollars. So just put $50 in an envelope and keep it separate from your spending money.
· Tips: Don’t forget to budget money for tips. Tip the lodge staff, the guides, and any other drivers you have.
Guides: General recommendation is $5/day, but I think $10 is better considering the amount of time they spend.
Lodge housekeeping: General recommendation is $3/day.
· Tickets and accommodation confirmations: All tickets, vouchers, reservation confirmations, and contact information in case things do not work out as planned.
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