All, I am back from gallivanting around in Spain!
It has been a fantastic trip.
I have so many stories and pictures to share, that I am afraid I will run out of server space. I did take around 750+ photographs (What can I say, I am a camera junkie). In the next few days, I will sort through them and post them. I am also in the process of writing up from my notes my encounters and hopefully that turns into a nice coffee table book complete with pictures and all.
The trip (in very very brief):
April 15th-April 16th: Flight from Boston to Amsterdam to Barcelona.
April 16th: Visitied the La Sagrada Familia and the walked the Modernista Route. Met with the team from IHI and BMJ for dinner. This team was going to be working together for the next few days for the International Forum.
April 17th-April 20th: Work and work and more work. For the first time worked the Main Auditorium, organizing the primary speakers, their presentations, organizing and co-ordinating the Audio-Visual team, the film crew and live translation team. Whew! it was hard work with multiple media and multiple people, but it was very gratifying.
April 21st: I took a train from Barcelona to Haro, La Rioja. The heart of the famous Spanish Wine and Wineries.
April 22nd: Wandered around different wineries, sampling great Tapas food and of course the local wines from Ramon Bilbao Winery, Dinastica Vivianco, Muga, and many others. Visited Dinastica Vivianco Museum, one of the biggest collections of cork-screws in southern Europe.
April 23rd: Visited Muga Winery and Santiago Wineries with complete wine tours, and sample and their cellars, 3-4 storey deep underground. Sampling was the best part! (Hic! hic!) Continued wandering around Haro and eating more wine and Tapas. From Haro, took a bus to Logrono. Wandered around Logrono till midnight.
April 24th (wee early hours of the morning): Took an overnight train back to Barcelona.
April 24th: Wandered around Barcelona with focus on Parc Guell (Antoni Gaudi's architectural gems) in the morning and Montjuic later in the afternoon. Of course continued experimenting with delicious Tapas, and CAVA! (Spain's answer to French Champagne) Yumm!
April 25th: Wandered around Barcelona with focus on the old town (Barri Gotic) with its cathedrals and Piccasso Museum and La Ramblas (according to me: a Vagabonds Extravaganza). The eating & drinking continues.
April 26th: Best day spent with a guided tour to Montserrat Monastary and trip to the Cava Cellars of Cordoniu and Freixnet. Needless to say continued to have great Tapas and Paella and Cava.
April 27th: A very-content-in-all-the-five-senses-me boarded flight from Barcelona to Amsterdam and back home to Arlignton Heights.
This dopey summary does not even start to convey the experience. And perhaps if you really like... ask me and I will share with you my coffee table book.