Technology Tip for a Weighty Subject

When you are taking a long trip as we are, you need to pack big suitcases and of course weight is a concern. If you go over the 50 lb. limit, the airlines these days will hit you with a large surcharge. For example, the overweight charge on one bag on our return flight from Barcelona is $90. To make sure I am always under the limit, I recently bought a digital scale. The scale I bought is made by Travelon, weights only 3 ounces and cost about $18. I can now state with certainty that my bag for this trip, after some adjustments, weighs a mere 48.8 lbs. Thank goodness it rolls!

Palau de la Música

A couple of nights ago we were watching a travel show on Barcelona and the Palau de la Música was featured as a beautiful concert hall known for its stained glass, but also as a great place to hear a concert of Catalan music. That sounded like something you would want to do if you were visiting Spain so I bought tickets for the “Concierto de Aranjuez” for the first night we are in Barcelona. The concert has two works by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo and features Spanish guitar.

For me, however, the interesting part was buying the tickets. I bought them on the Internet at ServiCaixa (“Caixa” is Catalan for “box”) and it is the Spanish Ticketmaster. They have many “boxes” located around Spain which are combined ATMs and ticket vending machines. There is one a block from our hotel and I have to go there to print out the tickets for the concert. As we weren’t too sure if we would like the concert, I was at first looking for inexpensive tickets and found some that were listed as “Sense Visio.” After some research I found that means “Without a view” in Catalan. I quickly upgraded to llotja tickets (box seats). Thank you Google Translator.

Spain 2011 - Jeanne and John

ITINERARY

April 29 (Fri) - Flight to Fort Lauderdale; Southwest: PHL to Ft. Lauderdale (FLL). Non-stop: 5:25 to 8:15p; Stay with Sue

April 20 (Sat) – Fort Lauderdale; Stay with Sue; Visit Patty and Fazal

May 1 (Sun) – Celebrity Solstice; Cruise departs at 4:30pm; Cabin 6128

May 2 to May 7 - 6 Days at Sea

May 8 (Sun) - Azores [8am-4pm] (self-guided tour)

May 9 (Mon) - Day at Sea

May 10 (Tue) - Lisbon [11am-7pm] (Lisbon City tour)

May 11 (Wed) - Cadiz [12pm-8pm] (Cadiz, Jerez & Sherry Cellars tour)

May 12 (Thur) - Malaga [8am-7pm] (self-guided tour)

May 13 (Fri) - Day at Sea

May 14 (Sat) - Arrive Barcelona; Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona (3 nights); Tour Barcelona – Eixample District, Museo de Historia de Barcelona; La Rambla

May 15 (Sun) – Barcelona; Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona; Tour Barcelona – Picasso and Miro Museums; Olympic Ring & Stadium; Fountain on Montjuïc

May 16 (Mon) – Barcelona; Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona; Tour Barcelona - La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Gothic District

May 17 (Tue) - Pick up car; Drive to Lorca (6 hours 18 min); Hotel Almatea in Lorca

May 18 (Wed) - Drive to Granada (2 hours 19 minutes); Tour Alhambra Palace and Cathedral; Drive to Seville (2 hours 48 minutes); Hotel Ibis Seville (2 nights)

May 19 (Thur) – Seville; Hotel Ibis Seville; Tour Seville - Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower; Alcázar and gardens; Dinner and Flamenco show

May 20 (Fri) - Drive to Córdoba (1 hour 30 minutes); Tour Córdoba - Cathedral, Alcázar, Synagogue, Calahorra tower, and the Jewish Quarter for a Tapas lunch; Drive to Madrid (4 hours 22 minutes); Hotel Madrid Hilton (4 nights); Downtown at night to Plaza Mayor and dinner at Botín (Hemmingway’s favorite)

May 21 (Sat) – Hotel Madrid Hilton; Tour Madrid - Prado; Reina Sofia (Guernica); Thyssen-Bornemisza; Royal Palace

May 22 (Sun) – Hotel Madrid Hilton; Daytrip to El Escorial and Segoiva

May 23 (Mon) – Hotel Madrid Hilton; Daytrip to Toledo – Alcázar; Catedral de Toledo

May 24 (Tue) – Drive to Collbató (5 hours 46 minutes) for tour of Monserrat; cable car to top; Drive to Hotel Ibis Barcelona Castelldefels (36 min)

May 25 (Wed) - Fly Home: US Air 743 Depart 10:45am; Arrive PHL at 1:45pm; Non-stop