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Ned Madigan
Advanced Member
Username: Edmphila
Post Number: 360
Registered: 06-2003
Posted From: 68.81.196.16
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 11:04 am: | |
I mentioned Pentecost in my earlier Post; then I went elsewhere and found some Dates: Easter, 2011 is (late) 24 April, so Sevilla's Feria de abril should be the first week in May. Pentecost Sunday falls on 12 jun, 2011, so the Feria del Campo (Virgen del Rocio) will be the week leading up to that. |
James Fetner
New member
Username: Jpfetner
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2010
Posted From: 205.56.210.195
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 10:29 am: | |
Awesome! Thanks for your advice Ladies and Gents. I am going to start with researching and setting up our lodging arrangements in Spain! I appreciate your help. We are really excited!
James |
Bill Mathews
Senior Member
Username: Bill_mathews
Post Number: 1234
Registered: 06-2003
Posted From: 173.71.47.192
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 08:42 pm: | |
Spain would be easy to do (waste little Leave time awaiting a flight from Charleston or Norfolk). With 2 1/2 weeks, you want to maximize your time on the ground and not be sitting & waiting for flights.
And you can plan your Leave to return from Rota to Norfolk (every other week) on the Patriot flight.
www.AFVClub.com has lots of Condo's on the Costa del Sol to save on hotel costs for 1 week, with local touring along the Coast. We have done a few Condo's in Spain and have enjoyed a quality place, cheap. We liked the Miraflores Beach and Country Club best. And the Base Rental Cars from Rota are also cheap.
Then the 2d week do your driving up to Seville & Madrid (or bus to Seville and train to Madrid). Visit Granada/Alhambra & Cardoba, Toledo, etc. along the way.
The first time I ate the Roast Suckling Pig at the Casa Botin in Madrid was in 1963 (first SpaceA trip to Europe). Remembered it well and had to wait till 1999 to eat the piggie again, with our entire (grown) family. |
Carole G
Advanced Member
Username: Greengal
Post Number: 318
Registered: 01-2010
Posted From: 68.205.151.181
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 11:55 am: | |
There is a free bus from Ramstein AB to Frankfurt IAP. |
Angelo J
Member
Username: Aj1890
Post Number: 9
Registered: 01-2007
Posted From: 70.125.39.195
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 11:47 am: | |
Is there a shuttle bus from Ramstein to Frankfurt? |
Ned Madigan
Advanced Member
Username: Edmphila
Post Number: 358
Registered: 06-2003
Posted From: 68.81.196.16
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 11:26 am: | |
NAS Norfolk is a good departure point for NS Rota: Every other week they have a 'Rotator;' and VR56 operates to/from nearby NAS Oceana. Or, you could go to Dover AFB, DE and find almost daily flights to/from Rota.
Cherry C. gives you some good advice for southern Spain; my favorite is the North, from Santiago de Compostela and Galicia across the north coast to Asturia & Cantabria, the Picos de Europa and Santander (my favorite), to Bilbao & San Sebastian (Basque country). If you do it in reverse order, Santiago has some pretty good airline skeds. And, if you get to Madrid there is an overnight Bus to el Puerto de Santa Maria. Just head for Estacion Sur de Autobus. The only time that (SecorBus / Socibus) service is really crowded is during the Feria del Campo (la Virgen del Rocio) in the week leading up to Pentecost
Been there! Done that!
Peak Tourist season in Spain begins w/la Virgen de Carmen (16 Jul) and continues thru mid-Sep so a May/Jun trip you should be able to find lodging without difficulty. |
Cherry C.
Senior Member
Username: Cherry
Post Number: 6472
Registered: 06-2003
Posted From: 71.163.18.160
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 10:48 am: | |
James, welcome aboard! I too agree with the wisdom of setting your sights on Europe v. Hawaii at this time of year, much as I love Hawaii (and believe me, there is PLENTY to see and do there in a 2 week stay, even just on Oahu).
I recommend that you aim for Rota from Charleston, and tour in Spain, Madrid plus the south (Grenada, Seville, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, the white villages, Gibraltar, perhaps an ESCORTED 1-day tour to North Africa [do not, repeat not, go on your own because the local guides will swarm you beyond human endurance], AND Rota itself is a pleasant seaside town). Go to bars for beer &/or sherry and eat tapas,especially the Iberian ham or Manchego cheese or grilled shrimp and many more; for breakfast drink thick chocolate and eat churros; look for restaurants with set-price meals; don't overlook bus station eateries for good values; have roast suckling pig at El Botin in Madrid; and generally go local. Get a couple of guidebooks NOW from your local library and copy the pages that seem relevant to carry with you. Search <Spain> in the trip reports archives for more suggestions. Look at the website of Paco's travel agency in Rota (http://www.pacostravel.com/) and plan to visit them for advice on hotel discounts, rail and bus schedules as soon as you arrive. (Hint-they keep semi-Spanish hours, thus may not open in the a.m. until 10 or 11, so you may need to kill time after landing.) Have a great time!
If you have been reading this board and have studied the FAQ's at John D.'s site (link at upper left), you know to sign up the very minute you go on leave, at every possible place from which you might want to fly, putting "ALL" as your final destination choice. This includes not only Rota but Moron, all Italian bases and Crete (Souda Bay), Greece. This last advice about signing up at non-Spanish terminals is because IF you find a big backup at Rota when it is time to return, and your time is running short, you can inaugurate the good old strategy of "going east to go west" by flying "upstream" and getting manifested through from an earlier, less congested air terminal.
Good luck, and do write a Trip Report! (By the time you're back we'll all be over on the new site, so be sure to register there now.) |
william brown
Senior Member
Username: Brown9bill
Post Number: 663
Registered: 12-2006
Posted From: 71.177.218.130
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 10:28 am: | |
James: I would opt for the trip to Europe because you should be able to get there a lot easier than going to Hi through Travis. Although as a Cat 3 you should be able to get to Hi, you would spend less time and money going to Europe than Hawaii. Also Europe offer more of a variety of things to do and see than Hi. Have fun and Happy Travels. |
James Fetner
New member
Username: Jpfetner
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2010
Posted From: 205.56.210.195
| | Posted on Monday, June 21, 2010 - 07:57 am: | |
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am planning a trip - 2.5 weeks - May 2011
1 active duty / 1 accompanied dependent
standard leave
Departure options are Cherry Point NC / Charleston SC / Norfolk VA
should be cat III according to the FAQ
Original plan was to hit HI - Hale Koa / Barking Sands etc.
Unfortunately the May date cannot change due to my Bride's professional school requirements so I am in the peak season no matter what.
After studying as much as I can on John D's and Pepperd.com I am considering changing our plans to hit Western Europe via Charleston - Rota or RAM.
Does everyone concur that the HI trip may be too risky given peak travel season / only 2.5 weeks avail / difficulties getting Travis to Hickam?
I think my safest bet is to start at Charleston where there are 3 or 4 direct flights to Rota and several to Ramstein per week according to the flight info thread. AND A BONUS - my brother lives in Charleston.
If any elders have any advice, I appreciate any help you can provide.
Thanks for your help.
James Fetner
US Navy - serving w/ 2 MEF |
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