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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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OXXO, please send me any recommendations you have for San Sebastian, especially pintxos bars. We are spending four nights there, too.
Right now, I have Borda Berri and La Mejillonera on the must-do list. Did you eat at either of those?
I gotta start my own Spain post.......
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Was stationed in Rota Spain during my first two years in the Navy (1968-70). It was a treat! The Costa del Sol had so many great places to eat
paella. I'll never forget those days. Went back in 1990 and visited the same places, including Puerto Banus near Marbella, a beautiful marina area
with lots of fantastic seafood restaurants. I would not hesitate to go back to that area for another visit.
So sorry to hear about your experience in Barcelona!
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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Stickers
Senior Nomad
Posts: 571
Registered: 4-12-2006
Location: SoCal
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Blanca,
This very same heist happened to friends of mine from L.A. two weeks ago upon arriving in Barcelona.
When you started posting from Spain I was going to warn you but figured that this doesn't happened to everyone, guess I was wrong.
They said they guy that ripped them off was well dressed, well mannered and very kindly trying to fix their flat tire.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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oh Stickers...I totally understand why you didn't post it but I really wish you had....just having the possibility in the back of the mind helps so
much.
Hook et al - I think that anything related to Spain belongs right here! Ask away! and others, please tell your good (I hope there aren't more bad)
stories here too. Living and learning.
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4Cata
Nomad
Posts: 115
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: Yosemite area
Member Is Offline
Mood: Siempre alegre!
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So how did you like Gaudi? Did you get to his park? How about La Sagrada Familia cathedral? Wowsers! Hope you got some tapas though Valencia is
one of THE tapas centers. So sorry about your experience. I use a decoy wallet with expired cards that helps me feel better but I guess I've been
pretty lucky. Plus my across the body travel purse has steel mesh in the bottom and steel cables in the strap. Never lost anything yet. Hope the
rest of your trip is good. Can't wait to see your photos.
Agaveros, silk in a bottle, a beautiful bottle!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  |
Hook et al - I think that anything related to Spain belongs right here! Ask away! and others, please tell your good (I hope there aren't more bad)
stories here too. Living and learning. |
No, I really have to start my own. We have so few places in common. I am flying back into Valencia from Pisa, but I simply grab a rental car and head
south. My main areas will be San Sebastian, Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla, La Rioja. You stayed quite a ways outside of Madrid, as I recall.
Barcelona could have been helpful.........but I understand your reluctance to stay. All in all, it was helpful. We will be on our guard.
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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Hook, if you have a rental car try not to miss the Alhambra, outside of Granada.
[Edited on 6-4-2015 by vandenberg]
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline
Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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If you are in Pisa, absolutely do not miss the short side trip to the Cinque Terre region just north of Spezia. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY. Forget going
to Portofino, too touristy. Best to hire a guide to tell you all about the history of this hidden gem. We used Umberto (info@cinqueterretour.it) -
excellent!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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Definitely doing Cinque Terre. That will be in my Italian post......on a Baja board. 
Also hitting Lucca, Greve in Chianti, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Siena. Not sure about Florence. I might have Christian Icon Overload by then. Also
favoring smaller towns in Tuscany.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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sounds like a wonderful trip! we did stop at Portofino last trip and had a cup of coffee as I recall, then we moved on.
Same with cinque terra but it deserved a longer stay - simple stunning.
Today we went south to COSTA BLANCA and it was fun -more on that tomorrow. Just got back to England.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Back to England? Girlie, you are going to be back in time for Hurricane Blanca........if the airport isnt closed before that.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Mood: Weary
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Well, there is always Cleveland....What happened to Poland?
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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LOL! Barcelona not high on your list, Chuckie?
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Another vote for San Sebastian from me. The people of that city have a wonderful custom of going for walks through their neighborhoods every night
after dinner. The streets are marginally empty throughout the day until around 7pm and then suddenly they're stuffed with people until about 9:30pm.
And all they're doing is walking around and socializing. Then it all subsides and the streets are empty again. I witnessed this in the city's center.
Nobody was actually buying anything at the stores - just walking. Really cool. Can't imagine anything like that in LA or San Diego. Totally different
lifestyle and mentality.
There is something like that at the square at San Ignacio after the heat lifts as well. It does seem to be a magnet for the young (and their
skateboards (boo)).
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churro
Nomad
Posts: 195
Registered: 5-6-2013
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Have some tapas for me!
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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we are headed to Poland soon but this is our home base (England).
Yesterday we drove south to the COSTA BLANCA area south of Valencia and it was really beautiful! My favorite was a town called BENIDORM. It
reminded me of Rio de Janeiro. Gorgeous beach, lovely promenade with many women, men, kids, dogs walking. Lots of buildings but wide open streets.
Driving south, we saw so many castle on the hillsides.
I remembered something I forgot to mention earlier: no alcohol is sold after 10 pm except in restaurants anywhere in Spain. I cant remember any
country I have been to that had that law.
4cata - About Barcelona, there are no pics (stolen ipad and iphone and our camera was back in England) at all. Tapas are in every single restaurant,
paella is offered in every single restaurant. We took a tour around Barcelona but did not get out anywhere - Gaudi's work is odd and complicated at
Sagrada Familia. It was packed there. My favorite part of his work is the mosaic and I got a mosaic t-shirt that honors him. Barcelona is beautiful
but we really didn't have a chance to appreciate it.
A decoy wallet is a good idea but our stuff was stolen from INSIDE the car since we had no clue it was a heist....I think the rule is: LOCK THE CARE
EVERY SECOND YOU ARE NOT IN IT. and that goes for Mexico or Brazil or Spain.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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While on tour in Italy, at one of the over the highway restaurtant/ rest stops, our guide (an Italian) pointed out a group of gypsies and warned us to
mind our wallets, that they were supreme pick pockets. Gypsies belong to no one country and by treaty can cross borders freely without passports... at
least that is what we were told in 1985. Traditionally, I think they originated in Romania.
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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If any of you are in the Costa del Sol area of Spain (I know Blnca won't be) you should add an extra day to your visit and drive to Gibraltar and see
their "INTERESTING" airport:
and then visit the 300 strong colony of Barbary apes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_macaques_in_Gibraltar
And if you have another extra day you should take the ferry across the Straits to Africa and Visit Morroco.
Bob Durrell
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1335
Registered: 9-2-2006
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Over 1000 years ago in India, actually, and the target of persecution for many centuries.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy#Origins
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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I will second that trip. BE SURE you get a guide at the northern border into Morocco. They are inexpensive ($20.00 for the whole day). Do not be
alarmed when the border guards take your passports into the customs office and don't come back with them for about 10 minutes.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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