Iberia Airline & Entry to Spain

Aloha Everyone,

Iberia Airline business class service is excellent. We try to book Premium Economy class seats whenever we are more than 8 hours in the air. After spending several days searching various airlines, J.J. came across Iberia offering direct flight from Los Angeles to Madrid. Finding that Business Class for this particular flight was being offered just $120 more than Premium Economy, he booked it immediately. There is no similar fare so we will be taking American Airlines Premium Economy on our return.

The seats recline to horizontal position. Full size pillow, warm comforter allowed us to get several hours of sleep. As you can see from the photos, meals were wonderful. Amenity bag included the usual toothbrush and paste, hand lotion, lip lotion, comb/brush, quality eye shade and ear plugs. Also appreciated is a small bottle of mist spray to keep your skin hydrated during the flight.

Smooth entry to Madrid. The airport is huge and beautiful! Took a local train to Stacion Atocha changing once in Chamartin. We are staying at Hotel Agumar for a week before heading to Lisboa. This is the hotel where we stayed 2 years ago. It’s nice to return to a familiar place. J.J. and I exited from the station and walked to our hotel. This will be our home for the next 7 days.

Aloha -- Cathi

Departure Day

Aloha Everyone,

Judy, one of my very good friends, expressed her concern when I told her that J.J. and I will be traveling with 2 suitcases and one backpack each. In Europe our primary mode of transportation is train. We have to be prepared to pull and carry our own luggage. 

Yes I was able to pack most of the items we need including stuffing my trusted down pillow and still remain under weight — less than 12 kilos for me and less than 15 kilos for J.J. International airlines are usually 20 kilos limit per bag.

Now at the One World lounge, we are enjoying light snack before boarding our Iberia Airline flight.

Aloha -- Cathi

Next Destination: The Iberian Peninsula

Aloha Everyone,

J.J. and I will be visiting Northern Spain and Portugal for the next two and half months. This is the longest overseas stay since the two of us retired.   

I have been spending at least 30 minutes a day practicing Spanish using Duolingo. I am hopeful that our conversation in Spain with the locals will go more smoothly this time.

For the last three days, J.J. and I stayed with my Mother. She has made a remarkable recovery and I enjoyed our daily conversations.

Since it would be difficult for us to promise how often I can call, I wrote 5 letters with drawings and asked our son to mail them to her at regular intervals.

I also made updated prints of our family which she prefers over email photos. I will have lots of stories to share with her upon our return.

Aloha -- Cathi

Visitation of Our Friend, Dolores

Aloha Everyone,

On her way to New York from Manila, our friend Dolores, stopped in LA to visit J.J. and me for 3 days. It was a whirlwind trip for her. The day of her arrival, we purchased take-out food, then went to our hotel to catch up with our lives. We talk with one another every few weeks,  but face-to-face conversation is far more interesting, open and relaxed.

Day 2, we drove using Honu to visit our daughter-in-law and granddaughter. J.J. drove a total of 5 hours. Over a wonderful lunch which our daughter-in-law had prepared for us, Dolores absolutely was enchanted and delighted getting to know our granddaughter. Dolores met her once when our granddaughter was a few months old. Photos and videos, she stated, do not show her personality and character :-). She told us that was the highlight of her 3 days visit.

On Day 3, J.J. arranged a gathering with his cousins. It is a small world as Dolores was a very good friend of their late older brother and his wife. Over Filipino food, our conversation was fun and lively.

It is always wonderful to see your friends.

Aloha -- Cathi

My Mother’s 98th Birthday

Aloha Everyone,

With love, joy and gratitude, the family celebrated our Mother’s 98th Birthday today.

Aloha -- Cathi