Traveller

Since my first solo trip, at the age of fourteen, where I had to pack and carry my own suitcase from start to finish, my goal has been to pack just right rather than just light. Granted my first solo trip was to a city two hours away driving. However for me this trip included a four hour bus ride, a thirty minute subway ride and then walking five city blocks - at fourteen. Cue ABC After School Television Special on runaways for the visual and of everyone who saw me along the way, the friendly and the too-too friendly. Photo by Sharon Castellanos The struggle to manage my bag left me determined to carry only what I knew would be used. No more cursing an overweight bag as it digs into your hands or strains your back every time you lift it. Besides, who needs twenty t-shirts for two weeks, unless you are menopausal and are having night sweats. How many shoes will be worn? Seriously, the average traveler only needs two pairs. My shoe cobbler ( we still have them in San Francisco ) t...

Sometimes when we travel we sacrifice a little on the food budget. We take chances and eat from taco trucks. We eat street food. We may skip meals. If you come to San Francisco there are many ways to eat well for less money, more than you may expect. Soft Taco by Sharon Castellanos Some of the best places may be a surprise to visitors, but worth a try I promise. San Francisco enjoys the benefits of having so many citizens who are from other countries and cultures. We have lots of wonderful restaurants and cafes that offer foods from around the world. Ramen Bowl by Sharon Castellanos You will likely get a better tasting - and inexpensive - meal if you try one of the many burrito shops, taco trucks, ramen shops or steam tables than if you went to a restaurant advertised in the lobby of a hotel. Dim Sum by Sharon Castellanos Here are four of my favorites: Yank Sing 2 Go - steam table Chinese food El Gallo Giro Taco Truck - tasty soft tacos Sapporo-ya - savory ramen shop La Corneta Taqu...

Andalusian road sign by Sharon Castellanos Driving the road to Ronda in Southern Spain can be treacherous. However if you survive, you are rewarded by a beautiful white washed hill town. Try visiting in November like we did, and you will have fewer cars to battle with on the narrow roads. Once you arrive, you must visit the Plaza de Toros! This famous bull ring is one of the oldest operation bull rings and is the home to modern bullfighting and worth seeing. Madonna 1994 Music Video Shot Here by Sharon Castellanos Read through the brochures they give you, and with the additional information posted with the displays, you will definitely get the sense of rivalry between the style out of Ronda and the style of bull fighting in Sevilla. The matadores from Ronda give you the impression that they are all about skill and precision with weapons, while their colleagues in Sevilla are all about flash and dancing around. I’m just saying that is what I picked up from the English translated si...

California Pride by Sharon Castellanos

What stood out on this trip for me was the historical significance of The Rock. This is the first place I have visited with evidence of human habitation going as far back as Neanderthal man! The first inhabitants were the Phoenicians, around 950 BC and one of the Pillars of Hercules is considered the Rock of Gibraltar. Ancient Side to Pillar of Hercules by Sharon Castellanos The Pillars of Hercules was the phrase that was applied to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. The northern Pillar is the Rock of Gibraltar. When you walk up to it, be sure and look at both sides! Modern Side to Pillar of Hercules by Sharon Castellanos Staying on the Costa del Sol, most of the beach towns are within an easy driving distance to Gibraltar. You could definitely spend the day and enjoy yourself. The area reminded me a bit of Tijuana, Mexico in that there were loads of people who obviously made the daily trek back and forth across the border for work. When we walked acr...

View from Puente Nuevo by Sharon Castellanos Besides having an amazing meal at Don Miguel Restaurant , my favorite time spent in Ronda, Spain was at its famous bullring and walking along the vista points staring out across the valley. Ronda, Spain is simply a stunning hill town, one of the many white washed villages in the Andalusia region and not too far from the resort town of Marbella on the Costa del Sol. We drove up one of the narrow roads, in about an hour, with a mixture of motorcycles and bicyclists keeping us company. It is not for the faint of heart since many of the signs you will pass along the way, warn you of dangers from tailgating motorcyclists. We took our time and as we entered the town, easily found parking in a lot that was off the main street and had an attendant. Walking through Ronda, you can’t miss the many vantage points to stare out across the valley. We found one at the end of a beautiful park, and a small back street named after the actor and director, Orson...

Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to Great Britain in perpetuity, under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Spain wants it back but a majority of Gibraltarians strongly oppose this and Britain will support whatever the Gibraltarians want. In 2002 the government put it to a vote and this unusual relationship continues. During our recent visit, it was clear that everyone looked pretty happy the way things were. We saw loads of people enjoying pubs and shopping along the downtown streets. Apes of Gibraltar by sfcphotography When you visit Gibraltar your itinerary must include the Great Siege Tunnels and a tour of the Rock itself. There is a tram that will take you most of the way up the Rock, but to get the true birds-eye view at the very top, you should book a taxi. Depending on the number of people in your group, the taxi will cost the same or less than the tickets for the tram. Only taxi cabs have permits that allow them to carry you to the very top, the tour buses all stop mid-way, as does th...

Camel in Tangier Morocco by sfcphotography A highlight from my day trip to Tangier in Morocco, North Africa was being close enough to touch the incredibly calm and hardworking camels. Their faces tell a story that I would be interested to read. I couldn't stop staring at them as they carried someone around on their back. If we had been at a dude ranch or some beach resort, I would expect to see the frustrated nag horse to plod along or the rebellious horse kick up their hooves in surly defiance. It was mesmerizing to watch how serene the camels were as they carried their passenger. No spitting as one might expect from the general stereotype stories, only a bumpy ride for a squealing tourist. Baby camel by sfcphotography And then there was the baby camel, getting exposed to the foreign visitors. It looked like it might be the baby of one of the working camels. It reminded me of Winged Migration , the documentary that showed how the cameras got so close to film the birds, simply by...

Tarifa, Spain by sfcphotography My only reference points before going to Tangier, Morocco were one of my favorite movies, Casablanca and the 1973 song Midnight At The Oasis from my childhood. Cue Maria Muldaur singing Midnight At The Oasis and you have my first impression as our high speed ferry pulled into port. We went with a tour group out of Tarifa and our ferry got us from Spain across to Africa in 45 minutes. The body of water you cross is where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. Literally . There are longer ferry routes from this part of Spain to Northern Africa, but taking the bus south less than an hour from Marbella to hop onto this high speed catamaran is worth it. It was quite enjoyable watching the coast of Spain fade back and as North Africa approached. Tangier Morocco by sfcphotography As we arrived, the day exploring Tangier was off to a great start by an unscheduled "welcome" from a departing fishing boat. That quick moment of spontaneous warmth ...

by sfcphotography