=========================================================
Sent from Frankfurt on Tue, 21 Mar 2006
and from Barcelona on Fri, 24 Mar 2006 

Frankfurt, Cologne, Paris, Montpellier, Barcelona,
Excursion to Andorra & Pyrenees 

1. Ways to see Western Europe 

I am typing this from the cafe on the south side of
Frankfurt Train Station, a 10-min metro from the airport. 
The weather is miserable, just like I left in USA
Northeast.  It is cold but not freezing.  No details here
about Western Europe, as all parts are nice.  Let me give
you instead relevant facts as to how you can see Western
Europe.

a) http://www.busabout.com
Check out this site--Debra, you too.  In 2006, the season
covers 3 May to 31 Oct.  They have many options, including
Morocco, the Adriatic, Russia, etc., and Flexipass options,
so on.  Print their map of cities covered, check out their
plans, decide on one and finalize.  One big advantage is
that they stop at hostels at the end of each day, so you do
not have to look for places to stay.

b) Eurailpass.com.  Get this in English (for Americans) and
check out their prices.  Buy this BEFORE you arrive in
Europe, for you cannot get the second-class fares once you
are here.  (Only 1st class once in Europe.)  As for prices,
10-day Selectpass in 2 month period is 600 Euro (valid for
4 neighboring countries), 644 Euros for 5 countries, 544
Euros per person for the latter for a couple.

c) Euroline Bus: http://www.eurolines.com/
is cheaper: a 15-day pass is 229 Euro, 1 month 319 Euro, in
high season 329 E and 439 E.  I used the for a month in
1999.  The buses are fine, BUT in high season you will need
to make reservations say for the next leg, which in turn
means finding the office (in a large city) to do so.  (In
Frankfurt, it is across the street from the South Exit at
Train Station--to your right.) Check out their site for
more details.

d) By rental car.  Which can get expensive.  Check out the
Eurocar site, Avis, Budget, etc.

In all cases, have a map of Europe on hand.  The Busabout
map is especially useful in that it depicts all places
REALLY worth seeing.


2. Eurail Pass.  Got 5-country. Eurail Pass in Frankfurt
for 680 Euros (E), incl. reservations (legal robbery as
there are many empty seats, especially now in March) for 3
legs of train Frankfurt to Barcelona via Cologne, Paris,
and Monpellier, changing the train at these places.  (I
left Frankfurt at 5:30am, arrived in Barcelona 17 hours
later, due to some delay over the Pyrenees.)  Get the pass
in USA BEFORE you come to Europe, as they give you only
first-class pass here--which I have.  For this, I can
travel 10 days thru the specified 5 countries: Germany,
France, Spain, Italy, and Swiss, BUT since the train from
Cologne to Paris passes thru Brussels, Belgium, I had to
pay extra 20 Euros on-board for the Belgium stretch.  AND,
you need to make reservations of each leg BEFORE the trip,
for which you pay extra.  For example, for tomorrow's train
Barcelona to San Sabastian, I paid 10E (1st class, 6E for
2nd).  I dont know if and how much I will be saving with
the pass.  The trains Cologne to Paris and Paris to
Montpellier were very quick bullet trains that zipped by
all cars and trucks along the highway at up to 160 mph
(they say).  There is no smoking on the trains and/or
stations, which for me was no fun.

3. Frankfurt, Cologne, Paris.  Since I have visited each of
these cities at least half-a-dozen times on prior
occasions, I spent only transit time in them.  Besides the
weather was cold with slight snow and drizzle, as in
Northeast USA this time.  In Paris, the train arrived at
the North station and I had to make my way to the Lyon
Station, which was a hassle as the Metro and train stations
are combined and even the large metro maps are difficult to
follow, especially finding your way at the station.  No one
spoke English; one guy told me to go to Gate D, another to
44, neither visible on the signs, kind of problem.  I
should add that the airport in Frankfurt, large parts of
which under renovation, is very futuristic.  There is a
full-size train station--besides metro--attached to the
airport. This is where I started my trip to Barcelona.  In
USA, imagine arriving at Dullas airport in Washington,
going down a few stairs to the train, and then being on
the train to Los Angeles, just like that.  Hell, we dont
even have a metro connected to the airport yet.  Oh, sure
we have the engineering capability, but not the
financing--who should pay for it, and how to make it
profitable--why we have to also delegate the running of our
ports to foreigners. 

4. Paris to Montpellier.  The new trek for me was the
distance from Paris to Montpellier (close to Marseilles). 
I had never done that stretch before.  The landscape is
largely flat farmlands, this being a major wine-growing
region in France.  Not very interesting actually.

5. Montpellier to Barcelona, Spain.  This stretch passes
over the Pyrenees Mountains and is scenic, but to really
appreciate the mountain scene, see the next section.

6. Barcelona & Andorra.  The train from mainland Europe
arrives in Barcelona at the Franc(h)a Station.  Since we
arrived at 10pm or so, I just walked across the street to
NUEVO HOSTAL.  (By the way, the sports bar at that corner
on the hostal side has excellent meals.  I ate there 2
nights.  For 12 E, you get paella Valenciana for 2, plus
another full dish, plus desert, plus a drink, all by
myself.  You have other choices.  The hostal is about 20m
to its right.  If late, you have to ring a bell, climb 1/2
stories of steps and then take the elevator to the
reception.  Basic rooms at the hostal (pension, not hostel)
go for 35E without bath.  This is where I stated.

Next morning I wanted to get Andorra out of the way before
enjoying Barcelona (my 2nd trip here, but some years back).
 For this I paid a taxi 3.35E to take me to the NORTH BUS
STATION, and paid 36E for 10:30am round-trip bus to ANDORRA
thru the Pyrenees, to return at 5pm.  there is not much to
Andorra la Vella, the capital.  It is all upscale
construction, hotels, and (supposedly) duty-free
shops--where the prices are still more expensive than in
USA.  But the 3 plus hour trip also climbs the Pyrenees,
with awesome views especially in the latter parts of the
trip, very much like the PINDUS and BALKAN mountains I saw
late in 2005.  The Pyrenees and Andorra (my 128th country)
were ONE of the reasons I took this trip, and so now I know
both.  By the way, the weather was warm during the day, but
it got cool and windy in Andorra in the eve.  If you do
this trip, take the 7:30am bus to Andorra and return at 5pm
(also a later bus at 7:30pm).  Confirm your return at the
office Bus Station in Andorra.

7. Barcelona, Spain.  Is a world-class city in the very
independent (and rich) CATALUNYA province of Spain.  Since
the return bus from Andorra arrived late, I just ate and
went to bed that night.  In the morn, I took the train from
Franca Stations to the much larger SANTS Station to FIRST
book the next leg of my trip: Barcelona to San Sabastian
the next day.  Then I took the Metro (GREEN LINE, 3 stops
to the CATALUNYA Sq. to be at the center.  From there I
walked 2 blocks down the pedestrian LA RAMBLA--main strip
in Barcelona--to PORTAFERRISSA St., turned left there and
walked about 50m to find HOSTAL FINA there (on my left,
there is also HOSTAL REMBRANDT on the same side 20m further
for 30E for singles but all booked), where I got a neat
double room--no singles left, or I got cheated--with bath
for 55E. The weather was very nice.  I left my stuff and
walked to the OLD TOWN and the Cathedral in the BARRI GOTIC
section nearby, browsed around and took in the scenes,
returned to the Catalunya Sq., paid 18E for the TOURIST
BUS, and did the 2-hour red line ONLY--could have also the
BLUE and GREEN tours--to leave myself more time to enjoy
the LA RAMBLA.

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful, not so much comparable
to Rio with overwhelming geography but more like Paris, Rome,
Prague and the like.  The buildings are generally 7 to 10
stories, except for a few more modern businesses.  One unique
feature of the construction in Spain is that almost all
buildings are adorned with ornate balconies with very
elaborate grill or stone work in front.  Many are just
decorations, perhaps a few inches to a foot deep, but they
add much charm to the city.  Parts of the city are designed
so as to encourage leisurely strolling and cafe lifestyle
so prevalent in Europe, here along especially La Ramble
strip.

a) As for INTERNET, there are not many in Spanish cities
and not easily seen.  They charge 1.20-1.80E per hour.

b) PAELLA.  Order Paella as Marinero (with seafood), not
Valenciano that also comes with chicken.  You can also
order spaghetti with seafood sauce.  The place I mentioned
across from Station Franc(h)a in Barcelona is still the
best I found--except for Antonio's in Torremolinos.  As
second dish I had very nice broiled fish and boiled
potatoes the 1st day, 2 mid-size octopuses with vegetables
the 2nd, included in the price.  In Barcelona, take a taxi
(about 3.50E from Plaza Catalunya) to the front entrance of
Station Francha, turn around and look across the street to
the restaurant-bar at the corner, about 50m from Hostal
Nuevo to its right in that block.

8. Plans next. San Sabastian (on Euroline ticket Day 2 of
10), bus to BILBAO nearby to the west (capital of the
BASQUE), bus all the way to the province of GALICIA over
Portugal next, north-south thru Portugal thru PORTO, LISBON
(on Atlantic), and FARO (on Mediterranean) all the way
south, turn east and enter Spain again to SEVILLE, GRANADA,
to South of Valencia for the ferry to IBIZA and MALLORCA of
BALEARIC Islands, returning by ferry to Barcelona to leave
Spain for Marseille, France, then to Italy.

Sirman