For spring break 2014, we're traveling with our friends, Lynn and Mike Cullen. Lynn is researching the travels of Mark Twain in Florence for her next novel. The plan is to fly into Milan, drive to Cinque Terre, then on to Florence, then on to Lake Como, and fly back home. We were sitting calmly waiting for the boarding call, but the stated time passed and no word. Finally, they started the boarding process, but with the late start we knew our connection at Kennedy was going to be tight. Everyone got seated on the plane...wait, wait. The pilot came on the intercom and announced they were looking for a part for the A/C...not good. I casually mentioned that the next thing they will be switching planes. Sure enough, the pilot came on again announcing they ... read more

Can't believe this is our last day in Spain, even two weeks is not enough...guess we'll have to get Lynn to write another book needing research of more areas of Spain. The parador ended up being more reasonable than I expected...the included breakfast was fantastic. That should hold us over for the whole day. Just simply driving is enjoyable. Villages on many hilltops. Almost got stopped by police again for crossing a solid white line. I quickly pulled out the camera and took pictures of them, so that they would see it was another tourist. I couldn't resist the pictures of the villages and castles on the mountain and hill tops. We drove up to what looked like a castle and found it was a parador in Cardona. I was feeling like I made a mistake ... read more

We left Cadaques by way of the Parc Natural. The entire area is a coastal plain, with some 100 different species of birds having been spotted at one time or another. it turned out to be a very nice drive with no traffic at all. Our next destination was Figueres described as humdrum by Lonely Planet, except for the Teatre Museu Dali...which they say is worth every minute...good enough for us. Now I've heaard of and even seen some of Dali's work, but not prepared for this venue...it is wonderful! Salvadore Dali was born here in 1904 and although he had traveled quite extensively, went back to his roots to convert an old burned out municipal theater into his museum. It truly is a stage for his incredibly imaginative work, which is extensive...I don't know when ... read more

This is the last day in Spain for Lynn and Mike, so we are going to drive hard in order to get to the beach in good time. Lynn claims she has no "dog in this fight" so there are no expectations or sites we need to stop at...let's just take the shortest route. OMG is this beautiful...started by traveling along the Rio Cinca through a tight mountain pass. Will flowers were blooming on the rock faces. Small villages on each mountaintop. Then came the turquoise lakes again...Embalse de Mediano and then Embalse de Grado. Mile after mile of amazing hillsides of red formations from the erosion and the color of the wayer can never be conveyed in pictures. This was an unexpect delight... Got looking at the travel guides again and Lynn noticed a write ... read more

Our goal for today was to drive into France via Hondarribia. We started the day with a nice breakfast in our hotel, which was pleasant and an efficient use of time. We were surprised how crowded it was, and recognized the voices of several of the older guest from the late night/early morning singing we heard from the adjacent pub...must have been some kind of reunion. The drive we plotted out would maximize the use of the coastal roads along the Bay of Biscay (Coles de Basques), trying to bypass San Sebastian, to Hondarribia and then into France. The drive was gorgeous and involved numerous stops to take in the rocky coastline. At one of the pull offs there were multiple etchings of a woman who had lost her seafaring husband...I think? There were signs for ... read more