Traveling to spain

[never_retreat]

So were headed to Spain this Saturday. Going to Madrid,  Barcelona, and Malaga. With a day trip to Morocco.
This is a fairly organized trip with a lot of scheduled Tours. Is there anything in particular I should seek out and try to squeeze in?
Besides meat on a stick of course.

[French G.]

Never been to those parts of Spain. Never had a bad time in Spain either. For me in those cities I'd want to see the Moorish old city and the Gaudi architecture. From a general travel point I always go to eat as much different stuff as I can. If you have time on the tours get a little bit(sometimes one street will do) away from the "tourist" area and sit down and eat in a little quieter spot. Ought to be a great trip, enjoy yourself, try not to start any revolutions whilst you're in Morocco. Going to Gilbraltrar? I had a chance to go, didn't have a passport so couldn't. 

[Hawkmoon]

So were headed to Spain this Saturday. Going to Madrid,  Barcelona, and Malaga. With a day trip to Morocco.
This is a fairly organized trip with a lot of scheduled Tours. Is there anything in particular I should seek out and try to squeeze in?
Besides meat on a stick of course.

In all seriousness, I would skip the day trip to Morocco.

[never_retreat]

In all seriousness, I would skip the day trip to Morocco.

I looked at the state department website, did see much worse than parts of NJ.
Were are only there for a few hours, out before night fall. I believe it is all guided also.
I was leaning towards not going originally, but I figured I would never set foot onto the continent so at least I can say been there done that.

[BobR]

Find a nice out of the way bar with a flamenco guitarist playing, get a pitcher of Sangria and enjoy the evening. Some of those flamenco guitarists are unbelievably good.

bob

[Hawkmoon]

I looked at the state department website, did see much worse than parts of NJ.
Were are only there for a few hours, out before night fall. I believe it is all guided also.
I was leaning towards not going originally, but I figured I would never set foot onto the continent so at least I can say been there done that.

Your call.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/18/morocco-demonstrations-test-regime

http://www.rightsmonitoring.org/2011/02/protests-in-the-arab-world-morocco-will-be-the-next/

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=534804682

Maybe things have calmed down, but IMHO the entire Muslim/Arab world is teetering on the brink and I don't think any westerner should be there for the foreseeable future -- unless you are going as part of a large contingent of armed personnel who all wear the same cloths with funny shapes painted on the shirts.

[HankB]

I'd be inclined to avoid politically unstable places with a high potential for violence.

Instead of Morocco, I'd look into a day trip to tour the Alhambra. (If they have tours.)

Do they still have bullfights in Spain? I'd take in one of those if I could. (I might end up cheering for the bull . . . )

[41magsnub]

I'd stay out of Morocco.  A good friend of mine is on a student visa from Morocco studying at the university of Montana.  His dad is a senior intelligence official in Morocco and he is worried.  He sent most of his family to France last week.

[never_retreat]

I'd be inclined to avoid politically unstable places with a high potential for violence.

Instead of Morocco, I'd look into a day trip to tour the Alhambra. (If they have tours.)

I don't think that will be possible, its in the middle between Madrid and Malanga. So it would be about 3 hours of driving it looks like.
We are flying between If not its a 7-8 hour drive.

[never_retreat]

I'd stay out of Morocco.  A good friend of mine is on a student visa from Morocco studying at the university of Montana.  His dad is a senior intelligence official in Morocco and he is worried.  He sent most of his family to France last week.

I'll have to talk to the other people we know on the trip. Thats not a good sign when people that live are leaving.
There used to dealing with it.

[Hawkmoon]

I would approach the tour company to ask them to rearrange the itinerary. There must be SOMETHING of interest within Spain you can do to replace a detour through (potentially) hostile territory. If not, just bail out. Refuse to go to Morocco. How does the tour get you across the water to Morocco? Boat? Just stay on the dock and tell 'em you'll be waiting when they get back to Spain.

[Perd Hapley]

Be sure to flan ahead.

[never_retreat]

Be sure to flan ahead.

[Pharmacology]

Barcelona:
Be sure to visit the Dali museum in Barcelona and make it to the Citadel park.
The fountain there is something really special.

Gothic quarter is a must.

In all honesty, I'd avoid La Rambla.

Unless you like getting lost, and a romantic walk with your significant other, I would probably avoid Tibidabo (on the mountain.)
The funicular that goes from the marina to the top of montjuic isn't worth the wait.

Oh, oh!!!
If you're looking for romantic, the gardens behind the National Palace at Montjuic are not to be missed!!!


Be prepared to see a whole lot of boobs and possibly naked men at the regular, public beaches in barcelona.

[sanglant]

it's hard to eat straight out of the box.















  God help me, i'm dieing.

[sanglant]

and what i meant to post, before my stroke.

http://www.jamon.com/products/j-jm-07.html

cost, shouldn't be to bad for a meal. have to be less than buying/shipping a whole ham.

[Pharmacology]

and what i meant to post, before my stroke.
http://www.jamon.com/products/j-jm-07.html
cost, shouldn't be to bad for a meal. have to be less than buying/shipping a whole ham.

jeez!

I remember a similar jamon I saw in Moscow that was selling for around 45,000 roubles

[KD5NRH]

I would approach the tour company to ask them to rearrange the itinerary. There must be SOMETHING of interest within Spain you can do to replace a detour through (potentially) hostile territory.

Could you just spend the day in Gibraltar instead?  There should be plenty to do on and around the Rock.

[Perd Hapley]

I'd look into a day trip to tour the Alhambra. (If they have tours.)

Absolutely.

[InfidelSerf]

I second the skipping of Morocco, your just asking for trouble there.
However I highly recommend replacing that with a trip to Segovia.
The cathedral there is impressive as well as Alcazar de segovia (the castle that inspired the Walt Disney world one)
Not to mention the 2000+ year old roman aqua ducts.
WELL worth the 30 min trip straight north of Madrid.

Running of the bulls typically takes place around the 4th of July up in Pamplona.  So you wouldn't be able to catch the true running of the bulls.

You are going to have a fantastic time though.  I spent 3 weeks there the summer of '93.
I'd love to go back.

[Hawkmoon]

The cathedral there is impressive as well as Alcazar de segovia (the castle that inspired the Walt Disney world one)

I thought Tinker Belle's castle was a copy of Nauschwanstein (sp?) in Bavaria. No?

[never_retreat]

Is that the black foot pig ham? Or something named something like that?
By brother insisted my parents bring some back a year or so ago when they were there. It was not that great. I had better stuff from the Italian deli.

[sanglant]

apparently there are different grades. and the good stuff is feed mostly acorns, but what do i know.

[never_retreat]

Well made it back, nice place. I ended up doing to day to Morocco. We were on a but most of the time we were there with our guide we had all week and 2 English/Arabic speaking guides. I just used the theory that you don't have to run fast, just faster than someone else if need be.
I will post some pictures once I get them downloaded and sorted. Took about 12 gigs worth, 2500 ish. Might take a few days to sort out. Fortunately I took of tomorrow also.

[RoadKingLarry]

In all seriousness, I would skip the day trip to Morocco.

2nd that and suggest a visit to Gibralter instead.