BootsnAll Travel Network



Traveling bootsnall Shirt\Barcelona

May 19th, 2006

Here’s the newest bootsnall member, an Englishman living in Barcelona for the last four years. 

shirt

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Traveling Bootsnall Shirt\Lisbon

May 19th, 2006

I’ve brought along a bootsnall shirt on my Europe trip.  The goal is to get a ramdom stranger to put on the shirt for a picture and also explain what a wonderful travel website bootsnall.com is to promote it and get the word out to all parts of the world.  Also I’ll put all the pictures together for a calendar for 2007.

Here’s the Lisbon Foto (ok, it’s my dad, I cheated)

bna

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Barcelona and six flights from hell part two

May 19th, 2006

There were various street performers on the Rambla

street performer

Giving proof the e. from bootsnall could have a career as a street performer.  This guy amazed the crowd with his magic with the crystal ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

street

This gal was dressed like a Gaudi design on a barrel that said Barcelona and had a beautiful smile.

 

 

 

 

 

A trip to the liquor store for my dad, I counted 26 different kinds a Absinthe, including this one that had Marijuana in it.  Crazy…..

abs 

 

 

 

 

Our last day we toured the Barcelona Maritime Museum submarine

 

 

 

 

 

and a Harbor boat ride.

boat

 

 

 

 

 

a trip to Barcelona couldn’t be complete without a plate of Paella.

paella 

 

 

 

 

All in all we had a good time in Barcelona.  We left grateful for elevators.  And have come to the deep understanding the ice is truly a luxury.  Adios Barcelona…… 

to view all our pictures from Barcelona click here http://flickr.com/photos/72266679@N00/sets/72057594139409380/

 

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Barcelona and Six Flights from Hell

May 19th, 2006

Buenos Dias from Barcelona,

Barcelona

Well after the bus ride to Fatima, Dad decided he didn’t want to do the planned overnight train ride from Lisbon to Barcelona.  A quick trip to the internet and poof, plane tickets and a hotel room.  The internet is great for making last minute arrangements, although the can be expensive.  Our hotel was nice (pricey), but with the formula one race in town we were lucky to get this one.  Champagne and chocolates were waiting for us when we arrived.  Nice.  Here’s a travel tip for the women.  Bring tampons with you as I went to 3 stores in Lisbon and the airports do not have machines.  I finally found some at the Farmilicia in Barcelona, where the Pharmacist in a white lab coat brought me 4 boxes to choose from, then wrapped it up in colored tissue paper (like a gift). 

 boria

Here’s the view from our first hotel Boria for which we only stayed the one night.

 

 

 

Our next place was an apartment I booked on the internet.  The pictures looked nice.  The problem?  It was on the sixth floor with no elevator.  I told my parents we could look for another place, but after we had made it up the six flights with luggage in tow, and they learned how inexpensive it was they said it was okay.  Over the next four days I would be accused of trying to kill my parents and booking the apartment on the sixth floor on purpose.  It sucks to book travel for others when they’re not happy with the accommodations.  The good part it was one block away from the Ramba, which is the busiest street in Barcelona for shopping, food, etc.  The negative to that is you get people outside that stay up all night.  Mom swears she saw a guy dealing drugs on the corner.  I was too exasted every day to hear or see anything.  After full days of touring the town and the six flights up when I finally layed my head down I was out like a light.barcelona

We toured the Barcelona Basilica the first day.  The foundation was dated to the fourth century, but the Moors torn it down and burned it.  The existing Church dates to the 14th century. 

 

 

 

 

The next day we toured the Sangra Familia, a Gothic church designed by Gaudi.  Gaudi designed many buildings around Barcelona and from what I heard is a beloved son of the city.

After a long day  we thought we’d try one of the various cafes on the rambla.

 sangria

Here’s a pic of mom & dad sampling the sangria.  Yummmmmy

 

 

 

My mom’s family on her father’s side were from Barcelona and left for America in the 1500s after having been given a land grant in New Mexico by the King of Spain.  Mom said they city was not what she expected.  I guess we all romantize a certain city in our minds, but when we get there it’s not at all what we thought it to be.

 

 

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Fatima

May 19th, 2006

They next day we got up early to make the pilgrimage to Fatima which has been a dream of my mom’s for some time now. Fatima is a sacred place to Catholics as the Virgin Mary appeared to three children there.

Fatima

We took the autobus there, one thing I learned is never to tell mom the exact time of a bus or train, as if it doesn’t happen (which most times don’t come on time) I hear it. It’s best to say around this or that time. The countryside outside of Lisbon is beautiful. The dirt is a deep red. Another thing I learned is everything is a 5 or 10 minute walk wherever you go. When asking for directions to Fatima, it was a 5 min walk which turned out to be a 15 min walk uphill. We had to stop halfway as Dad was out of breath.

The scene from the large square is something to see.  Under a covered awning there was about 500 people saying the rosary.  There was also a strip of tile about 500 feet on top of the square slanting down towards the basilia on which people were walking on their knees, some were carring these plastic sculpters of different body parts, hands, arms, legs, feet, heart.  I asked a lady and she told me that people walk on there knees as a sacrifice cause they are looking for healing for a certain body part.  It was hot and we ducked into the visitors center to get out of the heat and get some info.  Mom thought this was the place where Mary had visited and has said to left healing waters.  The visitors center told us, no that is Lourdes, France.  Mom said, I’d give anything to go there.  I laughed as dad has already said he has no interest in going to France. 

We walked around a bit up in the cathedral and then across the street to the many shops that sell rosaries, holy water, etc.  As me and my dad were standing in front of a shop I was two men eyeing us, with that shifty eye kinda look, so I told my dad to come into the shop as it was cooler there.  Beware of the gypsies that hang out around Fatima.  I can see how people get robbed.  

Before we got back on the bus we stopped in at a little store at the bus station and eyed the ice cream case.  I opened the case and pulled out an ice cream and asked my dad if he’d like one and a man ran over and grabbed the ice cream out of my hand and threw it back in the case and slammed it shut and pointed to the wall that had  ice cream pictures on the wall.  I said oh well and walked out.  Apparently you don’t just get your own ice cream, the store keeper gets it for you.  How was I to know?……it’s okay as I went down to the next store and got one just fine.

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Lisbon

May 19th, 2006

Bon Dia from Lisbon or Lisboa as they say here.

Lisbon

Lisbon is a beautiful city. Having trouble trying to understand Portugese. It has a lots of shhhhh sounds in it. With my limited spanish, I’ve resorted to sign language. Our hotel room is huge, Mom & Dad liked that. Maybe 20 x 25. Unfortunately we arrived at our hotel in the afternoon and every food place was closed. Siesta, you know. I thought that was a Spanish thing, but I thought wrong. We walked around a bit to see if anything was open, we found one place and a familiar menu item, hamburgesa. Which came without a bun, plus fries and a scoop of rice. I reminded the parents, when in Rome…..which will be our new saying wherever we are.

They next day we got up early to make the pilgrimage to Fatima which has been a dream of my mom’s for some time now. Fatima is a sacred place to Catholics as the Virgin Mary appeared to three children there.

Fatima

We took the autobus there, one thing I learned is never to tell mom the exact time of a bus or train, as if it doesn’t happen (which most times don’t come on time) I hear it. It’s best to say around this or that time. The countryside outside of Lisbon is beautiful. The dirt is a deep red. Another thing I learned is everything is a 5 or 10 minute walk wherever you go. When asking for directions to Fatima, it was a 5 min walk which turned out to be a 15 min walk uphill. We had to stop halfway as Dad was out of breath.

The scene from the large square is something to see.  Under a covered awning there was about 500 people saying the rosary.  There was also a strip of tile about 500 feet on top of the square slanting down towards the basilia on which people were walking on their knees, some were carring these plastic sculpters of different body parts, hands, arms, legs, feet, heart.  I asked a lady and she told me that people walk on there knees as a sacrifice cause they are looking for healing for a certain body part.  It was hot and we ducked into the visitors center to get out of the heat and get some info.  Mom thought this was the place where Mary had visited and has said to left healing waters.  The visitors center told us, no that is Lourdes, France.  Mom said, I’d give anything to go there.  I laughed as dad has already said he has no interest in going to France. 

We walked around a bit

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Planes, Autobuses and Black Taxi Rides-Oh My

May 15th, 2006

Greetings All,

Our trip started out pretty rough.  I was to meet my parents at LAX and then we would all go to check in at British Airways to board our flight to London to start the first leg of our six week journey through Europe. 

  After checking to make sure their flight from Palm Springs had arrived on time, I waited in baggage claim for them. 10, 20, 30, 40 mins go by and no Mom and Dad. I began paging them to come to baggage claim. I got a call from my parent´s friend saying they were waiting at gate 86 for me. The problem was I couldn´t get through security without a ticket.  I paged and paged walked up and down, make two trips to the United counter pleading with the staff to please go look for them  or let me walk back to  the gate to search for them.  In the meantime time is marching on.  Our flight was scheduled to leave at 9:20p.m., it was now 8p.m. and I was frantic.  I finally got the staff to allow me to walk back to gate 86, no mom and dad.  This was about a 20 min walk and I am sweating, pissed and freaking out.  One last page then off to British Airways to search there. 

As I walked up to the counter, I asked if there was any way I could find out if my parents had checked in and of course they said no.  I told them I had just been looking 2 hours for my parents at the United terminal and that we had a 9:20 flight.  It´s too late for you to go, you´ll have to take a flight tommorrow, the man behind the counter said.  My breath caught in my throat and a rush of thoughts raced through my mind.  Crap,  I have out hotel info-where will my parents stay in London, how will  I find them if I can´t fly out until tommorrow?,  are they on the plane…where are they?   Just then my cousin called me to say my mom called to say they were already at the boarding gate. 

I relayed this info to the counter staff, just before I was about to let out some allegator tears,  a kind woman behind the counter said, ´quick give me your passport´, I did and make it to the plane. 

Come to find out mom had dropped  her cell phone at a friends house just prior to boarding the plane in Palm Springs.  She said they heard my first page, but dad didn´t want to go to  baggage claim, he wanted to go to British Airways.  Rotten just rotten.  I told him I´d get him back, just  wait.

The flight was the longest 10 hours in history.  I can never sleep on planes, it´s just my curse.  When we got to the Customs Desk at Heathrow Airport and the Customs Agent asked if all our  passports were new.  I said mine wasn´t.  He said I´m sorry to say these (holding up my parent´s passports were invalid.)  Again my breath caught in my thoat…..oh no, what could be wrong now?, hadn´t they followed the right process?  would we be denied entrance to the U.K. and sent back home and the next flight?

He pushed them back at us and said these are invalid  until they are signed.  Please sign your passports.  Whew!  I almost had a heart attack, I hope  someone besides me knows CPR. 

Heathrow

We then took a bus  to the Luton Airport and then  a Black Taxi to our hotel which was supposed to be a short 7 miles away, turned out to be 13 miles and 40 euros later.  It was my parents first ride in a Black Taxi and what a ride it was!  I think our driver was late for dinner with his wife cause he drove like he was gonna get a beaten if he didn´t get home soon.  I told my parents this was a ´WEEEEEEEE moment´and they should just put both hands straight up and act like it was a roller coaster ride.

We laughed at how small our hotel room was but were way too tired to  put up a fight.  We got to bed at 1a.m. and woke up at 3a.m. (a whole two hours of sleep) in order to catch our flight to Lisbon. 

I booked the hotel through Travelocity and paid in advance.  When checking out at 4a.m. they told me the were going to charge my credit card again.  I found out arrguing over the bill at 4a.m. after  you´ve been up  for 30some hours  with only two hours of sleep is very bad and can´t accomplish anything.  They said they´d research it.  I  still don´t know if they charged me again. 

Stay  tuned as I´ve got lots more to tell you.  I´m doing a Traveling Bootsnall Shirt  journey where I´ll  get people from  all walks of life in cities all over Europe to put on the shirt for a picture to share with you.  I plan on putting them together for a calendar for 2007.

We are also  holding a World Mexican Train Tournament (a domino game).  I´ll let you know who wins in each country and then the overall best will gain the title of -World Champion.

For my friends at Hoag, I´ve brought Hoagie along to be my trip mascot and will take pictures of him touring the world with me.

Lot of fun things.

Travel tip: Pack your PJs last  as they will be the first thing you´re looking for after an exasting trip.

Travel Warning:  Senior Citizens need very little sleep  (2-4 hours per nite), so  if you plan to travel with them you better take your vitamins and drink lots of coffee, cause they party like Rock Stars.

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Visit to the Redwood Forest

May 15th, 2006

Greetings all.

2006 has started with a few mini trips around the U.S.

In Feburary I attended the Bootsnall Travel Party in New York City.  I had a great time meeting new people and actually putting a name to the face of all the wonderful people I’ve met at bootnall.com

Here’s the link if you’d like to pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72266679@N00/sets/72057594115148294/

I also spend an extra week visiting my friends in Staten Island.  I lived two years in New York so it’s always a home away from home, friends feel more like family, and my heart hurts every time I leave.

Lady Liberty

I also got to go on a side trip to San Antonio, Texas with my bestest friend, Danielle.  Her family is wonderful and I always laugh and cry with joy every time I’m with them.  I’ll have to post pics later of Texas as I don’t have access to them at the moment.

Next I went on a road trip with the parents for a week.  Traveling north, stopping in Coalinga, where my sister Debbie moved to a few months ago.  Hi Debbie/Gary & Amanda!  Next to visit my dad’s family in the bay area, Richmond to be exact. (across the bay from San Francisco).  Here’s the link to those pictures, if you’d like to see them.   http://www.flickr.com/photos/72266679@N00/sets/72057594114452580/

It’s great to see family you haven’t see for a while. Knowing we’re all getting older together is somehow comforting to me. 

 Next it was on to visit my cousin Craig and his lovely wife, Sue

Craig, Sue & amd Woody

Sue will be meeting me in London June 1st.  Seems she’s always wanted to travel the British Isles and Ireland.  I tried to talk her into the 6 week trip, but she said she’d be too homesick.  But willing to do two weeks, Yay Sue!  You know the problem with that is that the travel bug bites and that’s it, you’re addicted…

 

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Hello world traveller!

October 6th, 2005

Well Hello there! Since this is my first posting, I’ll be brief (and I really don’t know what I’m doing).

My name is Betty Valdez, I live in beautiful Southern California. I currently work as an Admin. Assistant, but plan on escaping shortly. Plans? I have lots of plans, all tentative. Waiting on this or that. The major plan is to travel around the world next year. One segment at a time. Here’s my wish list: LAX to Tahiti, OZ, New Zealand, Indonesia, Bali, Greece, Israel, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Scotland, Ireland, NYC, Atlanta, Nashville, Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Portland and back home. Whew!

I’ll keep you posted as I get ready. Feel free to comment, compliment, or complain. I can take it!

Cheers.

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