My Spain Adventure

July 25, 2010 on 3:47 am | By admin | In Reference and Education

 

I just recently concluded a two weeks stay in Spain. I wished for this travel so much that finally going to the country was really an awesome feeling. I had a marvelous stay in my hotel in Madrid. Prior to leaving my house here, I planned all the activities that I need to do in Spain. I bookmarked all the wonderful tourist spots that I want to visit. My first day in Spain was a blast; I immediately realized that Spanish are serious about their siestas to the point that most establishments close their shops from 1pm-4pm for siesta period. During those period, I make use of my time wisely by checking free english to spanish translation program that helped me a lot in my Spain escapade.

 

I did not like a couple of things though. While the bed looked so inviting, it actually gave me and my parents backaches, thus needing massages. And the massages were awfully expensive at USD90! Wi-Fi was only free at the lobby, so there were actually some geeks who camped out {yes, sir} at the lobby because they did not dare part with their laptops and smartphones. The shopping areas only carried designer labels and everything in there was again, awfully expensive even for Western standards!

Other notes:
  • If you're going to Mexico, it's okay not to bring a transformer even if they have 110V sockets because most electronics these days are convertible anyways. If you have a bit of an older gadget though, you may have to because I tried looking for one and they don't have it anywhere even Wal-Mart.
  • 1 MXN is roughly PHP 4 but avoid confusion because they're both called 'Pesos.' US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere, as well as credit cards. I hardly had any interaction with the Mexican Peso though because I was using a Service Credit Union Debit Card and USD notes I bought before I left Manila.
  • Most Mexicans do not speak English but our language being a mix of Spanish {their language}, it was easy to ask for basic things like the restroom {banio}, water {agua}, thank you {gracias}, you're welcome {de nada}, how much {cuanto}, I'm good {muy bien}, where is {donde esta}, last price {ultimo precio}, what time will the shuttle leave {a que hora van al permiso de collectivo}, orange juice {jugo de naranja}and so much more!
  • Most souvenirs are available at Wal-Mart {downtown Cancun} for a much cheaper price. Don't buy from the streets!
  • When they say the food is a little bit spicy in Mexico, it means it's incredibly spicy for our tongue. So if they say "Regular Spicy," run for your life.
  • As opposed to common misconceptions about Mexico, there are no drug dealings in Cancun because it's strictly prohibited by the government because the city thrives on its tourism.
  • They serve tequila after lunch. Don't be shocked.
  • The Mexican workers are incredibly hardworking and nice. Don't be hesitant to give good tips :)
  • God is the greatest for making me have such a dreamy vacation with the people I love.

There! Hope my notes on the hotel where we stayed gave you an idea of how things are in Cancun and Iberostar. If you ever find yourself there, I hope you enjoy as much as I did! Will be writing about the tourist spots in Cancun soon!