Europe 2018 Short Version 1

Got home Thursday, 9/27, about 9 pm. Long day in airports, flying, etc. The long flights are still a bit of an ordeal for me, but I seem to be getting more used to them. I stood in the back for a while. British Airways made it better, and they even had my luggage when I arrived! 

Another incredible trip as you’ve seen in some of the pictures. This trip did present more challenges and there was more traveling involved. I knew I was very lucky on the 2016 tour. There were few delays, etc. And I do travel “budget,” so it’s always “part of the deal.” The other side is that there were so many incredible sights and sites that sometimes it felt like a fantasy, almost a dream. So if I sound a little grouchy, speezy or even whiney, keep in mind that the trip was certainly worth it. There will be a lot of stories. I’m trying to make this a short version. I’ll post longer versions with too many details later. 

   

I dropped my luggage at the Harding Hotel and headed to my first stop. I had an open ticket for the Book of Kells and The Long Room. Guinness Storehouse was all right. The highlight is the bar with a 360 degree view and a free Guinness. 35 Euro seemed a bit steep, but they’re packing them in. My ticket was part of my package. Have to wonder if I would have bothered if I didn’t already have a ticket.  

The Craic was grand! My hotel was close to the Temple Bar area. Saw and heard a lot of “traditional” Irish music. Darkey Kelly’s (“Best Irish music pub - three years running!”) was right next to my hotel. Usually jammed. One highlight was a Rock and Roll power trio that set up outside the Mercantile pub near Grafton Street. The Blue Crows played rocking covers. AC/DC. Sweet Home Chicago! And a more than passable Hendrix tune. The guitar player was really good. 

Amazing to me how many people (mostly tourists) were out and about. One of the tour guides mentioned that it was “a slow weekend.” Last weekend was the All-Ireland Final and the Pope had just visited before that. So to them it was a quiet weekend!

The Celtic Boyne Valley tour was a mind blower. A stop at Trim Castle. Now famous for the movie Braveheart. Loughcrew has an ancient chamber tomb built before the pyramids. Ancient Celtic sites including The Hill of Tara with The Stone of Destiny. The site of the Battle of the Boyne! Places I’ve read about. I think I know a lot about the mythology and history but the tour guides are the experts and they really make it come alive. They all had a great sense of humor and were entertainers.

Tour guide Matt explained that the “fairy people” still get a lot of respect from the local people. We saw a “fairy tree.” It was covered in ribbons left for aid from the “fairy people.”  

We stopped at Uisneach, the “Mythological and Sacred Centre of Ireland.” A local guide, Simon, took us around and told great tales of mythology. It’s a working farm and we passed a herd of cows to The Catstone, Ail na Mireann. “The navel of Ireland.” This place had a unique mystique. They still have the Druid Fire Ceremony here once a year!   

The next day was the tour to the Wicklow Mountains. A great train ride along the coast. Tour of the wool mills of Avoca. The site of the Ballykissangel TV series. We had lunch in the pub featured in the show. A walk in Glendalough. Great natural scenery. Ended in very old cemetery and monastery grounds. 

Found some of the best stuff just wandering around in Dublin. The Ireland in WWI exhibit in “The Old Library.” Tragedy piled on tragedy. I went into the main library. Their main reading room is classic and awesome. (“No Photos.”) This is where James Joyce and Yeats worked, among others. There was an award winning exhibit on William Butler Yeats. I hit the Archaeological Museum, and later The National Gallery. Covered a lot of territory, including Dublin Castle. Outside the Castle is a small museum holding the collection of Chester Beatty, a rich industrialist. Being in Dublin seems like a long time ago to me.  

The flight from Dublin to Barcelona was delayed an hour. I would be getting a connecting flight to Granada. Then there was a “security problem” in Barcelona. We were on the tarmac for about an hour. No way I was going to make the connecting flight to Granada. There were others in my situation. They put us up at the Barcelona Hilton. Got there at 1:15 am. I chose a flight to Granada at 8 am. It was a bit stressful and cut into my Granada time.  

But I did get there. First night in Spain. Amazing. History everywhere. Walked up to the Alhambra area and found The Garden of the Martyrs. Great views of the city and surrounding area. Did the Alhambra tour the next day. Experience of a lifetime. Much more on that later. Had my first real Spanish tapas. Took a tram tour around the city.   

Took a bus from Granada to Seville. A bit of an adventure just getting the ticket. Medieval streets in Seville were hard to navigate. I’d go a block from the hotel and get lost. (I thought Venice was a maze!) Went to Belles Artes, a small but great art museum where I knew “The Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas” was. The painting that was behind the altar at the church on the West Side where I grew up! Popped into some amazing local churches: Cappila de San Jose - Santa Maria Magdalena.

Murillo Hotel was great with a rooftop bar that had a view of the nearby lit up Cathedral. Which I also visited. Also had some great furnishing in the lobby including armor and weapons!   

Toured the Alcazar on my own. Just amazing and it was less than a half mile from my hotel. Didn’t realize how big it is. A look at how Moorish royalty lived. Spent more time here than I had expected. 

  

Train travel was great. (Why can’t the airlines be more like this? I know... money.) Was a bit surprised at how desolate the landscape was. From the train window it looked like there was nothing for miles. Impressive mountain scenery. Huge mesas.  

Madrid. A bit more urban. Right away I noticed people were a bit more gruff. Sick of tourists? Whatever. Went on a great Tapas Tour. The food unbelievable. Tour guide Daniella also talked about local history and had great stories about Madrid. Showed us ‘the oldest restaurant in the world”: Sobrino de Botin.  

Went to the Royal Palace, another real eye opener. How Spanish royalty lives. Great art. Huge frescoes on the ceilings. No photos allowed in most of the palace. Don’t want to disturb the inhabitants.  

Have to admit I was hitting the wall here a bit physically, especially feet and legs. Started to slow the pace a little bit. Took taxis more. They’re relatively cheap and I’d get exactly where I wanted to go without getting lost.   

Did a day tour out of Madrid to Toledo. “The spiritual center of Spain.” Another highlight. I am trying to keep this short. You’ll be hearing more later. Certainly another highlight, but there were so many highlights. There’s a synagogue there that they built in a Moorish style. Saw the El Greco painting “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz” which is displayed in the Church of Santo Tome. There is a zip line that you can ride over the Tagus River. I took a pass on that for now.   

On to Barcelona! Another great train trip. Heard so much about Barcelona, and it didn’t disappoint. Even more tourists here! And yes, I know I’m one of them. The taxi had to drop me across a plaza from my hotel. A group of Catalonians were camped out. They’re campaigning for independence from Spain. Small tents were set up. They sang folk songs. It looked like a peaceful gathering.  

Started with the Picasso Tour, which was also a walking tour through some of the streets of the Gothic Quarter. (Tours are a good way to get the lay of the land in a new city.) Saw “El Quartre Cats” where Picasso hung out. Tour ended with the Picasso museum. I later overheard people say they had a hard time getting in. Some said they gave up. But we waltzed past the line. “Skip the line” ticket! 

One of those amazing travel things. Joe Ragen and his wife, Cookie, were in Barcelona at the same time. (Stuber figured this out.) Had dinner at Sagrada. A Rick Steves recommendation. Great to see and compare notes with people I know. We had a fantastic meal. I took a break from seafood and had an oxtail dish. Ragen told  me about the art museum at Montserrat.  

A bit of drama. It was the latest I’d been out on the trip. After midnight. I was on the street my hotel was on, and there were other people still out. A young guy came up to me. Well dressed. “My friend!” I assumed he was a gypsy. I knew he wasn’t going to be my friend. He tried to put his arm around me. “Where are you from?” “Chicago,” I snarled, hoping this would discourage him. “Oh I know a polizei there! His name is Tony Rizzo!” I said, “Good night.” “Oh, Good night! Good night!” He was taunting me a bit. There were a couple of guys walking along with us. He got next to me, and somehow he got his hand in my pocket! 

I blocked his hand from my wallet and pushed him away. Then he was gone! It was like he disappeared. I kept checking my pockets. Wallet, cell phone. Everything still there. I almost couldn’t believe it. This guy was really slick. I knew I had dodged a bullet. It was unsettling, to say the least. I wore the dorky “safety wallet” belt thing for the duration. Certainly one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve had traveling, but he didn’t get me. 

Next day I would tour the Sagrada Familia. There was more activity in the Catalonian camp. They marched down the street and sang more Catalonian folk songs, which were emotional and stirring. I have pictures and a short video. Took a taxi to Sagrada Familia. They’re way cheaper than San Francisco and made things simple. I caught a glimpse of Sagrada over neighboring buildings. It just seemed unreal. By chance I ran into Joe Ragen and Cookie again. It really is a small world. 
The tour went on to Park Guell, but I decided to stay and walk around inside the church more. Impossible to describe. It’s not finished yet! 

The next day was a tour to Montserrat. Reminded me of Yosemite, but more spectacular, if that’s possible. We took a short hike with incredible views. Montserrat has an almost bizarre Catholic history around it. Founded when a statue of the Blessed Virgin was discovered in a cave. Legend says it was made by St. Luke, the Evangelist.  Many more tales and legends. Was the site of fierce fighting during the Spanish Civil War. It was a very strategic spot. “Only road to Barcelona.” About twenty monks were martyred. UFO enthusiasts gather every month to watch for mysterious lights that have appeared in the sky. It’s that kind of place. 

So it wasn’t as “smooth” as the 2016 expedition, but I knew I was very lucky on that one. I did slow the pace a bit. I skipped a couple of tours that just didn’t fit my agenda at the time. I had learned from the first trip that you just can’t see “everything.” There are many more stories.  

Next stop will be Greece. My itinerary includes Delos, the Oracle at Delphi and the Acropolis. To be continued!