Touring Through France The Tour de France is currently winding its way through France. This is an appropriate metaphor for us today. We left Spain behind and crossed into France early in the morning. Like the Tour, we are winding through France in stages. The first stage brought us to Biarritz. This coastal town in the south of France is mostly famous as a retreat for the rich and famous. So why are we here, you wonder? Well, we are just passing through. The bus stopped just long enough for us to walk on the beach and grab a drink. It’s a lovely area, but very expensive. Gas was selling for 1.67 euro per liter. Yes, it’s THAT expensive. The second stage took us to the town of Bordeaux. It is France’s eighth largest city, but ... read more

I didn't have an internet connection last night, so I missed uploading this blog..... El Cid’s Burgos Our day in Burgos began with breakfast again, and once again it was the classic European fare full of meats, cheeses and fruits with a croissant thrown in. Scrambled eggs, of course. All of the hotels have a curious way of cooking our style of bacon. They don’t. It’s very limp, almost like it was boiled, not broiled. There haven’t been many takers. The European “bacon” is actually thinly sliced ham that has been salted for preservation. It’s more like prosciutto that is found in Italy. After breakfast, it was out to the bus where we met our guide for the day, Luis. He is a very proud Spaniard and an even prouder “Burgos-ian”. His love for his city ... read more

Madrid on Five Euros a Day (part 2) Saturday was our first full day in Madrid. Having acquired a taste for the city the evening before, we were now prepared to become fully immersed. We began the morning with a typical European breakfast at the hotel. It was a serve yourself selection of cheeses, meats, melons and tomatoes. Along with these staples were scrambled eggs, slightly cooked bacon, croissants and coffee. There was also a selection of American cereals for the less adventurous. Our first adventure began with a morning bus tour of the city. A lovely Spanish lady named Corina served as our hostess. We were driven around town and entertained with an oral history of Madrid and many points of interest. We drove by the Bernabeu Stadium, home to Madrid Real and former home ... read more

Finally, Madrid What is it with airlines and food in the economy section! Our short (by comparison) two hour jaunt from Frankfurt to Madrid included a meal service. Who knew! It was a pleasant surprise. However, the surprise was on me. We didn’t have the choices like on United. There as only one choice and the choice was rubber chicken. Even Madame Robb agreed that it was rubber chicken… and she never has a bad word to say about anything. After a bumpy ride up to our cruising altitude, the flight evened out and was a nice relaxing flight into Madrid. We left the clouds behind as we passed over the Pyrenees into Spain. The approach to Madrid Aeroport was long and bumpy due to the heat coming off of the rolling hills. We were happy ... read more

The Getaway The group met at Center High School promptly at 8:00 AM with a lot of anticipation. Family and friends gathered to say good-bye to the happy and sleepy adventurers. Even Lucy, the dog, was there to offer support. The big bus had plenty of room for the 18 travelers to spread out and catch up on some sleep. On-board entertainment was a DVD of the Never-Ending Story…. Which this blog may turn into. Senora Zaccone called for a “Passport Check” as the bus pulled away. Thankfully all papers were located and up-to-date. Our driver put the pedal to the metal and used every diamond lane available to get us to SFO in record time. With plenty of time to spare, everyone grabbed a bite to eat and started their shopping sprees. We have just ... read more