I had wanted to visit Spain for many years. It was one of the few countries in Europe which I had not been. Everyone I spoke with whom had been there, told me the greatest stories. I heard tales from many people about the beauty of the landscape, the friendliness and relaxed attitudes of the people, the rich history, and the crazy night life. My original logic was that after spending many months in the harsh conditions of the third world, a stop Spain would be a nice break. A time to relax, travel in style, and enjoy other modern world luxuries. As the date of my flight to Spain drew closer, I began to second guess my decision. There I was laying under the African stars, thinking about how so many of the places I had visited thus far were so majestic, rugged, and remote. Hardly anyone visits these places, but everyone goes to Spain. It’s modern, it’s Europe, it’s easy travel. By this point, I had learned to thrive under harsh conditions. I didn’t need a "break" in Spain. Well, I went to Spain, and spent almost a whole month there, and let me tell you, I had a fantastic time!

The beginning of my trip to Spain started off as quite a surprise. While I was in Namibia, I received an interesting email from my father. He wasn’t positive that this idea would even be feasible, but he was wondering whether or not I would be interested in having himself, my mother, and my brother meet me in Madrid for a week. Although I was not really keen on seeing any reminders of home on my trip, this struck me as something different. I said that it sounded like a lot of fun and that he should try to arrange it. The last time we had a real adventure together was back in 1994 when we all rented a big motor-home (camper) and drove around Alaska. Coordinating travel plans for several people, with specific travel dates, and still getting a good deal is a logistical nightmare. I like to think that after so many years of budget travel that I am a master of this. However, I must concede that the only person better at this than myself, is my father. Thus, I knew that if anyone could arrange this, it would be him. Sure enough, while I was in Zimbabwe, I got am email from him stating that it had been arranged. After cashing in minimal frequent flyer miles and making several phone calls, my brother Stephen would be flying up from Costa Rica and meeting them Atlanta for a few days. Next they would all fly to Madrid on the same day I was expected to arrive. They would arrive a few hours before me and we would all meet outside the Customs area in Madrid, Spain. Nice!

The last few days I was in Zimbabwe, I had several problems which I will write about later. I almost didn't make my flight, but it finally worked out. So I flew from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to Johannesburg, South Africa, to Paris, France, to Madrid, Spain. It's crazy how I always have to fly all over the place to get to my destination. Anyway, after about 24 hours of transit, I arrived and found my father, Ken, and my brother, Stephen, waiting for me outside the customs area in Madrid as planed. What a strange, but very pleasant feeling, seeing those two standing there with big smiles on their faces. We walked outside and there was my mother, Cheryl, waiting for us with a newly rented minivan. After so many months of travel, always surrounded by strangers, here was my family. After a lot of hugs and small talk, we all jumped in. Let the road trip begin!

We had no plan. Only a map, a minivan, and each other. Leaving the airport, we decided to head southwest to the small old town of Toledo. It was only an hour and a half away. We were all pretty tired from our flights and didn't want to go too far on the first day. I must say, it was really nice to be riding in a big new minivan instead of the back of an old Cambodian pickup or an African overland truck. Arriving in Toledo was a great introduction to Spain. This is an ancient town which sits atop a large hill. All of the buildings and streets are completely intact as they have been for hundreds of years. The city still has it's old fortification wall surrounding it. We drove around for a bit, looking to see what the city has to offer. One of the first things to strike you when driving around a small town such as this is how quaint and pleasant the city seems. The city is tight and a bit congested with shops and people, but it still maintains a remarkably peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. Many small plazas, lined with outdoor cafes, add to the tranquil environment. The next major thing you notice is how small, tight, and confusing the streets are. You drive down small one-way channels with literally inches between the sides of your car and the buildings. This was the cause for our first and only real blunder. You would think that if a street, (yes a street, not a pedestrian walkway) was going to channel down tighter and tighter into nothing, there would at least be a sign. Not so. We proceeded down a tight curving hill, carefully minding not to scrape the side mirrors which were only inches from the walls. We felt fairly confidant that the street would open back up like all of the others had. Nope! After winding around the last curve, we found ourselves at a T-junction so small that nothing more than a motorcycle could ever navigate it. NOT a good sight. After squeezing ourselves out of the vehicle, we evaluated the situation. Somehow, the minivan needs to be backed up the hill and around the curves in reverse without completely wedging it or scraping all the paint off the sides. The conclusion: Hopeless! People began looking down at us from their windows. Stephen shouted to them in Spanish, "So does this happen often?" "All the time", was the reply. You could tell from their amused and excited expressions that, almost as much as a bullfight, they enjoyed watching this. The looks indicated, bring on the carnage of that vehicle as you seek your salvation. At this moment, I began to realize why so many of the cars we had seen earlier were all scratched up with broken side mirrors. I said that I would take the wheel. Ken positioned himself in front of the car and Stephen behind it. The fact that the minivan was a stick-shift really did not help. Let the games begin.

This was the first time I had driven the vehicle. The moment I engaged the clutch, I immediately noticed how loose it was. It didn't engage until the pedal was all the way up off the floor. I rolled forward an entire foot almost crushing my dad against the wall. Oops. Definitely not like my Honda back home. From that point on, I used the hand emergency brake as leverage so that I would not roll forward. The next twenty minutes consisted of backing up a few inches, then turning the wheel and proceeding forward one inch. Then backing up some more, etc, etc. The tension was thick. Having an audience didn't make it any easier. Around the curves I began to have my own doubts, but pushed those thoughts aside. Stephen would yell, "OK, come two inches to the left, ok, straight for about two inches, ok, STOP, STOP!" Ken would inform me how close the front corners of the van were to the wall. This drive really became a technical nightmare. By the time I was near the top, the clutch actually began smoking because of the way I kept having to ride it. Finally, after close to half an hour later, we had our success! We made it all the way back up without a single scratch! I even got some applause from the onlookers. At the top I parked and we all took some deep breaths. Stephen made some joking comments about how The Griswold Family is definitely back on their European Vacation again. From that point on, if there was ever a question about the size of a street, one of us would run and scout it first. We checked into a cozy hotel and went for an outdoor dinner in a small plaza. After dinner we walked over to another plaza and had one of my mother's favorite dishes. Ice Cream. After dessert, the parents decided to retire for the evening. Stephen and I took off to see what kind of trouble we could get into. This pretty much became the schedule for the rest of the week. We would drive in the morning, go sightseeing together in the afternoon, have a nice dinner, the parents would go relax in their room, and Stephen and I would go out on the town at night. A perfect arrangement.

For the next week we drove a nice big loop around Southern Spain. From Toledo we proceeded west to Trujillo, then we crossed into the country of Portugal where we spent the night in Evora. From Evora we continued south to Beja, Portugal. From there we went southeast across the mountains and back into Spain. Here we stopped in Spain's third largest city, Sevilla. Next we continued southeast to the British protectorate of Gibraltar. From there we went to Algeciras where our parents dropped Stephen and I off at the boat docks. The two of us took a ferry across to Tangier, Morocco. We spent one crazy day in Morocco and came back very late. We all spent the night in Marbella at a hotel on the beach. Next we continued west along the coast to Malaga. After Malaga, we drove nonstop all the way back to Madrid. Here we spent our last night together. The next morning we went to the airport where all of them would fly back to Atlanta. We really did have a great time together. Thanks again guys, for everything!

That was the family portion of the trip in a nutshell. It really was quite a trip. It's difficult to say which city was the best because they all had their own charm. I would say the nicest big city and the best night life was definitely Sevilla. The most relaxed small town was Malaga, with Toledo as a close second. The beast beach was in Marbella. The most different place was Tangier, Morocco.

After the family left, I took the subway into downtown Madrid. Here I checked into a small hotel right off Plaza Mayor. Plaza Mayor is a massive cobblestone plaza lined with cafes. It is a wonderful place to relax with a coffee and listen to the very talented street musicians. The plaza is centrally located in the middle of downtown and it is a close walk to most of the major sites and outdoor pedestrian malls. I spent the next four days just relaxing and enjoying all that Madrid had to offer. One of my favorite spots in the city was the enormous lush park about one kilometer west of my hotel. Here I spend an hour or two each day taking a siesta by the pond. As you can tell, I really had a rough stay in Madrid.

The concept of a Siesta is a funny one. Literally every shop and business in the entire country shuts down between 1pm and 4pm. The only places that remain open are the cafes. Some people go home and sleep during this time, but most simply relax and have a long lunch with friends. One afternoon I read an article in the paper about a study that concluded a Siesta makes employees more productive workers. It allows the employee a needed break so that they can take their mind off the stress of work and attend to personal matters. Sounds good to me. Wouldn't those of you sitting at work right now love to have three hours of free time each day. Take a nap, run some errands, visit a friend, walk your dog, whatever! The only people who are frustrated by the siesta are the tourists. Between one and four all of the museums, galleries, offices, banks, shops, travel agencies, etc are closed. Regardless, I am now convinced that the siesta is one of the greatest inventions off all time.

Another aspect of Spanish culture which I thoroughly enjoyed is something called Tapas. Tapas are basically small assorted finger foods or appetizers. Tapas are served at Tapas Bars which are located on almost every corner in every city. Starting at 1pm, then again

around 7pm, every one of these places line their bar with many large platters of fresh Tapas. When you walk in, you find all sorts of tasty treats. Platters of small sandwiches (cheese, ham, pepperoni, etc), various meats, quiche, pies, vegetables, desserts, everything. Often I find myself in one of these situations: I am a hungry, but not so hungry that I want to order a full meal in a restaurant OR I am in a hurry and don't have the time to eat in a restaurant OR I simply can't decide what exactly I am in the mood to eat. Tapas Bars solve all of these problems and more. Here you have a variety of fresh, cheap, fast, easy, tasty food in a festive environment. You simply walk up to the bar and point at the various items you would like. Instantly they are served to you on a small plate. Each item costs somewhere between 50 cent and $1.50. I believe that if we were to replace all of the McDonalds in the US with Tapas Bars, we could radically reduce the cholesterol level and waist size of the average American.

After several days in Madrid, I took an all night train ride north to the small town of San Sebastian, Spain. This is a city I instantly fell in love with. It sits on the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay), very close to the French boarder. San Sebastian has the nicest city beach in the entire country. It is a beautiful large crescent shaped beach which sits back and outlines a quite and clam bay. The beach also looks out to a small island in the bay. On the edges of the bay are small mountains with large statues atop which supposedly protect the city and its inhabitants. There is also a second beach which is a ten minute walk east of the city center. This beach is directly on the coast and has large waves. It was here that I attended the Rip curl Pro Surf Competition. For three days, this was a very exciting and festive event. I stayed in a small hotel in the middle of the city's historic center. For such a small town, I was amazed by the night life. This little city rages all night, every night. Fortunately you have the beaches to rest on in the daytime. Another interesting aspect of San Sebastian is that it is in heart of Basque Country. The people here consider themselves Basque and not Spanish. They even have their own language, Basque, which is a bit different from Spanish. The Basque people have been struggling for independence from Spain for hundreds of years. Twice while I was in the city, I walked past large separist demonstrations in the local square. San Sebastian has seen it's share of violence, but it tends to be more low key now. When violence does erupt, it is not against foreigners, but against Spanish officials in the area. I found the Basque to be a proud hospitable people.

(A side note about reading) While I have been on this trip, I have renewed my passion for reading. I started my first book while in Fiji and by now have finished about ten novels. I have always enjoyed reading, but for many years now just haven't found the time. I would pick up a book in the evening at home and start to feel guilty. I would say to myself, "Well if I am taking the time to read, shouldn't I be reading a textbook or manual instead." I work in the computer industry where technology is constantly changing and there is always something new that you must learn. Words can't describe the joy I have found reading books for pleasure again. When I get back I know I will have a lot of technical reading to catch up on, but never again in my life will I ever neglect reading an occasional book for pleasure. I may not have the time to read for pleasure every night, but I'm sure that I can find a few hours each week. While I was in San Sebastian, I finished another book and had to search out a new one. There was only one bookstore in town and their selection of English books took up only three small shelves. Not much of a selection. However, I read the back cover of one small book and was intrigued by the fact that the book takes place in San Sebastian and other cities in the surrounding area. I bought this book because of that fact. Even though the overall theme was a bit shallow, the descriptive language used to describe the settings, events, and characters was great. For the time being, I have found a new favorite author. I don't agree completely with all of his views, but this man definitely knows how to travel and have a good time. And that I can relate to. The book was called Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway.

So after several wonderful days in San Sebastian, I took another all night train to Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is Spain's second largest city. It is a lively and modern coastal city on the Mediterranean Sea. This city was host to the 1992 Summer Olympics, it has a nice waterfront recreation area, beautiful cathedrals, interesting architecture, many relaxing plazas, and several nice parks. I spent about four days here touring the entire city. My favorite part of town is called the Barri Gothic. It is the old section of town which is full of tight little pedestrian streets lined with shops, cafes, and bars. All of the buildings in this area were designed in the Gothic style, so everything looks a bit spooky when you walk around. This is also the part of town I stayed in. Another interesting place to walk around is Barcelona's main drag which is a long street called La Rumbla. La Rumbla is a busy street of shops, restaurants, cafes, bars,

offices, theaters, lively street performers, etc. The middle of the street is a wide pedestrian area. This area is the best place in the city to grab a coffee and do a little people watching. Speaking of people, there is one man who had a major impact on the city on Barcelona. His name was Antoni Gaudi. He was an architect, artist, and sculptor who designed, what I consider to be, the most interesting buildings in all of Barcelona. The best words to describe his work would probably be amazing, strange, astonishing, impossible, bizarre, and really cool. My favorite was a cathedral called Sagrada Familia. This cathedral looks like something out of a Batman movie. My second favorite was a park he designed called the Parque Güéll. This park is very surreal and looks like something out of a fairy tale. To see what I am talking about, do a few Internet searches on Gaudi, Sagrada Familia, Parque Güéll, etc to find some pictures. What a brilliant, yet bizarre artist. Barcelona is definitely a great place to visit.

My final destination in Spain was, without question, the wildest. From Barcelona I took a large cruise ship to the wild and crazy island of Ibiza. Ibiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea about a hundred miles off the coast of Spain. This island is known as the birthplace of the Rave, it hosts some of the largest nightclubs in all of Europe, and it has been the number one party destination for Europeans for quite some time now. Although the island is owned by Spain, you don't find a lot of Spanish culture and the primary language seems to be English. Ibiza has a rugged coastline. In some places cliffs drop down into the sea and in other places the coastline is quite rocky, but you can still find many normal sandy beaches. The interior of the island is dominated by rolling green and rocky hills. On my second day, I rented a nice motorcycle to tour the island. They didn't have Harleys, but the Honda I found did a pretty good job. Although I had rented many motorcycles in Asia, they were all the smaller 125cc scooter types. Finally I had a real bike. Over the next few days I had an amazing time driving every road on the island. I cruised the entire coast stopping at beaches along the way and then really put my machine to the test on the curvy hills in the interior. What a great way to explore the island. I had a blast! To sum up the island of Ibiza I will say this, if you are looking for culture, quiet, or calm, do not come here, but if you are looking to find pure hedonism in every which way, shape, or form, this is the place to be. And of course I recommend the motorcycle just for that added bit of excitement. Ha.

That about wraps it up for Spain. From Ibiza I flew to Barcelona, then back to Madrid where I slept in the airport for the night. The next morning I flew to Costa Rica where I met up again with my brother, Stephen. I am currently in Managua, Nicaragua. I will try to update you on Latin America in the next few days. We are having an awesome time down here.

You know even though I'm still traveling, technically I have now circled all the way around the planet. For years I have wanted to do this. I've gone around the world on one single trip. I have a list of goals which I hope to complete before I die, now I can scratch this one off the list. It really does feel good.

Later,

Mark Duvall

The POO Board

- In my last email I mentioned that I had lost my second pair of glasses and my second camera. Other than that, Spain went pretty smoothly.