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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: bigyellow100 on March 22, 2007, 05:50:00 pm

Title: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: bigyellow100 on March 22, 2007, 05:50:00 pm
im thinking about going to spain mid-june.  i prefer to go to southern spain, where there are nice beaches and resorts.  
 
 i remember that a couple of people on this forum went to spain this past year or so and was wondering if they, or anyone for that matter, have any insight into where i should start looking.
 
 i pretty much decided on doing this last night and have no idea where to begin researching.
 
 thanks for any help.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Frank Gallagher on March 22, 2007, 05:54:00 pm
Try to pm Barcelona.....he would be your best source. Spain is lovely but there are places to avoid because it's full of British/Irish drunken morons....unless you're into that stuff of course.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: SPARX on March 22, 2007, 06:21:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  Barcelona.....he would be your best source.
Nothing derogatory intended but the whole time I've been here I thought Barcelona was female. Live and learn...Where's Markie?
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: vansmack on March 22, 2007, 06:27:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by SPARX:
 Where's Markie?
Chicago.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer on March 22, 2007, 07:41:00 pm
We went to southern Spain last March (Seville, Granada, Toldeo, and Madrid). Check your pm for more...
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Barcelona on March 22, 2007, 08:04:00 pm
By the way Mankie, I have been working for over one year in the british caribbean and I am starting to follow cricket, at least the world cup, might even be able to see a Super 8 game in Guyana.
 
 Sparx, I welcome criticism of Barcelona. Actually, I have been living abroad for the last nine years and everytime I return home I am bit disappointed. Barcelona is now a city designed for tourists and it is almost impossible to have a coffee in an old square in the gothic neighborhood without having to see thousands of people. Nothing against tourists, it is great to see so many visitors enjoying your hometown, but I think the city is losing a bit of its charm. I guess it needs to find some balance between tourism and the residents in the city. For example five years ago there were no direct flights between the US and Barcelona, now you can find direct flights from JFK, Newark, Philadelphia and Atlanta.
 
 Anyway, back to the topic, I cannot recommend about beaches in Southern Spain, but I will ask a couple of friends form Andalucia to see if they can recommend nice beaches there. As Rhett said, in southern Spain you may also want to visit Sevilla and Granada and if you are coming from Madrid, visit Toledo as well.
 
 However, for nice beaches in Spain, I would also consider Menorca in the Balearic Islands, in June it should be quiet and you should have a very nice time in some excellent beaches.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: vansmack on March 22, 2007, 08:10:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Barcelona:
  Actually, I have been living abroad for the last nine years and everytime I return home I am bit disappointed. Barcelona is now a city designed for tourists and it is almost impossible to have a coffee in an old square in the gothic neighborhood without having to see thousands of people. Nothing against tourists, it is great to see so many visitors enjoying your hometown, but I think the city is losing a bit of its charm. I guess it needs to find some balance between tourism and the residents in the city.  
We could always bring a Franco-type back to make people want to stay away from that Catalan region of Spain again, if you'd like...
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Barcelona on March 22, 2007, 08:14:00 pm
The Guardian published an article a few weeks ago about the best ten beaches in the world and quite surprisingly ranked a beach in Galicia in northwestern Spain as the best beach in the world. With the current crazy climate, June might already be a very good month to go that beach.
 
  http://travel.guardian.co.uk/article/2007/feb/16/beach.top10#more-article (http://travel.guardian.co.uk/article/2007/feb/16/beach.top10#more-article)
 
    <img src="http://image.guardian.co.uk/Travel/gallery/2007/feb/16/top10.beach/LasIslasCiesSpain435-6320.jpg" alt=" - " />
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Barcelona on March 22, 2007, 08:27:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by vansmack:
     
Quote
Originally posted by Barcelona:
  Actually, I have been living abroad for the last nine years and everytime I return home I am bit disappointed. Barcelona is now a city designed for tourists and it is almost impossible to have a coffee in an old square in the gothic neighborhood without having to see thousands of people. Nothing against tourists, it is great to see so many visitors enjoying your hometown, but I think the city is losing a bit of its charm. I guess it needs to find some balance between tourism and the residents in the city.  
We could always bring a Franco-type back to make people want to stay away from that Catalan region of Spain again, if you'd like... [/b]
You won't find many people who hate Franco more than me. I am catalan but anti-nationalist, I hate the right wing centralism in Madrid, but I don't like the catalan regionalism that can reject people if they don't speak catalan. Just find some balance and have a peaceful life.
 
 Again, nothing against having 5 or 10 flights from the US or any other part of the world. It is just to show how many more visitors are going to Barcelona these days.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Nietzsche on March 22, 2007, 08:37:00 pm
You might want to check out the "thorn tree" boards at www.lonelyplanet.com. (http://www.lonelyplanet.com.)
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: froggylizzard on March 22, 2007, 10:41:00 pm
And speaking of the cricket ...
 
   
Quote
Jamaican police are considering the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer as murder, they said in a statement on Thursday.
 
 
 The 58-year-old Briton died on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room.
 
 The previous day, Pakistan were eliminated from the Cricket World Cup by debutants Ireland.
 
 
 
Who are you calling a drunken Irish moron, biatch!
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: SalParadise on March 22, 2007, 10:53:00 pm
cadiz has a pretty nice beach if you're gonna be around southern spain... but nothing as nice as that picture above.
 
 a little day trip to tangier might be worthwhile too (it's a 60-90 minute boat ride from algeciras).
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: bigyellow100 on March 22, 2007, 11:51:00 pm
to everyone, thanks for your help so far.  im looking into all the links youve sent me right now.
 
 i dont really want to do anything tourist-y, but im not gonna lie.  my friends and i just need to get out the city and chill for a bit.  we want nice sun, sand, girls, and booze.  
 
 mallorca (sp?) looks really nice.  as do those beaches listed by bacelona.  the idea of going to the tangiers islands is also amazing.  
 
 also i need some flight info.  i think im searching wrong or something, but i dont think a flight from JFK to madrid should be almost 1k for coach in june, esp when they are going for 400ish in march and april.  and also, what are the possibilities of flying straight to these southern destinations?  
 
 like i said, i only have one week off, and would like to spend as little time as possible traveling.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Frank Gallagher on March 23, 2007, 07:32:00 am
We spent a week on the Island of Majorca last year, it was very nice. Some hotels are family oriented and some more 'party' so be sure to ask....
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 08:52:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by bigyellow100:
  im thinking about going to spain mid-june.  i prefer to go to southern spain, where there are nice beaches
Make sure you check out the peaches.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 08:54:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  Spain is lovely
They say Spain is lovely, though I've never bean.   Barcelona says it's the best place that he has ever seen...and he should know, he's been there enough.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 08:59:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  We went to southern Spain last March (Seville, Granada, Toldeo, and Madrid). Check your pm for more...
Toledo is way overrated.  Nice Stuckey's, though.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 09:01:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by vansmack:
  We could always bring a Franco-type back
<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00060QIWS.01-A2BF95SJ3X97HC._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />
 
 I just love French cuisine, with that special Johnny-yank touch.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 09:04:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by bigyellow100:
  JFK 1k 400ish
Make sure you say 'ETA' a lot.  It's a greeting wogs give each other.  If you don't want to look like a tourist, just stencil 'ETA' on your daypack.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Barcelona on March 23, 2007, 09:34:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by Dupek Chakra:
   
Quote
Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  Spain is lovely
They say Spain is lovely, though I've never bean.   Barcelona says it's the best place that he has ever seen...and he should know, he's been there enough. [/b]
Have I ever said that? for favorite place I have been to I still choose Bolivia.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: Barcelona on March 23, 2007, 09:40:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by bigyellow100:
  i dont really want to do anything tourist-y, but im not gonna lie.  my friends and i just need to get out the city and chill for a bit.  we want nice sun, sand, girls, and booze.  
 
Easy then, go to Ibiza. Try a flight to Barcelona connecting then to Ibiza. While in Ibiza you can also visit the two other main islands, Menorca and Mallorca.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 23, 2007, 09:46:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by Barcelona:
   
Quote
Originally posted by Dupek Chakra:
   
Quote
Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  Spain is lovely
They say Spain is lovely, though I've never bean.   Barcelona says it's the best place that he has ever seen...and he should know, he's been there enough. [/b]
Have I ever said that? for favorite place I have been to I still choose Bolivia. [/b]
Sometimes the jokes write themselves.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: bnyced0 on March 24, 2007, 08:25:00 pm
If youâ??re going to be in Cadiz, Iâ??d recommend Puerto De Santa Maria, Chiclana, and Chipiona for beaches.  They will be relatively tourist free, but plenty of Spainards.  
 
 Not sure about your timing but there a few festivals to attend during the summer and if you can discount the recent influx of Brits to the scene I believe they are the best all around festivals in the world.
 
 Thereâ??s Festimad outside of Madrid 8-9 June
 
 www.festimad.es (http://www.festimad.es)
 
 Thereâ??s Primavera Sound in Barcelona 31 May- 2 June
 
 www.primaverasound.com (http://www.primaverasound.com)
 
 Thereâ??s Summercase in both Madrid and Barcelona  13-14 July
 
 www.summercase.com (http://www.summercase.com)
 
 And thereâ??s FIB in Benicassim 19-22 July, which is near Valencia along the east coast.  FIB has been my favorite festival, named my boat after the place.  But in the last 2 years NME has been a partial sponsor the Brits are insufferable, theyâ??ve brought the brain-dead practice of throwing beer in the air but thankfully not the pissed filled ones youâ??d experience at Reading, V-Fest, or Glastonbury though Iâ??m sure itâ??s not far behind.
 
 www.fiberfib.com (http://www.fiberfib.com)
 
 As far as flights, Iberia will start a nonstop service from Dulles to Madrid and Barcelona in June, they have specials of $699 booking by May 31st, these prices are good through September and to say the least they are great deal.  Also look at British Airways, they have a flight to Heathrow leaving BWI at 8:45 nightly and you connect to most Spanish cities through them.  Similarly with American, from National via JFK or Miami.
 
 Anyway if you need info from an American perspective I lived in Spain for 7 years, go there about 3 times a year, and still have an apartment over there, just PM me.
Title: Re: I need help planning a trip to Spain.
Post by: on March 24, 2007, 10:17:00 pm
Next time we're in Tijada, don't let me forget, they make a chicken sandwich there.  They serve it on a hard roll, they heat it up. With orange juice, you know. Grande, a big one. Or pineapple juice. And coffee.