Sevilla

Exploring Europe, you see the big sights — and you also see the little ones. Here are a few little things I noticed along the way in Spain.

While I was very comfortable during my visit earlier this spring (temperatures were in the 60s and 70s each day and evening), in a few weeks it’ll be cracking 100, and there will be a lot of wall-crawling shrimps. (The brutal summer sun in Spain turns pedestrians into what are now called “wall crawlers” — people walking right up against the walls, catching whatever shade they can. And tourists not used to the sun who get burned are called “shrimps.”)

More and more, tourists are enjoying the delights of Andalucía and, more and more, English is the language of travel. Rather than the old-school menus with five languages, menus are now generally in two (or maybe three) languages, including English.

Spain loves its festivals, and Sevilla takes it to extremes. My favorite Triana bar includes the dates of the major festivals on its business card — for the next several years.

(What about you? I’d love to hear about some of the little sights you saw on your last trip. Connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.)

It’s easy, when traveling, to get into that sightseeing groove where everything is gourmet, Gothic, Gaudí, and all grown-up. Instead, make a point to recognize neighborhoods, families, and the everyday reality of communities working together, as one generation lovingly pulls the next into adulthood.

On Day 38 of my 100-day trip to Europe, I found myself in a simple park — dodging soccer balls to the melody of gleeful children and enjoying memories of when my kids found delight in a swing set. And it made me really happy. It made me nostalgic. And it made me mindful of the joy that fills our world.

Do you have a dimension of travel that gets you feelin’ groovy?

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There are two IQs of European travelers: those who wait in lines, and those who don’t. This year I’ve noticed that many of the greatest sights in Europe are attracting more visitors than they can physically contain. Online booking is getting extremely easy, and sights are simply turning their backs on those who show up with no pre-purchased ticket. In my Rick Steves Spain guidebook, I have decided to no longer explain how to try (and likely fail) to get a ticket on the day of your visit. I am writing up certain sights as if the only way you can get in is to pay and book online, well in advance. For 90 percent of the sights, this is unnecessary, and there’s no problem at all. But for the sights you traveled to that destination to see — the Alhambra (Granada), the Picasso Museum and the Sagrada Família church (Barcelona), Dalí’s home (Cadaqués), the Alcázar (here in Sevilla) — you have a choice: be organized, think in advance, take five minutes to go online and book your ticket…or show up, wait several hours, and maybe not get in. Again, there are two IQs of European travelers. Don’t be stupid!

This clip shows hundreds of travelers (without my guidebook) getting only a sunburn.

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