I'm BAAAaaack!

Spain was an incredible trip and a place I was so happy to have had the privilege to visit. That's me standing next to the Don Quixote and Sancho Panza tribute statue for Miguel de Cervantes in Madrid in the center photo. All of the photos in this collage were taken by me during my trip with the exception of that one. I spent a few days in Sevilla, one day in Toledo, and a few more days in Madrid.

I've compiled some travel observations from this trip:

1. Vale (pronounced Bah-lay) means "okay." I heard it everywhere. People added it to the ends of sentences, beginnings of sentences, as one word answers or responses.
2. Tipping: Unlike here in the United States where tipping 10%, 15%, 20% or more is normal and expected in most service situations, that is not the case in Spain. When tipping, I gave very little and rarely. It wasn't because I was stingy or frugal. Service workers earn a decent wage unlike many doing the same work in the U.S. Tips are just not necessary.
3. La cuenta (pronounced lah kwen-ta) means "the bill." After eating in restaurants, you must ask for the bill or you will never see one. To test this theory, after the service was over and I declined dessert and additional beverages, I waited and continued chatting. This went on for a good 15 minutes or so and no bill arrived. It wasn't until I physically got my waiter's attention and asked for la cuenta did I receive one.
4. El tiempo (pronounced ehl tee-ehm-poh) is "the weather." March was the perfect time of year to visit Spain if you wish to sight see. The mornings were brisk in the low to mid 60's warming up to 70's by noon. I easily handled a sweatshirt leaving the hotel and either wrapped it around me or stuffed it inside a day bag when it got too warm. It did not rain one bit, but it would have been fine since my sweatshirt had a hood stitched to it.
5. Having cooler temperatures made sightseeing religious locations such as Gothic cathedrals and churches easier because I was able to wear jeans and either my sweatshirt or collared shirt to show respect for the place.
6. Vino tinto (pronounced beano teen-to) which means "red wine" actually cost less than ordering a glass of soda in most places. One restaurant charged .60€ (Euros) less for my glass of wine than for a soda.
7. Soda will come in a bottle/can or fresh from a tap (if it is a more modern restaurant) with a glass containing some ice. Diet soda is called (name of the soda) + light. Below is a picture of a Diet Coke can from Spain. If you want a regular soda, just call it by the (name of the soda) + regular (or "normal"). Regular is pronounced ray-goo-lahr and normal is pronounced nor-mahl. Either word may be used interchangeably.
   
8. Tickets may be worded differently depending upon the location and attraction. Some exhibits called tickets to get in taquillas (pronouned tah-key-yahs) while other more larger exhibits called them billetes (pronouned bee-yeah-teahs). Always check for signs to know which word to use.
9. La siesta (pronouned lah see-ay-sta) means "the nap" or "the nap time." Despite a lot of the guidebooks claiming mass shut downs during a 2-3 hour period in the afternoons, I really did not find this to be an issue on my trip. I still found plenty of stores, restaurants and museums open throughout the afternoon and into the evening to meet any need that I had. Perhaps if you are traveling more off the beaten path, you may run into this situation.
10. The people were so kind and willing to chat there. Whether I sat in a plaza, stood in line or having lunch or dinner, Spaniards were most kind and took the time to chat a bit with me. I remember waiting to place an order at a dessert/pastry shop and while a couple of older ladies were waiting for their order to be fulfilled, we had a wonderful conversation about how many years they had visited that very shop together as friends. It's an incredible way to improve your Spanish on the spot. I tried not to miss an opportunity to use my Spanish. You shouldn't either!

I hope my observations above help you as you plan your trip to Spain. If you have visited Spain, why not share some of your observations, tips or helpful hints in the comment section below?

¡Hasta luego!

~Keith

Trips Require a Lot of Prep Work

I will embark on my first trip to Spain very soon. Though I’m finishing with last minute preparations for the trip, I thought I would recount the various things I am doing to help make it a more enjoyable vacation.

1. Select the city (or cities) you wish to visit. This posed some challenges for me. Why? There were so many places in Spain I wanted to visit and a very short period of time to travel. I ended up selecting the two most important cities I wanted to visit: Seville and Madrid. Be realistic in your destination selections in terms of travel time there and back as well as what you can see and do there.
2. Decide when you will go. I chose spring as it bypasses the cold winter temperatures and is before the hot summer months and crowds. Decide carefully as you will have to give up certain things such as for me, the Feria in April (Spain) and other cultural events (like bullfight season). Lock in your time by requesting vacation time at work or blocking it out on a calendar.
3. Make a list of the sights you want to see and activities you want to do there. You will go through your list and mark if they are open or available for the time you are going and when. Google hours and prices and jot them down on your list too.
4. Create a table containing each “day” you will be there. Under each heading, write down which activities are available for each day and include the hours. Don’t worry about having a long list for each day. You will weed it down further later on. Repeat the same activities each day they are available.
5. Conduct prep work by reading about your destinations through guide books, magazine or newspaper articles and internet searches. Incorporate any findings in your list. Don't forget to research national holidays or days when certain places will be closed as well as sleeping accommodations and transportation. This would be a good point to print out a map of the city and star each sight and activity on the map. Try to find reasonable lodging in a more central area around all of the sights and activities you want to do. Keep in mind that you will be spending more time out and about rather than at a hotel. Don't focus so much on amenities and more on location and price. In Seville, I chose to stay at Hesperia Sevilla and in Madrid, Hotel Europa. They are moderately priced and more centrally located to places I want to visit in each city.
6. Use your map and your table to find sights and activities that are close by each other. This will help keep transportation costs down getting from one place to another. Make an educated guess on how much time you will want to spend at each place (use your research from Step # 5 to help you answer this question). Start crossing off activities by the day on your list that are not near each other. Cluster sights and activities by the proximity to each other and not from your hotel. You don't want to spend a couple of hours at one place, just to spend that same amount of time getting to the next location. Make sure you are able to hit each activity or place once throughout your stay.
7. Book your lodging accommodations and flight arrangements. Consider flying out the night before. For me, I made sure to get an evening flight so I may sleep the night away while traveling to the location. Look for ways you can incorporate sleeping time into getting to your next destination. It not only saves you time, but energizes you for the next part of the journey.
8. Get addresses for each sight, activity and lodging that you can print out and have offline. I recommend printing out a map you can fold easily to place in your pocket that has the addresses on one side and the starred location on the map. During rest times, you can consult your map and make alterations to your itinerary faster. Plus, this is easier than carrying around a guide book. You should also print out a copy of your flight itinerary and hotel reservations. They often contain reservation numbers that you can give the receptionist quickly.
9. Finally, start packing at least a couple of weeks before your trip. throw everything you think you will want to take in your luggage. Then start playing devils advocate with each article. Really justify it going with you. Be practical and reasonable. Weed out frivolous items keeping in mind that you will be enjoying the location (people and culture). If you think of it from that perspective, it will help get you down enough so that you are not lugging around everything and the kitchen sink! Unlike popular demand, you do not need a new outfit for each day you are gone. I recommend taking one small suitcase and one small "day" bag. You will thank me later when you're rushing through train stations, bus terminals and airports.

Some more tips:

• Don’t try to cram too many activities in one day. You will pull your hair out trying to get them all done and not have very much fun in the process. Depending upon the amount of time at each location, select a handful of sights or activities per day. It is always easier to add another activity to your day's schedule than feeling like you have to fit it all in one day.
• Fifteen to twenty days before your trip, contact your local bank branch and order a few hundred dollars in the currency of the country you are visiting. This will help you when you land and must find a taxi or other transportation to get you to your hotel during late night arrivals or very early ones. Banks may not always be open when you arrive and ATM machines may not always function properly. Plus, the exchange rates could be worse at travel facilities such as airports, train terminals or bus stations. Local bank branches will often need at least 10 days to order specific currency. This will help make you saner when you get off your flight.
• Carry a phrasebook or pocket-size dictionary at all times. Even if you know how to speak the language, you may be traveling with others who do not or you may not be familiar with all vocabulary on signs or words spoken to you. If you are the only one who speaks the language in your group, it will help your traveling companions feel better knowing they can consult a phrasebook or dictionary if you are unconscious or incapacitated. Be safe! Think ahead!
• Don’t keep money in one spot on your body. Spread it around (like in socks, shoes, different pants pockets, etc.). If you get mugged, you will feel better knowing you have some extra cash stashed elsewhere on you to help get you by until you can get some help or additional currency.
• Check for specific inoculations for the country you are visiting. Some injections may require that you have a series or the injection months before you set foot in the country. You can Google search for government inoculation recommendations.
• Don’t bring your current cellphone. This is a perfect opportunity to use your previous “old” phone. If something happens, you won’t be out an expensive phone. Often times, you can set your old phone to the factory reset and set it up as your own audio guide or offline map holder. This way, if your phone is stolen, important and sensitive information about you will not become the property of another.
• Photocopy your passport (the page with your photo on it) before your trip and carry it separately from your passport. Never keep them in the same piece of luggage or on you at the same time. Again, if something happens to your passport, you can bring your photocopy to a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate for assistance.
• Have a list of allergies and medications that you take with you when you are out sightseeing. This list will help medical professionals attend to your needs in an emergency. It would be helpful to look up the terms in a dictionary to have the translation available.

What preparations do you do for trips? Do you have any helpful tips? Comment below and keep the conversation going.

¡Buen viaje!

~Keith

Time to Plug In

Time is quickly counting down for my trip to Spain. I am very excited in the fact that this is my first trip to Spain. I've traveled throughout Guatemala and Mexico -- even over to England and Ireland, but never to Spain. I've always wanted to visit this country. To prepare, I have to worry about converting the electronics I bring to European electrical standards. This can be tricky if I don't pay attention.

First and foremost, I do whatever I can to leave expensive electronics at home. There is no sense in taking everything but the kitchen sink to another country when you will be spending 95% or so of your time sightseeing and enjoying that country, its customs and people. My mantra: Bring the essentials. For me, that is an old smartphone, a digital camera, an Amazon Kindle and an electric shaver.

Wait a minute, "an old smartphone?" But why?

As unfortunate as it is, there are pickpockets that target tourists. Spain is no different. I don't wish to lose my expensive smartphone walking about the city streets when I have a perfectly decent "old" smartphone I can use. This is one good reason to hang onto your previous smartphone and not sell it or get rid of it. My old phone is smaller, beat up a bit and will work nicely on my trip. I'm going to use it to store maps and audio guides for my trip to access offline. Great idea, huh?

Most of Europe is on an electrical standard of 220 volts. That is double the amount of electricity used in the U.S. It's important to understand this difference because any device that is plugged in must be able to handle that higher voltage. If it cannot, you risk frying your device and casting it off to the trash bin before you even get home.

You would need one of two things: either a power converter or a power adapter.

The power converter will "convert" the high 220 volts down to the American standard for devices that cannot handle the European voltage. The power adapter is for devices that can handle the higher voltage, but to adapt the electricity flowing into your device by swapping out its plug type. Most devices in the U.S. have two, vertical flat prongs and/or the third ground prong when plugging into a wall socket. Wall sockets will be different in Europe. The adapter will allow you to plug into their wall sockets.

Read the very small (black on black (usually)) print on the power brick or device. Look for where it says "input." Make sure it can receive voltage of up to 220. If your device cannot handle that, then you will need a power converter. I checked and all of my devices can receive the 220 volts, so I just need an adapter.

I found a cheap adapter selling for around $7.00 on Amazon called the Ceptics Grounded Universal Plug Adapter for Europe (Type C). In the picture of my adapters, it comes in a box of 3 plugs. You can click on the above picture to see the adapter close up. If you notice, I can fit all the standard American plug types into it. I love how small they are and convenient to carry in my luggage for the trip.

¡Hasta luego!
~Keith