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In Search of Public Restrooms

October 20, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

I love to travel.  As someone who has traveled to many different countries, I have found great differences in standards like restrooms.  I found holes in the floor in Saudi Arabia, porta-pots that lock and self-clean in France and quite often a rock to hide behind.  According to Travel & Leisure, the world’s best public restrooms are in Daimaru Department Store in Tokyo.  I might have to check it out.

Having recently returned from a trip to Spain and Morocco with a 4-year old, I am very familiar with public restrooms there.  I have to say that in Spain we went to bars in every city.  My local friends said that they are very receptive to letting non-patrons use the facilities (didn’t hurt that I have a small child either).  I found most of them to be very clean and fully stocked – by stocked I mean toilet paper and paper towels.  There’s nothing more frustrating than realizing that there is no toilet paper.

So next time you are traveling anywhere I recommend packing plenty of tissues and hand sanitizer just in case – oh and find the nearest bar :-).

Filed Under: Europe, Spain, Travel Tips

A FREE Month’s Stay in Spain – Malaga

October 16, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Flamenco Ellie

Flamenco Ellie

Malaga – Day 1

We had an unforgettable stay in Malaga, Spain. We arrived in the beautiful city at the really nice Malaga Train Station.  It has a mini mall inside with lots of places to shop and dine.  We were greeted by our former (just in August) guests Matheo, Mathilde and Olivia (9), as they stood with an American flag we gave them.

It was 9:30 pm – we were hungry and tired after a long day of travel from Africa.  It was dinner time in Spain so we all headed to dinner at the beachfront. We dined at one of the restaurants that grill fish in grills made out of boats (very typical of Malaga).  We had some typical dishes – fried eggplant with honey, sardines (grilled and fried), calamari and they were drinking San Miguel beer.  The kids were having a typical dish of fried eggs, meat and french fries.  It was all delicious.  Not good for the diet but nevertheless, delicious.

Deck of our Malaga Apt

Deck of our Malaga Apt

Our hosts flat is in the Capuchino district near the football stadium.  In front is a nice park for the children to play.  The historic area is about a 15-20 min walk, and a taxi ride to the beach only 4-5 Euro.  It was a great spot to be away from all the tourists and really feel like a local.  My friends don’t drive much – they bike or bus most places around town.  If they need a car, they have parking below for their Mercedes SUV.

The flat (apartment in Europe), is a lovely modern 3-bedroom, 2-bath which they basically gave us while they stayed in their mother’s flat two doors down.  Upstairs they had a fantastic terrace on which to dine or just enjoy a drink.  It is the best part of the house!

Malaga – Day 2

Ride through Ronda

Ride through Ronda

We all went in their car for a lovely day trip to Ronda.  It’s a little more than an hour and a must see.  It’s an historic city and famous for having the oldest bullring in the world.  They have a beautiful bridge with remarkable cliffs and views.  We took a relaxing carriage ride through the narrow old streets for 25 Euro.  It’s one of my favorite ways to see a small city and you can stop anytime to take photos.  Our friends had never done it and really enjoyed it as well.

Laurie in Ronda

Laurie in Ronda

Ellie in Ronda

Ellie enjoying street performer in Ronda

cliff houses of Ronda

The amazing cliff houses in Ronda

We came back to Malaga a different direction – through the WINDY mountain roads (and I mean windy) – seeing the beautiful mountain homes of Marbella and ending up in Porto Banus.  It reminds me a lot of Annapolis.  There are nice shops (nicer than Annapolis) with big name brands, cool tapas restaurants and BIG, fancy boats like back home.

Laurie & hosts in Porto Banus

Laurie & hosts in Porto Banus

Ellie and Olivia in Puerto Banus

Ellie and Olivia in Puerto Banus

We drove along the coast back to Malaga, seeing the pretty towns of the Costa del Sol.  The king of Saudi Arabia has had a palace here for many years and they say it is one of his favorite places.  I see why.

Malaga – Day 3

Touring old city Malaga

Touring old city Malaga

Ellie & Laurie in front of a shrine in Malaga

Ellie & Laurie in front of a shrine in Malaga

Ellie and I slept in then Mathi took us around to see some of the town.  It’s a nice, safe walk into the historic area.  There was a grocery store about a block from the house so Ellie and I went to buy a few things.  If you’ve never been in a European grocery, you will be surprised to find that you must put one euro (almost a dollar) into the cart in order to use it.  Then when you finish with your cart – you put it back and get your money back.  The grocery is very similar to ours, not as big with so many choices, but knowing Spanish helps me to navigate the unchartered territory.  Oh and don’t forget to weigh all your produce and label before you get to produce.  I always forget that on my first trip back.   I left with a full cart of some old favorites and a few new things for Ellie to try.  My mouth was salivating and my stomach grumbling. 🙂

at Market in Malaga

Ellie enjoying fresh food from market

Lunch – usually about 3pm then a siesta.  Many of the stores close during this time as well.

Ellie and Romeo

Ellie and Romeo

That evening Ellie and Olivia go to the playground and Ellie gets to walk her new friend, the dog Romeo.  He is a little tiny terrier (I forget which kind) and it’s the cutest sight to see my 4-year old walk him.

Malaga – Day 4

Ellie and I took it easy, trying to catch up on sleep.  Hard on a 4-year old and she is a trooper.  This is her 17th country and counting.  We did some homework on her learning apps like Reading Eggs and Always Ice Cream.  My intent is to homeschool her and travel.  I want to show people that you can travel with children and that you can make it affordable.  She will have a world education – literally.  She will never be biased, racist or narrow minded.  She will be open to all things possible.  I think that is one of the greatest gifts I can give her.

Ellie at swim club

Ellie at swim club

Malaga swim club

Ellie & Olivia at Real Club

Mathi & Ellie Real Club

Mathi & Ellie having fun

In the afternoon we go by car to get Olivia from the private French School she attends. We then go to the private swim club where they belong, Real Club Mediterraneo.  I love it!  It’s right on the port and beachfront with swimming pools (indoor and an outdoor saltwater), a gym, restaurant, sauna, jacuzzi, etc.  When I get an apartment here I’m definitely joining! ;-). We ended our day with a lovely dinner on the terrace under the stars – perfect ending to a perfect day!

Malaga – Day 5

So nice not living like a tourist in a hotel here.  It’s like slow eating.  I get to really see what it’s like to be Spanish.  I took Ellie to play on the playground – all the kids are in school so we have the place to ourselves, except one small boy.  Ellie’s favorite is the zip line.  I don’t know why it’s so popular here and we don’t have them on playgrounds in the U.S.

My friends watched Ellie so I could attend a Rotary meeting.  I have been a Rotarian on and off for many years but had to quit because of traveling so much.  I finally found a club – the Rotary Club of Lake Elsinore, CA – that has an Internet (E-Club) extension.  If you’ve never heard of Rotary, check it out, www.Rotary.org.  It’s the largest service organization in the world – they do things in the local community and all over the world.  I love the camaraderie and the friendship the most – all good people, no matter what country.  I had a great meeting, in Spanish of course.  They had a really nice lunch.  I thought it was sandwich and salad, but found out that was the first course ;-).  Lunch (almuerzo) is the biggest meal of the day here.  Several people exchanged cards with me and said to call if I needed anything.  It’s so nice to have friends all over the world!

Roman ruins in Malaga

Roman ruins in Malaga

We had a nice evening walk through the town.  Picasso was born here and there is now a foundation in his birthplace.  They have old roman ruins that were found under the city and a glass walkway from which to view them.  Climb to the castle for spectacular views of the city.

ellie & Laurie on ferris wheel

Ellie & Laurie on Port Malaga Ferris Wheel

atop ferris wheel in Malaga

Our hosts, a friend and Ellie atop the ferris wheel in Port Malaga

We took our friends for a ride on the Ferris wheel at the port.  It offered great views from all sides and was only 7 Euro per person.  They have a great garden with plants from all over the world next to the port where Ellie and Olivia played on the playground. The kids also played at the playgrounds in the sand along the port.  Kids are kids, no matter what age.  Despite the 5 year age difference, Ellie and Olivia bonded.

Ellie and friends on the playground at port of Malaga

Ellie and friends on the playground at port of Malaga

Malaga – Day 6

Ellie & Laurie in Malagueta

Ellie & Laurie in Malagueta

We went to Malagueta – a nice little beach right next to the port.  It was only a 4 Euro taxi ride and was perfect for Ellie.  They have all kinds of playground equipment, and of course, a zip line!  Ellie loves the zip lines, she would zip all day if she could!  The beach is not the best, but it’s nice.  There are tons of cigarette butts that wash up on the shore – ashame really.  The water is cool now but refreshing with the still warm (sometimes very warm – was 100 other day) weather.  The other negative is the presence of jellyfish (medusas in Spanish) and from what I heard a terrible sting.  I’m hesitant about taking Ellie further than the surf where she seems content anyway.

There are plenty of beachside bars to offer full menu service, just a cocktail or ice cream.  There are also men walking around selling fresh mojitos.  I accept the offer of a non-alcoholic one when I see how he makes them in a tent just beside me – with fresh mint and lots of ice.  I am a little miffed when he asks for 5 euro. I should have said no but I like entrepreneurs.  It was delicious.

The other thing I like here is the group of ladies walking up and down the beach offering massage.  I managed to squeeze a quick one while watching Ellie play in the sand.  Not the best but a nice reprieve from the stresses of travel.

Malaga – Day 7

My daughter and I relish in some more beach time while our friends are at work.  They are both professors so they manage some early days and surprised us with lunch at a favorite spot.  It’s called El Tintero Malaga and its right on the beach in Malaga.  What makes it so special? Well, the waiters all walk around yelling out something – like fried squid or grilled anchovies (one of my new favorites) – and if you want what they have you wave and they give it to you.  At the end of lunch they count up how many plates you have and that’s what you pay (per plate).  You have to go just once to experience it.   YUM!  They say that customers used to hide plates in the sand to reduce their tab – there’s now cement all around.

Later on the husband watches the girls so Mathilde can take me out for a girls night.  We don’t head out until 8:30 and by the time we get down to the historic area things are starting to get busy.  We have an aperativo (drink and olives/nuts) at a popular Irish bar on the main square.  I love the main square concept – great for people watching.For dinner she took us to a really good spot for local specialties – croquettes, more anchovies (good) and everything was delicious.

Malaga – Day 8

Our friends are off and spend the day with us.  We have an easy breakfast at home, I prefer yogurt with some organic oats and my daughter found a favorite cereal of chocolate squares.  We decide to go to beach close to home as Ellie might need a nap.    We go to Malgueta to play in the sand, swim and soak up the sun.  There is a restaurant – El Farro, where we have a delicious meal and enjoy views of the old lighthouse and the beach.  It is not the best beach weather so we head home for a siesta.

Ellie Malaga beach

Later on the girls all head downtown for girls night out.  We wanted a carriage ride but found that they shut down at dusk. Boo hoo.  Instead we head to the port where the kids ride the carousel and a few other rides for 10euro/5 rides.  They like it.  They even have a WIPE OUT moon bounce attraction for Olivia.  We decide to eat there at a favorite of theirs – Hollywood.  It’s kind of funny to me, lots of “American foods” but the kids love it with coloring, balloons and a kids menu.  They had a pretty good flank steak and a California Salad.  Kids rode a few more rides, then we headed back in a taxi.  Long day!

Ellie & Laurie at Malaga Port

Ellie and laurie at Malaga Port

Ellie Puerta de Malaga

Ellie at Malaga Port

Ellie flamenco & Olivia

Ellie & Olivia at Malaga Port

Malaga – Day 9

We were all bushed and slept in.  They have these metal shutter doors outside their windows so that you get total blackout – I love it!

Ellie & Laurie Granada

The beautiful city of Granada

Laurie in Granada

Laurie in Granada

Laurie & Ellie in Granada

Laurie & Ellie enjoying gelato in Granada

Spanish lunch

Enjoying local specialties

Touring Granada

Touring Granada with Romeo

Touring beautiful Granada

Beautiful Granada

We were going to take the train to Grenada, just the two of us, but our friends offered to drive us.  It was a lovely ride through the mountains of Malaga.  Olive trees were EVERYWHERE!  I just wanted to go home and buy property and plant olive trees.  Spain is the number one producer of olives and I love them!  You can get them fresh at local markets and they are so delicious.

We arrived in Granada in about 80 minutes I think, in the comfort of a Mercedes SUV.  There was no cafe car but the company was the best ;).  I didn’t know that you can’t just go see the Alhambra – the most famous site in all of Grenada.  There is a long wait for tickets, some told me months others said weeks.  Either way we weren’t getting in so we settled for a cozy restaurant at the bottom with a nice view of the Alhambra.  It was very nice weather, probably in the mid- high 70’s.  In Grenada as in some other Spanish cities, if you buy a drink, you get free tapas.  They bring enough free food for as many people are drinking, including the delicious grape juice I had.  It was delicious, a little heavy, but delicious!

We walked the streets of Grenada and soaked up the Spanish sun.  We found the little streets with the Jewish section of shops (very quaint little alleyways) and savored some local gelato (my fave is bosque de fruta).  It was a very nice but next time I definitely want to visit the Alhambra.

Laurie & Alhambra

Laurie & Alhambra

We were all very tired by the end of the day.  That’s one of the only downsides to travel.  I’m going to need to rest after this vacation!

Malaga – Day 10

Our friends all had work and school so we headed to our favorite place Malagueta beach.  They have nice chairs you can rent for only 4 euros a day.  We had a nice lunch at a cafe on the beach then played in the surf for hours.  We met a really nice family from Amsterdam and our kids played together for hours on the beach.  We walked out to find a taxi to get back to the house but it proved difficult for a bit.  They say it’s better to call one.

Ellie Malagueta 2

Ellie at Malgueta

We got “home” just in time to go have one last meal with our friends.     We ended up getting Telepizza, a pizza chain like Domino’s.  I could have skipped the dinner but the kids had fun and we enjoyed our home exchange friends one last time.

Malaga – Day 11 Departure for Albacete/Chinchilla

We packed everything up and a very nice man from the Malaga Rotary Club came to take us to breakfast.  We had churros – I don’t eat this “stuff at home” but I thought while in Spain… They were hot and delicious.  If you don’t know churros, they are like long thick piped pastries fried and then sprinkled with sugar and you dip them in a thick dark chocolate drink.  Our friend took us to the train and helped us into the station… so nice to have friends.

Filed Under: Europe, Home Exchange, Hospitality, Spain, Uncategorized

Friends of Friends

October 12, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Barcelona, Spain

We spent the day with our host family again, a much better experience! We met some other friends of theirs – the wife is Italian and the husband Spanish. They have two kids who go to school with our host’s daughter.

The playground across from "our apartment"

The playground across from “our apartment”

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Parc de la Ciutadella

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Ellie enjoying gelato

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The best gelaaati !!

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The whole gang enjoying the best

We played at a little playground just across from their apartment and Ellie made a new friend. What a surprise :-0. We took the bus together – easier to move 9 people – to the Parc de la Ciutadella. There were various entertainers for the children – marionettes and bubbles galore. It was another beautiful day in Spain.

We walked through the Born, which is comprised of parts of the old city wall from the 1700’s. We had the best pizza in town (according to our Italian friend) at Murivecchi on Calle Princesa. It did remind me of my numerous trips to Italy.

Then we walked through Plaza San Jaume, a beautiful square with the town hall and historic government buildings. Our friends insisted that we have the best gelato anywhere (good to be with Italians, they know gelato). They took us to gelaaati di Marco, an artesinal Itlaian ice cream store at 7 Llibreteria. I was totally stuffed from lunch but I forced a small cioccococo – an amazing coconut ice cream with a thick dark chocolate sauce mixed in. I think it was the best ice cream/gelato I have ever had – and I have eaten ice cream all over the world!

We took the kids to the little park at Placa San Miguel to burn off some energy.  I have to say that Spain does a really great job at having playgrounds all around the city.  We walked back through to Ave de Gracia and there were lots of people celebrating the long holiday weekend.

Another great day in Spain with “friends”!

 

Filed Under: Home Exchange, Hospitality, Spain, Travel Tips

Local Festivals and Personal Tour Guides

October 11, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

Ellie was VERY tired so I let her sleep in, it’s going to be really bad when we return and she wakes up 6 hours earlier 😁. We were finally able to spend time with our friends. They drove us a short distance to the Sarria neighborhood. It’s really lovely and used to be an old village with small streets and cute little shops. We stopped at Bar Thomas – very famous for patatas bravas – fresh fried potatoes with hot sauce and aioli. The was a line out the door waiting to enjoy the local specialty. It was worth the wait. I’m definitely going on a strict regimen when I return home.

Laurie and Ellie from atop Barcelona at Tibidabo

Laurie and Ellie from atop Barcelona at Tibidabo

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Homemade paella

 

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Enjoying a local festival in Sarria

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Ellie and Laurie overlooking Barcelona

This weekend people celebrate the festival of Pilar and there was a feria (festival) in Sarria, an area with rides and activities for kids. The two girls had a blast on a couple of rides but then it was closed down for siesta/lunch time. UGHHH!

We found a great local restaurant called Quinto Pino – it’s an expression that means far away. It’s a PERFECT little spot to dine under the trees while the kids play on a little adjacent playground. We had to wait as it is a very popular place for a beautiful Saturday. The food was delicious but they were a little frugal on the portions.

We drove to the top of Barcelona to Tibidabo for an amazing view of the city. We were very fortunate to be able to park right at the very top because our friend has a handicap permit.

At the very top is a beautiful church and an amusement park. It’s crazy as some of the rides go out over the cliffs – yikes!! You can buy an unlimited ride pass for about 28,50€ for adults and 10,30€ but we only wanted a few rides for the kids so we paid 2€ each ride – not bad. Ellie and her friend Claudia had a lot of fun.

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Laurie and Ellie with our home exchange hosts at Tibidabo

The kids were getting very tired and ready to relax at home. We got back to the apartment and ordered Japanese from their favorite place for take-out Yu Ja on Carrer Corsega. The girls watched programs in Spanish, it’s so great for Ellie to practice her language skills!

The best part of the day was going to the local neighborhood and finding where the locals eat.  I would never have that if I were staying in a hotel.  This is the most important thing I love about home and hospitality exchange!

Filed Under: Home Exchange, Hospitality, Spain

Registered Traveller in the UK

October 9, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

I just received an email from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  CBP informed me that the United Kingdom now operates an expedited entry program called Registered Traveller. Registered Traveller is a new service launched by the UK Border Force to give faster and more convenient entry to the UK for nationals from the United States.

If you travel frequently to or through the UK, it might be a good investment for you.   If you are already registered with the Global Entry program in the U.S. you are eligible to apply for membership in the UK Registered Traveller service.  Membership in Registered Traveller costs £70. Complete details of Registered Traveller eligibility and availability can be found online at http://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller.

Membership in Registered Traveller include the following benefits:
· Access to ePassport gates at airports across the country
· Use of the UK / European Union queue at airports across the country
· A dedicated Registered Traveller lane at Gatwick Airport
· Not needing to complete a landing card on arrival to the UK
· No credibility interview with a Border Force officer

Apply for the Registered Traveller service to get through UK border control faster. You won’t need to fill in a landing card.

You can apply if you’re 18 or over and you’re a national of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or the USA.

One of the following must also be true:

*you’ve got a visa (but not a Tier 5 concession (Creative and sporting), EEA family permit, discretionary leave or leave outside the rules)
*you’ve visited the UK 4 times in the last 52 weeks eg for business, education, tourism, education or medical treatment

You’ll be able to use the:

*ePassport gates if you have a biometric passport
*faster entry lanes at Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester and Stansted airports, and Brussels, Lille and Paris Eurostar terminals

It costs £70 to apply to use the service for 1 year. If your application is unsuccessful you’ll get £50 back.

If you’re already a member and you get a new passport, you’ll need to pay £20 to update your passport details. Updating your visa information is free.
You can apply for Registered Traveller online now at http://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller.

Filed Under: Europe, Travel Tips

PLAY is an international language

October 6, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

My daughter Ellie who is traveling with me around Spain is 4-years old.  I am always delightfully amazed when I see the international language of play.  My daughter, despite knowing only so many words in Spanish, will just start playing with kids.

Ellie and a new friend in Chinchilla

Ellie and a new friend in Chinchilla

Ellie and friends on the playground at port of Malaga

Ellie and friends on the playground at port of Malaga

I have been been trying to teach her, but Spanish is not natural for me, I learned it in college and manage not to get slapped ;-).

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Ellie on a playground in Albacete

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Ellie splashing around in the fountains of Seville with other kids

Today we ended up on two or three playgrounds – as I try to keep her as happy as possible on our lengthy tour through Spain (and Morocco).   One of the first thing I ask our hosts to tell us is where the best playgrounds are located.

At the beach she walked up to me and said “would you ask that girl if she wants to be my friend?”.   On the train the other day, she spotted a girl as we were getting on (hadn’t even spoken to her) and asked if we could move seats to sit with the girl (we did).   This evening she met a girl on the playground and a few minutes later they were sharing snacks.

I am very happy that my girl is not a turtle inside of her shell, but rather a beautiful bud beginning to flower.  Here are my favorite memories of her ‘playing around Spain’.   She is showing me that kids are kids, no matter what language they speak.

Oh and my daughter had her first sleepover at someone’s house and she stayed there the whole night.  It wasn’t a long time friend  – it was a friend of a friend in Spain.  😉 WOW!

Filed Under: Europe, Home Exchange, Spain, Travel Tips

Best local restaurant – in Barcelona

October 6, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

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Ellie and I dining at Toyo

As someone who advocates for home and hospitality exchange, I find so many reasons for not staying in a hotel.  One of of the most important for me is finding where the locals eat.  There’s nothing worse than being sucked into some tourist trap restaurant.  Tonight I took a recommendation from my hosts here in Barcelona and had dinner at Toyo.  Toyo is a little Japanese restaurant tucked into one of the old streets that my friends tell me used to be part of an old village.  The restaurant didn’t open until 8:30 and by 8:10 there was a line forming outside.  My 4-year old and I patiently waited as more and more people came.

As we were directed into our seats at the buffet (you know – one of those conveyer belt buffets) – I realized we were in the best seats, at the beginning of the buffet.  I was ravenous and quickly snapped up delicious dish after dish – from grilled asparagus with sesame seeds to all kinds of sushi and chicken teriyaki.  Even my daughter was satiated!

Dinner is only 15€ buffet for adults and 10€ for children.  If you are in Barcelona – I highly recommend Toyo, it’s located at Torrent del’Olla 10-12.  Thanks to my home exchange hosts, I was saved from another bad tourist meal.  GRACIAS!

Filed Under: Europe, Home Exchange, Spain

STAYING IN SPAIN FOR FREE

September 2, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

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Getting so excited for our impending trip to Spain.  As you may know we are very experienced at hospitality and home exchange.  We have hosted over 300 people in our home and love every minute of it.  On this trip to Spain we will stay with people we have met through home exchange sites like HomeExchange.com and HomeforExchange.com.

We arrive in Madrid and are going to stay in a hotel for 2 nights.  I could have stayed with some friends there but I do not sleep on planes, so I opted for a hotel for 2 nights to recuperate.

I AM going to use my new SPG AMERICAN EXPRESS card that gives a 30,000 points sign-up bonus!  I also get 3x points for using the card to pay for the room!  Starwood has great deals going on for a week in many properties around the world for less than 30,000 points.  Crazy, a one-week stay for free!  Check out a great blog, Million Mile Secrets, he has great info about these programs on Starwood.

From Madrid we will go stay with Karin and her 9-year old son.  I love staying with families because my daughter has someone with whom she can play.  It also presents a FABULOUS cultural and language interaction that can’t be had in hotels.   We have never met this family but I proposed a hospitality exchange instead of a home exchange.  She was taken aback but then trilled at the idea.  I have been looking at her Facebook page and she looks amazingly nice.

From there we will fly to Marrakesh, Morocco for a week.  I thought, it’s so close, never been and I gotta go.  I tried endlessly to do a home/hospitality with no luck.  I ended up finding a great deal on Booking.com.  I got the cheapest price on any site for a week at the Aqua Resort, my daughter will flip when she sees this place.  I am going to have guides take us around to see first hand the amazing landscapes and sites.   It will be fun anyway.

From there we go to Malaga to stay with an AMAZING family who stayed with us a couple of weeks ago.  We had so much fun together and became fast friends.  It was mom, dad, daughter 9 and uncle.  Ellie and I are both so happy to be seeing them again!  Now they will show us all around their area in Spain.  STAY TUNED…

That’s not all, from there we head to Barcelona, maybe with a stop in Valencia.  In Barcelona we will stay with a family who did a hospitality stay back in February.   The Gomez family was fantastic too! I know, it sounds so cliché. BUT TRUE!  Our daughters did everything together.  When mine woke she would ask “is Claudia awake?”.  They were inseparable.

Navy basketball with our friends from Barcelona

Navy basketball with our friends from Barcelona

We will stay about 10 days in Barcelona and live with friends that we met through websites.  As I keep saying, I am always looking for friends I just haven’t met yet.

You should try it.  It really does open your eyes to totally different experiences.  It’s like staying with family, only better 😉.

Filed Under: Home Exchange, Hospitality, Spain, Travel Tips

Hungry in Hungary (with a Baby)

August 9, 2015 by Laurie Deppa Leave a Comment

There was an article by Rick Steves in yesterday’s Baltimore Sun. I found it informative and interesting but there are definitely some things I could add, having been there recently.

Ellie and I dining alfresco in Budapest

Ellie and I dining alfresco in Budapest

Ellie and I on the Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus

Ellie and I on the Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus

I did a 6-country, 28-day tour of Europe alone with my 10-month old.  I did have an amazing time and Budapest was one of my favorite stops.  Ellie and I stayed at the Budapest Marriott right in the heart of the city.  It sits right on the Danube River and every room has a view – an amazing view – of the castle up on the hill.  Every night in my room I would open the curtains and just stare at the amazing vista before me.

One of my biggest frustrations with Budapest, and most of Eastern Europe, is the lack of family friendly restaurants.  In several of them I couldn’t get a high chair because they only had a couple and they were taken (if the restaurant had any at all).  My most frustrating problem was finding a restaurant with a changing table.  I ended up having to change her on a pad in the bathroom floor or on a park bench.

There was only one restaurant that I found and that was a fantastic place for a nice dinner with a child.   Vakvarju is a good restaurant and walking distance from the Marriott.  It was the only restaurant I have ever seen (in the world) with a gated play area for children.  They had books and all kinds of toys for children to play while parents enjoyed a meal.  Why don’t more restaurants have this? They of course also had plenty of high chairs and a changing table in the restroom.

Even if you don’t have a child I would still recommend it, the food was delicious and the prices were reasonable.  And of course, I definitely recommend putting Budapest on your bucket list.  I am definitely going to go back with my husband some day and Ellie so she can remember it this time. 😉

Oh, and by the way I do recommend buses like the Hop On Hop Off.  I really enjoyed getting a break from the elements, learning about the area and history all in a comfortable setting where my daughter could sleep.

Filed Under: Europe, Travel Tips

Riding the Rails

August 1, 2015 by Laurie Deppa 1 Comment

Ellie and I at the Bucharest train station

Ellie and I at the Bucharest train station

Ellie on the overnight train Bucharest to Budapest

Ellie on the overnight train Bucharest to Budapest

I recently blogged about renting a car in Panama.  As I stated, I almost never rent a car when I travel outside the US.   I love taking trains, particularly in Europe.  I find them very reliable, fairly comfortable, safe and clean.

When my daughter was 10 months old, she and I took a train trip across Europe.  We visited 6 countries in 28 days – Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany.  We used trains to get between the countries and it worked well.

Just two things I would like to share in particular.  The train stations in Eastern Europe did not usually have elevators.  I had to often ask for help as I had a baby, a stroller, two suit cases and two carry-ons.  As you can see from my photo, I got it down to a science.  I actually had a crib in one of the suitcases.

When I was doing hospitality stays (3 countries) there was always someone to greet me and help! Priceless! Another great benefit for staying with people!

One other thing to mention.  I always dreamed about an exciting overnight train ride in a sleeper car.  On the same trip above, I  booked Ellie and I an overnight ride from Bucharest to Budapest.  It wasn’t as wonderful as I had imagined.  We got in one car and just as we were settling our porter said we could move to a bigger private cabin at no charge.  Of course I moved!  The rooms are like my old bunk on my navy ship, only smaller ;-0.  It as very difficult to sleep with the loud noises of the train. When I finally passed out there was banging on the door, it was Romanian Customs looking for my ID at the border.   Then as I fell back to sleep I was awakened by Hungarian Border Patrol looking for my passport.  Finally, I was free from ID checks and at 5 was awakened by my porter.  He said I had to move back to my original car.  UGHHHH!

Next time I do a sleepover car it will be in a country where I don’t have to cross borders.  Lesson #59

Filed Under: Europe, Travel Tips

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