So many great web sites, so little time. Here are some of The Scoop’s favorite sites. Please send in yours and we can add to the list and save savvy traveler’s time and money!
TRAVEL STORIES
http://www.wavejourney.com/ - A site for networking with businesses. Info on books, travel, cooking.
www.europealacarte.co.uk – Authentic travel posts for traveling on a budget.
www.parisianparty.com – Love Paris? You will love it more after visiting this site. Good for weddings.
http://thirstforrioja.co.uk/ - All you red wine lovers, get a visual taste of great Spanish wines.
http://www.travelerstales.com/links.html – Traveler’s Tales are publishers of stories, wit, and wisdom from travel writers around the world. My favorite books are the ‘Best American Series’ which is a collection of travel stories for each year starting in 2000. Editors include Tim Cahill, Jamaica Kincaid, etc, and my hero Bill Bryson. Transporting you to different niches on the planet, you can always be on a trip with a Traveler’s Tale book in hand.
www.wanderllustandlipstick.com – Travel stories and tips. Their mission is to inspire travel.
http://www.notesfromspain.com/– An expat marries a Spanish woman and loves living in Spain. You get first hand observations..com
USEFUL INFORMATION
http://www.gogalavanting.com/ – Travel tips and stories.
Just Spain.org -More great Spain tips.
Centre de Cultura Contemporania CCCB – Museum and Cultural Center, fab movies!
Sagrada Familia Church – tips for visiting this important site.
Barcelona City Tourism Offices – Info on trains, events and more.
Clickair - low cost flights in Spain and Europe.
Vueling air – another budget flight option, also pretty cool!
CheapOair - for flights around Europe at budget prices
Mango – one of Spain’s most popular clothing stores.
Cook and Taste - Cooking classes in Barcelona.
YOGA – Best yoga in town, bilingual!
GETTING READY AND YOU’RE OFF
www.rcplayers.com – find holiday rentals in Spain here!
http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk – A money saving website that scours the web for deals and discounts to save you cash. Their travel discounts can take the sting out of holidays!
www.flightstats.com – A flight alert system for road warriors that will give your Blackberry or laptop phone a buzz if there is a gate change, flight delay. Gets info before the airline.
www.seatguru.com – You don’t want to sit in the middle of a row of five seats? Or across from a flushing noise? Type in the style of your plane, and you’ll find a map of the seating arrangement with ranking of really awful to good seats. Then, go back to your airline site and make your seat assignment.
www.spanishdict.com – No, it isn’t a porn site. It could save your booty when you need to ask for an anti diarreah pills in Spanish. Spanish-English. English-Spanish.
www.xe.com – I like anything or anybody that can do the math. This site does currency conversions. It is easy and fast. No currency exchanges on mangos or monkeys. Up to the minute currency rates.
www.yapta.com – Tracks ticket prices. Type in your flight info. If there is a price drop you may qualify for a refund. Site automatically checks airfares and will email you if there is a change. Wow!
Barcelona Guides/Tours: Check out the many tour options offered by this local company. This is a fabulous way to see the city. It may sound nerdy, but I love tours and guides – afterall, they have the inside scoop on the city you’re in.
SimonSeeks for Tips on Hotels in Madrid - http://www.simonseeks.com
MOVING TO AND LIVING IN SPAIN – BARCELONA
British Chamber of Commerce: www.britishchamberspain.com
The Business Lunch: www.thebizlunch.com
Entrepreneurs Network Barcelona: www.networkbarcelona.com
The British Consulate: www.ukinspain.com
Barcelona miniguide*: www.miniguide.es
Barcelona Metropolitan: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
Spain Expat: www.spainexpat.com
Barcelona Connect: www.barcelonaconnect.com
Anglo Info: http://barcelona.angloinfo.com
Kids in Barcelona: www.kidsinbarcelona.com
FREE in Barcelona : www.barcelonagratis.com
LeCool: Lecool.com
Tips: Livingbarcelona.com
CLUBS
Toastmasters / Prestigious Speakers: www.prestigiousspeakers.com
The American Society of Barcelona: www.amersoc.com
The International Women’s Club Barcelona: www.iwcbarcelona.com
Barcelona Women’s Network- This one is a winner with over 200 women from 30 countries. Fun and energetic women. www.bcnwomensnetwork.com –
Barcelona Tennis: www.barcelona-tennis.com
Barcelona Hash House Harriers: www.geocities.com/barnahhh
British Society of Catalunya – Emporda Branch: www.bsce.ch
British Society of Catalunya – Roses Bay Area: www.bscroses.com
MORE COOL SITES WE DIG
Topanien : http://www.topanien.com/ - Bringing you fairly traded , unique global gifts and home décor: Hand-embroidered Decorative Pillows, Cat Throw Pillows, Hemp Purses, Fair Trade Wall Hangings, Angel Ornaments, Japanese Dishes, Chinese Teapots, African Baskets, Cambodian Handbags, Polish Boxes and more…
The Scoop is always updating our Links page. Want to add a link to our list? We want to hear from you!
Glorious Sunflowers – History in Spain
By Nancy Todd
Van Gogh may have put sunflowers on the map in France but history in Spain tells us that the Spanish brought them back from Mexico and Peru hundreds of years ago.
Sunflowers, which sing the exaltations of summer, always make me smile. As a major oilseed crop, they are made into margarine, biodiesel fuel, livestock feed, and latex. And, of course, the Spanish love to eat these tiny seeds. Most people crack the shells between their teeth rather than buy them in a bag already shelled. No thanks to that. I am saving my teeth for tapas.
Los girasoles, sunflowers, follow orders. When young plants, they follow the sun, east to west during the day. When they reach maturity, they All Face South. Did they have a meeting and vote in the ‘let face south’ decision? Did a great voice from the sky bark, “Ok, turn left. No, no. Too far. Hey you, in the 27th row, a little more to the right. South. “ I am always amazed at the sychronicity of these brilliant blooms that seem to know to stand at attention toward the light.
You will find billions of sunflowers in Andulucia, especially on roads around Seville and Ronda. Also, at the base of the Pyrenees when you head up the A-7 to France. Recently traveling through Andulucia, I walked in the hot fields of bright gold. I do love sunflowers and they have me longing for country life. For cheap flights to Spain, make sure you visit Dealcheckers.
We have The Scoop on cool hotels in Seville.