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Abagadro
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on: June 10, 2008, 08:20:14 PM

Need some feedback from the collective wisdom around here.

Okay, so I'm looking at planning a big trip next Spring (late April or all of May time period). May has my wife's 40th birthday, our 10th wedding anniversary and 15 years being together, so it is a bit of a big deal.  I'm looking mainly to Europe, but not exclusively. Barcelona has come up as a possibility and was wondering if anyone has vacationed there and what they thought. Is a week too long/not long enough for there? Any suggestions on other places to go from there as a base (i.e. day trips or going off for a few days by train or whatnot)?

Any other suggestions for totally different locale is also welcome.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

-H.L. Mencken
schild
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Reply #1 on: June 10, 2008, 08:22:11 PM

France. Stay on Mont. St. Michel.



When the tide is up, you can't leave (or enter). When it's down, there's only one road in and out. It's the most beautiful place on earth. And there is a hotel. It completely redeemed France for me having been to Paris and fucking hating it.

If I had the option to completely drop everything and move there with no worries, I would. I'd open up a small store and live out my years peacefully.
stu
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Reply #2 on: June 10, 2008, 08:54:45 PM

I spent a more than a week in Barcelona and a few days in Valencia, to south, after a year in Iraq. Probably the best two weeks of my life. Of course, that was during spring break season and I met a girl from a college in Mississippi (whom I still talk to on a regular basis after five years, so that really ties things together).

You can go to the soccer stadium, see the fine architecture (marked most prominently by the fabled Gaudi), find wonderful hidden restaurants all over the city, and be perplexed by the Catalan language. They have bull fighting as well, but that's probably not date material.

The French Riviera isn't far away either if you plan on skipping around a bit. Nice is a wonder, but Marseilles is much closer.

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Phildo
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Reply #3 on: June 10, 2008, 08:59:17 PM

I liked Barcelona as well.  Alternatively, there are a few fantastic cities in Italy.
stu
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Reply #4 on: June 10, 2008, 09:07:21 PM

I'd say the obvious one in Italy is Venice, but Florence is a gem, although I didn't spend much time there. Rome is badass, but there are too many shady peeps wandering around.

Dear Diary,
Jackpot!
Engels
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Reply #5 on: June 10, 2008, 09:12:16 PM

Well, I was born and raised in Barcelona, and go back semi-regularly, so I have a thing or two to say on that particular topic.

Springtime is a very good time to go. Summer gets too hot, and although winters are fairly mild, Barcelona really shines in the spring. As far as things for visitors (not to call you a crass tourist!), there's a whole gamut of possibilties. If architecture is your thing,  you have Gaudi, the cathedrals, a roman town just a hour's trainride away, gardens, as well as some pretty nifty modern architecture.

Here are some sample photos:

One of Parque Guell's many funky buildings



A shot of the Sagrada Familia cathedral (sorry for the haziness, its from our family's apartment a ways away)



The gothic main cathedral



The royal palace and the Olympics radio tower (about the size of the Seattle Space Needle)



A closeup of the tilework on the cieling of one of Gaudi's park buildings



and a closeup of the closeup



All this is just a rather poor sampling that doesn't give it justice.

A few things to remember about Barcelona;

A) People smoke. A lot.
B) Although by US standards it is a 24/7 party, Barcelona is a comparitively quiet town. Although every weekend is hopping, it won't be a throbbing mass of dancing humanity during the week. The same cannot be said for Valencia, Sevilla, Madrid, etc. Its just a slightly more 'serious' culture. That ain't saying a lot tho.
C) It is one of the most expensive cities in Europe to live and to visit. It is comparible to London and Paris in this regard.
D) Feel comfortable using public transportation, because driving is not advisable if you find it stressful under average US standards.

Finally, its all about food, really. Aside from France and Italy, you just aren't going to get better food anywhere else in Europe. Don't even talk to me about good Indian food in England or some shit, it just doesn't come even close.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
schild
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Reply #6 on: June 10, 2008, 09:15:56 PM

Quote
Finally, its all about food, really. Aside from France and Italy, you just aren't going to get better food anywhere else in Europe. Don't even talk to me about good Indian food in England or some shit, it just doesn't come even  close.

It's true, but Italy and France are, ya know. Better.

If I wasn't going to Mont St. Michel, I'd do Italy again - in a heartbeat. Forever.
Engels
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Reply #7 on: June 10, 2008, 09:38:37 PM

Quote
Finally, its all about food, really. Aside from France and Italy, you just aren't going to get better food anywhere else in Europe.

It's true, but Italy and France are, ya know. Better.


Not to get into a pissing match, but it is in my experience, a matter of personal preference. I've spent months and months in France, and I wouldn't trade their food for Spanish food. The more important point is that in those three countries, the quality of an average meal is in an entirely different category from the average meal in the rest of Europe. And lets not even talk about the US. Good sammiches. Rubens in particular. Aside from that...

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
Furiously
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Reply #8 on: June 10, 2008, 09:53:03 PM

It's hard to go wrong anywhere in the Mediterranean...

Raging Turtle
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Reply #9 on: June 11, 2008, 01:23:15 AM

If you're looking to make your money go a little farther, Prague is absolutely gorgeous in the spring.  There's no beach here - well, you could go in the Vltava river but I don't recommend it - but I've been to both cities/countries and definitely prefer Prague over Barcelona.  The culture, the architecture, the food and drink, the people... plus you're in the middle of Central Europe, and you can get a cheap flight to Florence just as easily as Budapest or Berlin.  Or take a day trip by train to Vienna, or Salzburg, or etc etc.       






Alternatively, spend a month in Thailand, Cambodia (just for Ankor Wat), and Vietnam. 

Can't really beat this:

Cambodia:



Vietnam:


 
schild
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Reply #10 on: June 11, 2008, 01:30:34 AM

Quote
Finally, its all about food, really. Aside from France and Italy, you just aren't going to get better food anywhere else in Europe.

It's true, but Italy and France are, ya know. Better.


Not to get into a pissing match, but it is in my experience, a matter of personal preference. I've spent months and months in France, and I wouldn't trade their food for Spanish food. The more important point is that in those three countries, the quality of an average meal is in an entirely different category from the average meal in the rest of Europe. And lets not even talk about the US. Good sammiches. Rubens in particular. Aside from that...

The bread pushes France over the top for me. Also, the way they prepare a few classic dishes. And I'm not a big fan of Paella. Compared to America though, all 3 are close to godliness on a plate.

That said, next time I'm in Spain, I will be going to eat a meal at El Bulli. Otherwise, I simply won't go.

By the way, if you can somehow get a reservation there - THAT IS WHERE YOU TAKE THE WIFE. There are no other options. It should be on the list of Things to Do Before you Die.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2008, 01:32:39 AM by schild »
photek
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Reply #11 on: June 11, 2008, 01:47:36 AM

Need some feedback from the collective wisdom around here.

Okay, so I'm looking at planning a big trip next Spring (late April or all of May time period). May has my wife's 40th birthday, our 10th wedding anniversary and 15 years being together, so it is a bit of a big deal.  I'm looking mainly to Europe, but not exclusively. Barcelona has come up as a possibility and was wondering if anyone has vacationed there and what they thought. Is a week too long/not long enough for there? Any suggestions on other places to go from there as a base (i.e. day trips or going off for a few days by train or whatnot)?

Any other suggestions for totally different locale is also welcome.

I've been many places in EU and I can surely recommend you some and show you some pictures from the trips. I've been to most places suggested here and I'm wondering what sort of place are you looking for ? Are you traveling alone / with family / kids / friends ? The fantastic thing about EU is that it has tons of variation in places, different cultures and lifestyles and you will find everything around here. I can quickly recommend you a few places that were my favorites, but once you give me more info I surely assist some more.

Croatia - Croatia is amazing. I come from Yugoslavia originally, so naturally I've been all around. However even after visiting the top places in Greece / Spain, I still believe Croatia beats it hands down. Two years ago we had a roadtrip to Croatia (from Norway) and where we usually stay is a place called Makarska and drive between there and a city called Split and Dubrovnik and the life there is beautiful. We rented a beach bungalow just by the beach and stayed there for two weeks and had tons of fun. Lots of activities (scuba-diving, jetskiing, parachuting, kayaking/rafting), swimming, get some tan, nightlife, food, culture, architecture.. Its fantastic. Here are a few pics :











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Murgos
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Reply #12 on: June 11, 2008, 04:38:54 AM

I spent two weeks in Barcelona recently.  You cannot go wrong with a trip there.

The food is great, the people are great, there is history there to check out, about a dozen extremely good museums, Gaudi architecture, Original Picasso Art randomly strewn about the place, it's a short distance from many very cool day trips, the Costa Brava or the Pyrenees, plus you have to check out a Barca match, etc...

Engels may think Barcelona is a quiet sleepy place but it's at least as active, and probably more so, than New York City.  Dinner at the better restaurants starts at 11, ends at 1, in time for a quick drink at a bar before heading out clubbing at 2 (I recommend doing the clubbing in the Gracia district but YMMV), beaches, shopping on Passeig De Gracia during the day.  I was there with friends who grew up there but any guide book can fill a week with ease.

I've been around the world a couple of times now and I would move to Barcelona this week if anyone there did ASIC design.

"You have all recieved youre last warning. I am in the process of currently tracking all of youre ips and pinging your home adressess. you should not have commencemed a war with me" - Aaron Rayburn
Engels
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Reply #13 on: June 11, 2008, 06:39:18 AM

Er, Barcelona is considered a sleepy place by contrast to other major spanish cities. Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia..now those are serious party towns.

schild, I second your notion about paella. It is highly overrated and more often than not, very poorly done. Its not really a good food for the tourism trade, since its a very fiddly dish that requires an experienced chef and some TLC, and most places serving it en-masse could care less. As far as good places to eat in Barcelona, I'm a bit out of touch on that note, since when I'm there I mostly eat at friends or at 'home'. La Dorada is probably still around as a top-notch Michelin guide restaurant specializing in sea food. Try the salt-encrusted baked dorada (aka sea bream).

By the way, I second the vote for Prague. I've yet to meet a single person who's disliked it, and you have to love the architecture there.


I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
photek
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Reply #14 on: June 11, 2008, 06:45:53 AM

By the way, I second the vote for Prague. I've yet to meet a single person who's disliked it, and you have to love the architecture there.

Prague is win. All over, the city is magnificent and so is everything in it. However it's not the place to go if you want a "summer by the beach" holiday though.

"I recently went to a new doctor and noticed he was located in something called the Professional Building. I felt better right away"
Bungee
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Reply #15 on: June 11, 2008, 07:03:51 AM

I've been to many places around the Med-Sea but yet have to find a place more beautiful then croatia/slovenia.
Some friends of mine and me are spending at least a week per year sailing around the adria, with croatia always being our starting point.
It just doesn't matter where you spend the night, be it in a harbor or anywhere by the coast, the things around you are just always breathtaking.

The Landscape, the buildings, the people, the weather. It really is one of the best places in Europe to spend some time near/on the sea.

If you want to spend some time away from any salty water, it depends on what you want to see.
For the Alps I don't think there's any bigger city across France, Switzerland, Austria and northern Italy you wouldn't enjoy but I'd think that Zürich, Bern and Salzburg are the best choices, and Salzburg has an amazing landscape aside from the alps around it.

Aside from that, well- there are enough posts from people who know more of that.

P.S.: Google Earth has some really good shots of the landscape of europe and as for the cities, maps.live.com offers Bird's Eye Shots of every town that's worth mentioning.

« Last Edit: June 11, 2008, 07:07:55 AM by Bungee »

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Abagadro
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Reply #16 on: June 11, 2008, 08:29:39 AM

Thanks and keep it coming.  I'll answer some of the questions asked of me later as it would be too tough to do on my PDA.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

-H.L. Mencken
Oban
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Reply #17 on: June 11, 2008, 09:24:28 AM

If you are going to Spain but want to see a bit of France too, it is hard to beat Biarritz.  My wife and I spent our first anniversary there.  It is kind of off the normal foreign tourist routes, which is quite nice.  We stayed at the Hotel Du Palais in an amazing ocean view suite:



http://www.hotel-du-palais.com/?lang=us

She still talks about it fondly...

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Oz
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Reply #18 on: June 11, 2008, 10:21:36 AM

My wife studied in Sevilla and LOVED IT.  i'm a big fan of Germany and Austria.   By far the nicest people i ever meet in EU were the Irish (southern, can't say for northern).
Abagadro
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Reply #19 on: June 14, 2008, 09:31:01 PM

Ok, sorry I let this slide for a while.  Thanks for the suggestions so far. I've sorta convinced the Mrs. that Barcelona would be a great place to go although I'm still open to other spots (particularly 1 or 2 day trips from Barc)

As to "what we like to do" that is a bit of a connundrum. My wife and I are basically polar opposites. She like the beach. I like architecutre and cool old ruins. She likes to shop, I like bars. She is a vegetarian (well, fishaterian really) and not culinarily adventurous, I like to try everything at high end restaurants. We both like good coctails/wine/liquor and nice hotel rooms though.  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

-H.L. Mencken
lamaros
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Reply #20 on: June 14, 2008, 09:40:56 PM

The Adriatic off the coast of Croatia is fantastic in my experience, but given what you have said you and your wife are looking for is probably not the best place.
Abagadro
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Reply #21 on: June 14, 2008, 09:43:29 PM

I actually have some tangential connection in Croatia (long story) so it might be interesting to go there.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

-H.L. Mencken
Tale
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Reply #22 on: June 15, 2008, 06:02:50 AM

I haven't set foot in Spain, but I spent three weeks drifting through Portugal in December 2005.

I picked Portugal because it's inexpensive, western and safe. The food and wine are fantastic and very cheap.

Lagos in the Algarve was probably my favourite spot, but I was there in early winter. The temperature was still 24 degrees C and sunny, the bars were still open in town, the restaurants were pleased to see customers, and the whole place was relaxed and friendly. The Algarve experience in the height of summer is apparently very different - masses of English tourists at their worst.





Lisbon and surrounds were also fantastic. Lisbon is an unbombed old European capital, with stuff like this:





Engels
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Reply #23 on: June 15, 2008, 09:43:23 AM

Abogadro, I think I have the solution:

Tarragona: Roman ruins & the beach, in one location. About an hour and a half outside of Barcelona.

Here's a website with various photos.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
photek
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Reply #24 on: June 15, 2008, 09:59:55 AM

Ok, sorry I let this slide for a while.  Thanks for the suggestions so far. I've sorta convinced the Mrs. that Barcelona would be a great place to go although I'm still open to other spots (particularly 1 or 2 day trips from Barc)

As to "what we like to do" that is a bit of a connundrum. My wife and I are basically polar opposites. She like the beach. I like architecutre and cool old ruins. She likes to shop, I like bars. She is a vegetarian (well, fishaterian really) and not culinarily adventurous, I like to try everything at high end restaurants. We both like good coctails/wine/liquor and nice hotel rooms though.  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

To be frank, I'd actually consider Rome, Italy. Sounds like what you need and then you have various places in Greece might be great for you. Mixture of boths interests.

"I recently went to a new doctor and noticed he was located in something called the Professional Building. I felt better right away"
Murgos
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Reply #25 on: June 15, 2008, 06:25:49 PM

As to "what we like to do" that is a bit of a connundrum. My wife and I are basically polar opposites. She like the beach. I like architecutre and cool old ruins. She likes to shop, I like bars. She is a vegetarian (well, fishaterian really) and not culinarily adventurous, I like to try everything at high end restaurants. We both like good coctails/wine/liquor and nice hotel rooms though.  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

from wiki:
"The foundation of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome and that it was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca."

So you got your history.  There are Roman ruins around the city, stuck into odd corners here and there and the surrounding countryside and the museums are full of 2000+ years of history.  Also, did you know that the Catalans claim Christopher Columbus was from Barcelona?

Also, just gonna throw out there that if you ask a local what 'Barcelona' means they will say that it translates to Bars, Sea and Sky.  Every block seemingly has a dozen or so interesting bars, cafe's and clubs.  The beach is, uh, right there (along with attendant rafts of amazing sea food). Top if off with Gaudi architecture and it sounds like your dream place.  smiley

And, did I mention the food was excellent?

"You have all recieved youre last warning. I am in the process of currently tracking all of youre ips and pinging your home adressess. you should not have commencemed a war with me" - Aaron Rayburn
Engels
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Reply #26 on: June 15, 2008, 08:08:38 PM

Heh, only cooks think Columbus was Catalan. What is true, however, is that the maritime logs he wrote were heavily influenced by Catalan, since that was, at the time, an established maritime language and people theorise that Columbus spent a major portion of his youth at Catalan ports. Catalunya had a huge trading empire from the southern tip of Spain all the way to the tip of Italy and beyond. They were essentially a non-country country, and one of the reasons they get so danged uppity about Catalunya being a nation, since their language is older than the Spanish language. While by the 9th century Catalan was already a fully functioning language, Spanish only got its first Latin-to-Spanish lexicon around 1492.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
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