Meet us in Spain

A little bit about us.  My husband Richard is 75 and would be turning 76 on this trip.  I am 73.  We are both retired.  Since retirement we have taken long trips-most are DIY but some have been with a tour.  We find that we enjoy the DIY trips more because we can plan to take things slow and easy and decide how our itinerary will be for our destination.  How many days at each city, what sightseeing we'll do, etc.

Our daughter Dorie lives in Doha, Qatar.  Usually she makes a visit home during the summer but this year she says "We're going to travel through Spain and Portugal and do you want to meet us in Spain?"    Spain had never been on my list of European countries to visit but I did want to spend time with my daughter and her family so Spain it was!  It would not be easy because my husband Richard and I had already planned a trip to French Polynesia May-June 2018 to celebrate our 50 years together.  Dorie is a teacher and her plan was to start her trip the beginning of June.  That wouldn't work for her dad and me because we'd still be in French Polynesia.  Our trip to French Polynesia would be 5/17-6/4/2018.


After a lot of messaging back and forth it was decided we'd meet them in Pamplona, Spain on 7/11/2018.  My daughter HAD to see the running of the bulls in Pamplona.  OK.  I knew about this festival-San Fermin-from reading Ernest Hemingway's book "The Sun Also Rises" back when I was in high school! We'd spend time together in Pamplona, Barcelona, and Valencia.  Then they would head to Madrid to go home to Doha while my husband Richard and I would travel through southern Spain.

What did I know about Spain??  Flamenco, Alhambra, Ferdinand and Isabel-Christopher Columbus, not much.

So it's off to the local Barnes & Noble bookstore to  buy a guidebook on Spain.  I needed to plan an itinerary of sorts.  The more I read the more excited I got about Spain.  Soon I had a 5 week itinerary arranged!  Yikes!

Planned itinerary.  We would fly in and out of Madrid.  Pamplona, Barcelona, Valencia, Cordoba, Granada, Costa del Sol, Ronda, Jerez, Sevilla, Toledo, Madrid.  Day trips to Gibraltar and Segovia/Avila.  I thought this would give us a nice taste of Spain.

Dates would be to leave Buffalo, NY on 7/10 and return home on 8/16.  I started searching for airfare.  I didn't realize how expensive the round trip airfare would be.  Maybe this trip would not happen as we are going to be spending a lot of $$$$ on French Polynesia.  By luck I found airfare for us while browsing the internet for $1360.82 for the 2 of us-round trip on United.  That was a really good deal. I booked this on 3/12/18.  www.airtkt.com

Then it's travel/trip insurance.  Past several trips we got this just in case.  We're getting older and we have older family at home and you never know.........Booked this on 3/17/18.  Cost $572.00  www.InsureMyTrip.com  Basic plan is with Allianz Global Assistance.

Trip Advisor Spain forum was invaluable to me.  It had so much information on hotels, restaurants, things to do.  Plus on the forum you can read trip reports, ask questions.  I got a lot of advice and useful assistance.  A big thank you to everyone who answered my questions and gave me some great advice.  😃

I used www.booking.com to book most of our hotels.  I chose the cancel free option which meant I paid a bit more but I wanted that feature in case this trip had to be canceled.  We would be leaving behind my 94 year old mom.

Then per advice from the Trip Advisor forum I booked a car for our travel through southern Spain.  On 3/18/18 using www.orbitz.com I got us a car for Cordoba pick up on 7/26/18 and Toledo drop off on 8/8/18 for $285.20.  It would be with Hertz.  An economy, manual drive car but it would have A/C!!  We'd get the International Driver's license for my husband from our local AAA office.

For northern Spain I decided to use the train system to get from place to place.  We'd get a train from Madrid to Pamplona, from Pamplona to Barcelona, from Barcelona to Valencia, and from Valencia to Cordoba.  I used www.loco2.com for this with the exception of our tickets for Barcelona to Valencia. My grandson Ronan will be turning 10 on 7/18 while we are in Barcelona.  Dorie had planned to leave Barcelona on 7/18 to drive (They were renting a car for their entire trip to Spain & Portugal) from Barcelona to Tarragona to spend 2 nights and take Ronan to Portaventura Theme Park.  I didn't know if we'd do this with them or just remain in Barcelona and meet up with them again in Valencia. We eventually opted to stay in Barcelona so I bought our train tickets for Barcelona to Valencia at the train station in Pamplona.

So I have our round trip airfare, our rental car, train tickets, hotels.  Pretty much good to go.

Preparations and packing

The Rick Steves guide book on Spain has a ton of information but surprisingly nothing on Valencia.  I'll have to depend on Trip Advisor Spain forum for that.

I'm starting to develop a schedule of sorts.  This is what I have:

7/10/18            Depart Buffalo.
7/11/18            Arrive Madrid.  Train to Pamplona.  ON Pamplona.
7/12/18            Running of the bulls-Pamplona.  I've booked us 5 balcony spaces with  
                        www.bullbalcony.com  Train from Pamplona to Barcelona.
7/12-7/20/18   Barcelona.  Train to Valencia on 7/20/18.
7/20-7/23/18   Valencia.  Train to Cordoba on 7/23/18.
7/23-7/26/18   Cordoba.  Pick up rental car in Cordoba on 7/26/18.  Drive to Granada.
7/26-7/29/18   Granada.   Tickets to Alhambra for 7/27/18.  Drive to Torremolinos on 7/29/18.
7/29-8/02/18   Torremolinos/Costa del Sol.  Day trip to Gibraltar.  Drive to Ronda on 8/2/18.
8/02-8/03/18   Ronda.  Drive to Jerez on 8/3/18.
8/03-8/04/18   Jerez.  Drive to Sevilla on 8/4/18.
8/04-8/08/18   Sevilla.  Drive to Toledo on 8/8/18.
8/08-8/11/18   Toledo.  Return rental car in Toledo on 8/8/18.  Train to Madrid on 8/11/18.
8/11-8/16/18   Madrid.  Day trip to Segovia/Avila.
8/16/18           Depart Madrid.
8/17/18          Arrive Buffalo/home.

Normally when planning a trip I do a printed schedule which includes flight, train, car rental, hotel information and costs.  I list the restaurants I've picked.  Then I try to develop a day to day schedule for the sightseeing.  I didn't really do that for this trip since it was such a last minute deal.  We would be returning home from French Polynesia on 6/4/18 and then a month later we'd be on our way to Spain!  Definitely not my comfort zone as I'm a planner.  I did a bare bones schedule.

July 2018

August 2018

I also write down tons of information about our trip in a 7 X 4.5 notebook that I take with me.  It's my trip Bible.

This small notebook contains all the information for our trip.  Flights, hotels, restaurants, sights, etc.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Here's the first page on Cordoba which has information on our hotel and possible self service laundries.

This page on Cordoba lists the restaurants I'm interested in.  The check mark means it's one we've gone to for a meal.

This page on Cordoba lists things to do/sightseeing.  The check mark means it's a sight/place we've visited.

The preparations are pretty much done.  I bought sunscreen, bug spray, travel size toothpaste, and some other necessities for this trip.  I pack a small first aid kit-neosporin, bandaids, pepto bismol, tylenol.   I put lots of stuff in plastic zip lock bags.  Our medications.  Travel alarm clock.  Small flashlight.  Hand sanitizer.  Weight scale so I can weigh our suitcases and make sure they are under 50 lb. limit.

Packing.  This always presents a headache.  Spain will be hot so shorts & capri pants but we also will be visiting cathedrals/churches with a dress code.  Beach time-swim suits of course.  Dinners:  Do we dress up for that??  So many questions.  In the end I think I did ok.  I packed 2 pair of long pants for Richard for dinners but he never wore them.  I packed some dressy skirts which I never wore either.  Unless you are going to a specific restaurant that seems to be on the fancy side casual chic was just fine.  I always wore shorts or capri pants (to the knee) and tops that covered my shoulders when visiting the cathedrals/churches.  Only at Sagrada Familia and the Barcelona Cathedral did I see people being vetted on their attire.

Since we would be celebrating our grandson's birthday his mom had told me what he wanted.  I ordered the HexBug and when it came the box was huge!  Had to use the 29" suitcase for that.  The good thing is that I would be getting rid of it on 7/17!

We took a 29" suitcase. a 25" suitcase, and a carry on for the camera/video gear.  I bought a theft proof criss cross purse that I used all the time.  I loved it so it was money well spent.  I packed a small back pack in one of the suitcases.  I will use it while sightseeing.  I'm happy to report that the 2 check on suitcases were well under the 50 lb. limit.  Room for souvenirs!!

Camera/video gear.  I took my Canon point & shoot.  Small and lightweight.  I did bring my SLR Canon along with 2 filters and a hood cap.  This camera takes great pictures but it's bulky and heavy.  Lots of memory cards.  Extra batteries.  I also took a small, compact lightweight SONY video camera just to film the running of the bulls.  In hindsight I could have left the video camera at home because my Canon point & shoot has a video feature.  As it happened I got home only to find that my video camera was missing.  I've contacted the hotels we stayed at but it hasn't turned up.  😧😞😢

I took my Apple lap top so I could upload my pictures daily and also stay in touch about how things were going with my 94 year old mom.  It is heavier than my I Pad but..........

The biggest regret I have is that we didn't take a phone.  My daughter Dorie had an I Phone that not only was a phone but it took great pictures & video and had a GPS feature.  Driving our rental car through southern Spain we relied on maps.  Getting from one town to the other worked out fine but locating our hotel-that was another matter.  GPS would have made things so much easier!

7/10/2018-Leaving on a jet plane-Buffalo to Washington, DC to Madrid

Alarm goes off 6:30 AM.  Time for breakfast and a shower.  Finish packing.  My brother-in-law Dan called to say he needed to pick us up earlier to go to the airport.  We leave the house at 11:30 AM instead of 12:00 PM.

Light traffic so we make good time and arrive at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport around 1:00 PM.  We check in our 2 suitcases and get though security easy as there are no long lines.  One bag weighs 38 lbs. and the other is 42 lbs.

Our flight Is United Airlines UA6014 departing at 2:55 PM Buffalo to Washington, DC (IAD).  We depart a bit late but arrive Washington, DC on time at 4:05 PM.  Served snack of pretzels and white wine.

This shows that our UA6014 flight is on time for departure of 2:55 PM.  In fact we departed a little bit late.

Our plane Buffalo to Washington, DC.

Snack of pretzels and glass of white wine.

Approaching Washington, DC.

The IAD Airport is really nice as it's very easy to manage.  Not too big like LAX.  Our connecting flight is United Airlines UA163 departing 5:45 PM.  This flight goes straight to Madrid.  We take the shuttle to our gate.  Flight leaves on time.  Nice selection of movies.  I watch Tomb Raider, Pacific Rim Uprising, and Game Night.  Unfortunately I have never been able to sleep on a plane but the time passes when there are good movies to watch.  We are served dinner-choice of chicken or pasta.  Light breakfast of croissant with jam, yogurt.  Before we know it we are told to prepare for landing in Madrid.  We arrive at 7:40 AM.  It is 7/11/18 and there is a 6 hour time difference Buffalo/Madrid.

Washington, DC/IAD.

Our flight from Washington, DC to Madrid is UA163 scheduled to depart 5:45 PM.  

We had to take a shuttle to our gate

This is the shuttle.

Still scheduled to depart on time.

Happy to be on our way to Spain!

  This was my dinner choice-pasta.  It came with a salad and a roll.  For plane food it was good.  My 
    husband chose the chicken strips with orzo in a cheese sauce.  It came with the same salad and roll.  He said it was fine.  

Breakfast before landing in Madrid.

Approaching Madrid.  It's now 7/11/18 due to the time difference.

This was our plane from Washington, DC to Madrid.

7/11/2018-Pamplona-Arriazu Hostal, drinks Cafe Iruna, sightseeing, dinner at Napargar

We have arrived in Spain!  A mix of old and new.  Traditional and modern.  I've researched/learned about the cathedrals, Muslim palaces, white hill towns, paella/sangraia/jamon, bullfighting, great art.  So much history and culture.  Moorish/Muslim, Christian, Jewish.  I knew the names of some cities-Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona-but I learned the names of the regions-Andalusia, Catalunya.......  I had brushed up on my Spanish and with fingers crossed hoped for the best.

Our flight has arrived Terminal 1.  I thought we were going to be arriving Terminal 4.  This means we have to collect our luggage, go through customs/immigration, find an ATM to get some Euros and get to Terminal 4 where I can catch a train to ATOCHA train station!   I have booked us train tickets from Madrid to Pamplona.  Leaving Madrid at 11:35 AM and arriving Pamplona at 2:40 PM.  www.loco2.com  Cost for the 2 of us senior passengers $44.04.  I printed out our tickets at home.  Per research I've done I can take a free shuttle from T1 to T4 at the airport.  Then at T4 I can get tickets renfe cercanias (at the gray/red ticket vending machines) which will take us to ATOCHA at no cost.

Train ticket Madrid to Pamplona

We breeze through customs/immigration.  At the end of the hall I find an ATM and withdraw €300/356.33 USD.  Catch the shuttle to T4.  With our renfre train tickets I find the machines to get the cercanias combo tickets.   C1 line to ATOCHA.  There's one that leaves 9:25 AM.  It's 9:00 AM now so maybe we can  make that one.  I had thought we'd catch the 9:55 AM or 10:25 AM one.  It takes 30 minutes to go from T4 to ATOCHA.  It takes a while but I figure it out.  All I need to do is enter the 5 digit code from the left upper corner of our train ticket.  It states on the ticket "CombinadoCercanias:  then the code.  The machine spits out our tickets!  We catch the earlier C1 and before we know it, we're at ATOCHA station.  Now we have to find the platform for our train to Pamplona.  There are platforms at a lower level and at the level where we are now.  Station is packed.  Lots of people here going to Barcelona.  We have to wait until the screen shows the platform.  Evidently that information goes up around 20-30 minutes before the train leaves.  We have a bit of a wait.  It's very hot, lots of people but we manage to find seats.  At 11:16 AM the platform for our journey to Pamplona is on the display screen.  Our train will be leaving from Platform 4 which is right where we are now.  We have assigned seats.

Our cercanias tickets

Train to ATOCHA station

Our train to Pamplona departs from platform 4

Boarding

Sleek looking trains

We have to find coach 3, seats 15C and 15D.  It's a long train with lots of coaches!  We locate ours, store our luggage (roomy overhead area) (larger 2 suitcases in an area at the end of the coach) and take our seats.  One is window, the other is aisle.  There are 4 seats each row, 2 on each side.  The seats are nicely cushioned with foot rests.  They are wide/roomy and there's plenty of leg room which my 6'2" long legs husband appreciates.  There's even a tray table that comes down.  Cool.  On the train the coach next to ours (either 2 or 4) is the food and drinks coach.  We see lots of folks dressed in red and white going to Pamplona.  For the running of the bulls/San Fermin I have read that you dress in white shirt, white bottom.  Red neck scarf and red sash around the waist.  Lots of guys in the food/drinks coach getting into the spirit of San Fermin!  I enjoy the scenery as the train whizzes by.  It goes quite fast!  It does make a few stops.  Letting people off and on. When we arrive some nice guys and a girlfriend of one that we have met on the train help us with our luggage getting off the train.  The guys will be doing the actual running with the bulls!!

 
Pamplona.    Capital of the province of Navarre.  Also known by the name "Iruna".  Basque.  Camino de Santiago-eastern part.  Hemingway.  Best known for the Running of the Bulls/Fiesta de San Fermin-July 6-14.   We're here!  Some young guys introduce themselves to us and help take our suitcases off the train.  How sweet.  Ricky, Paul, Victor. The train station is not very big so it's easy to get around.  Outside there are lots of taxis.  Waiting to take passengers into town.  We get a taxi, show him the name and address of our hotel.  He lets us off at the plaza/square explaining can't drive down the street.  He points the direction we need to go.  Cost for the taxi from the Iruna train station to town €8.  OMG!  There's so many people here.  We manage to walk a short ways down the street and see the name of our hotel.  The door is locked.  How do we get in?  A man shows us the buzzer/bell to press.  Girl opens the door for us.

Pamplona-Iruna train station

Lots of taxis

Buzzer on the left

Arriazu Hostal.  We will stay here 1 night, 7/11-7/12/18.  The location is why I picked this place.  Right on Comedias and near where our balcony is for the running of the bulls.  Cost for 1 night is $347.91.  During San Fermin prices sky rocket.  This place is triple the price you'd pay any other time.  We are shown room #207.  The room has 2 twin beds.  Bathroom has shower, hair dryer.  Flat screen TV.  A/C.  Closet has plenty of hangers.  There's also a small dresser for clothes.  Very simple, but very clean.  I'm pleasantly surprised that you can't hear the noise from the street.  It will suit us just fine for the 1 night.

Our hotel in Pamplona

Hotel reception 

Sitting area in reception

No elevator so glad we only have to go up 1 flight of stairs

Our room is on the 2nd floor

Comfy beds

A/C and flat screen TV

Bathroom

Shower-bathroom

View from our small balcony

I send a message via Facebook to my daughter Dorie to let her know we have arrived.  Richard and I freshen up, change clothes.  We will meet Dorie at Cafe Iruna.    It's where Ernest Hemingway used to hang out when he came to Pamplona.  I should mention I'm a HUGE fan of Hemingway and I am determined to see the places where Hemingway stayed, drank, ate, etc.  It's a short walk from our hotel to Cafe Iruna.  Walking we see lots of people and for the most part they are all wearing red and white.  The square-Plaza del Castillo-is large but you can't miss the Cafe Iruna.  It's packed.  We see Dorie!  Where's Blue and Ronan?   She says they're still at their hotel and will join us later.  We do manage to find a table and order drinks.  Sangria for Dorie and me.  My first sangria in Spain! Beer for Richard.  Soon Blue and Ronan join us.  They squeeze in.  The tables are very close together.  Dorie pays for the drinks and we are off to locate our balcony for the running of the bulls 7/12/18.  It's easy to locate and we agree to meet there tomorrow at 6:30 AM.

Plaza del Castillo

Cafe Iruna where Hemingway would spend time

Sangria and beer

Frequented by Hemingway

Happy couple

Cafe Iruna is packed and tables are close together

Our balcony to watch the bulls tomorrow is where these girls are standing

Now we're going to walk around soaking in the atmosphere.  Small world!  We run into our friends from the train.  Ricky, Paul, Victor, and Victor's girlfriend whose name I forgot.  The guys will be running tomorrow morning!  Victor's girlfriend will watch from a balcony like us.  Wait.  She's going to be at the same address as us but on the 1st level balcony while we are on the 2nd level balcony.  What are the chances this could happen??   We wish the guys well/a safe run for tomorrow.

Putting in the posts to get ready for the barricades for tomorrow

Crowded

Our friends from the train!

We decide to see some sights.  We find the bull ring.  Wish we could go in just to see what the inside looks like.  Tickets are being sold and people are going in but it's unclear what is happening.  Right by the bullring I find the statue of Hemingway.  He really put Pamplona on the map through his novel "The Sun Also Rises."  Someone has tied a red scarf around his neck.  He's dressed for San Fermin!  Oh, there's the running of the bulls monument.  It's large and very lifelike.  Lots getting their pictures taken by this monument.  This monument has 6 bulls, 2 steers and 10 runners.  The sculptor did a self portrait of himself.  He's the figure lying down, about to be gored.  We all get our picture taken by the monument along with many others!

On our way to the bull ring

Bust of Ernest Hemingway is next to the bull ring

Hemingway and Pamplona

Bull ring

Entrance to bull ring

Monument to the running of the bulls

Everyone trying to get their picture here and here we are with our grandson Ronan

Blue takes this picture

Fist bump!

It's a very large monument

Cute!

Wall to wall people.  A parade with music.  I need to find a red scarf or something to wear for tomorrow.  I do find my neck scarf-4€.   Richard has some white T shirts and I'll wear one of them.   I see Gran Hotel La Perla.  That's where Hemingway would stay.  Lots of places selling San Fermin clothes and other souvenirs.  Kukuxumusu T shirt shop.  City Hall where the festival begins and ends.  Navarre government building.  I buy a souvenir T shirt-5€.   Walk down Calle de Mercaderes.  Then Calle de la Estafeta.

A parade

Walking around

Scarf I bought to wear for tomorrow's running of the bulls

This tee shirt has an image of the 2018 San Fermin poster on it

I had the poster I bought for the San Fermin/running of the bulls in Pamplona framed

Palace of the government of Navarre

Poster for the San Fermin festival

Gran Hotel la Perla where Hemingway would stay

Crowds

Wall to wall people

Plaza del Castillo where there's a bandstand for entertainment later

City Hall where the festival begins and ends

Glimpse of a church

Trying to find a place to grab dinner but every place is packed.  Return to the Plaza del Castillo.  We manage to find a table at Napargar.    Richard orders a hamburger with potatoes and IPA on tap.  I go for patatas bravas which are potatoes with a spicy sauce.  Dorie and Blue will help me eat my potatoes.  Dorie and Blue get IPA on tap.  Ronan doesn't want anything. He's a very, very picky eater.  Dorie says they will pick up sandwiches on the way back to their hotel.  Cost €35.20 for drinks and food.

Dinner-Napargar

Menu

Coke and patatas bravas for me

Hamburger and potatoes and IPA on tap for Richard

€35.20 cost for our dinner

They head back to their hotel and we return to ours.  There's a band, singers, and dancers now performing at the bandstand-Plaza del Castillo.  We enjoy the entertainment for a bit but decide to head back to our hotel as we have an early day tomorrow.  We take showers.  Set the alarm for 5:30 AM.  Fun!!  In bed by 11:00 PM.  It's been a long, long day.

Band-singers and dancers

People enjoying the entertainment