A lot of people fly in or out of Madrid when they come to Spain, but it is often overlooked as a destination itself. I spent a few weeks there when I was in college and was excited to return. We were staying right in the center of town, near the Peurta del Sol. We arrived in the afternoon and after a short taxi ride, were settled into our hotel. We ventured out on foot and walked immediately into the Puerto del Sol a couple blocks away. By now it was early evening, and the plaza was packed! It really is the central gathering place for locals and tourists alike. It seemed especially crowded, and I was wondering if there was a special occasion. We later learned it was not, and it really is just that busy every night! Not only was the plaza busy, but all the streets that fed that plaza were packed with walkers as well. This is one of the things I love most about Spanish culture - the social gatherings in the evenings. People of all ages come out to walk and visit with friends and strangers alike. Whether they are out to shop, eat or simply be with people they take the time in the evenings to just relax, walk around and talk and laugh with their friends and family. We walked by the royal palace and the cathedral, through countless parks and plazas before settling in to a little corner bar for a glass of wine and a couple tapas. Eight euros later, we were full and happy and ready to turn in for the night.
We woke late the next morning but after a quick breakfast and cafe con leches, we headed off to the Reina Sofia Modern Art Museum. The museum was filled with famous modern art, including my two favorites artists, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picaso. The art was fascinating, and you could spend hours looking at each one of the pieces. The highlight of the museum is definitely Picaso’s Guernica, which is a very political piece that fills an entire wall of the museum. It depicts the small town of Guernica that was bombed during World War II. The sadness and destruction is shown through Picaso’s own style, and I suspect it will stay relevant for years to come.
The rest of our time in Madrid was just spent walking, eating tapas and drinking wine, then walking some more. I felt that we covered a lot of ground on foot in just a couple days. There is always more to see but the central part of Madrid is worth at least a couple days, and the perfect introduction to our two weeks in Spain.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.