Travel in Spain
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6 Tips On Moving To Spain

 

Liz Carlson, our guest writer and expert on Northern Spain, has moved alot.  I mean alot.  Salmanca, Madrid, Malaga to name a few.  She is the Queen of Move and is in the know on how to do it. I wonder if she did bring those six pairs of jeans.

By Liz Carlson

1. Packing

Packing is key when it comes to moving abroad, and 9 times out of 10, people pack too much. When moving to Spain permanently, for a year or two, or even just a few months, one of the biggest mistake made is to overpack. So pack that suitcase, and then unpack it and take half of it out. Read More »

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The Scoop: Events In Spain – January, 2012

 

events in spain

Flamenco dancing in Seville.

By Nancy Todd

Baby, it’s cold outside  and quiet on the fiesta front in Spain.  You may hear an occasional drum or coronet.  Or see a priest in a funny hat and dress (do you think they are really transvestites?) leading an entourage at night with candles.  Here is The January  Scoop for events in Spain.

1.  Celebrate Food and march in San Sebastian.    British royalty established San Sebastian as a resort in the 1800′s and it continues in all it’s formality.   La Tamborrada, a midnight to midnight fiesta, honors the patron saint St. Donostia of San Sebastian and boots formality into the Bay.  Thousands of drummers represent different groups of gastronomic societies and bang it out all over the city.  Some drummers wear their chef’s hats.   Forget about shakin’ your booty, this is real marchin’  music.  January 19. Read More »

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The Two Minute Take: La Pedrera in Barcelona Revisited!

Travel Tips on raveable

The Scoopettes head over to one of Barcelona’s most important monuments, Casa Milà also known as La Pedrera. Come take a look around this amazing building.

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The Scoop Interviews (No. 4): Robin Graham, Blogger, A Lot Of Wind

the scoop interviews

Robin Graham

Interview By Nancy Todd

The Scoop Interviews Robin Graham, writer extroidnaire, who lives  in Cadiz.  His writing is about places and experiences in Spain, some as he says,  “made up,”  perfect for his site name: www.alotofwind.com   His writing is well crafted and at times,  when I plan to spend three minutes on his blog, I read and read and read. He transports me to the people and places with his  insightful descriptions.   Robin’s graphics are unusual and rare as is his photography. We are proud to also have Robin as a guest writer for The Spain Scoop.  Be prepared to be captivated by his writing.

l. What is the most satisfying part of your work?

From time to time I feel as though I’ve written something competently. A story that takes an idea and sees it through without leaving loose ends and without labouring it. I find it incredibly difficult to do and so conclude that it must be worth trying. The less successful stories are ok by me, as they just get me closer to the next good one. They’re very very rare. You have to be patient. Read More »

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Photo Scoop of the Month (No. 5): Street Art in Barcelona

BCN Street Art

BCN Street Art

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Street art is plentiful in Barcelona, and many of the big dogs in the underground art world have made their mark on the Catalan Capital. I’m a fan of Read More »

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Barcelona Airport How To’s!

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Barcelona Airport - El Prat

Barcelona Airport - El Prat

Getting to and from Barcelona’s El Prat airport is not as easy as it should be. Follow our tips to get there hassle-free!

1. Call ahead or check your ticket. You need to know which terminal you are going to, T1 or T2. They are NOT close together. This is the first thing you should confirm. Read More »

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Photo Friday – Where In Spain Is This?

 

By Nancy Todd

January’s Photo Friday takes you to outdoor sculptures.  Those of you who read The Spain Scoop while eating corn flakes every morning know that I am an incurable art geek.  Just can’t help myself.  This sculpture is in Northern Spain by an artist who is revered in Spain and unfortunately, not know well outside of Spain.  Where is this sculpture?

 

 

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Hey There Gambler…Do You Feel Lucky? Casinos, Gambling and Cheap Thrills in Barcelona

Money Money Money!


By Regina Winkle-Bryan
I’ve never been one to play the lottery or gamble much. It’s always seemed like a waste of money to me. Sure, I played the mandatory casino games on a couple trips to Vegas, but I was never one to play Powerball or buy a Scratch-It. During my years in Spain, I’ve played the lotto more than any other time in my life and keep on playing despite not ever winning (yet!).
Read More »

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Where I Went in 2011, And Why You Should Go In 2012!

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

My oh my, it was a busy year…..

I saw Christine’s post on where she went in 2011 and decided to do something similar. This time of year most of us want to reflect on the year gone by, and doing so through photos is a good way for a ‘visual learner’ like myself to process 2011. So much of my life is connected to travel that it makes sense to do a little roundup of where I’ve been in 2011 and the adventures I had in those places while giving some scoop on why you might want to plan a trip to these destinations, or skip them!

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2010:

New Year's 2010, welcoming 2011

New Year's 2010, welcoming 2011

Let’s start at the beginning. Just back from the USA I spent New Year’s 2010 with my sweetie A and a couple friends at home. Of course we ate the mandatory 12 lucky grapes!

JANUARY 2011:

Copenhagen for work in January 2011

Copenhagen for work in January 2011

As Barcelona got ready for Kings’ Day, I flew to Copenhagen, Denmark, for work. It was my second trip to this cool Scandinavian city, and I’d love to return someday in the summer!

FEBRUARY 2011:

For some reason I did a lot of traveling Read More »

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Ski In Spain? Yes You Can!

Grandvalira Ski Station - Funicamp

Grandvalira Ski Station - Funicamp


By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Granted, fluffy snow is not what most of us think of when we imagine Spain. However, the north of Spain is separated from France and Andorra by the Pyrenees, and in those mountains snowflakes tend to tumble. I went on my first ever Spanish ‘winter wonderland’ excursion over the New Year. I went with A, and we drove northwest towards Andorra. A tiny Catalan-speaking country in the furthest corner of northwestern Catalonia, Andorra is famous for cheap shopping (less tax) and ski holidays.

I did not ski, nor did A. We didn’t have the gear, the know-how, or the will. We did see other Read More »

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Moving to Spain – Barcelona – Tips from Expert Movers

Home sweet home in Spain? Moving to Barcelona and Beyond

Home sweet home in Spain? Moving to Barcelona and Beyond

Regina Winkle-Bryan

Moving can be a royal pain in the rump. When I first moved to Barcelona I didn’t even know how to begin to look for a room to rent! I was, in a word, unprepared. Over more than six years I’ve become an expert at moving in Barcelona. This is due to the fact that I have moved house six times in six Read More »

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Sales In Spain

 

Sales in Spain.

 

By Nancy Todd                       Comments by  The Blogdog

Sales in Spain are weird.  Regulated by the government, they are only permitted in January and July.  Some small stores sneak in an obscure sale in the interim.   Week by week,  for one month, goods are discounted three times. Read More »

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Top Mental Institution For 2011: Reina Sophia Museum In Madrid

By Nancy Todd

The Scoopettes bring you some of our favs for 2011.  Stressed? Can’t cope? Lost a lover? You can get a ‘feel good fix” at the Reina Sofia Museum. 

Is it a prison?  Is it a shopping mall in Memphis?  As I walked along side of the Reina Sophia Museum in Madrid, bars striped the windows.  Turning the corner to the stark front facade, I was greeted by a Miro sculpture diluting yet more bars on more windows.

reina sophia museum in madrid

Reina Sophia Museum In Madrid

This museum was a hospital in the 1700′s  and I am guessing a mental hospital. I felt like I belonged in a mental hospital as I tried to find my way.
Read More »

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Decadent Pigeons – Barcelona Arts

Decadent Pigeons

By Nancy Todd

Pigeons now plague the world.  They used to be carriers of important messages and  were delicacies for the palate.  Millions  of these overweight birds hang out doing nothing on Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona and plazas all over the world.  If they are transported out of the cities and the ecosystem  is jeprodized, I don’t care.  At least Regina and I, your Scoopettes, can walk through the Plaza without pigeons spewing their nasty bits in our faces.

Joachim and Lisa planning Barcelona Arts

The Barcelona arts scene will host,  Decadent Pigeons, opening January 12.   This collaboration will be created by Lisa Klappe and Joachim Van Den Hurk. (see the Scoop for a review of another Van Den Hurk show). They acknowledge the dependence that people used to have on pigeons, and how the  effect is now reversed.  With a combination of photos, neon tube lighting and iron sculpture,  the show will demonstrate   “…the phenomenon on different levels (decadence and fear).”   Ok, a weird theme and one that will provoke, whether you like it or not. Read More »

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Sexiest Scoopette of 2011 – The Blog Dog

By Nancy Todd

The Scoopettes bring you our favorite posts of 2011.  With over 390 posts and counting, The Spain Scoop selected these posts with a Scoopometer rating of  10.

Regrettably, The Blog Dog could not be reached for comment as she was at a fashion shoot in Madrid.

As a native to Spain,  The Blog Dog  brings an insider’s perspective to The Scoopette team.    Her background includes being a stringer for The International Dog Tribune, The New York Dog Times, and Bark Magazine.  We welcome her intelligence, acerbic wit, and ability to articulate the Spanish experience.  Occasionally verbose and unpredictable, The Blog Dog will never be bland.  She will dish the dirt and have her nose to the ground getting The Scoop.

The Blog Dog lives in Barcelona.  You may see her in sunglasses, a scarf, and high heels avoiding the paparazzi.  If she is in the mood, she will give autographs.

Have you seen the Blog Dog on the beaches of Barcelona?

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Photo Friday! Where Is This In Spain?

By Nancy Todd

The Puppy by Jeff Koons has smiling people clustering about in wonder.  It is a definite lure into a famous museum in Spain.  Several times a year the flowers are changed for a new batch.  Local newspapers announce the transition and people gather to take home free plants.  An irrigation system inside The Puppy keeps him from getting thirsty.  The day I took this photo, thousands of pansies made up The Puppy’s fur coat.

The puppy in spain

The Puppy In Spain

Where do you think this is in Spain?  Let us hear from you in the comment box.  All winners will receive ten years supply of Spanish dog food.

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Most Politically Passionate of 2011- Picasso’s Guernica – Reina Sophia Museum In Madrid

Guernica In Pais Basque

By Nancy Todd

The Scoopettes bring you some of our bests posts of 2011.  Guernica.   A must see.

At the Reina Sophia Museum in Madrid, silence filled the gallery of about 40 people.  There was a sense of reverence.  Grieving.  Prayer.  Some wept.  I did.  People lingered.  Picasso’s famous painting,  Guernica, continues to teach and inspire.
Read More »

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Celebrating The Epiphany In Spain

Our guest writer, Christine Medina  is back with her experience with one of the millions of King’s Cakes that are eaten for King’s Day.  Yum!

By Christine Medina

I am of the belief that Spanish children may be among some of the luckiest in the world.  Why? Well, because not only do they get to celebrate Christmas day, they also celebrate the Epiphany on January 6th, also known as Three Kings Day. Read More »

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Kings’ Day Tomorrow – Kings’ Parade Tonight!

Kings' Day in Spain - Jan 6th 2011

Kings' Day in Spain - Jan 6th 2011

The Scoop is that tomorrow is Kings’ Day in Spain. Do not miss the Cavalcada de Reyes, or Kings’ Parade this evening going on all over Spain from small villages to big cities, like Madrid and Barcelona. Read More »

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Weirdest Fruit of 2011 – Smugglers Slip On Bananas

Hotel Review on raveable

By Nancy Todd                 Comments by:   The Blog Dog

The Scoopettes bring you our favorite posts of 2011.  With over 390 posts and counting, The Spain Scoop selected these posts with a Scoopometer rating of  10.

You wander into a fruit, veggie store in Spain.  It could be your small, friendly vendor, a grocery store, or one of the wonderful mercados with the fish and chicken ladies.  You buy bananas for 80 cents,  take them home and make a smoothie.  You notice that you are having an unusually happy day. Whoops.  Your bananas were filled with cocaine. Read More »

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