“Her perfume was a mixture of roses and tear gas.” ~ Rick Riordon
We all love to leave a sweet reminder that we were here or there. We all want to feel that our presence evokes good memories in other’s minds. It may be through a good gesture, advice, deed or simply by the aroma of our perfume. But, when we are traveling, we should take into consideration the people surrounding us – especially those sitting next to us.
I had a bad experience once on a 9-hour flight. Our seats were in the middle row, three to a row. My husband sat on the left side aisle seat, I was in the middle, and to my right was a young lady in her late 20’s I’d say. She was a polite young lady with a very thick accent who was visiting the U.S. for the first time.
She stayed on her side and was quiet during most of the flight. She was not fidgety or annoying in any way. But, her perfume was a big problem for me. Don’t get me wrong, it smelled good. But, it was either too strong or she had too much on. The fragrance was so strong that it felt intoxicating as if I was suffocating. Every time I inhaled my nostrils felt a sting as if burning. I felt as if I was swimming inside the bottle of perfume and desperately trying to get out. Then it reached the point where I felt it sweep up my nose towards my forehead. I got the worst sinus headache. I felt the perfume in my throat as if I had swallowed a gulp of it.
I reclined towards my husband’s side and pulled a sweater over my face to cover my nose as much as possible. I wasn’t coughing or sneezing, but a headache was bad enough and I began to feel nauseous. I tried sleeping but couldn’t and there was no way I could hold food down so there was no eating either. I tried meditating, but the smell was so intoxicating that I couldn’t concentrate. I tried reading, watching a movie, listening to music, even playing a game but nothing worked. The flight was full so there was no way I was able to switch seats. I didn’t want to switch with my husband because, unlike me, he suffers from allergies and that would have been worst. I had to endure the nine long grueling hours of perfume intoxication.
What a relief when we landed. That airport environment air felt so good, so fresh. I still had a headache, but the nausea feeling was gone so it was nothing that two Tylenol could not resolve. It was a good thing that we flew on a comfortable airline and seats. Or was it that I was so miserable with the perfume problem that I didn’t realize anything else? Oh well, I guess I’ll never know. But, she sure did leave an everlasting impression on me.
Moral of my story: Please bathe and use deodorant when flying on an aircraft but DON’T WEAR PERFUME.
What are your thoughts? Have you had a bad experience while flying?
“God worked six days, and rested on the seventh. Madrileños rest on the six, and on the seventh… go to a bullfight.” ~ H O’Shea
While in Madrid, we stayed at the IBIS Budget Madrid Calle 30, at Calle Lozano 3 for 40€ per night. The hotel room was very clean – not large but comfortable enough. I liked that there were no yucky carpets in the rooms. All the furniture was wood, very simple, clean and modern. There was not a full separate bathroom, but all the basic components were available. The bathroom sink was in a corner of the room while the toilet was in a separate nook closer to the room entrance. The shower seemed more like an enclosed capsule next to the sink, but it was comfortable. Oh, and get this, the shower head had LED color lights – makes you want to sing in the shower. I found the bed comfy enough when after a long day and a nice shower we landed on the bed and didn’t open our eyes until morning. We didn’t bother having breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast was an extra fee and did not look appetizing enough to roll out 9€ more per day for both – not worth it.
Room in IBIS Budget Hotel
We departed from Madrid as well. Therefore, after visiting Cáceres, we drove back to Madrid and stayed at another IBIS hotel – the IBIS Budget Madrid Vallecas, same budget-friendly hotel, same rate, and type of rooms. However, in this hotel, the bed was extremely uncomfortable, and the room temperature was too warm. The rooms do not have individual air conditioning or heating units, it is all controlled by management. Therefore, when the temperature dipped down to the 50’s, the heater was cranked up. For us, it was a bit too hot and a hot room and uncomfortable bed do not make a good combination. It was a good thing that it’d only be one night.
Restaurants
We quickly learned to stay away from the tourist area when eating out and head towards where the locals eat. Our first breakfast was at a place close to the Plaza Mayor. We had the “Pincho de tortilla” (potato omelet), bread, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Breakfast for two was 15€. It was a good thing we spoke Spanish and were able to interact with the staff. We received good tips and suggestions.
Cafeteria Neila at Calle Santa Maria 41. The place was about a 10-minute walk from the Plaza Mayor. It’s not a fancy place, it is a small café with not much appeal to it, but the breakfast was good. We had the same as the previous day at the other “touristy” café – “Pincho de tortilla,” bread, coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice for a cost of 7€ for both! I highly recommend it.
Ciudad de Tui Restaurant at Calle Montera 22, right off of Puerta del Sol Plaza. One of the things I really wanted to eat in Spain was “Caldo Gallego,” it’s a delicious broth native to Galicia – which I didn’t know until we arrived in Spain. That’s why it was so difficult to find in Madrid, not all restaurants serve it. Anyway, while searching around for a place to eat we came upon Ciudad de Tui which was running a lunch special consisting of an appetizer, soup, salad, bread, main course, dessert, and wine for €10.95 per person. The “Caldo Gallego” was the deciding factor of us eating there and I don’t regret it because it was delicious. The environment was clean and inviting and the decor was just a tad fancy but very nice. The service was great. I would definitely recommend it.
Chocolate Y Churros – Los Nuevos Alpes, at Calle Mayor 54, close to Mercado San Miguel. You can’t go to Spain and not have their famous churros. This was one of the first places we stopped at and had churros with chocolate dipping sauce, coffee, and hot chocolate. It was good and less than €10 for both.
Restaurante San Cristobal, at Calle Marques Viudo de Pontejos, 4 was a small quaint place offering tapas and paella. We had paella and wine (of course). It was not the best out there but good. It seemed popular among the locals because it was full. The service was okay. Dinner for two was somewhere around 20€ with wine included.
Restaurante Puerta de Vigo, located at Calle Ferraz 44 in Madrid, just a few steps away from Templo del Debod. Our breakfast consisted of Pincho de Tortilla, bread, coffee and fresh orange juice for about 8€. They had other breakfast items on the menu as well. The service was not good, and the staff was neither helpful nor polite. We didn’t return after this experience.
La Mallorquina Bakery established in 1894. It is located at Puerta del Sol 8 in Madrid and only steps from the Puerta del Sol Plaza. La Mallorquinaspecializes in delicious sweets and pastries and it was fully packed to the point where there was barely any standing room during our visit.
Sightseeing
Plaza Mayor is one of the most famous places in Madrid. It is surrounded by three-story residential buildings with over 230 balconies facing the plaza. Plaza Mayor is home of restaurants, vendors, locals dressed as characters and live music, as well as a lot of tourists.
Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor
Puerta del Sol is another famous plaza where you will find the statue of The Bear and the Strawberry Tree. The statue is Madrid’s official symbol. They represent the official Coat of Arms of Madrid. At Puerta del Sol you’ll find famous name brand stores, restaurants, the metro train station, souvenir shops and lots more.
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree – Madrid’s official symbol
The very famous Mercado San Miguelis a stylish covered gastronomic market located just a few steps away from Plaza Mayor. From café, bakeries and meat markets to a beer house kiosk – you’ll find delicious and varied gourmet cuisine. However, don’t expect to be seated and waited on because seating is limited. You can buy what you want and if you’re lucky, you might find an empty chair at a table.
Plaza San Miguel in Madrid
Mercado San Miguel in Madrid
Mercado San Miguel in Madrid
Mercado San Miguel in Madrid
Mercado San Antón is a three-story building with an open atrium in the enter that comprises a full traditional vegetable, fruits, seafood, meats and bakeries market where you can shop for your favorite foods. The second floor is a mix of culinary café which includes Spanish and Mediterranean foods among others. The third-floor terrace is their prized architectural restaurant which overlooks Madrid. AtLa Cocina de San Anton, a traditional Spanish restaurant, you are able to buy your choice of meat in the first-floor food market and take it up to the restaurant where they will prepare it for you as you like.
Mercado San Anton
Mercado San Anton
Husband enjoying a coffee at Mercado San Anton
We wanted to visit places where the local’s shop. That is how we ended up at Plenilunio and the Alvaro Mendez shopping malls.Both are huge shopping malls in Madrid. They are very modern with a good variety of shops and some exclusive ones too. They are both very close to the airport – a great option if you have a few hours to spare before heading to the airport.
The Templo del Debod (Temple of Debod) is located at Calle Ferraz 1 in Madrid. It is an ancient Egyptian temple donated by the Egyptian government to the Spanish people in 1968 as a “Thank You” for the aid given by Spain.
Templo del Debod
Templo del Debod
Templo del Debod
The Parque del Retiro, located at Plaza de la Independencia 7, belonged to the Spanish monarchy until the late 19th century when it became public. It is one of the largest parks in Madrid and it’s free. There’s a lake for rowing, palaces that are now exhibition halls – one of them being the glass palace. It is beautiful and very peaceful. There is this beautiful Mediterranean Cyprus tree which seems as if it were carefully landscaped. I’ve never seen it anywhere else and don’t know if it’s trimmed to look this way or if it’s the natural form of the tree. Here’s a photo, what do you think?
Mediterranean Cypress Tree at Parque del Retiro
The official residence of the Spanish Royal Family is the Royal Palace. It is actually used for state ceremonies. Campo del Moro is the beautiful garden surrounding the palace. It has a large beautiful fountain and perfectly landscaped grounds. You will probably see a wedding photography session in this area as it is a perfect place for it.
Royal Palace of Madrid
Madrid is a beautiful, vibrant city. Its narrow streets and architectural structures make a perfect backdrop. I love that pedestrians are far more important than vehicles. You will see there are many lighted cross-walks with traffic lights exclusively for pedestrians. This is very important to me being that I am a grieving mother who lost a son in a pedestrian accident. I will definitely visit Madrid again.
Have you been to Madrid? If so, what places have you visited and what was your experience like?
“There is no night life in Spain. They stay up late but they get up late. That is not night life. That is delaying the day.” – Ernest Hemingway
Our trip to Spain, la Madre patria as some call it, was the only trip in which we created an itinerary and followed our instincts. It was a 15-day trip (2 of them were flying, of course). Our itinerary included various towns beginning with Madrid, Segovia, La Rioja (Logroño), Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valencia, Cáceres and back to Madrid. We visited wineries, famous landmarks, parks and whatever else crossed our path.
Our 3000-mile route (blue stars at each city visited)
We arrived at Madrid through Barajas Airport – very nice and modern airport, by the way. It is fully equipped with the latest technology and bamboo ceiling making it the largest bamboo project in the world. It has a huge underground tunnel. I had never seen an airport with such a deep underground tunnel. I don’t know if it was the many hours on flight or what, but we walked down so many flight of stairs, 3 or 4 floors, it seemed as if it would never end. It’s like a labyrinth of tunnel after tunnel. It is a huge airport, but we were able to get around.
Barajas Airport in Madrid
We reached the vehicle rental kiosk (very difficult to find) and proceeded to pick up our vehicle – a Fiat 500 – quite small but easy to get around in. Our itinerary included a 3000-mile adventure stopping in different cities. We began in Madrid and visited Segovia, Logroño (La Rioja region), Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valencia, Cáceres and back to Madrid. While visiting the different city’s we parked the vehicle in one of many underground parking garages available and continued by foot. Those parking garages were quite expensive though, as much as 20€ for a few hours.
Fiat 500 Rental in Spain
Since this was an independent trip we rented a portable Wi-Fi for about $70 for the 13 days that we’d be there. It was great to have a portable Wi-Fi. We used it for everything – finding our way around, placing Face Time calls without using our data plan, and for all our devices including tablets. Great idea if you are traveling independently and don’t want to incur in roaming charges. We used the WAZE navigation app on my iPad to get around. Good thing we speak the language because the street names are so long and difficult to understand in English that we had to change the WAZE language to Spanish which made it easier.
Using WAZE Navigation app in Spain
When we arrived I was not feeling too well, probably because of the long flight. We stopped at a local pharmacy for some over the counter headache relief medication. They had the equivalent of our common Tylenol which is Panadol. It was a box of 24 at a price of .69€, that was less than $1.00! Traveling independently was wonderful. Being able to stop anywhere for photos or a bite to eat made the trip so much better. While driving to one of our destinations, in one of our many stops at a gas station for fuel, we purchased snacks for the ride – two loafs of bread, goat cheese, “jamón Iberico” (Iberian ham), coffee and water bottles – all for less than 10€!
We stopped at old castles in non-tourist areas, in different wineries, olive tree plantations, and we even took photos of a huge display of a bull that seemed to pop up in different areas. We were just curious to find out what it was about. It turns out it was a billboard for Toro Osbourne brandy.
Abandoned grape vine
Along the way
Along the way
Toro Osbourne
Along the way
Olive tree and me
Castle along the way
Castle along the way
Along the way
Our Spain trip was a great one – so much to see and so little time. It is a beautiful country with its many great architectural buildings, many monuments, easy access to the metro train and bus. Its laid-back lifestyle entices us to take a look at our hectic lives and realize that there’s more to life than just working. People in Spain still take their siesta from around 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. It has a very vibrant and bustling night life great for everyone – especially for young adults. Their foods (tapas) are spectacular and their wine exquisite! I encourage everyone to include Spain in their bucket list. It is a country worth visiting.
Agbar Tower in Barcelona
Alpha and Omega in Baix A Mar
Somewhere between Barcelona and Valencia
Palacio de Cibeles
Have you visited Spain? If so, what did you enjoy the most?
“England is the paradise of individuality, eccentricity, heresy, anomalies, hobbies and humors.”~ George Santayana
Strata SE1
London is a whole different category from Paris and Italy. I found it to have an old charm but with a modern twist. Many architectural landmarks such as Big Ben and Westminster Abby among the City Hall’s tilted structure, the Strata Tower, the Leadenhall Building and the 30 Street Mary Axe (The Gherkin). A very beautiful city indeed. It was quite chilly when we arrived in September – around mid 40’s. There were less tourist and traffic which was great. We were centrally located at the Central Park Hotel within proximity to late night restaurants, pubs, bus stops, four miles from Kensington Palace and two miles from the Queensway Train Station in Hyde Park.
Lodging
Central Park Hotel
The Central Park Hotel has a very modern look. Our room was large with a double bed and decent decor. The restroom was very comfortable and clean. Overall the hotel, rooms and facilities were well maintained. The staff was helpful with their suggestions of things to do, where to catch the bus, best places to eat and much more. Our only complaint would be that the WiFi signal was weak, therefore we were not able to connect – not that we spent much time in the hotel anyway, other than to shower and sleep. The hotel has a restaurant which serves a full English breakfast. They also serve lunch and dinner. The breakfast was quite good for a great start to the day and the small bar area for cocktails after a hectic day of sightseeing was available.
Restaurants
Black Lion Pub
There are so many restaurants in the hotel vicinity that it was hard to choose where to eat. From Asian food, Mediterranean, Italian and so many more. Not being too familiar with the English culture and only knowing the Fish & Chips as native to the British, we wanted to try their version of it. As recommended by the shuttle bus driver, we headed to the Black Lion Pub.
The Black Lion Pub was located at 123 Bayswater Road. It had an old charm decor and pleasant environment. The staff was polite but not very helpful when it came to asking questions about the menu. We had to place our order at the bar, were given a number, and a waiter brought the food to our table. Our meal consisted of Fish & Chips with tartar sauce and peas for about £12 each plus the appetizer, lager and dessert. The fish was good, the chips and peas – well they were just chips or French fries, as we call them, and peas. I’m not a beer drinker but the beer was good and didn’t get me bloated (very important)!
Bella Italia Trattoria located on 55 Queensway in London was another location where we had dinner. Dinner and wine was good and for four was around £100, which was not bad considering we had appetizers, salads, entrée, desserts and wine.
Kam Tong Cantonese and Asian Restaurantlocated at 50 Queensway in London. It was a very cold night (low 40s) so we did not want to go too far. The place was warm and cozy. The service was very good. We had duck Peking for dinner – not my favorite, but my husband enjoyed it very much. Total spent was approximately £40. I did enjoy the Sake which warmed us up in a way that made me feel hot, as in sweaty hot. We ended the night walking around Queensway carrying our warm sweaters and jackets instead of wearing them.
Great British Fish & Chips located at Westminster Bridge Rd in London just across from the London Eye. A fast food restaurant that serves fish & chips, burgers, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. The fish & chips was good enough to fulfill your hunger and about £20 for two.
Sightseeing
We purchased the London Pass a few months before our trip. The pass included the entrance to the Big Tours Bus, Thames River Cruise, palaces, museums and many other places, as well as restaurant and gift shop discounts. The cost was about £85 for one day. I think it was well worth it. Since we purchased it a few months before the trip we were able to review the guide-book and plan an itinerary of places to visit to make the best of our short stay, thus taking full advantage of our trip.
Buckingham Palace Guard
Buckingham Palace Shield
Awaiting the Change of Guards
You can’t go to London and not experience the Guard Mounting at Buckingham Palace. So, we hopped on the Big Tours Bus at Marble Arch and it dropped us off at the Queen’s Gallery Buckingham Palace. The changing of the guard ceremony began at 10:45 a.m. and lasted about 30 to 45 minutes. The guards are on duty from 24 to 48 hours with 2 hours on sentry duty and 4 hours off. I’m still amazed at their discipline – how straight face they maintain themselves.
Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
Sea of Ceramic Poppies
Ceramic poppies representing lives lost
One of the places we visited was the Tower of London located on the north bank of the River Thames. The Tower was built in the 1070’s and was used as a palace, a fortress, a prison and even housed wild exotic animals. It attracts over 3 million visitors a year. Coincidently, we visited when the Blood Swept Land and Seas of Red was displayed. The art display represented the 100-year mark since Britain’s involvement in the First World War. The red ceramic poppies filled the Tower’s moat between July 17 and November 11, 2014. Each one represented a British military killed during the war. The entrance fee was included in the London Pass.
Crossing the Tower Bridge
Crossing the Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge
Crossing the Tower Bridge
Crossing the Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. We were able to explore its hidden treasures, learn about its history and walk among its beautiful architecture and glass floor. This tour was also included in the London Pass.
Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Our time in London was short and we were not able to do the Houses of Parliament tour other than an outside photography – especially of the most famous Big Ben. In a way that’s good. It means we will make another trip to London in the future.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Shard of Glass
Related to an art exhibition taking place throughout September
The London Eye is gigantic and very impressive. It is located on the south bank of the Thames river . The London Eye was launched solely for the 2000 new year celebration as a temporary structure. However, it has gained such popularity that it is now a permanent structure of London. I did not ride the London Eye. It was too big and intimidating and I’m not that brave. However, I enjoyed having photos taken standing near it. That’s as close as I got without fear kicking in.
Blue Rooster @ Trafalgar Square
Aboard the Big Tour Bus, we toured the vibrant and bustling Trafalgar Square learning about its purpose and history. We came across a giant blue rooster statue – very out of place. We then learned that the rooster and its color represents Britain’s defeat of France at the 1805 battle of Trafalgar which gave the square its name. The bus offered three routes stopping at different places. We did all three routes and enjoyed hopping off and on at different locations and visiting all that caught our interest.
Stonehenge
One of my favorite places in the U.K. and one of the many wonders of the world is Stonehenge in Wiltshire. We took an escorted tour to this phenomenal monument. It was a very impressive site yet so serene and lots of energy. A prehistoric site with so many stories and unanswered questions is something no one should miss. We encountered a few people dressed in long gowns or as ferries participating in ceremonial celebrations throughout.
Windsor Castle Tour
Windsor Castle Tour
We did an escorted tour of the Windsor Castle, which is still an official residence of the Queen. Did you know that the Windsor Castle is the biggest house in the world at 484,000 square feet? I didn’t either. Also, it has about 1000 rooms. We then toured the State apartments and the 14th century St. George’s Chapel – a beautiful medieval church architecture in England established in 1348.
Oxford City
Our last stop was at Oxford city which is home of the world’s famous Oxford University dated back to the 12th century. Various locations in Oxford were featured in the Harry Potter films, such as the Bodleian, New College and Christ Church.
And, even though we were so close to Kensington Palace, we kept so busy that we never made it in time to tour it. There is so much going on in England that two and a half days is not enough to explore its fascinating places. It was a great trip indeed – such history and beautiful places. I’m sure I left out many places to visit while in England. Can you tell me what other places you suggest we visit next time around? I’m looking forward to your comments.
