Shelly's Vacation Board

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Oh, you should start a board and put your artwork on it! I'd love to see it as you do it!

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Lol - not me. My husband and daughter are snowboarding/skiing in CO but too cold for me!

Cute purse!

[IH Admin [Tisha] (former)]

Who's going on vacation for Presidents Day weekend? Don't forget to pack your Vipurse!

[Churak]

Holy crap...that whacked me out; I need a vacation just from reading that...thanks for sharing...

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

A couple of people have asked for a rundown so here goes...

We flew into Madrid, caught the train to Seville and then another to Cadiz.

In Cadiz, we were a block off the beach and an easy bus ride to Old Town. This was a great intro to Spain as the weather was beautiful, the people were so friendly and everything was close by while we were coping with jet lag.

We got a car and then explored the rest of Costa de la Luz with a base in Conil de la Fronterra.

We went whale watching off of Tarifa and saw lots of Orcas, we went to Gibraltar, saw lots of monkeys, saw amazing views, toured a cave and then walked about 10km down the mountain (ugh - was very hot). We went to Bolonia and walked through the remains of a Roman town along with a HUGE sand dune (sadly we didn't climb). We went to a ropes course in a pine forest and we enjoyed the beaches.

Then we drove over to the Costa del Sol, stopped in Marbella for lunch, had a fish "pedicure" (you put your feet into an aquarium and these fish apparently eat your dead skin - k, sounds gross, but they seemed to like it and it felt cool). We then drove to Nerja where we went to the Fiesta del Carmen and a really cool park that had "slate" (we'd call them stones) beach. The water was by far the clearest I've ever seen anywhere because there was no sand being continually churned up. It wasn't the bright blue you'd expect to see in the Mediterranean but was great for snorkeling.

We took a high speed train back to Madrid. We went to parks, we went to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia - Picasso's Guernica was amazing (of course). We went to a great Exit Room game - if you haven't heard of/done one - check for them in any city by you. Basically you're given about an hour to solve riddles, find clues, etc. to be able to exit the room. We went to Faunia which is an interactive zoo.

Then we took another train to La Rioja - wine country of Spain. We went to an amazing stilt dancing festival in Anguiano, a small medieval village. The first stilt dancers were recorded in the early 1600's. We went to a cheese farm where 4 generations of the family lived and made unbelievable cheese. We spent some time with a sheep herder and his flock as he pastured them for the night. And, of course, we went to many wineries and sampled amazing red wines. I highly recommend Muga in Haro if anyone is going there.

Next up was a train to Costa Brava. We stayed in L'Escala which was a perfect base. We went to Port Lligat, to Salvador Dali's house. I read a short, interesting book about his life prior and that made it an even better experience. Then we went to Cap de Creus National Park where Dali got a lot of his inspiration. Amazing, amazing rock formations - just beautiful. Lots of great beaches here.

Last up was Barcelona - what a great city. We were winding down from a long trip and took it pretty easy. We strolled a lot, went to the labyrinth (oldest park in Spain but a bit out of the city), went to Sagrada Familia (we were about a block from it) and that was really spectacular.

The food was pretty fantastic and for the most part, it was an inexpensive country to visit. Sprite was more expensive than wine. haha

What truly and really made the trip was the welcoming, kind spirit of the Spaniards. I reflected often on how disdainful we can be in this country of those who don't speak our language or who don't speak it well. Literally everyone we encountered, even if they didn't speak any English, went out of their way to help us through gestures or guiding us to someone who spoke more English. The Spaniard's graciousness was amazing and a huge part of what made this trip so wonderful.

[Nilbud]

If you're still there and you can fit it in, Barcelona is well worth a visit.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Ha - we are going to do as the Spaniards do and instead of going to a city in July, we've decided to go to the coast (Cadiz) those 3 days. It will be a long (almost full 24 hours) day of travel but I think it's the right plan.

Thank you so much for the well wishes. :)

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Thanks! We will. :)

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

With an energetic 11 year old, a 5 hour siesta just isn't in the cards. :)

[Newly2b]

when in Rome. . .er. . .Spain, do as the Spaniards do and enjoy a lovely midday siesta!

Have a wonderful trip, Shelly, and don't worry, iHub will still be here when you return, LOL.

Newly

[SkeBallLarry]

" Come back SAFE, Shelly .. !!

[lucky, mydog]

...and have any suggestions?

don't fight it. go with the flow. get up early, stay up late, and take a nice long nap.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Alright, leaving for Spain next week. First stop is Seville...10 day weather forecast says we can expect temps around 107 - yikes!

Basically, what I've read is that this is exactly why they have siestas in Spain and everything pretty much closes between 2pm -5pm.

There are two water parks (the kids will be with us) and I'm concerned those are going to be packed. I can't imagine waiting in line in that kind of heat. Anyone familiar with Seville and have any idea?

Of course the hotel we booked doesn't have a pool as we weren't planning on it being this hot this quick.

I know there's a park that has a fountain that kids play in but I'm thinking mine might be a little old for it and that doesn't do anything for my husband and I.

Any one been there during the heat and have any suggestions?

[grantg2]

?

[Newly2b]

It was! Ah, my misspent youth, I remember it well, bumming around the world. Now I confine myself to bumming around America in style in my campervan, LOL. Here's a link to some of my photos:

http://s520.photobucket.com/user/newly2b/library/?sort=3&page=1

Newly

[Wildbilly]

See how tolerant we've made you?

Sounds like you were ready for that one and nothing was going to spoil your adventure.

I hope it sticks for awhile lol.

[jobynimble]

Welcome back

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Loved, loved Gambino! The lunch was great!

We went all around Sicily in 5 days so it was pretty full.

Catania, Trapani, Marsala, Teremini maybe? Need to look at the itinerary again because I lost too many braincells visiting all the different wineries. lol

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

K, Sorrento...bucket list. :)

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Yeah, I'd highly recommend Rick Steve's books/audio.

Interestingly, I didn't find Parisian's as rude as most people attribute to them (including my family who I traveled there with). I didn't find them warm and fuzzy, but in my experience they were much like New Yorkers...to the point, brusque and not necessarily inclined to go out of their way for anyone but nothing that took me aback. (Ha - it just occurred to me that because after working here for 7 years - my skin has grown very thick and you learn not to sweat the small stuff!).

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Wow, that sounds like an incredible time!

When we were in Pantelleria we could see Africa. In my extreme naivete and clearly lack of a decent geography class , I had NO idea Africa was so close to parts of Italy. duh!

[Wildbilly]

Besides the friend from home

she traveled over there with, they picked up three other companions from various hostels including a German kid my niece said had to be 6'7". While she

was being dragged on the ground by this thug screaming what she was going to do to him when she got up, she said this big galoot stood frozen during the

whole ordeal.

The next time we go to war with the eyetalians, we're sending you gals in lol.

[BigBake1]

The vineyards you hit on Mt Etna, did they happen to be Gambino or Murgo? Two great vineyards, Gambino has an awesome view down the volcano into Taormina, the town of Linguaglossa is interesting. Never had a problem in that part of Sicily, although as with anywhere one should always be aware of their surroundings at all times.

[Newly2b]

Naples is also notorious for purse-snatchings. A friend and I were walking one evening, heard running steps behind us, and as we began to turn to look, a young boy tried to snatch her purse right out of her hand. She also held on, and since she was bigger than he was, he lost out.

Yes, France can be a rude place to visit. . .if one does not speak French.

Newly

[jobynimble]

Rome was great to see, never was in Sicily. Two areas I enjoyed immensely were northern, Florence gorgeous and Pompeii and Pisa were definitely worth seeing and southern, from Naples take the hydrofoil over to Capri absolutely one of my fav places on earth then hydrofoil over to Sorrento where if I knew my life was limited would be the place I choose for my last meal...

[Wildbilly]

I've heard from two friends

that Rick Steve's guides were a must for first time travelers to the continent.

My youngest niece toured Europe for four months a few years back and the only trouble she had was in Rome. A guy grabbed her purse when she and her friends came out of an alley restaurant late. She wouldn't let go and the guy drug her 20 feet before the strap broke, you'd have to know her to realize just how funny that story was.

The rudest country they visited was France by far, based on nothing other than they appeared to be obvious travelers.

Glad you guys had a great time, well earned!

[Newly2b]

And it was true! Here is a photo of the dune buggy we drove across the north of Africa, ship to Sicily, then drove up the boot of Italy to Rome and chased around looking for the Senso Unico:



Newly

PS I believe that is the Isle of Gibraltar in the background.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Oh, that's a priceless story! lol

We didn't see many cats so they must've done something to curb their population.

The gelato was amazing. We had it most days - lol.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

We're back! Had a great time...

Rome - great city and very walkable. When in Paris we felt the need to take the train most days. In Rome we walked everywhere except to the Vatican. In hindsight, we could've made that walk easily as well. We downloaded Rick Steven's audio tours and that was perfect for most sites. I highly recommend if anyone goes to the Vatican that you pay for the guided tour. It was way too crowded and hot to try to listen to an audio tour. We ended up walking through most areas going "Hey, that's an interesting tapestry". We were able to sit in the Sistine Chapel and do the audio tour there. Amazing. Rome was so crowded with tourists from all over the world. Despite all the warnings, there were only a couple of places where we were concerned about pickpockets. The city felt very safe and we were out late most nights. Also, everyone spoke English very well so we didn't feel uncomfortable with the language barrier.

Sicily - beautiful. We were on a wine tour here and had an Italian guide. We went to Mount Etna which was amazing. The wineries were nice. Literally though we pretty much got up, had breakfast, went to a wine tasting, went to lunch with wine, took a nap, got up went to another winery and/or dinner with wine. All meals take at least a couple of hours and they serve SO many courses. Literally they'd probably bring out 15 different dishes for the antipasta. THEN we'd have pasta (sometimes) and the main course. It was purely gluttonous and actually got old by the end of the trip. We just wanted pizza and a salad or something light. We didn't feel nearly as safe in Sicily. The guide was very cautious in most cities, especially at night, that no one walk alone and to avoid alleys. (I know that seems like common sense, but it was such a stark contrast from Rome that it likely made more of an impression.)

Pantelleria - really beautiful island. It was cold when we were there and, of course, not tons to do on an island when the weather doesn't cooperate.

I'm glad we did this trip and had a great time. I wouldn't suggest Sicily or Pantelleria on anyone's bucket list though. I'd really like to go back to Italy and explore the northern regions.

[alchemytrader]

Have a great time Shelly!

[Newly2b]

Oh, Shelly, I'm so envious! I'd love to see Rome again! Don't miss the Spanish Steps. BTW, here is a funny story. We were driving around Rome following the road signs to see the sights like the Trevi Fountain, the Colliseum (BTW, the Romans love ice cream, and share their cones with the cats who live in the Collisum, millions of hungry stray cats), etc. As we drove around we kept seeing these signs with arrows pointing the way to the Senso Unico. We couldn't find that monument in the guidebooks but saw so many signs pointing towards it that we finally began following them to see what we were missing. We soon realized we were going in circles. Finally the light dawned -- Senso Unico in Italian means One Way!

Have a great trip, and don't go following signs to the Senso Unico, LOL.

Newly

[janice shell]

You have to be friendly and good natured about it, if you do it. Maybe the best thing to do is watch to see what others are doing. Probably they do overprice things at the Campo di Fiori, because they know they'll get lots of tourists.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Ha - I'm no good at haggling. I see the price if it's worth then I buy it. If it's not, I don't. My husband, however, thinks he's a pro. Was just curious about the etiquette before unleashing him on these folks. ;)

[janice shell]

You can try a little bargaining, but Italian markets aren't quite like bazaars in Turkey. Most Italians are good at haggling without being offensive. I never quite got the hang of it.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Hey, in Campo Di Fiori do they expect haggling over prices? I saw something that said it's like a big flea markets so am unsure.

[janice shell]

You should have great weather then. Not as hot as it'll be a month later, but nice.

We can pick up some food for next couple of days…

Huh? You'll be on vacation. Hey, eat in restaurants. That's part of the experience. Even if you're thinking getting a picnic lunch, you'll have a couple of hours to kill. Most museums and other tourist attractions--except for the outdoors things--close for two hours at lunchtime. I think I mentioned this before, but don't expect to have dinner before eight. Later would be better; Romans aren't early diners. Some restaurants don't get going till around ten.

The thing is to eat two courses, unless you're at a pizzeria. At a restaurant, antipasti (appetizers), primi (pasta, soup, or risotto), and secondi (main courses) will be offered. Along with contorni (veggies) and salads, which you order separately. You don't have to have everything. A primo and secondo are fine, as are an antipasto and a secondo. Or even an antipasto and a primo. I've done that often, since pasta is my favorite. Avoid tourist traps. Someone will speak English at just about any restaurant. You might consider getting some kind of guide that translates food stuff.

You're probably right about the Vatican on a Sunday. But check the hours for what you want to see on Monday. Many museums' closing day is Monday. St Peter's will be open, of course, because it's a church, but the Vatican Museums may not be.

You'll be in a very central spot. So you can move out in any direction. It's a long walk from there to the Colosseum, though not impossible; I did it once. Rome is a good walking city. Um, except for the traffic.

You'll probably be more than ready for a beach by the time you get to Pantelleria, so that will be fun.

Tipping: Don't tip cabbies. At restaurants, service is included. But you're expected to leave a little extra if you liked the food and the service.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

We'll be there the last week of May and first week of June.

I'm thinking we arrive at 9:00am, checking in/storing our bags. Getting a bus tour and, depending on jet lag, I might sleep while my husband takes in the sites.

I really want to go to Campo dei Fiori Market after that and just chill. We can pick up some food for next couple of days and, I think, wander to the Pantheon that afternoon/evening before heading back to the hotel.

Trying to avoid Vatican City on Sunday and planning that on Monday. Though, sadly, the Pope won't be in town, I still think the crowds will be a little more overwhelming on a Sunday.

So maybe Sunday we'll head towards Spanish Steps and Borghese Museum...

Long story, but my husband's company is paying for this trip, so we're staying in a pretty decent area...in between Spanish Steps and Trevi fountain. So, I think we're in the huge tourist district of Rome where we're a block or two from the really expensive shopping. Sooooo, trying to avoid that.

Interestingly, I was planning on hanging out on the beach at Pantelleria while there. Crazy - volcanic island but not like Hawaii - no beaches. If you want to swim in ocean you got out on a boat to dive/snorkel or you swim from black rocks.

Anyway - thanks so much! I still remember your earlier counsel re: secondodo? Meaning, customary in Italian restaurants to eat 2 courses whatever they are.

Any other tips, from you or anyone, please let me know!

[janice shell]

When do you leave?

Of course the traffic in Rome is insane, but it's still a walking city. So get a good guidebook and a good map and plan some excursions.

St Peter's and the Vatican Museums will take you a whole morning or afternoon; there's a lot to see. The Colosseum is near the Forum, so you can do both. Neither takes all that long. While you're in the area, you might want to check out San Clemente, which is interesting and not far away.

The Pantheon won't take long either. While extremely impressive, it's just one big room, after all. There's an outdoor cafe across the piazza where you can rest your feet and have a drink.

You should also see the Spanish Steps and the Borghese Museum, which isn't far from the top of the steps. The museum isn't gigantic, but it's got some great stuff.

After dinner, go to Piazza Navona or any of the other major piazze to see the fountains and have some ice cream.

I've never been to Pantelleria, but I don't think there's much to do there except relax, drink wine, and eat capers.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Ok, so finally we're heading to Italy - just my husband and I!

We'll be in Rome for 3 days which includes our arrival day at 9:00am. I know that's not a lot of time so based on everything I've read we're going to take a bus tour for an overview then make a point of seeing Vatican City, the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Other than that, I've read that it's a shame if you go and don't just wander around a bit to make your own discoveries.

We'll then be in Sicily but that trip is completely planned.

Then onto Pantelleria for a couple of days.

If anyone has any suggestions for Rome or Pantelleria - please let me know.

Thanks!

[crystal clear]

Hey Shelly, Give us update, how'd the trip go. Likes/dislikes of both places.

[EastCoastCdn]

I may be a bit biased but Québec City is my favorite.

I visited Paris for 2 days in May and I loved it (snuck away from family in Germany).
That time of year was busy in Paris, 3 hour waits was the average.
2 days was not enough
English does not seem to be a problem for most Parisians.
I spoke french but I was corrected on numerous occasions. Canadian French has some slight differences over France, not to mention I am an Anglo, so I can understand the confusion.
From experience Gazole = Diesel in France.(if you have a rental)

[PPS]

Awesome Board Shelly~

[PPS]

Miami South Beach Highly Recommend~

[janice shell]

lol, I'm no expert on Paris, and I've never even been to Ireland.

You'll love Paris, though. It really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, especially at night.

[IH Admin [Shelly]]

Well, our plans changed...ha.

A good friend who is Irish is getting married in Ireland and we wanted to attend the wedding. So, we changed our 2 weeks in Italy by ourselves to 5 days in Paris and 5 days in Ireland with the entire family.

The trip is coming up in a couple of weeks...We will have my husband and I, (2) teenagers and an 8 year old.

Anyone have any "must do" in either place that are off the beaten path or more interesting local places? I've read all the typical travel books (Fodor's), etc. and, of course, we're going to hit as many museums, castles etc. that the kids will put up with.

But, I'd love, love to try things/go places locals do as well

In Paris we're staying right off the Champs-Élysées in Arrondissement 8 (apparently a couple of blocks from the Disney store).

In Ireland, we're staying in Athlone. We have quite a few plans surrounding the wedding with the family at local establishments.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions - I'd love, love to hear them.

Thanks!

[crystal clear]

Ken, JS has a wealth of Italian & European knowledge, I too am planning a trip(s) to Europe. I love this board, though it doesn't get much traffic. I'm saving my "important quest." (lol) for JS as time gets closer, so, I found this one site that has helped me with general info and maps, etc.: James Martin - About.com Europe Travel Guide, goeurope.about.com

[Kenswift]

It's not until next year, my wife's 40th in June. Venice is her dream. She's been to Rome, although I have never been, and she loved it. I only get like 8 days for vacation so I have to jam Venice and Florence in there. Thank you though.

[lucky, mydog]

have fun.

[Kenswift]

That is too cool. I'm planning a trip too and Janice has been helping me.

[janice shell]

And don't miss lardo:

http://honest-food.net/wild-game/wild-boar-recipes/wild-boar-charcuterie/lardo-or-italian-cured-pork-fat/

You eat it shaved very thin, on good bread. It's really good...