Spain – My Brother Traveler

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Spain, Madrid, Plaza du Espana 1989

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Spain, Costa del Sol, Torremolinos 1989

Spain, Granada, Alhambra Palace 1989

PSM-89 A trip to Portugal, Spain and Morocco and a day in Gibraltar
Date of travel: Oct 12 – Oct 30, 1989

ITINERARY:
On Oct 12 flight on TWA from San Diego via St. Louis and New York to PORTUGAL, visiting in 2.5 days: Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra and Evans. SPAIN with Sevilla and Algeciras in 2 days. By ferry to MOROCCO (Oct 17 to Oct 22) sightseeing: Tanger, Fez, Meknes, Marrakesh, Casablanca and Rabat. Back by ferry to SPAIN for Torremolinos, GIBRALTAR (British), Malaga, Granada, Cordova, Toledo, Madrid and Segovia. On Oct 30 flight back via New York and San Francisco to San Diego.

Travel office: TWA (through Mr. Foster Travel in Carlsbad, CA).
Who took part: I traveled with another about 20 American tourists and among them Frank Z. (Aramis).

AD-98Andorra trip
Date of travel: May 19 – June 2, 1998

ITINERARY:
Early on May 19 I left Vista in rented car for San Diego airport. From there I flew via St. Louis and New York to Barcelona, SPAIN, where early in the morning on May 20. It took 3.5 days sightseeing of Barcelona on my own visiting all the interesting places incl. Sagrada Familia, a cathedral by Gaudi, which is being built since the 20th and is still far from finished.

In the afternoon on May 23 I took a bus from Barcelona to ANDORRA high in the Pyrenees Mountains to visit a Czech family living there for years. In the next 4 days with their help I saw most of Andorra la Vella, the country capital, visited over 2300 m high mountains and took a trip to Llivia, a Spanish enclave within France close to Andorra.

On May 28 this Czech family took me on a 5 day trip in their mobile home around the Pyrenees Mts. After passing Pas de la Casa we entered FRANCE continuing to Foix, St.Giron and Tarbes sleeping in campings. On May 29 we reached Lourdes (here I spent a part of an afternoon visiting the holy place of Catholics). After that we drove to Oloron and Bedous. On May 31 we crossed the Pyrenees to SPAIN and going through Jaca and Huesca we came to Lerida. Then to Tarragona at the Mediterranean Sea.

In the morning on June 2 I took a plane from Barcelona via New York and St. Louis to San Diego. To Vista I got in a rented car.

Travel office: no travel office used

Who took part: I traveled by plane and visited Barcelona by myself. In Andorra and during the trip around Pyrenees Mountains I traveled with the Czech family.

Ba-05 Balearic Islands (part of Spain)
Date of travel: Jul 20 – Aug 3, 2005

ITINERARY:
On July 20, 2005, early in the morning I fly on Fischer Airlines from Prague to Mallorca Island (part of SPAIN) in Mediterranean Sea where in the midmorning. Then with other Czech tourists by bus across the island to Bahia d’Alcudia and the resort Ca’n Picafort with my “Hotel Vista Park.” In the afternoon, I get familiar with the hotel and its vicinity.
The following day I talk to a Fischer representative (delegate), make a list of trips I want to do, take twice a dip in the sea and once in the hotel pool. Next day I take a local bus to nearby Alcudia. It is a walled town with excavation of a Roman city. After its sightseeing, I do the same in Port d’Alcudia next door.
On July 23, I make a day trip to the biggest city of the island, Palma. A local bus gets me there in 1.5 hrs. After a stop at information, I go to Placa Major with music and singing there, walk past the Royal Palace, see the La Seu Cathedral and take a stroll in a beautiful park. Later I use a city bus to go to Castill de Belliver. However, somebody stole my wallet with some money and 2 credit cards. So, I skip the Castll. A visit to a police station is not helpful, because nobody speaks English. So, I take a bus back to Ca’n Picafort and my hotel. In the evening, I block both cards and ask for new ones.
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In the morning on July 24 I take a bus tour to the most northern point of Mallorca to Cape de Formentor. There is an impressive lighthouse there. Near the cape we have a 30 minutes catamaran ride. Beautiful beaches are everywhere. In midafternoon, I am back in my hotel in Ca’n Picafort. Next day morning I walk through Ca’n Picafort, the town in which is my hotel. I also get one replacement credit card.
In the morning on July 26 I board a bus collecting passengers for a trip to island western mountains, Serra de Tramuntana. All passengers are Czechs including the Czech guide. When reaching the mountains, the first stop is at the “Lluc Monastery” with the picture of “Black Madonna.” Then we go through 67 curves down to Sa Calabar at the coast. After lunch, we board a catamaran which takes us to Port Soller. There back on the bus and drive to the town Valldemossa. Chopin and Sandova lived here in 1838-39. From here our bus goes back to our various hotels in the eastern part of the island.
The following day the important thing is a visit to the police station to fill a form about the loss of my wallet. That is done.
On July 28, I make a trip to Island of Ibiza. Early morning a van takes mi to Palma where I board a ferry. It takes 2.5 hours to get to Ibiza City on the Island of Ibiza. I get on a sightseeing bus. First, we go to “Salt Flats,” which have been mined since time of Carthaginians. I notice old wind mills originally used for pumping water. In one village, we visit a 275 years old church. In western part of the island a stop at town of Sant Antoni, where tourism of Ibiza started. From here to the eastern part of the island for lunch. Back to Ibiza City to visit its oldest part called “Dalt Vila.” Then I wander through the streets of the city by myself. Late in the evening I take a ferry back to Mallorca. A van gets me to my hotel in Ca’n Picafort.
After a day in Ca’n Picafort I take a bus to Palma on July 30. I visit some places I saw last time and other I missed that time. Today it includes the inside of Cathedral la Seu and the Castell de Bellver to which I go on foot this time. Later in the afternoon I return by bus to my hotel.
In the morning on July 31 I make a bus tour to caves at “Porto Cristo.” Our bus passes a village called Petra a birthplace of Junipero Serra the founder of California Missions. In the second largest town of the island, Manacor, we visit a company producing artificial pearls. Before noon a visit to “Cuevas dels Hams” with small caves but rich with stalactites and stalagmites. Then we drive to the town Porto Cristo for an individual sightseeing and lunch. It is followed by a visit to “Cuevas del Drac” with larger halls and more stalactites and stalagmites. There is a large lake inside. While returning to our hotels we stop at a place making wood products from souvenirs to gigantic dinosaurs standing outside.
Last trip of my Balearic visit is to the Island of Menorca. On Aug 1, early in the morning I take a taxi from Ca’n Picafort to Port d’Alcudia. Here I board a ferry for 3-hour sailing to town of Ciutadella on Menorca. I visit its old town on my own. Then I take a local bus to cross the length of the island to its capital and the largest city Mahon. There after an hour drive. After taking a walk through the old town, I board a small boat for an hour ride through the narrow buy. Late in the afternoon I go by bus back to Ciutadella. Here I spend some more time walking through the town. In the evening, I board the ferry for 3-hour sailing back to Mallorca. A taxi takes me to my hotel in Ca’n Picafort where just after midnight.
My last day in Ca’n Picafort, I do some packing and notes writing. In the morning on Aug 3 I get up early. A bus rented by Fischer makes a run of hotels and collects Czech passenger going to the airport. The flight to Prague takes 2.5 hours.

Travel office: Fischer Travel (Czech company)
Who took part: Though, there are Fischer’s Czech travelers all over the island, everybody is by himself.