Okay this is it, my last entry (If I forget something, I will just edit this entry :-P)

Edit: Angela, if you came back here, I responded to your comment under "An Evening in Salamanca"

Edit: I forgot to give the site feed http://whereisjoeytoday.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you have a blog aggregator my next blog comes to you (I use Mozilla Thunderbird for mail and for blogs for example).

Oh and FYI, I updated my Florence blog with photos it disappeared for a while so you need to click on February 2006 on the right hand side and scroll past Rome (if you hit Seville you have gone to far)

25b) After you take a fair amount of pictures and movies (I am very near the 1300 mark) you need to back them up. I recommend that you make two backups (at least) keep one CD with you (Walmart sells wooden CD boxes that are very protective for 3 bucks) and the other, send home. Then depending on how paranoid you are, "protect" or "lock" your favorite photos on the camera and just delete the others.

When Dad went to Europe, he had a good idea. He took about 150 photos in Europe (what a difference a digital camera makes; I nearly took an order of magnitude more in less than half the time) and decided to enlarge five. Those photos always interested me as a kid, and funnily enough, most of them were from Norway, which was the first country I visited, if you don't count a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam. So now I am in the process of deciding which photos will make my wall. I took more, so I will probably best Dad's five to something around 10 or 11. I am also including a extra print of his copy of the Viking Ship, which is best shot of it I have ever seen, including on the posters at the Vikingskiphuset.

I have two requirements for the enlarged photos (11x14)

1.) It must be a good, interesting photo.
2.) It can't be of anything immediately recognizable (no Colloseum, Trevi fountain, Eiffel Tower etc)

So here are my candidates/definites (some will look familiar):






Plaza Mayor, Salamanca











Fortress in Avila













Marienplatz, Munich














Pompeii Scavi, Naples
















Inside the leaning tower of pizza



















University/Church Belltower, Granada

















Garden in the Alhambra, Granada













Gran Via, Madrid
















Avila, again

















Back entrance to the Alhambra, Granada











Barberi Ape, Gibraltar











First off...YES I know that it is not the leaning tower of "pizza" it is Pisa..I get it.

I saw in the paper today that they sell a 2Gb San Disk card which would have held all the photos I snapped.

Okay I am pretty sure I have put everything here that I wanted to...until I change my mind. Anything I think of related to the trip that is quick and passing, I will just put on my personal blog (http://joeyisrighthere.blogspot.com)

I am getting a picture of the Seville Cathedral at night printed, laminated and mounted on foam tonight for pickup tomorrow. This will tell me if this is the right way to go about making the photos or not.

So until next time, whenever that "time" is...

Adios, Arrivederci, Au revoir, und Tschuss

--Joey

If this is not my last post of the blog it is one of the last two until I hit the road again. I wanted to give a few wrap up bits and advice for anyone doing the same thing.

Here is a (far from complete) list of 25 conclusions drawn, lessons learned, and advice offered for an extended trip

1.) Rail Passes aren't always a good idea. With the advent of discount airlines in Europe, you really have to think hard whether traveling by rail is a good idea. It is generally expensive (a rail pass is every bit of 40 euros per day when doing a "flexi-ticket". Throughout Spain and Italy, train tickets are fairly cheap (Rome-Naples was 25 euros with return).

2.) On a related note, consider cheap airlines like Ryan Air, easyJet, et al. It is possible to fly to London Stanstedt (a hike from everything you want to see but still...) for 10 euros + taxes. If you are on a more strict timetable it may be even more worthwhile. Like their domestic counterparts, you need to book in advance.

3.) Don't take jeans. I took one pair and they were such a pain to deal with. Dryers are far from ubiquitous in Spain and Italy, and if you are drying them au natural, it takes lots of time. Instead, try thinner cargo pants like you find at Walmart for 15 bucks. Not only do they roll well, but the huge pockets let you keep your dictionary, travel guide, pens, and more at easy access.

4.) The people in Spain are very friendly especially in Andalusia. Frequently they will even switch to English at least to ask you if you would prefer to speak it over Spanish. They always appreciate your effort however. I found the same to be true in Italy, where I did not speak the language (though Spanish helped a lot there). If they didn't speak your language they would always at least point you in the right direction. I even found this to be true in Munich where people warned me the German population wasn't as warm to tourists (never understood that, also great people). Paris was even decent with the list of preparations I made (check that post)

5.) Take an MP3 player. They aren't that expensive (I got mine for 99 bucks at Walmart) and if you have a book on tape, music, or even talkshows that will make long boring train rides much more palatable. That said, break it out only when you are either alone, or with people that are sleeping. The conversations you have with others will be far more memorable than whatever you are listening to. As an aside, I recommend the Phil Hendrie Show (or for mentally disturbed and twisted people like me, the Opie and Anthony show but Audible gave me a fit with my player) for both news/commentary and comedy.

6.) Make sure you stray off the tourist path once in a while. It is so tempting to just have a brochure visit to a country but that doesn't give you an accurate picture of the nation (or more accurately the city). I remember hearing people tell me they loved traveling to the US. Where did they go? New York City. Most people loved Florida. By Florida they mean Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Not only is there more to Florida than Magic Kingdom and Epcot, there is more to Disney World than the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Some of my most memorable moments were far removed from the fatsos with fannypacks under yellow umbrellas.

7.) Learn some of every language of every country you visit. I know people speak English, I get it. Still, you make a much better impression if you can ask them in their language if they speak English and say thank you. That is what is known as absolute minimal effort. Here is a slightly more comprehensive list

I am sorry, I do not speak ______ Do you speak English?
Where is the bathroom?
I would like...
Thank you
Please
Your Welcome
Left, Right, straight,
How far(distance/time) is
Excellent
Cheers
I love _______

That takes no time to learn (or very little) and you will probably find the reaction of others to be far better. Your mileage may vary. And of course, if you know far in advance that you are going to a certain country (for example 2 weeks in Italy), pick up a guide book with common phrases and do more than that list.

8.) Don't fall into the trap of thinking you only speak English. BS. You speak enough to order food without falling back on your linguistic crutch. Doing the Europe bit as totally made me lose ALL respect for Spanish (or any speaker of western languages...I will cut Asians more slack because it is SO different) immigrants who ask for picture menus or Spanish speakers at McDonalds. That is pure, 100% laziness on their part and don't let any bleeding heart tell you otherwise. I was one of them (to a lesser extent) before I left, essentially arguing that learning a language is so difficult, and hey you don't speak another language either so be patient! Yeah I was an idiot. Quiero un Big Mac, Ich mochte eine Big Mac lather rinse repeat according to geographic location. It ain't that hard. I bought a cell phone using Spanish two or three weeks after arriving in Marbella which is far more complicated than figuring out what soda you want to drink. Every immigrant gets a four week grace period before fast food transactions should be in English.

9.) If you are going to Europe for the first time and can't figure out where you want to go and you only have 7-10 days (10 should be the minimum) you should definitely pick Italy. Between the Alps of the north, the rolling hills of Tuscany, the majesty of Rome, the Caserta palace and the ruins of Pompeii in Naples all the way to the land of the Godfather in Sicily (unfortunately I didn't make it that far south...or to Caserta for that matter) you really can't go wrong. Of course the true highlight of any Italian trip is the Gelati (ice cream!) and pizza which I found it better in Rome and Naples than in Florence.

10.) English is an "easy" language to learn. If we had say-what-you-see pronounciation it would be the PERFECT language. I asked many people who speak 3 languages (where English was 2nd or 3rd) and almost without exception, they said English was the easiest to pick up. Who were the people that said otherwise? Brazilians and Dutch. For Brazilians, some (less than half I met) told me that they found Spanish to be easier. For those of you that have never seen Portugese written, it is nearly exactly Spanish. For one Dutch man I met, he found either English or German to be easiest (too close to call).

11.) Youth Hostels don't always make sense in Spain if you are travelling with others. Hostals (hostels are called Albergue Juvenil or Hostels) are usually one or two star hotels. Clean rooms, with a bed, a bathroom (frequently in the room) and occasionally a tv for less than 40 euros a night. So why should you stay at a hostel? It is more fun. You meet an interesting collection of folks no matter where you stay. Oh and usually there is no limit on age. My accomodation list

Casa de Felipe - Avila, Spain - The last time I walked into a restaurant/hostal I was surrounded by hash. I am glad I decided to give this one a chance, as it was great and cheap (though I wouldn't eat there)
Hostal ________, Toledo, Spain - I forgot the name of this place (maybe Angela can help me out) but it had a great "view of Toledo" (I think I got all the mileage out of that substandard pun that I can possibly get), however the lack of warm water was rough.
Funky Backpacker's Hostel - Granada, Spain - Great friendly hostel (I returned to it) with free web access
Hostal Zurita - Granada, Spain - In Plaza Trinidad. Nice location with TV (shared bath)
Hostal Seville - Granada, Spain - Also in the Plaza Trinidad, no hot water...uff
Albergue Juvenil - Seville, Spain - Clean, hospital like atmosphere, cheap (12 euros), good water, far from the action
Hostel Archi Rossi - Florence, Italy - Great place to stay, real breakfasts, good atmosphere, tied for the best place I stayed while in Europe
Waiting Room - Torino Train Station, Italy - You have to sleep in chairs, but it is free
Pop-Inn Hostel - Rome, Italy - The worst hostel I stayed at (still pretty decent) in Europe. It's appeal is its impossibly close location to the Termini station. The Shared Bathrooms have ridiculous ratios of at least 15 to 1. Plus the American running it recommended a local eatery that was a rip off.
The Wombat - Munich, Germany - This is the other one in the running for best hostel. Great hot water pressure, on site laundry, bar with free drink (each stay) and Paulaner on tap. Really ridiculously clean.

12.) Eating doesn't have to be expensive and you don't have to eat McDonalds either. Bakeries are great places to pick up an Empanada, a loaf of bread, or a local specialty. All of which are usually in the 1-3 Euro range. Restaurants, are more expensive (especially in touristy areas) and they take time! Supermarkets are great places to pick up the necessities and it lets you see normal people in normal life. Also if you want a cafe atmosphere, go away from all the sights. In Salamanca, Angela and I had Cafe Con Leche, Lasagna, Meatballs, Greenbeans and something else (Tapa sizes) and water for less than 5 euros. Oh and 5-10% tipping is just dandy in restaurants, and completely overkill for bartenders.

13.) Don't be picky regarding food. I ran into so many people that said "I hate eating in Spain because you never know what all is in the food". Unless you have a death allergy just eat it. Believe me you won't keel over. What is the worst that happens? You spit it into a napkin with your choice of discreetness. Who cares?

14.) Don't bring/rent a bike or car for Europe. Melvin told me he considered buying a bike, getting it checked, assembling it for city use, dissembling it and bringing it back to New York. He later was very glad he didn't do that. However, next to driving in Rome, the bike plan sounds like one of the most brilliant ideas since electric lighting. You don't need cars in Europe...just don't do it. Of course, ignore advice on both if you are going out into the country. If I had more time on my trip while I was in Florence, I would have gone on a (one or two) day bike tour of Tuscany.

15.) Be careful on public transportation. I was overly paranoid about pickpockets, but you can prepare yourself to lower your risk. Always put your leg through your backpack, don't keep much money in your wallet, wear a money belt, and an around the neck pouch. Try not to look lost (don't break out that map/tourist book in seedy areas), and keep moving. In all the stories of people that got pickpocketed the situation was ALWAYS the same. They were stationary (subways and buses usually) and were distracted. The scumbags that do that are not magicians, the can't freeze and resume time. Put your hand on your belongings and be alert...you'll be fine. Oh and ask your hostel where you should not go in the city. Usually Bus Stations and Train Stations are not the best at night.

16.) Don't bring a laptop unless you are staying in hotels with safes or some place you really trust (family or friends). Cyber cafes (in Spain they are frequently called Locutorios) are everywhere and it is just not worth the hassle. I also recommend you get a USB 8 in 1 card reader. Not all cameras can just plug in and have the photos accessible. Similarly, don't bring anything like a hair dryer. I don't care what kind of converter you have, it isn't going to do the job. Oh and Alarm Clocks should be battery powered. They use 50Hz instead of 60, so unless you want to lose 2 hours a day, just buy it there.

17.) Start a travel blog! It is not difficult (it helps to do a practice entry before you leave) and blogger makes it really easy to share your experiences/pictures. It is perfect for keeping in contact with large groups of people without pestering those that couldn't possibly care less. I also recommend blogger because they automatically give you an RSS feed that others can tap in to. Just don't let your blogging stop you from seeing sights (night time is usually good for writing) If you aren't blogging, at least keep a journal. Days can feel like weeks and you will not remember many details from your trip after you get back. Also try to get photos with people you meet along the way (especially if you spend more than a day with someone or a group of someones).

18.) Contrary to what Douglas Adams thinks, don't bring a towel. The hostels usually supply them for free or a slight charge. They take up valuable backpack space and if damp really stink up your other clothes.

19.) Spend a few nights in the same place to avoid feeling stressed. If you pick a place that is more or less central to sights it helps...alot. For example, Florence is near Pisa and not too far from Milan (3 hour train). I was able to spend 4 nights at the same place which allowed me to get comfortable. When you stay for a night somewhere, then change the next you will go crazy. If you get a chance, book ahead of time. Hostelworld.com is a good resource.

20.) Similar note, ask people where to stay (or where not to) while at hostels. Hostellers are the best source of information about accomodations, restaurants, cool places to visit, etc. Plus, everyone loves to unload their tidbits/cautionary tales.

21.) If you need something cheap, the dollar store equivalents of Spain are "Tiendas de Chinos" frequently called Chinese Bazaars. It is all cheap crap, but it saves you a lot of money at times. My 14 euro alarm clock could have been 2 at the local tienda de chinos, and for two euros I wouldn't care if the snooze button was pure lead that had to be licked to activate.

22.) Buy a travel book (Lonely Planet is pretty good) because they will have valuable information (such as numbers to call a Taxi) and when it is late (or not), going through accomodation phone numbers is much better than physically walking and getting turned away.

23.) If you are buying a backpack, look for Eagle Creek. They make good quality stuff, and for "urban" travel, those hiking packs are tougher to use. You want something that is almost like a suit case on your back.

24.) Traveler's checks are not always best, especially in Spain. ATM's have good exchange rates and are more convenient. Some banks won't exchange them! Oh and the street side guys seldom have good rates (always ask for the commission)

25.) Enjoy all the experiences. Even when things go wrong and you are mad (like I was in Toledo) it is usually pretty funny afterwards. Just walking around can be a blast. When Ayinger's brewery was closed, walking through the snow with the old man that kept staring at my beer finally pointing me to a train stop in the middle of nowhere, was one of the most memorable experiences of my trip.

My Top 10 favorite European cities (just this trip)

1.) Rome, Italy - The eternal city doesn't disappoint. The colloso, the foro, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican and much more. I said it once but it bears repeating, The Trevi Fountain, MUST be seen at night.

2.) Florence, Italy - It is a/the Renaissance city how can you lose? The Duomo is surprisingly massive. The various bridges, the museums etc. Really safe, even late at night.

3.) Seville, Spain - The capital of Andalucia is very modern, clean, and has the best gothic building I saw. Naboo's Plaza De Espana was an added bonus.

4.) Venice, Italy - This could easily swap with Seville, but it is just a little too touristy. Still incredible and a must see if you are in the country. Even in less than perfect weather it is pretty sweet.

5.) Munich, Germany - Between the stroll to Neuschwanstein, the meandering in Aying, and the wandering through the city center on snowy nights, I got to give Munich a numero uno for places to walk. Really beautiful town, plus im Munchen steht eine Hofbrauhaus! I got to hit this place in late September ;)

6.) Salamanca, Spain - This point starts the painful choosing favorite children. Salamanca is a small town so it has way more culture and interesting places to visit than it has any right to. The mindblowing Plaza Mayor, Frog Spotting, Chocolate with Churros, and the ability to see every type of architecture imaginable edges out Avila and Toledo.

7.) Avila, Spain and Toledo, Spain - Between the excitement of Madrid and the siren's call of Toledo, there is a tendenancy to overlook this gem of Castile-Leon. It (and Toledo) is a world heritage site for good reason. The wall that surrounds the city is probably one of the most intact of its kind in the world. Toledo, built around the time of the Avila wall, was amazing too. The tiny streets, the cathedral and for a taste of something ultra modern, the Luz de Tajo mall all add to the intrigue of this ancient (and new) city. Connecting trains to Madrid run frequently (though not frequently enough, as the later ones are often full) and only take 35 minutes.

9.) Paris, France - I didn't get to see the City of Lights at night, but I was quite impressed with the cleanliness of it (something I had been warned about) as well as the nice layout of the monuments. Definitely worth a few days (heck the Lourve is probably worth one to itself). Good luck figuring out the metro (the letter-numbers are splits on a main line...I think)

10.) Madrid, Spain and Granada, Spain - Madrid feels like a combination of Paris and what I think London would be like. Nice, modern city...in other words out of place in Spain ;)
Granada is where the Moorish presence is felt the most. The Alhambra is magnificent and a must see. The skiing in the nearby Sierra Nevada gives you an amazing view, which is worthwhile even for non skiiers or summer visitors.

Okay I guess one more blog will be needed to show my favorite photos taken during the trip

Here is one from Avila that never made the blog but I liked nonetheless.















---Joey

There is no place like home

Update: this entry is finished (pictures and all)


The order of my last two blogs may have been a little confusing. I wrote that past one as my final blog while in New York. I realized after I did my first draft, that I still had more to write about my trip (not much more) and a few wrap up comments of everything in general. So this blog starts with us arriving in New York and continues until walking into our house. I also decided to start a personal blog for my normal life (this one will be only for traveling) which can be found at http://joeyisrighthere.blogspot.com

This is photo is one that Dad particularly liked. I am shedding the coat that became a part of me for the past two months and ready to try some normal pizza and Mountain Dew that actually tastes like Mountain Dew. If my face looks a little more red than normal, that is because I got toasted in the Sierra Nevada.

There was a line for the taxis so this guy comes up to us and asks us if we need a ride, we say yes and he starts walking toward his car. "Wait do you have a taxi" "Nah man just a car"

Yeah okay. I wouldn't do that in Tampa much less in New York.

We went to our hotel which was next to Laguardia and Shea Stadium. Em started to feel bad just as I was getting over my illness. The law of Conservation of Misery holds.

The next day, we left Em to sleep while Dad and I went to my mother's Uncle Frank's house. She has lots of fond memories of his house and in particular the basement which always fascinated her. We went on foot and figured if Frank could do it as an old man, my mother walking it with her luggage in hand, the two of us should have no problems. Yeah...I certainly hope my mother did not walk that with luggage as it took us the better part of one and a half hours to get there with not much in the way of breaks in between.

With Em still under the weather we headed decided not to go into the city, which was fine by me as the last quarter mile of that walk back I got a visit from the chafing fairy. TMI, I know.

So the next day, Em felt better and we took a bus into Queens (I think Laguardia is in Queens?) and jumped on the subway to head to Times Square. What an impressive area! I feel so embarassed comparing the Puerta Del Sol in Madrid to this place. Dad, who saw it during the 70s, thought it was like the opposite of Back to the Future II. He skipped forward in time and everything had changed for the better. There is a lot of energy in that Midtown area especially given that it was a Sunday afternoon. There were no aggresive panhandlers, drug dealers, and hookers that gave the area a bad reputation in years past. Quite a different story now where it is a pleasure to stroll through.

We made stops at Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, both Emily and I thought the rink was smaller in person.

From there we went to the Empire State building which has a view of New York that is not entirely ugly. It was so windy up there! I am sure that is a welcome development during the later spring and summer when it is unbearably hot but blustery 45F air was slicing through us.

A bit more admiring and then we visited Ground Zero. After seeing that, I think I can see the point of view that wants to keep the hole as is. In the past, I was in the school of thought that we should build the exact same buildings but I think that would be really painful for the survivors and the families of the victims.

With a few hours before leaving we headed back to Queens where we ate at a local pizza place. After jumping on the bus we made it back to the hotel and then to JFK two hours before takeoff. As we waited we asked about my sister's lost luggage which was awaiting shipment to Tampa. Deciding to give them one less opportunity to screw things up, we jumped on the air train and picked it up personally.

While waiting for the flight, I think I saw BJ Novak (Ryan the Temp) from the Office coming out of the men's room.

Just after midnight I arrived at home (Mom made a sign :-P) and dove into some chips and salsa. The next day, we took home the NY style Chinese Food I craved, and for Tuesday lunch, Cuban pork with black beans and rice.

I'll probably post once more in addition to updating this with more photos. DONE If you haven't already, read the last paragraph of my last blog entry.

Here is Dad (looking brilliant, I might add) and Em standing at the location of the Rockefeller "(generic) Holiday" tree



--Joey

The End of the Road

Well for those of you that haven't heard yet, I am back stateside in the Big Apple (edit: I wrote that in NY, now I am in Florida). This was my original return date but my job situation had given me the opportunity to extend my time by a couple of weeks or so. The reason why I came back "early" is three(four)fold

1.) I accomplished everything I set out to do
2.) I didn't have the same drive to live out of my backpack for another couple of weeks
3.) I wasn't feeling well, and should that continue, the extra weeks would be for nothing anyway.
(4.) Contrary to what I thought before I left, I need some time to decompress.)

With all that stuff out of the way, I'll continue with my trip to Madrid. Fair warning, this blog entry is pretty boring, continue at your own risk (but do jump to the very bottom)

...never been sicker

For my final night in Salamanca (as well as the final night of Anne among others), we all went out to some local bars where we mixed beer (Franzikaner Hefeweizen in a proper glass) and then liquor. Always listen to the rhyming sayings. The next morning was not the greatest. Angela came over to help me cook the tacos we had purchased the afternoon before. Afterwards, we both truly felt awful (we both think it may have been a mild case of food poisoning). In fact, we felt so bad that we postponed arriving in Madrid as long as possible which was extended out when two girls that we were to meet at the hotel, returned to Salamanca...feeling, you guessed it, sick.

Two and a half hours by train later we were in Madrid. Deciding not to chance the subway, we took a cab, the problem was every cab driver told us to wait down at the end of the walk...as they continued to chat. So here we are in a line of people with luggage while four cars sit idling outside of Chamartin. Perezosos.

Our spirits were much improved at the Holiday Inn which had a bowl of fruit for us to nibble on. We deciding to approvechar, got a steak dinner for roomservice. Not your typical hostel :)

The next morning I met my sister Emily at the airport and dragged her back to the hotel where we got a chance to check out the view (to the left). Along the way she got to practice her Spanish and got a kick out of the Madrid metro. We gathered up our things a little and went out to the Puerta de Sol which if translated literally is Picadilly Circus. The atmosphere in Madrid seems to be a cross between Paris and what I think of as London, with distinctive Spanish touches. From there we went to the Plaza Mayor (each city has one by that name, apparently) and got to tour around. It is fairly old but doesn't have the same flair that the one in Salamanca has (especially true at night).

Back at the hotel we prepared for a Monday morning visit to the Prado museum. Apparently the tourist board in Spain has a slogan that is "Spain is different". Monday everything closes, including the Prado. Including the Reina Sofia (home of Guernica). So what museum was open? The Madrid Wax museum, the third leg of the "Golden Triangle of Art"! This place was complete with mockups of the Spanish royal family, prominent world leaders past and present, an unlucky Torreador, and, of course, the Beatles. To complement the quirky assortment of figures was a ride called El Tren del Terror! The entrance was pretty creepy with wax figures torturing (sort of) a prisoner in a medieval setting. On board, it was a highlight of scary and not so scary movies of pop culture, including Star Wars. The cantina scene was recreated complete with a Yoda figure (just like in A New Hope :-P) and the exit was in the forest moon of Endor. So from that nonsequitor, we jump to a simulator.

The screen was a tour of an outer space mining colony and we were a bucket of whatever they extracted from the ground. They got our 12 Euros and we got a neck ache. With a little more time before heading back, we went to the Alcala Arch which is seems like a smaller scale Arc de Triumph but more attractive looking. According to my travel book, the Madridlenos have a saying about the city "It may not be beautiful, but it sure is a looker". Oh well, it is is beautiful to me :)

So on the way back I asked Em to make her mind for Tuesday whether she wants to see the Prado or the Escorial. After some going back and forth we decided on the Escorial. I wake up at the crack of dawn (10:00) and start counting the days and realized, that Tuesday was our travel day to Granada. We frantically packed everything up and headed to the train station where we got a 5pm train to Granada...arriving at 11.

On the train, we got pinned going backward staring ahead at a girl who we presumed to be French based on her telephone calls. After she got up to stretch her legs, Emy chuckled and told me that she had to fart and for a moment she thought why not, the girl doesn't speak English so she wouldn't understand. It turned out that the girl was American, was studying abroad, and would have understood completely.

Third Time is a Charm

Em and I check in to the Hostal Sevilla (a recommended entry in Lonely Planet's budget side). The rooms were clean, more or less comfortable, but it was sans hot water. I can't tell you what a bad feeling it is when you are primed for a shower, and the ice cold water flows which starts warming and then peaks at 68 degrees. Wetnaps sounded like a pretty good alternative. We checked out, and headed to the Funky Backpacker's Hostel where I checked in. Sara, the girl at the front desk, remembered me (and more impressively, my name) from last time. We put our stuff down and headed for the Sierra Nevada. Along the way, Em was getting a little homesick and was just not liking Granada, so we went to the one place where you always feel like home abroad...McDonald's...which was closed until 10am...because Spain is different.

At the resort, we got our equipment, bolted through the line (the difference was we went during the week) and were skiing within half an hour. Em booted up and had some difficulty putting the skis on. This should have been a tipoff. Instead of going to the bunny slope, I talked her into going for the beginner's. At this point she started to freak out a little. An hour later, we both were at the bottom of the hill ready for a break at the lodge.

Eventually we worked out a good system. The beginner's slope's conclusion was the bunny hill so I would ski down and wait for her, before skiing down together. I say down loosely, as I know Parking lots with higher verticals. Em had a good time but decided one day was plenty so we went back to Funky.

Tengo Alhambra

We got some dinner at a local tourist trap (it is bad enough when they have English menus, but when they only have English menus, and they greet you in English...yeah expect to open your wallet and bleed) but had some delicious Paella, our first in Spain. From the restaurant we had a great view of the Alhambra at night with a full moon obscured by a few clouds. Disquietingly beautiful.

The next morning we headed off for the Alhambra a little late because Em joined me the sick club. The 2nd time around, it wasn't quite as mindblowing (further cementing Pepa's craziness in saying it topped "the Vatican") but still very impressive. The Generalife was beginning to bloom which made thatparticular part of the visit improved.

With time marching on, we headed for the train station to go back to Madrid. Back in the capital we collapsed at the hotel and decided to get up and get a couple of small souvenirs (don't expect much ;) ) and time/feeling permitting, a trip to the Prado. Well we got time for the small souvenirs (I'll give you a hint, you can eat it). Deciding to take it easy, we jumped back on the metro and headed to the airport.

The Planes in Spain Never Leave Terrain

We hurried to check out baggage, ran to the gate, only to leave an hour late. Madrid may be having some growing pains with the new terminal, or this is just par for the course in Spain. I haven't decided yet.

Despite the late departure, we still had enough time to make our connecting flight (though we did get a scare when we heard our names over the PA telling us to step on it). Because of the length of the flight, and the time difference, we would arrive at NY around 8:30 meaning, sleeping through that would be deadly for our sleeping that night.

New York, New York

So that brings us to the present. With Emy getting the majority of my stomach aches, Dad and I went off to take a picture of my mother's Uncle Frank's house (my great uncle). She has real fond memories of the basement as a kid. So just for her:

Tonight, assuming everyone is feeling well, we are probably going to hit Times Square and Rockefeller Center. Tomorrow, anyone's guess, then it is back to Tampa.

The Future of the Where Is Joey Blog

I have had a few people ask me, what I am going to do with this when I am done with the trip. It won't be as some have suggested 365 entries of "still in the USA." I really enjoy travelling, so I think I may be back in Europe as soon as the end of the year (though next year is more likely). In any event, I will be doing more so if you liked reading about my misadventures across the continent, feel free to add my blog to your RSS feed (Firefox users, will notice an orange icon in the lower right) and check from time to time. Or if you subscribe using a mail client (such as Mozilla Thunderbird), my blog will come to you. I may also do a weekly or thereabouts personal blog (apart from this one) and I will post that information here.

Finishing up

It was a great trip (2 months that feel like 2 years) and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I will be looking forward to getting back to normal (or at least what I was like before I left). I will probably still have a few more entries related to the trip (heck I still have another somewhat full day in New York edit: I had a full day in New York, which was awesome but for my next blog).

At some point, if you were a reader of the blog, please leave a comment (you don't need to register nor give your last name) just to let me know who all I was talking to over the past months.

Thanks for reading everyone,

--Joey

A Salamanca Evening

The Plaza Mayor at night (on the left) is the defacto meeting place for us. This is called the best plaza in Spain (some say Europe) and for good reason. Not only is it amazing from an artistic point of view, it is the life center of the town and just about everyone crosses through it at some point during an evening. I have heard that it is better in the Spring because people actually spend time IN the plaza, sipping coffee until daybreak.

That Friday I switched to a Student Residence (on paper not actually) because I was not happy with my family. I got so lucky with Betty and Rolo, everything was just smooth sailing...I definitely owe them a post return gift.

We did some frog spotting, the required activity for all students. On the entrance is an incredibly ornate fascade with animals and the like. Spotting the frog means good luck for the year, a guaranteed exam performance, or someone even said marriage. And speaking of marriage, I would like to congratulate my friend Religious Steve on becoming hitched two weeks ago.

So we called it a somewhat early evening so we could head for Toledo.

Too much to see; Toledo time

The plan was was to leave for Toledo around 10am from Salamanca, arrive by 1pm and spend 3-5 hours strolling.

Plan B.

We go to Avila, stay the night, wake up and arrive in Toledo spend the day and return home. What is Avila you ask? Apparently a town. I passed it on the way in to Salamanca and it seemed ncie but I didn't know much more than that. This was probably one of the best small towns I have ever seen. Why? Because it has this hugely cool fort, catedral and town center. The kicker is that the tourists are mostly Madridlenos wanting a B&B away from the chaos of the Capital. So we set about trying find a hostal (a pension everywhere else). The first one was closed (but someone was there...weird) the other was a ghost town and there was no one there. Strike two. The next budget accomodation was next to the city hall...inside a restaurant. No I am not kidding you. It was called Casa Felipe, again not kidding. Clean, comfortable, and a faucet with some water pressure. Sweet.

So we strolled around trying to find some place to eat, but being that this is not tourist Spain, that is hard to do around 6ish. All the restaurants open at 9 with people arriving around 10-11. So we helped ourselves to an Avila hometown favorite. Candied egg yolk. Third time, and still not kidding. It was good, really weird, but good. On the outskirts we found little sandwiches that took the edge off until later.

Once inside the walls of the city center, which is really beautiful and exceptionally well preserved, we went back to our first restaurant pick. I tried pig and Angela tried lamb. She made the better choice. At first I was convinced it was snout, later I think it was just a thigh or something. The skin on it was making farting noises as I pushed it from one side to another. Real appetizing. Meanwhile they bring her this flank steak that looks incredible.

I tried vino which is sort of like an apple wine, fortified...on crack not my cup of ale, but a nice change of pace, and another regional specialty. In the morning we awoke to another snow fall and a brilliantly blue sky. We are talking truly post card weather.

I don't think we are in Kansas anymore

In the real Toledo, we arrived to find an amazing city and a mazing city. I dont believe any map would help you there. We traveled by bus to save time and arrived at a dingy bus station on the outskirts. They had lockers so through it all in there and asked about the next bus to Salamanca. If it had been phone conversation in English my end would have sounded like...

What is the last bus to Salamanca?
None!?! Why not?
Oh we have to go to Madrid first... gotcha when is the last bus from Madrid to Salamanca?
You don't know? Can't you look it up?
No!? What's the website, I´ll do it...
What do you mean you don't know if they have a website.
Okay fine let me get a locker. I need a special token?

A similar frustrating experience at the train station and it became clear...we either leave in one hour (maybe 90 minutes) or we stay the night.

Ugh.. Toledo has such a long way to go to get up to even a French Tollbooth Operator level of customer service. We walked into town where Angela got some good news. She is going to be an Au Pair in Marbella for a year and her dog gets to come along for the ride.


The entrance to the city, regardless of which you pick, is mindblowing. The town is the better part of a 1000 years old (UNESCO "recently" gave it a special status). The narrow streets makes for such an interesting and alien setting. After shopping around for the best room rate, we settled on one on the outskirts with a nice little vista. It occurred to me that I should call my family so they are not worried when I don't arrive. Although my technical check out was Saturday morning I wasn't going to spend Sunday night there. But now... it was going to be Monday. My notebook being in the locker at the bus station and all the locutorios closed made me say...eh oh well, I don't even like the mother anyway. There is no way I am going to risk trying to find this place again...at night to allow George Costanza's mother to be completely plugged in.

The room even came with a 17" TV (which I hope was built into the price of the room as it was a little more expensive that our other picks but still well worth it).

For the night, Angela wanted some local fare or McDonalds (yes I am fully aware of that contrast). The pig from the prior night scared her (and me, to a lesser extent) away from trying things we dont completely understand. We jumped on a bus and decided to ride until we found something that looked good. Sunday night everything is closed so pickings were slim. Angela upgraded McDonalds to TGIF or something similar. Ask and ye shall receive.

Luz De Tajo is an uber modern mall on the outskirts of Toledo (really in the center of the new town) and it had a ... Foster's Hollywood Grill! I was never so happy to find something so familiar feeling (it was so disconcerting being in Spain in that environment that I almost spoke English to the waiter several times). We left and barely missed the bus. The next one, if there was a next one (it was 11:30 by now) would be 30 minutes. We waited, shot the breeze, the breeze shot us and after 45 minutes we decided we would be walking or calling a cab. The walk was probably 7km but with the way Toledo is you have to double distance and time. Cab it was.

The next morning we woke up a little late and went to the escalators to find the Museo de Greco, closed on Mondays. So then it was to the cathedral. Along the way, we repeated our steps a few times but, getting lost in Toledo pretty much trumps knowing where you are going in Tampa. I looked down and I saw an IPAQ (a small computer). I looked inside, found the owner information and gave him a call. He said we were "muy buena personas" for returning it. The happy fellow is to the right.

The cathedral was cool, and out a sculpture that went up into a dome. One of the coolest things I saw (including St Peter's) inside a cathedral.

>>You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Spain?
>They don't call it a Quarter Pounder?
>>No, man, they got the metric system, they wouldn't know what a quarter pound is...they call it a Royale with Cheese



Time being of the essence, we ate at McDonalds... but to make sure it was a culturally enriching experience, everything was different than back home.

Back in town we went to the train station to go to Madrid...Atocha, not Chamartin. We had to take the metro to the other (which is good because I will be doing this in Madrid next week). The train to Salamanca took much longer 2 hours and change and upon arrival in Salamanca I decided to check into my student residence before going back home. Why? Because of exactly what happened. My family is not going to be happy with me... I didn't call, and I moved out...and never told them. So why have to put up with crap, drag my luggage (heavy luggage) around town, if there is a problem with the residence? Turned out, there was a problem with the residence. The key did not fit...assuming I got it right. So I go to the cibercafe and there is no confirmation...crap. I called Enforex's emergency number and they said "Oh yeah, we changed your apartment, but your mother didn't know where you were...she has your keys"

Mierda.

Back to their house. Everyone is asleep so I decide to packup, sleep, wakeup and blitz. We'll see if they want me to pay for extra time. I got the keys from her and she looked ticked...real ticked.
Oh well, I moved in to the new residence and feel much much better. I do need a shower though. With that...

A View of Toledo by El Americano

And one of Avila

--Joey

I think I have clipped the 500 picture mark (if not, I am certainly close) and frequently I have photos that for whatever reason (usually because I err on the side of the photos with me in them) simply can not be inserted into the blog. So I am going to do a blog of photos. Bo and Baba: Don't print this one out...just look on the screen.

--Joey

Paris

















Munich




























Rome

















See you all later,

Joey

Quick blog

Now that I am in Salamanca the blogs should be a little shorter and less frequent. Today was my first full day here and my first day of classes. They certainly have a different feel than in Marbella. For one, there are so many more people. A group of 30-40 Italian teenagers who are studying Spanish are here for this week.

The building that houses the school was a monastery at one time. Pretty cool! It reminds me of a plaza in Florence near the Academie that has David. Outside the weather is a brisk 7 degrees (warmed up from 1 last night). The city is pretty small so it is possible to walk everywhere once you get to know it.

The highlight thus far, and likely for the stint here is the Plaza Mayor. I will take a few photos more myself but here is one of Renee (the rare German named Renee), Aline, and me out and about in Salamanca.

I will update this blog with more pictures (for example, the school) tomorrow. Also I posted my experience in Paris below so you can check that out too. Mom and Dad can expect a new CD shortly.

--Joey

PW (post weirdness) I am sitting here sorting through my pictures and I hear these two guys next to me talking about stocks. They wanted the symbol for Cisco and I happened to know it was CSCO. They ask me where I am from in the states. Tampa. Oh us too. Oh...wait what? Where do you go to school? USF. Umm.. where in Tampa do you live? Carrollwood. Are you kidding me with this trip? If someone has planned out this whole thing and I am in the middle of some kind of Truman Show deal please step forward.