La Boqueria--a 'must see' market in Barcelona, Spain

     We only had three days to see it all in Barcelona.  My husband and I made a mental list of everything we wanted to experience and did our best to fit it all in. One place that wasn't on that list turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of our trip---La Boqueria.
     We stumbled upon this popular market after a morning of sightseeing. It was incredibly hot, the kids were thirsty and we craved shade.  We noticed swarms of people going in and out of this market just off Las Ramblas, the most famous street in Barcelona.  We wanted to see what the fuss was about and decided to check it out for ourselves.
     This immediately became more than just a place to cool off.  It became an adventure. The vibrant colors and aroma of  Mediterranean cuisine led us through the maze of stalls. One stall after another revealed an exciting showcase of fresh fruits, vegetables, sweets, meats, seafood, drinks and the list goes on. Each stall was unique with its own look, smell and taste.

    Our kids gulped fresh lemonade while we wandered from one stall to the next, excited to see what the next display would reveal.  The sweets looked tempting...

   And the "burritos", interesting.

   While our visit to La Boqueria was for fun, many of Barcelona's restaurants and locals count on it for fresh ingredients.

fresh produce

mushrooms

dried meats

   This bustling market also offers several areas where people can pull up a stool and order food and drinks. It's a great place to feast on a snack or some lunch.

   If your next travels take you to Barcelona, I highly recommend putting La Boqueria on your list of "must sees." You'll be glad you did. 

Cruising tips for first timers

1998 aboard the Veendam

   Seventeen years ago, my best friend roped me into going on my first cruise.  Like most first time cruisers, I wasn't sure what to expect. We were headed to the Western Caribbean on Holland America's Veendam with a group of friends for some sun and fun. Sounded good. But would I like cruising? Would I get sea sick? Would there be enough to do for a week?  Guess what? I loved cruising. I did not get sea sick and there was enough to do for a month. I've been hooked ever since.

   If you'll be cruising for the first time, here are a few things to keep in mind---things I learned from experience.

1.  Fly to the port a day early---I can't stress this enough. I wish we would have flown a day early for an Eastern Caribbean cruise four years ago. We almost didn't make it in time to the ship. It was THAT close. I'm talking minutes. It was all because our first flight was delayed. The ship will NOT wait for you. All passengers are required to be on board at a time designated by the cruise line. If you miss the ship, the burden is on you to get to the next port of call at your own expense. That would have been a problem with this Eastern Caribbean cruise. That's because we had two days at sea right off the bat. Our first port of call wasn't technically until day 4---more than halfway through the cruise! Most of the vacation would have been over! It was so stressful and certainly a lesson learned the hard way. When we first started cruising many years ago, we didn't have as many problems with flight delays, etc.  Now, there is almost always some kind of delay for at least one of our flights. So we play it safe by flying a day early and staying at a hotel near the cruise terminal. I highly recommend this.

2.  Learn the lingo---It's incredibly helpful to know some of the cruise lingo as you are planning your cruise and before you board the ship. The first thing to remember is, it's a ship, not a boat. Here are a few other very basic cruise terms to take with you. There are many more, but these are some to get you started:

     aft:              the back of the ship
     beam:          the width of the ship
     bow:            the front end of the ship
     cabin:          also called a stateroom, it's where passengers sleep
     forward:      the area toward the bow of the ship
     galley:         the kitchen on the ship
     port side:     the left side of the ship when it is facing forward
     promenade: the open deck on a ship that is used for walking or running
     starboard:    the right side of the ship when it's facing forward
     stateroom:   also called a cabin, it's where passengers sleep
     stern:           the back part of the ship
     tender:         a small boat that takes passengers ashore when the ship is unable to dock
     veranda:      a balcony off of a cabin/stateroom

3.  Pack essentials for day one in your carry on---Your luggage will eventually be delivered to your stateroom by the first evening. So if you want to go swimming when you first board the ship, have your swim suit handy. It's a good idea to have your flip flops, sun screen and a cover up in your carry on too. When it's time for dinner, I usually like to change out of the clothes I've been wearing all day. So I make sure to pack my first night dinner outfit in my carry on, just in case. Your luggage may be delivered to your room in time for dinner (depending on the time you are eating dinner). But don't count on it.  In my experience, I'd say we had our luggage before dinner only half the time. Plan ahead. Pack everything you will need that day in your carry on. Don't assume you'll have your luggage.

4. Find a "landmark" near your cabin---I am the worst at finding my way around the ship, even smaller ones.  My husband and I always joke about it because it usually takes me until the end of the cruise to finally start remembering where everything is! Finding your cabin during your cruise can be tricky, especially if you are on a large ship. It's important to remember the location of your cabin. Is it in the front (forward) or the back (aft) or somewhere in the middle? It's also important to remember if your cabin in on the left side (port) or the right (starboard).
   Most of the time, my husband and I go in and out of the cabin together. But sometimes, say if we're at the pool and I forget my sunglasses, I have to venture back to the cabin alone. It is helpful to find a "landmark" in the general vicinity of your stateroom. For example, on a recent cruise, there was a unique sculpture at the bank of elevators near our cabin. If we got off the elevator and didn't see that sculpture, we knew we were on the wrong side of the ship. (that happened a few times!)  Then, once you get into the general area of your cabin, a door magnet or some other identifier can help you find your cabin a little easier.  Lots of people do this on Disney cruises.

5.  Take advantage of the kids clubs---On cruise ships that cater to families, you'll find kids clubs...places where kids can have fun with other kids for a few hours so parents can have a little alone time.  Most ships include this in the cost of the cruise fare. Some cruise lines will start charging after a certain hour, but it's usually not until much later in the night.
     Most cruise lines split the "clubs" into age groups. Many ships also have designated spaces just for teens and preteens which is pretty cool.
    A few years ago on the Disney Dream, our girls begged us almost every evening to go to the kids club.  We could see why.  The kids area took up an entire deck and had everything imaginable for the kids to do. There were games, crafts, computers, dress up---you name it---they had it!

Disney Dream
photos by Alison Dixon

    Our kids also love meeting other kids from across the country and around the world. Some nights on our Mediterranean cruise, our children were the only Americans there.  They loved talking about the countries their new friends were from and the languages they spoke.

6.   Order room service---Unlike a hotel, room service on a cruise ship is free for the most part. Sometimes, cruise lines will charge a fee for items ordered during a certain window of time (like the wee hours of the morning), but it varies from ship to ship.
     Ordering room service for breakfast is a huge time saver if you have early morning excursions.  Sometimes, you just don't have the time to get everyone ready and head up to the buffet or other restaurants on the ship before you head out.  We had very early excursions on our Mediterranean cruise just about every day. Having our breakfast delivered to our cabin allowed us to eat while getting ready. There is no way we would have been able to eat breakfast those days had it not been for room service. You don't have the selection you do at the buffet, but the selections are still pretty good.
     Room service doesn't have to be just for saving time. We've also ordered it to enjoy on our balcony and take in the views.  We love waking up in a new place everyday and drinking coffee on the veranda.  And of course the kids like ordering cookies as a bedtime snack! Room service is great and we make sure to tip a few bucks every time.

    One more thing worth noting is that cruise ship cabins are small, unless you splurge for a suite.  Do not expect your cabin to be the size of a typical American hotel room, because it won't be.  Cruise lines list each stateroom category's square footage in the descriptions.  Inside cabins are the smallest. It should come as no surprise that the bathrooms are small too.  Most people don't spend a lot of time in their cabins anyway. They are out enjoying the ship and the ports of call.
     Cruising is so much fun! Just be sure to do a little planning so you don't make some of the mistakes that I've made. Live. Learn. Have fun.
 
     
 

                                                                     

Worth the splurge---American Airlines Envoy Class

   Let me start by saying we fly coach 99% of the time. We got bumped to first class once after missing our connection to Mexico because of a delay. Other than that we fly like sardines, elbow to elbow, knee to knee drinking our one complimentary soda or juice.
    However, for a recent Western Mediterranean cruise, we decided to splurge on our transatlantic flight from Philadelphia to Barcelona, Spain. Basically, we wanted to be able to sleep. Comfortably. This was our kids' first time to Europe and it was going to be a "go,go,go" kind of vacation from the start.
    We usually fly American Airlines. Their international business class is called Envoy and boasts seats that recline flat. Sounded good to us! So we booked four seats in Envoy for the flight over---coach for the flight home.

    With champagne in hand shortly after boarding the Airbus A-330, we met our flight attendants and snuggled into our individual "pod" style seats. They were spacious and offered some privacy.

   Each seat had direct aisle access which was really nice. There's no getting up for anyone except yourself! The seating configuration was a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone. My husband and I were in the middle with a daughter on either side of us near the windows.
   The seats were comfy and outfitted with an amenity kit, pillow, blanket and an awesome entertainment system which we had fun exploring.

   There were more than 200 movies to choose from with the on-demand entertainment. If that wasn't enough, they offered 130 TV shows , 18 radio channels and close to 400 albums. We also had Bose headphones to use during the flight. Our 8-year old practiced putting the seat into a bed while we figured it all out.  Please note she did not have the seat fully reclined in this picture.

    A small, white, linen table cloth was then placed on our tray before being served a snack and another drink. I thought the table cloth was a nice touch. Fancy! It was then time for the flight attendant to take our dinner orders. From the get go, I thought she could have been a little friendlier, especially with my daughter who was acting shy. My husband and 11-year old daughter had a more personable attendant who seemed to be having a little more fun with the passengers. The service was good---don't get me wrong, it just could have been friendlier.
   Dinner service started with some chilled chicken appetizers followed by the main course. My husband and older daughter had filet mignon and our younger daughter and I ordered a fish entree. We all seemed to enjoy our meals. The food was good---not amazing---but good!

   Dinner was topped off with delicious deserts.  You could choose between a chocolate mousse or Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The mousse got a thumbs up from me.

 
   After a movie or two, I slipped on my American Airlines socks and brushed my teeth with the provided toothbrush, tooth paste and mouthwash and turned my seat into a bed. It felt amazing to be horizontal, lying flat in my own little space.  And yes, I slept well. So did the kids. My husband too. We woke up in Barcelona to an awesome breakfast before getting off the plane and continuing our adventure.

    Envoy class was fantastic. It was worth it for us and such a treat.  I could definitely get used to it! I wish we had money to burn so we could do it all again. But we don't. So its back to coach.

   

   
   

How I get the most out of my hotel stay

A hotel stay can be a lot more fun if you do a little homework ahead of time. After all, who wants to spend all the money, go through all the planning, packing and traveling, only to be let down? Not me. Maybe you don't have a lot of free time. Good news...these suggestions are quick and easy. They may seem a little obvious, but I'm surprised at how many people don't look into these before they pack their bags.

1. Basic research---Anytime I'm looking to travel, I want to know the basics about the hotel. The first thing I do is look for reviews.  Does the hotel get mostly good reviews? Will there be construction in or around the hotel during my stay? Were certain guest rooms recently remodeled? These are some of the things I want to know.
    Sites like TripAdvisor, Expedia and Yelp are all great resources for that kind of information. Many times in the reviews, you'll find other little tidbits like where to find the closest metro station or best restaurants near the hotel. When traveling abroad, I like to know where to find the closest grocery store for snacks and drinks. People post that type of info all the time.
    I've also found several fantastic private tour guides through review websites. Travelers will often mention them during their hotel or resort review. And more often than not, you can find reviews on those tour guides as well.
    When planning our trip to Morocco, I found a private tour guide mentioned on TripAdvisor who was fantastic and cheaper than what the hotel's tour company offered. And to top it off, it was truly a private tour...just my husband and I!

2. Know the perks---When you travel, the extras can add up over several days.  I love when I find a hotel that fits the bill AND offers a free breakfast because the kids are usually starving when they wake up.  Even if it's a basic continental breakfast, it holds everyone over for a little bit.
    One place we stayed at in San Diego had a free "light" dinner AND beer and wine each weekday evening. That was a huge money saver and the kind of food our kids preferred anyway. Bingo!
    It's also worth finding out how a hotel caters to children. At a Kimpton Hotel in Washington, D.C., I remember reading how the hotel sends a "pet" goldfish to the room to keep kids company during their stay. I had never heard of such a thing! How cool! The housekeeping staff even takes care of it for you. Bonus! I read this in a review and of course requested it upon check in.

   Not only did they send up two real goldfish, but also goldfish crackers, cookies, juice pouches, water, colored pencils, crayons and activity books and stickers. We have stayed many places with our kids, but never once had a hotel go out of its way for them like this! The kids felt pretty special.

   This same hotel (The Donovan) offered a free "happy hour" to all overnight guests, complete with snacks. It was fabulous after a day of touring and much appreciated.
    However, be aware of the opening and closing times of amenities like the gym and pool. Don't just assume they'll be open when you want them to be. The Donovan has a nice rooftop pool, but it closes every day at 4pm and turns into a nightclub. Luckily, we knew about his ahead of time and planned around it.  

3. Sign up for emails/rewards program---If I think I might be staying at a certain hotel somewhere in the near future, I sign up for their emails. I've found that sometimes they'll offer a discount or coupon to use toward a booking and will notify you of last minute deals.
    Signing up for a hotel's rewards program is smart too. Some hotels let you reap rewards just for signing up! A few days before a recent trip, I became a member of a hotel's rewards program and received free Wi-Fi, had the resort fee waived and got a voucher for the bar. Pretty cool.

4.   Be nice---My mother-in-law, two daughters and I stay at the same hotel in Philadelphia each year for the Nutcracker. This will be our seventh year.  I joined the hotel's rewards program and always book direct. Sometimes I request a high floor or something simple like that. Then I let the hotel know how awesome it's been staying there through the years because it has been! We return year after year. Last year when we checked in, I was surprised to find out we had been upgraded to a suite!
    Another time, at the same hotel, I wasn't crazy about being so close to the elevators. So I went down to the front desk in person and politely asked if they had anything else available. They did. When I opened the door to the new room, it was twice the size of the other, and far away from the elevators.
    In Spain, I wasn't happy with our first room because it was on the ground floor and didn't have a balcony. It was supposed to. So I went to the front desk and told them how much we love the hotel but thought the room was supposed to have a balcony...after all, that's one of the reasons I liked this hotel. They were fully booked that day. However, the next morning, we were moved (and I believe upgraded) to a room with not only one balcony, but three! Trust me when I say it pays to be patient and nice.

A little research, planning and people skills can go a long way. Wherever your travels take you next, enjoy and make the most out of your stay.




 






 

Reliving family memories through our Travel Tree

As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself thinking even more about the things I'm thankful for. My family and the memories we've created top the list. In just a few days, I'll unpack some of those memories from a red and green plastic tote and hang them on something we call our Travel Tree. It's basically a Christmas tree with ornaments from our vacations or places we've visited. It all started with this one from our honeymoon 13 years ago in Hawaii.

It was actually my husband's idea to buy this ornament in Maui. The month was June and I wasn't really thinking about Christmas.  I'm so glad he was. Because through the years, we've collected more on our travels. In the beginning, we decorated one tree and the travel ornaments hung alongside our other ornaments. Then, three years ago, I realized how much our collection had grown.  We didn't have enough to fill an entire tree, not even close. But one day we would. We had space in our living room for a second tree, so why not decorate one exclusively with the travel ornaments we had? My family gave the idea a thumbs up and the Travel Tree was officially born. 

As each ornament is unwrapped from that plastic tote each year, it's fun hearing the kids say, " I remember this!" or "Remember the time...." It's like we're on vacation all over again. I love this family time. I love this tradition.  I love that each ornament has its own story. Some are stories about my husband and I. Others tell tales of the four of us and sometimes even the 11 of us when we're with extended family.

I think we do a pretty good job at remembering to buy our ornaments. But sometimes we do forget! Then there are times when we just can't find one...not even in the touristy of stores. Not a single ornament. Anywhere. That's when we have to make do with a key chain and call it an ornament.

Yep. We actually had to do that in Riviera Maya. But it worked! Sometimes when I can't find an ornament or forget, I use a picture from the trip and turn in into an ornament. Thankfully, we didn't have any problems finding ornaments in Washington, D.C. this year. 

This is one of two new ornaments that will join the rest on the tree this season. After the decorating is all done, I step back and admire our creation---one filled with love, family and memories. We are blessed.