There's a columnist in our local newspaper who writes a piece every once in a while that's kind of a bullet list of his random thoughts (I figure he jots these down from time to time, then uses them when he's at a loss for a topic). Inspired by him, I'm inclined to share my stray musings from our just-completed trip to Barcelona and other cities and towns in Spain. So here goes:
1. Dogs: We saw so many cute dogs in Barcelona. These are urban creatures, in every sense of the word. As a city that's existed for over 2,000 years. Barcelona seems to have grown randomly, with no planning for such second millennium luxuries as green space. Consequently, parks are at a minimum. There are many trees, but each one has its own (tiny) space carved from the sidewalk. Some dogs seek these little sandy areas to do the necessary, but most dogs just poop on the sidewalk. Note: Owners seem quite diligent in their pickup activities. AND - Barcelona, at least in the areas we frequented, is quite tidy. We saw many municipal employees sweeping and picking up. So one way or the other, dogs are not a nuisance, and we loved seeing them and talking to their owners.
BUT - conclusion: Our dog would not do well in this city. He doesn't even like the tile floor in the kitchen. Can't imagine him loving living on sidewalks. Side note: The dogs were amazingly well behaved and friendly, even with the crowds of tourists. Many were not leashed, yet stayed with their owners like good doobies. Additional note: We missed our dog.
2. Toilets: When we were in Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, we became accustomed to the presence of public toilets. Yes, one had to pay a euro to use them, but they were there. In Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Montserrat, Besalu - no public toilets. My conclusion is that this just isn't happening in Spain. SO - one has two choices: go into a bar/restaurant and purchase something in order to use the W.C., or find McDonald's. No one ever batted an eyelash when we marched through Mickey D's to use the (always very clean) facilities. I don't know whether the lack of public potties is simply a cost-cutting measure on the part of the Spanish government, which has, admittedly, had a lot of hard times in the past decades and can't afford to construct and maintain public facilities, or if it just hasn't occurred to them. This old lady (and her hubs and companions) found it to be an inconvenience and sometimes a REAL inconvenience.
3. McDonald's: So interesting to me that McDonald's in Europe is far, far superior to McDonald's in the U.S. Wassup with that? And before anyone expresses shock that we actually patronized McDonald's while in the land of beautiful coffees and pastries, I'll note that on two occasions we broke down and purchased caffe Americano decaf, which, as far as I can tell, doesn't exist anywhere else in Spain. Side note: Starbucks is just as boring in Spain as it is in America - can't tell a bit of difference. Still don't like their coffee.
4. Windows: One of the true joys of European travel and staying in small hotels is the wonderful windows. Our room had a little balcony-ette (small ledge with iron railing) with French doors that opened to the street. We were on the fifth floor, so could have quite easily climbed the railing and jumped, if we had so desired. Curiously, no one seemed worried that we would do that. Consequently, we had access to the breezes, smells, sights and sounds of the neighborhood - and, with the exception of one fly, no bugs. This alone is a miracle to someone from Florida.
The most wonderful thing about the windows, however, is the mechanical shade. One of my pet peeves in travel is that, no matter how fancy the hotel, the heavy, light-blocking drapes NEVER meet in the middle. There's always a little sliver of a crack, and the sunlight comes pouring through in the morning, usually around 6:00 a.m. So annoying! Listen up, Holiday Inn Express (and Ritz-Carlton, for that matter): install some mechanical shades. With the touch of a button, the shade completely covers the window, blocks the light, and keeps the room DARK. Which is what one needs to be able to sleep, right?
5. Air travel: I never realized before what a difference a congenial (and quiet) flight crew can make on a lengthy flight across the water. Our flight to Barcelona was pretty miserable, with the crew making noise, talking, clattering, etc., all night long. Plus the head attendant was pretty crabby. The flight home was a delight. We had a newer plane with more comfortable seats, and one of the attendants actually joked with the passengers. This seems like something Delta could work on. Just sayin'.
6. Loved going, loved returning: Finally, I'm so grateful for OLLI at FSU. The staff (Debra and Terry) work so hard to make everything comfortable and interesting, and keep their smiles and pleasant demeanor through thick and thin. We learned so much on this trip (and others), and had an experience we'll treasure forever. And having good OLLI friends as traveling companions is just the icing on the cake. I will admit, however, that it's good to be home - did I mention that we missed our dog?
Thanks to all of you who have followed the Adventures of Mike and Nancy on this trip. I will blog again!
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