Traveling letters from La Manga del Mar Menor, Murcia, Spain

Part one

Springtime in Spain, it was exiting; it was winter last time we were there. We checked the prices on airline tickets, and the winner was RyanAir. Since we borrowed our friend`s apartment, we did not go charter. We don`t travel so much, especially not with airplane, but we ordered our tickets on net, and took with us the papers we needed to the airport we thought.

But maybe our mistake in the last minute before we went to the airport was to try and change our luggage from one each person, to one extra for one of us. This last morning we found out that 15 keg each was not enough.

When you plan to stay 2 weeks, and since we also wanted to do research in the area we visit for my husband`s website and for my traveling document writing we needed our computers, camera and video camera as well. It was hard to get everything we needed to weigh less than 30 kegs. But then we had each 10 keg hand luggage and we ordered an extra as well, so we were OK - we thought..

At the airport, when we arrived and tried to check in, we could not find the right boarding documents for our departure - just for our return two weeks later - and Ryan Air did not have this information on their computers either. And if you don`t check in on net, it will cost you 80 Euro to do so in the airport - we did, but we did not have the right paper with us.

No time to argue - we paid the 80 Euro, and got our boarding cards. On a day when something starts out wrong, it is likely that it will happen again, and it did. It was time for our luggage. Instead of ordering one extra luggage, my husband had ordered an extra bonus that would get us on the plane first - so that we could choose the seats we wanted! Is it so easy to make a mistake! What had that to do with our luggage?

Since our native language is not English, maybe we should have chosen another airline? We had 3 kegs too much in our suitcases, and we tried to pack and unpack so it would be the right weight in each suitcase. Hand luggage became heavy for both of us, but it was the only solution. We had one small backpack, one computer bag, on camera bag and my big handbag. We thought everything was good now, but it was not.

The problem was that is was only allowed to have one hand luggage each on the plane - even though our four were under 10 keg all in all if not, we had to pay 30 Euro for each extra hand luggage. We tried to find a shop that could sell us a big bag to put our things inside, but it was nowhere to be found. Stressed and tired we just gave up and sent the small backpack as luggage, and paid 70 Euro for it - and the camera bag as extra hand luggage, and paid 30 more Euro for this one. Our cheap ticket to Spain was now nearly doubled from when we ordered it.

Finely we were on board the airplane, had chosen the seats we wanted, and settled down with a magazine and I with my traveling notebook we looked at each other and agreed upon to let go of all the frustration, and start our holiday together smiling.

We soon noticed that there were no net in front of us, no place to put our magazines and our soda water and nowhere to put our garbage, just a small table in front of us, and nothing more. For the lady in seat C, it might be a stressful trip abroad. Her coffee, food, snacks and book would have no place to stay when she had to get up from her seat every time we wanted to go to the toilet, and when we came back from the toilet - and when we wanted something in our hand luggage above her head, because it was no room for it nowhere else. Maybe she wished that she stayed at home

We were both tired from an early rising this morning, and all the extra "fun" on the airport, so we tried to get the seat a little bit backwards, so that we could relax a little bit more comfortable - but with no luck what so ever. We were unable to find any button or mechanism that could help us with this, so I asked one of the crew to help me. Her smiling voice told me: "They can`t bend backwards madam"! Nearly four hours in a 90 degree angle hum - yes - have a pleasant flight!

This plane had plenty of empty seats, (wonder why?) so we agreed to move to a place where all three of them were empty. It would be a little bit more space for us, and at the same time we might save the lady in seat C for her misery and despair. The crew was nice, the food was good and even the coffee was drinkable. Still, if we ever fly with Ryan Air again, we will cause some short distance flight and come to the airport well prepared next time.

Irene Rodelv

TRAVELING TO SPAIN

Part two

At the airport in Alicante you easily find a car to rent, on your way out of the building. Our favorite car rental is Solmar. We had ordered for one car to rent on net before we go, and it was ready for us when we came.

Our destination is La Manga and an apartment in Playa Principe. We had been here before. Last year in February, and now we look forward to see and feel the changes from winter in Spain, to how it would be like in springtime. You stumble in darkness the first time you visit a new place. The second time around is so much better, you know some - and look for the rest.

That is why my husband makes his website the way he does - telling you about the nice places - so that you don`t have to struggle to find them, and even give you a detailed map to travel by. And that is why I write to you, and give you my view of these places for you to follow in my footsteps - finding out if I`m right.

To drive from Alicante to La Manga is easy on high standard roads. When you have found your way out from the airport it is straight ahead on the main road, but when you reach the sign La Manga, you can get a little bit confused.

Suggesstion: Just follow the signs, and even though it looks like you are heading back to Alicante and some of the signs tell you that you are - you are not. It is the Spanish way, the Spanish constructions of roads. So; if it seems like you are driving in a circle - you will eventually find your destination, just be patience! (You are on a holiday/vacation)

After a short stop in one of the shopping centers, we arrived at our apartment and settled down. The rest of this day is not much to write about, we were exhausted - and fell asleep early in the evening.

We stayed at Playa Principe in La Manga.

You can find the website to this apartment at: www.la-manga-apartment.com or www.la-manga-ferie.com

The website's are in 4 different languages; English, German, Norwegian and Spanish.

Irene Rodelv

TRAVELING TO SPAIN

Part three - La Manga - Wickipedia

Upper, is one of the names of Spanish supermarkets. They have what you normally need, most of the time.

One thing you need to know however, to be on the safe side, is that in Spain they have siesta during the day. Normally the siesta is between 2 pm and 5 pm, but restaurants have their siesta between 5 pm and 7 pm, and the kitchen closes at 11 pm.

We visited Upper in Cabo de Palos (Near Cartagena)the next day, because my husband forgot his computer mouse at home, and I needed something to put my coffee in to keep it warm. This Upper is big, and has these kinds of things, not every Upper does.

Cabo de Palos is a beautiful village by the sea, with plenty of nice fish restaurants and a spectacular sun fall. We will go there one evening for sure, but not tonight - we want to take a walk from our location a restaurant nearby insted.

Walking the beach promenade to this restaurant is a pleasant trip. The weather was nice and warm, and the sound and smell of the ocean was nice as well. And the lovely sound of the grasshopper singing in the palm trees made the perfect evening for a stroll. This restaurant is a house built like a ship - you can`t miss it.

The outside is spectacular, but the inside is boring and cold. The dining area is one big room, blue and white, with flashlights from the ceiling and big windows everywhere. It is nothing Spanish about it at all. Still we wanted to try this place, and we hoped that the food was as nice as the other places we had visited before.

When we entered the dining area, a waitress asked us something like; "ueat" First we thought she spoke Spanish, and we asked; "Sorry"? But she kept on saying the same thing over and over again. At last I understood that she tried to speak English, and that she asked us if we wanted to eat something - "you eat"

Yes, normally people want to eat something, or drink something when they enter a restaurant, so yes - we wanted to eat. We ordered food and wine, and like everywhere we have been in Spain, some bread and butter came with the wine - but it was too much roasted, and the red wine was too cold. When we tried to tell her that the wine was too cold, she got upset and angry, and tried to show us what was written on the bottle - and that the temperature was perfect.

What can you say? If the customer thinks that the wine is to cold - then the wine is to cold. That`s just how things are (and should be) in the "real" world, but we did not want to ruin our evening fighting over a bottle of wine. We finished our meal, and gave the wine to our neighbor table - they were people from our county enjoying their holiday in Spain as well - and left the establishment.

Need I say; This restaurant is not one of our favorites.

Irene Rodelv

TRAVELING TO SPAIN-4

Part four

It is Saturday, and we know where to go to eat tonight!

Last time we were here, we found this restaurant on our last day of our vacation, but this time we have saved it for our first Saturday night here.

The name of the place is Escuela de Pieter. It is an oasis and a small paradise - both outside and inside the restaurant - on this 300 m² well planed area. It is not so easy to find, because from the outside it looks like a barn with a fence around, but if you stop and take a look on the other side of this fence - you will discover a paradise on the inside! With palm trees, soft lights and a small beach. All these things neatly placed - for the pleasure of the eye, and the relaxing of the body - like you step into another world.

But first took a walk on the beach. This time on the Mediterranean side of the building we stayed in. It is a long beach, about 20 Km, with white sand underneath our feet and a warm breeze in our faces. We stop and say hello to the fishermen who is waiting patiently for the fish to bite. They don`t speak so much English, but when my husband ask if he can take a picture of them, and ask them about their fishing on the beach - they are friendly and smiling - and let him take all the pictures he want, and try to speak with him in a mix of the Spanish and the English language.

We have bought "how to learn the Spanish language" some months ago, but have not had the time to start - maybe we should have! It makes it so much easier to get contact with the local people, and for me, it is there my stories lays -since I like to tell the stories to the people we meet as well as the landscape we travel. In my "traveling letters".

Escuela de Pieter is exactly the way we remembered it to be. It is sometimes good that some things don`t change, because it can give you a feeling of coming home - in a way - even though you are far from home.

The man in charge maneuvers his body around with the help of two crutches, because he has lost a foot. Don`t know when, or how - but you will have great trouble keeping up with him if you try. He is everywhere, making sure you have what you need and want at all times.

The waiters don`t let you out of their sight either; if your glass is empty they come at once and fill it up again for you.

In Norway they fill up the glasses when they bring the wine, and then they leave the bottle with you, for you to do the rest of the pouring yourself.

A basket of warm bread came with the wine and some garlic butter as well. It tastes wonderful, and so does the steaks we ordered. Also the wine is perfect, both temperatures and taste. We wished we had bigger bellies, so that we could enjoy this meal a bit longer.

The atmosphere is relaxing, all though the restaurant is nearly full of people.

They come from near and far to this place - even the Spanish people do -and they bring their children too.

It looks like Spanish people bring their children with them everywhere they go. We don`t do that in Norway, not so late in the evening, but maybe we should?

We take the last drops of wine with us outside, sitting there in the dim light - listening to soft Spanish instrumental music - feeling relaxed and satisfied. Chris de Burgh?s song "At the end of a perfect day" comes to my mind. Yes, this is really a perfect day!

We take a taxi back to Playa Principe, and the driver tells us that he lived in America for eleven years - and his English is good - we can tell. He also tells us that he has been to Norway several times, because he worked on a ship that was there from time to time. This ship had an accident and sank in the ocean outside Bergen some years ago, and eighteen people died. He was supposed to be on board this ship, but had his holiday here in La Manga instead - and that probably saved his life. He shows us a picture he got from somebody, just three days ago - from this accident, and now he keeps it with him in the car always.

Life is a mystery. Ten minutes drive in a taxi gave us an important view of a stranger`s life - and it made us feel as blessed as he does.

Letters by "Poetry" Irene Rodelv

Visit our website`s:

www.La-Manga-Apartment.com and www.La-Manga-Ferie.com or facebook.com/Apartment.La.Manga.Spain

**************************************************************************************************