This was a trip of 21 days and 20 nights. It was the first trip Marlene and I have taken together and the first time we were together for more than a couple of days consecutively, so it was a test of our relationship. Here are the highlights and lowlights.
Highlights:
- Barcelona. This is a beautiful, laid-back and very civilized city. The roads and the Metro are incredibly well designed and operated. We did not see any traffic jams. Bicycles, scooters and mopeds are EVERYWHERE. The people are friendly and fit – it was very rare to see anyone who was overweight. The has replaced Dublin as my second-favorite city in the world (Paris remains #1).
- Marlene and I. We had some rough spots, but survived them all and generally enjoyed each other’s company very much. I think the relationship passed the test with flying colors.
- The Carnival Pride. I think this was the best cruise I have ever taken. It wasn’t perfect. The internet, in particular, was spotty and pathetically slow compared to the speed I experienced on Princess a year ago. But the cruise director, Joey, was terrific, the entertainment was superb and the people on board were friendly and fun. Kudos to Carnival for running a fine ship.
- Madrid and the Hotel Nuevo Madrid. We enjoyed Madrid, mostly, though not so much as Barcelona. The hotel accommodations in Madrid, at the Hotel Nuevo Madrid, were top-notch.
- The flight home. The TAP flight from Lisbon to Miami was first-rate. Good food, attentive service, a fine selection of on-demand movies. And very smooth.
Lowlights:
- Getting on the plane home in Madrid. We thought that having only a facsimile of Marlene’s naturalization certificate would be a problem and we were right. But it was even worse than we anticipated. We were forced to obtain a visa and buy a ticket back to Europe. And no one could give us a definitive answer to any of our questions. It was five hours of hell just to get on the plane to Lisbon. The requirement that we buy a return ticket, in particular, was idiotic. We bought the ticket, showed it to TAP then cancelled it. Stupid.
- Losing my wallet. This was a problem I didn’t need and could have avoided. We were warned. But I didn’t take proper precautions (like zipping my pocket). I was also stupid for carrying things of no use in Europe that would be difficult to replace. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
- Travelodge in Barcelona. This hotel took “bare bones” to a new level. No facecloth? Charging 1 euro for a cup of ice? For very little cost they could have kept us much happier. This was a model of stupid hotel management.
Bottom line: a fine, fun and very economical trip.