Thursday 24th March 2011
Train leaves Madrid on time to Malaga, lovely service but difficult to eat meal as the bloody thing going so fast and rocking & rolling!!! Up to 300kph at times (175mph), that is quick, whole journey takes 2.5 hours, brilliant but a bit expensive in club at 180 euros each!!
Taxi from station to hotel in Torresmolinos for a night to meet up with fiend Ricky who works as a caddy on European Golf Tour, currently Richard Finch, and his fiance Claire who works as graphic designer for the TV company. Really nice couple.
Staying in Sol Melia hotel, basic but clean and a decent room size. Only problem was the room we were given which was on the 9th floor and was a smokers room - ughhhh! Only other option was 1st floor opposite the building next door which was being renovated so we know what that means - noisy start in the morning!!
Good night out in local Tapas bar being frequented by the TV crew who always have a knack of finding decent bars!!! Wonder why??? Good bunch of guys and girls , all nice and friendly. Crazy lifestyle - 3 weeks on the road moving from venue to venue, not good for a stable family life. Food excellent and a good night had by all, drank too much though!!!!
Friday 25th March 2011
After lazy start and booking out we decided to walk to the course and watch for a few hours. Stopped off for a breakfast on the way, nice. Long walk (5KM) but very pleasant.
Made course (free tickets) and caught Ricky up at their 9th so followed for the rest of the round and watched some decent golf from Richard Finch - 3 birdies on back nine including 1 monster put. First time wife Janet had been to a tournament and she quite enjoyed it as weather superb.
Said byes to Ricky when he finished, quick beer ans sandwich then off to meet up with friend Wynne who was picking us up. Good man, bang on time, car (mines) nice and clean and full of fuel!!
Enjoyable drive down to Sotogrande, quick food shop then into our apartment for a week of relaxation after a week of long but very enjoyable travelling!!!
BLISS!!!!
Unpack and shower & change then off to our favourite watering hole (KE Bar) to meet up with friends. Quick stop at cash machine for some loot only to find that only had 8 euros left in the account after my withdrawal.
S**t did we really spend that much on our trip !!!!
End of traveling:-
plus points - both really enjoyed it, nice hotels, nice people, excellent train journeys. Definitely go back to San Sebastian & Madrid.
minus points - would not do three cities on one trip, would suggest Paris & San Sebastian on way down, Madrid on way back, too much packing, too much shopping, too early in the year as cold in all three (may would be better).
The end!!!!!
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Saturday, 26 March 2011
1st Retired Trip, Madrid Leg
Cont....
Monday 22nd March 2011
Caught the 8.44am train from San Sebastian to Madrid. Superb scenery over the mountains for the 1st hour. Plenty of leg room on the train even at a table with 2 other people. Train surprisingly busy!! 84euros each first class which included breakfast - how good a deal is that for a 5.5 hour trip? British trains take note!!
Arrived Madrid to find at some time a second half of the train had been added so a very long walk into station, and quite cold!
Taxi to hotel which was nice as this was our first visit to Madrid so gave us a chance to see small part of the city.
Hotel Melia Gran Fenix - very nice it was too and pleased I had managed to get a great deal through Trip Advisor. Hate to think what the rack rate would have been if we had just turned up. Only disappointment with the "superier room" was the bathroom which was quite small especially using the loo for a big lad like me!!!
Great bar, one of the best we have been in!!
Had a wander round the local area doing some window shopping and admiring the beautiful buildings. On way back to hotel I asked the present Mrs Scott where she would like to eat that evening - her reply was that she fancied a burger, so "Hard Rock Cafe" it was then!! Don't know what I am going to do with her!!!
Wednesday 23rd March 2011
Raining & cold!! So brolly up, overcoat on and off shopping as nice and warm in shops!! 1st stop was for another large holdall bag (2 now) then off in the general direction of Plaza Major. Beautiful buildings all over, terrible traffic!!
Bought another bag full of clothes and a couple of watches. I was the winner for a change, about equal now!!!
Eventually get to Plaza Major, which was a little disappointing as not nearly so nice as the one in Salamanca where we watched the final of European Championship a few years ago!!
Back to hotel for a couple of drinks and lo and behold we find a "friend" from Sotogrande there, Sandro (the mad German) how spooky is that???
Thursday 24th March 2011
Big re-pack of cases now we have 2 extra holdalls for all the shopping!!!
Check out of hotel and leave bags there (6 including our rucksacs) as train to Malaga not until afternoon, so another wander round local area (different half). Found the local market and was very impressed with the quality and range of fish, fruit and vegetables on offer. Not so impressed with property prices in the area - 650,000 euros upwards for a 2 bed apartment!!!
Final bit of shopping was a jewellery shop next to hotel - Mrs Scott in front again!!
Off to train station for final leg of trip to Malaga to find standard class, 1st class both full!! Managed to get two seats in club class!! Amazing how popular and on time trains are on the continent!!
to be continued......
Monday 22nd March 2011
Caught the 8.44am train from San Sebastian to Madrid. Superb scenery over the mountains for the 1st hour. Plenty of leg room on the train even at a table with 2 other people. Train surprisingly busy!! 84euros each first class which included breakfast - how good a deal is that for a 5.5 hour trip? British trains take note!!
Arrived Madrid to find at some time a second half of the train had been added so a very long walk into station, and quite cold!
Taxi to hotel which was nice as this was our first visit to Madrid so gave us a chance to see small part of the city.
Hotel Melia Gran Fenix - very nice it was too and pleased I had managed to get a great deal through Trip Advisor. Hate to think what the rack rate would have been if we had just turned up. Only disappointment with the "superier room" was the bathroom which was quite small especially using the loo for a big lad like me!!!
Great bar, one of the best we have been in!!
Had a wander round the local area doing some window shopping and admiring the beautiful buildings. On way back to hotel I asked the present Mrs Scott where she would like to eat that evening - her reply was that she fancied a burger, so "Hard Rock Cafe" it was then!! Don't know what I am going to do with her!!!
Wednesday 23rd March 2011
Raining & cold!! So brolly up, overcoat on and off shopping as nice and warm in shops!! 1st stop was for another large holdall bag (2 now) then off in the general direction of Plaza Major. Beautiful buildings all over, terrible traffic!!
Bought another bag full of clothes and a couple of watches. I was the winner for a change, about equal now!!!
Eventually get to Plaza Major, which was a little disappointing as not nearly so nice as the one in Salamanca where we watched the final of European Championship a few years ago!!
Back to hotel for a couple of drinks and lo and behold we find a "friend" from Sotogrande there, Sandro (the mad German) how spooky is that???
Thursday 24th March 2011
Big re-pack of cases now we have 2 extra holdalls for all the shopping!!!
Check out of hotel and leave bags there (6 including our rucksacs) as train to Malaga not until afternoon, so another wander round local area (different half). Found the local market and was very impressed with the quality and range of fish, fruit and vegetables on offer. Not so impressed with property prices in the area - 650,000 euros upwards for a 2 bed apartment!!!
Final bit of shopping was a jewellery shop next to hotel - Mrs Scott in front again!!
Off to train station for final leg of trip to Malaga to find standard class, 1st class both full!! Managed to get two seats in club class!! Amazing how popular and on time trains are on the continent!!
to be continued......
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
1st Retired Trip, San Sebastian Leg
Continued......
Sunday 20th March
Paris - San Sebastian
Off to San Sebastian which is renowned as the food capital of Spain. Not been before but passed it a few times in the car on various trips backwards and forwards to our apartment. Highly recommended by a number of friends so we were looking forward to our visit.
TGV train on time, shared a seating table with a French lady and her granddaughter off back to Bordeaux. Managed a reasonable conversation for a while but must have bored them as they cleared off to the bar!!!
Decent train service but no food or drinks even in 1st class! Good seats though,
Train terminated at Irun which is just inside Spain so had to catch a local train to San Sebastian, only just as not much time between and security lady had a moan about the size and weight of Janet's case (all the shopping in Paris!!!)
Got to San Sebastian (14minutes) and fought our way off the train as Spanish not renowned for patience and they are trying to get on as we are getting off!! Only to realise we had left our rucksacks on the train !! So had to fight my way through and only just got off before doors closed , got some funny looks!! I blame Mrs Scott for not checking !!!
Taxi to rather nice hotel, small ish but beautifully decorated, can be found in Small Hotels of the World - Villa Soro. Only negative is a bit out of the town (20 minute walk) but still well worth it.
Evening
Using the excellent map and list of recommended Tapas Bars we wandered into the town. Found 1st one easily which was excellent. Next 2 across the road were closed as Sunday night!!
Went looking for the 4th in that part of town (Gros) but could not find the street, but spotted another two on a corner only to find the one we picked was the 4th on the list.
Lady we shared a table pointed it out to us - dohhhhhh!! Nice lady who spoke great English.
All in all excellent Tapas Bars and our kind of eating!!
Back to hotel for a nightcap that turned into two as putting the world to rights - too boring a conversation to repeat, plus can not remember too much as had far to much to drink. Proved when the present Mrs Scott got out of bed after 20 minutes to rush to the bathroom to be .......... (too much detail)!!!!
Monday 21st March
Excellent breakfast then off into town sightseeing and shopping as we needed an extra bag to take the strain off the suitcases after Paris shopping!!!
Lovely city, much larger than we thought and very clean except for graffiti. What is it about these people, great shame as most of it not particularly artistic or well done.
Huge cathedral in centre, well worth a visit.
Beautiful beaches in the bays separated by a nice rocky headland.
Lunchtime came so more Tapas bars, another 2 off the list, both excellent!!
After a long lunch then more shopping, the present Mrs Scott won again, I managed a jacket, she managed a complete outfit!!! Good job we got a half decent bag!!
Decided to try some more Tapas bars on way back to the hotel so that was dinner taken care off!!
Fell asleep watching some old Harry Potter video!!!
Monday 22nd March
Up early as train to Madrid at 8.44 so quick pack up and breakfast before cab to station with additional bag as still heavy cases. How on earth we are going to get this lot back to UK on a plane I have still to work out and we still have Madrid to do!!!!
San Sebastian - highly recommended, but stay a week as very interesting place and loads of Tapas bars and Restaurants, great beaches for the summer. definitely be back!
Train on time to Madrid.......
To be continued............
Sunday 20th March
Paris - San Sebastian
Off to San Sebastian which is renowned as the food capital of Spain. Not been before but passed it a few times in the car on various trips backwards and forwards to our apartment. Highly recommended by a number of friends so we were looking forward to our visit.
TGV train on time, shared a seating table with a French lady and her granddaughter off back to Bordeaux. Managed a reasonable conversation for a while but must have bored them as they cleared off to the bar!!!
Decent train service but no food or drinks even in 1st class! Good seats though,
Train terminated at Irun which is just inside Spain so had to catch a local train to San Sebastian, only just as not much time between and security lady had a moan about the size and weight of Janet's case (all the shopping in Paris!!!)
Got to San Sebastian (14minutes) and fought our way off the train as Spanish not renowned for patience and they are trying to get on as we are getting off!! Only to realise we had left our rucksacks on the train !! So had to fight my way through and only just got off before doors closed , got some funny looks!! I blame Mrs Scott for not checking !!!
Taxi to rather nice hotel, small ish but beautifully decorated, can be found in Small Hotels of the World - Villa Soro. Only negative is a bit out of the town (20 minute walk) but still well worth it.
Evening
Using the excellent map and list of recommended Tapas Bars we wandered into the town. Found 1st one easily which was excellent. Next 2 across the road were closed as Sunday night!!
Went looking for the 4th in that part of town (Gros) but could not find the street, but spotted another two on a corner only to find the one we picked was the 4th on the list.
Lady we shared a table pointed it out to us - dohhhhhh!! Nice lady who spoke great English.
All in all excellent Tapas Bars and our kind of eating!!
Back to hotel for a nightcap that turned into two as putting the world to rights - too boring a conversation to repeat, plus can not remember too much as had far to much to drink. Proved when the present Mrs Scott got out of bed after 20 minutes to rush to the bathroom to be .......... (too much detail)!!!!
Monday 21st March
Excellent breakfast then off into town sightseeing and shopping as we needed an extra bag to take the strain off the suitcases after Paris shopping!!!
Lovely city, much larger than we thought and very clean except for graffiti. What is it about these people, great shame as most of it not particularly artistic or well done.
Huge cathedral in centre, well worth a visit.
Beautiful beaches in the bays separated by a nice rocky headland.
Lunchtime came so more Tapas bars, another 2 off the list, both excellent!!
After a long lunch then more shopping, the present Mrs Scott won again, I managed a jacket, she managed a complete outfit!!! Good job we got a half decent bag!!
Decided to try some more Tapas bars on way back to the hotel so that was dinner taken care off!!
Fell asleep watching some old Harry Potter video!!!
Monday 22nd March
Up early as train to Madrid at 8.44 so quick pack up and breakfast before cab to station with additional bag as still heavy cases. How on earth we are going to get this lot back to UK on a plane I have still to work out and we still have Madrid to do!!!!
San Sebastian - highly recommended, but stay a week as very interesting place and loads of Tapas bars and Restaurants, great beaches for the summer. definitely be back!
Train on time to Madrid.......
To be continued............
1st Retired Trip, Paris Leg
Hi,
This is my first attempt at blogging and hope whoever reads it finds it a. interesting, b. humorous, c.informative, d. not too boring!!
My wife and I recently sold our business in UK and retired after 30 successful years. To get away so we could get our brains into gear on this new experience of not having work responsibilities we decided to set off to our apartment in Sotogrande in Spain. This time by train!!
London - Paris - San Sebastian - Madrid - Malaga, then car to Sotogrande
Thursday 17th March 2011. Eurostar to Paris, done this trip a few times which all went smoothly.
Paris huge, spent 3 nights there and walked our poor feet off, shopped till we dropped and got some decent pictures at night but not during the day as it was very overcast. Used a new Leica D-Lux 5, compact camera that produces great results, but my photography skills are poor!!
Eurostar departure lounge poor, they are missing a trick as most people have a least an hour's time to wait before train departs - limited space, poor shops, poor seating & poor bars. Paris departure lounge a big improvement except when busy, then space is again poor.
Stayed in Hotel Banke, excellent position close to the Opera house and main shopping area, good Metro service to get around. Only negative comment on Metro is it is even dirtier than London Tube!!
Hotel room decent, bar good, breakfasts excellent, staff very helpful and friendly. Negatives on hotel - very dark due to being decorated by what I can only call a "goth" designer!! Also very expensive!
Thursday evening, had a wander round local area to get our bearings, found a decent local bar that served a French version of Tapas with each round of drinks. Football on so all in all my kind of bar even if it was a bit basic. However made up for it by charging decent prices for Paris!
Friday 18th March
Did the usual tour bus trip to familiar ourselves and see the main sites, good tour, lousy traffic and very cold on top!!
Pictures not exciting as very overcast and misty.
So cold when we finished the first stop was Galleries Lafayette to warm up, good news we never bought anything!!
Had a wander round some other shops and only thing we bought were our train tickets to San Sebastian. Young girl said we could only have 2nd class as 1st all sold out, difficult to believe!!
Planned to take bus again to get some pictures at night but this was cancelled as even colder and also raining!!
Decided to have evening meal in what looked like a decent restaurant opposite hotel, big mistake as rubbish meal and rubbish prices with average service. Strange as busy on both nights we passed!!
Saturday 19th March
Shopping day!!
Traipsed round the expensive ones first, did some serious window shopping but did not buy until wife found a decent shop at much more sensible prices!!
Me ripped off in Gant store, more money than sense!!
Evening, caught Metro to Eiffel Tower and got some great pictures, walked to Arc de Triomphe, again some decent night pictures, a very impressive camera!!
Halfway down Champs Elysee, the present Mrs Scott decides she is hungry and would like a pizza!!! Huge ones were duly served at huge prices at what can only be described as a closely seated table, they had to be moved apart to get in !!!
On way back to the hotel a slight detour took us past American Embassy (accidental). serious security outside with both large numbers of Yanks and French police (heavy mob). Think Mrs Clinton was there for a conference on bombing Libya (another story)!!
Got back with sore feet so quick nightcap and off to bed!
Sunday 20th March
Up early to have breakfast before catching train to San Sebastian.
At station I decided to test the lady who sold us the tickets to see if she was correct about 1st class being full!!
Wrong, no problem getting an upgrade - so 135 euros in total for 1st class Paris - San Sebastian, 5.5 hour trip, where are we going wrong in Britan???
To be continued.........
This is my first attempt at blogging and hope whoever reads it finds it a. interesting, b. humorous, c.informative, d. not too boring!!
My wife and I recently sold our business in UK and retired after 30 successful years. To get away so we could get our brains into gear on this new experience of not having work responsibilities we decided to set off to our apartment in Sotogrande in Spain. This time by train!!
London - Paris - San Sebastian - Madrid - Malaga, then car to Sotogrande
Thursday 17th March 2011. Eurostar to Paris, done this trip a few times which all went smoothly.
Paris huge, spent 3 nights there and walked our poor feet off, shopped till we dropped and got some decent pictures at night but not during the day as it was very overcast. Used a new Leica D-Lux 5, compact camera that produces great results, but my photography skills are poor!!
Eurostar departure lounge poor, they are missing a trick as most people have a least an hour's time to wait before train departs - limited space, poor shops, poor seating & poor bars. Paris departure lounge a big improvement except when busy, then space is again poor.
Stayed in Hotel Banke, excellent position close to the Opera house and main shopping area, good Metro service to get around. Only negative comment on Metro is it is even dirtier than London Tube!!
Hotel room decent, bar good, breakfasts excellent, staff very helpful and friendly. Negatives on hotel - very dark due to being decorated by what I can only call a "goth" designer!! Also very expensive!
Thursday evening, had a wander round local area to get our bearings, found a decent local bar that served a French version of Tapas with each round of drinks. Football on so all in all my kind of bar even if it was a bit basic. However made up for it by charging decent prices for Paris!
Friday 18th March
Did the usual tour bus trip to familiar ourselves and see the main sites, good tour, lousy traffic and very cold on top!!
Pictures not exciting as very overcast and misty.
So cold when we finished the first stop was Galleries Lafayette to warm up, good news we never bought anything!!
Had a wander round some other shops and only thing we bought were our train tickets to San Sebastian. Young girl said we could only have 2nd class as 1st all sold out, difficult to believe!!
Planned to take bus again to get some pictures at night but this was cancelled as even colder and also raining!!
Decided to have evening meal in what looked like a decent restaurant opposite hotel, big mistake as rubbish meal and rubbish prices with average service. Strange as busy on both nights we passed!!
Saturday 19th March
Shopping day!!
Traipsed round the expensive ones first, did some serious window shopping but did not buy until wife found a decent shop at much more sensible prices!!
Me ripped off in Gant store, more money than sense!!
Evening, caught Metro to Eiffel Tower and got some great pictures, walked to Arc de Triomphe, again some decent night pictures, a very impressive camera!!
Halfway down Champs Elysee, the present Mrs Scott decides she is hungry and would like a pizza!!! Huge ones were duly served at huge prices at what can only be described as a closely seated table, they had to be moved apart to get in !!!
On way back to the hotel a slight detour took us past American Embassy (accidental). serious security outside with both large numbers of Yanks and French police (heavy mob). Think Mrs Clinton was there for a conference on bombing Libya (another story)!!
Got back with sore feet so quick nightcap and off to bed!
Sunday 20th March
Up early to have breakfast before catching train to San Sebastian.
At station I decided to test the lady who sold us the tickets to see if she was correct about 1st class being full!!
Wrong, no problem getting an upgrade - so 135 euros in total for 1st class Paris - San Sebastian, 5.5 hour trip, where are we going wrong in Britan???
To be continued.........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)