Rhonda Perez

The last time I was in Barcelona was November 2005. I went to a conference there and had pleasure of staying at the Hotel Arts (5 star) near Olympic Village. I remember the suite was absolutely gorgeous. The bath was heavenly. Remote controlled shades on the window. Sound system throughout. Remote controlled CD player. I really hate that I forgot to buy the CD before I left. Looking out the window at the Marina and sea. The food was fantastic. Jasmine in every corridor. It was really beautiful.

I did arrive a few days earlier and stayed at AC Vilamari. Also very nice (4 star) hotel near Plaza de España. If looking for place in City Centre, I would suggest Majestic Hotel.

What I remember most about this trip outside of Hotel Arts.

• The architecture, art, and history is of course amazing to see. Unfortunately, many of the works were in repair and covered when I was there.
• Las Ramblas was lively and great fun. People everywhere and full of life.
• I was introduced to Acqua di Parma Iris Noble perfume at Ritz and I go so far as to mail order it I love it so much. It reminds of being there!
• I loved all the food. Everything was so fresh and filling.
• I purchased a wallet at a little shop in City Centre and to this day people comment on it. I paid just 6 EUR for it!
• I went to Hard Rock Cafe on last night and ran into an old boyfriend from Texas whom I had not seen an years. He is a stockbroker and is now living in Barcelona!
• I went to Baja Beach Club and loved the atmosphere and music. Beautiful people everywhere. Funny enough, I had just left Helsinki and of all the men inthe place, I was chatted up by a Finn.

It’s a small small world folks so see as much of it as you can!

I really like the Fort Worth Zoo. It is really beautiful and very affordable. It is the annual field trip for elementary students so I’ve been there at least once for six years straight.

I went to Baltimore on a class field trip. I recall we went shopping at Inner Harbor.

I remember going to this place as a young girl with my BFF Dee Dee and her parents. We lived in Omaha Nebraska and drove to Des Moines to go to Adventureland. We had a really great time as I recall. But what I do remember is the drive home. There was a really strong storm that made us have to pull off the road and take cover. While we were sitting, the car was struck by lightening!

Visited legoland UK while I was in town for a work trip some years ago. I’ve been wanting to take my kids to the one in California.

I took a week holiday to Carmel Valley in 1994. I was about 5 months pregnant with my first child and only 24 years old. The significance of my age was that I could’t rent a car. I booked Carmel Valley Lodge without really knowing anything about the location. Turns out it was a $100 trip from the airport. In addition, the walk from the main lodge to the room was a really long walk. I had to take the bus from the valley to Monterey.

Other than that, this was a really fantastic trip. I never forgot it. The view from the room was of the mountains. And I remember having one of the best steaks in my life at a steakhouse called Will’s Fargo. I went to Fisherman’s wharf, the Monterey Aquarium, and there was a really nice street festival going on during the time of the trip.

I took my boys (9 and 11) in August 2006. We got a bit lost finding the place but it was worth it. It’s a beautiful zoo. The design allows you to walk through much of the habitat. It also provided quite a bit of coverage from the Texas sun.

Main animal I remembered was this miniature lynx that was the size of your average house cat!

It wasn’t overcrowded and prices were very reasonable and I definitely will go again.

I took both my boys in August 2006. We had a great time until it started raining! A splash from Shamu and friends is one thing – a monsoon is another. In any case, we got most of the shows in before the down pour and decided to end the trip.

If you sit close up in Shamu show you will get wet. FYI, the water may look refreshing but it is artic! It was mating season so she wasn’t too keen on following the trainers. All in all, show was pretty good.

Some tips. Be prepared for long lines to get in the place. Parking was $10. Look for discount coupons. If you don’t want to wait in ticket lines, you can buy them at credit card kiosks outside the gate.

I took my son Jared in 1996 when he was about 2yrs old . He loved the show with Shamu. San Antonio is hot and I was pregnant with my other son at the time. If you are prego, just remember there’s a lot of walking to get from show to show! There is a small water park there as well which was perfect for a cooldown.

The shows run at specific times. It is a good idea to get the map and figure out a route that will cover everything you want to see.

It’s in a remote area but as a bonus, I had a family friend who lived right behind Sea World gates so we got to slip in a nice visit as well.

The original Taco Cabana is in San Antonio and it is fab! We stopped in there this year after a trip to San Antonio Zoo. The margaritas are damn good but be warned they will sneek up on you so be very careful :-)