Spanish Spree

Sept 4th - departed Dulles on British Airways to London. Good food. At Heathrow I went through security again and transfered terminals to connect to Madrid. Food sucked on this flight.

Sept 5th - After gathering my bags I made my way to hotel. I think I took the #2 bus to a mall where I got on the subway. I highly recommend buying a 10 ride pass for 6.50 Euros good for bus and subway. (I used it 9 times) there are no elevators and very few escalators so I had to drag my bag up and down long flights of stairs. (Someone on the tour got ripped off, he paid a taxi driver 60 Euros to get to the hotel.) I finally got to Hotel Praga and checked in. I dropped off my bags and took the subway again to Gran Via where i did some quick shopping at Zara before 6 pm orientation meeting.

At 6 I met my fellow travelers. My roommate is Christina from Sydney. Half the tour is Austrailian, a few Canandians and the rest are American. Had dinner which consisted of beans and pork (which would show up at every meal in Spain) i cant remember what else we had but it ended with ice cream. We all changed, and took the subway to some bar in Plaza del Sol.

It was lame as we were the only people in the place so I left and when to this place Joy. I was really early... but more people showed up and it was a decent night.

I shouldve tried churros and chocolate here.

sept 6 - Woke up bright and early. Breakfast consisted of a buffet of meat, cheese, cereal, and various juices. First was our tour of the Royal Palace, but it was being cleaned from some royal party last night so we went to see the Valley of the Fallen first. Definently do this option

Went back to Royal Palace... you see one palace youve seen them all. Place reminded me of the Vatican. Its good to be the king.

It was really hot and i was wearing jeans so I went back to the hotel and changed into shorts everyone else had wandered off after the Royal Palace. So I went by myself to look around Madrid. This is where the subway pass came in handy. I took the subway to Plaza del Sol snapped a pic of the city bear, hopped on the subway again to Retiro park (where i saw a guy jerking off in the bushes, can you imagine walking by yourself in a deserted park with some nut job busting a nut in the bushes?

And I watch Law & Order SVU... so i had some crazy thoughts running through my head) Snapped some pics of the Crystal Palace, had a strawberry snow cone like drink.

Walked a few blocks to see Madrids most beautiful fountain only to find it bone dry! This is where the Christopher Columbus memorial is. Went to see a candy shop my guide book suggested. Went back to hotel, change, went to resturant to have ox steak and tapas. (Do this option) Our tour guide Emma took us to a Salsa club but me and a couple other Contikiers went next door first for sangria. It was really good Sangria. Then we went to the salsa place.... dont go! youre better off bar hopping.

Went to Palacio de Gaviria discoteka with Aussie Dr. Vu, the place is a block from Joy where most of the group went.

sept 7 - Got on bus to Toledo, saw a swordmaker, walked around and had lunch, then off to Cordoba. Ate our included dinner.. those beans again! salad, chicken with fries and ice cream for desert. Emma took us on a walk and then to a bar.

Sept 8 - Saw the Mezquita and Alcazar. Very neato. Got on bus to go to Seville. We took our group pic in front of Plaza de Espana where the Seville soccer team was posing too! A couple guys got on the local news! We broke off into groups, I went with a group of Aussie guys and we saw the Giralda Cathedral, had lunch, saw a bull fighting museum and met up with the rest of the froup to catch the bus to our hotel, which was a bit out of the way from the city.

Hotel pre-party! We went to Aqua Antique at dark. We were the first people to get there. It was pretty but I was bored so I got Heather to come with me to Budda Bar, it was really loungey but good music. I got these two guys who were leaving to take us to where they were going, we ended up at a place called Alfonso. It looked like a tiny silver diner but inside theres a whole big outdoor area. We stayed out until 4:30ish and we got the fastest taxi driver in Spain back to the hotel. I think its was 5 am ish when we got back.

Sept 9 - We got on the bus and went to Gibraltar. We seperate into taxis. First we went to a look out point but it was cloudy and we couldnt see Africa, then we went into St. Michaels caves, then higher up to see the local monkeys. We were told not to feed them but the taxi drivers teased them with food and they got on our shoulders and we snapped away! Damien got a golden shower from one of them.

Off to Granada. Had dinner - chicken with fries, BEANS! Then i went to Plaza del Toros into a bar with Damien, Danny, and my roommie.

We couldnt get into the club next door because Damien and I had on sneakers. He wanted to eat so we got a cab back to the hotel. I changed and went back by myself. The place is like twice has big as the bar we were in next door. LAME so I asked this local hottie Vicenti where to go... We went to Mae West, which looked exactly like a TGI Fridays in a mall, but with house music... it was really packed so he took me to the club he promotes for. All his boys pile in and suddenly its all fields and we're in the middle of nowhere. I get a little antsy and i start to think OMG im about to get gang banged and left to die in a field. Mind you no one spoke english and at this point i knew like 10 spanish words. But the guys sensed it and reassured me it was close... "cinco minutos," "uno kilometer!" and sure enough we pull up to this place that looked like it couldve been part of the tour. Its called Embrujo Copas.

We were literally partying in a Moorish style castle/mosque thingy. Think castle courtyard with lights and a DJ booth.

(TIP: Dont run off with random Spanish guys, I was lucky but you might not be!)

I think by far this is the most beautiful place I ever danced in.


sept 10 - I overslept and missed an optional excursion to see Isabella and Ferdinands tomb and some other stuff. From what I was told I didnt miss much. At 3pm we all went to see the Alhambra Palace. Besides the heat it was very enjoyable. We bussed it back to the hotel and I got a bite to eat. On the walk back a gypsy boy was following us, Christina yelled at him and he ran away. Later that night some other girls told us they had the same experience. I went with this Russian American girl, Alina, to Opera 4(closed Sundays), Level for pre-drinks, Mae West, Granada 10, back to Mae West. Prob about 5am when we got back to the hotel.

Sept 11 - Off to Ibiza. We took a ferry to get there. I was passed out until the rest stop, they sell porn right by one of those coin operated rides for children! We got on our ferry at Denia and off to the white isle. We got there at dusk and you have to get off the ship with your bags down this long stairwell. We walked about 5 blocks to the hotel. Christina, Jess, and i went shopping and then we changed to go to Pacha for Roger Sanchez's Release yourself party.

Sept 12 - A bunch of us went to Cafe del Mar
to watch the sunset but it was cloudy and when we were leaving it started to rain really bad. The boys let us have the first cab and they waited for another. (that cab never came, they ended up taking the bus back soaking wet!)
We all went out to Amnesia for the Armada closing party. Armin Van Buren head lined. Ran into this guy Stepan who i met the previous night so i went to Space with him, since the rest of the group doesnt really like techno music. Carl Cox is spinning. Very awesome party.

Space is a 24 hour club but in between parties they toss everyone out and clean up and then everyone goes back in. We just left, walked by Bora Bora, ate a English breakfast, hotel.

Sept 13 - I went to Salinas Beach by myself, its really quiet and I didnt see anyone i knew so i went topless! Its mostly families and if your lucky theres rich people with their yachts anchored right by. Most of the group went to Bora Bora. Back to hotel around 6pm ish. Nap, changed, Stefan's dad had a table at Pacha again so I went for Erick Morillo's Subliminal party (even though Ive seen him a million times when i was living in Miami) They convince me to stay another day since they had an extra room so I got my luggage from the El Puerto Hotel and signed out with the tour manager ( i guess since they already got my money they didnt care if I left or stayed)

Sept 14 -The group was off to Barcelona. Stefan and I went to the Cream party at Amnesia. Paul Oakenfold head lined. It sucked. He was literally putting me to sleep. I wasted 40 Euro on that ticket. We were in the other room the whole time. We left early by Ibiza time.

Sept 15 - I bid farewell to Stefan and took the 6 pm flight to Barcelona. The hotel is near the airport. Thank god Christina had an itinery, I got the name of the resturant the group was at and I got a cab to where the group was watching a flamenco performance, I caught like one minute of it. Everyone told me the ferry ride to Barcelona was uneventful and they got in late last night. They had seen the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and the Olympic stadium. They also told me the food was average but the flaminco was worth seeing.

We took some pics of the Magic Fountain (Bellagio aint got nothing on this!) and then Emma got us on the subway to go to this Fairy bar. no not a gay bar but a place that is decorated like Rainforest Cafe. I went back to the hotel to change and check out this place called Catwalk I heard about. I met some Austrian tourists (I speak a little German) And I went with them to Shoko first. I checked it out, but it wasnt anything to write home about so i left the Austrians and went back across the street back to Catwalk. Its 15 Euro cover which includes a drink. It was overated. I immediately met this Italian dude, Fabio from Rome. I couldnt shake him, so I decided to call it a night. I walked down the street but I hear techno bass so like a moth attached to light I stepped into this place CDLC. The big clubs are on the outskirts of town, so unless you have a group to share the cost with your better off bar hopping on the beach area. Had a drink and then I left downtown Barcelona.


Sept 16-I took a nap and when i woke up it was 5:45 am! My flight is at 7:25am! The shuttle driver wouldnt leave right away even though i was the only passenger but I made my flight and now im back in the states.


Be careful in Spain, I didnt have any problems but this kid thad got mugged twice! There are lots of gypsies roaming around every city, watch your wallets and purses.


What I learned from the Aussies:

- They call french fries, chips. Potatoe chips are crisps

- no one in Austrailia drinks Fosters or has a kangaroo as a pet.

-Steve Erwin is not a national hero.