SAN DIEGO TRAVEL & ADVENTURE SHOW 2020

A great start to the new year is a visit to the San Diego Travel and Adventure Show. This years' event was held on January 18-19 at the Convention Center in downtown San Diego. Although I've attended many times before, I still get excited to discover what's new in the travel industry, mingle with travel enthusiasts, and to plan some new adventures.

Featuring 25 speakers, 140 exhibitors, 12 dance groups, door prizes, and a coconut tree climb, there was something for everyone—including my two granddaughters who were entertained for hours by the dancers and musicians on the Global Beats Stage. Click here for the dates and locations of future shows that might be coming to a location near you.

Everyone leaves the show with their favorite memories and I will share mine:

                    MOST INFORMATIVE SPEAKER:

Ralph Valesco, “Creating Great Memories of your Travels (with any Camera!).” Ralph is one of the top 100 photographers in the world and getting photo advice from him is something you don't want to miss. His eBook: “52 Categories of a Shot List,” available for free on his website, is truly inspirational. Ralph also leads cultural and photo enrichment tours to places throughout the world.

                               BEST FREE SAMPLE:

I didn't expect to learn about coffee at the travel show, but when I stopped at the Indonesia booth they were giving away free samples of Tentera Sumatra Coffee from Indonesia. They also gave us a single-serve pour-over coffee packet to bring home. The take-home sample turned out to be one of the best pour-over coffees I've tasted. I will look for the Tentera coffee kiosk (729 N. Vignes St. East Portal) near the Union Station in Los Angeles next time I'm there.

                              

                               MOST ENTERTAINING:

The music and dance group from the Cook Islands that performed on the Global Beats Stage. This wonderfully talented group of nine dancers had just flown over 4,000 miles from the South Pacific to attend this event.

                            FAVORITE TRAVEL GURU:

Straight talking Emmy Award-Winning Reporter and Producer, Peter Greenberg is one of America's most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalists. I never pass up a chance to listen to him at the travel shows. If you want to learn great travel secrets from a master traveler, he is the one to listen to.

        THE BEST FREE GIVEAWAY (THAT I MISSED):

Gate 1 Travel's offer of a free trip for two on a seven-night Danube River Cruise with an upgraded room.

                 TRAVEL ADVICE FROM A LOCAL:

We were lucky this year because there was a representative from Rijeka, Croatia at the Katarina Line-Incoming Croatia booth—a place we will be traveling to this year. It's always helpful to meet a local like Daniel Hauptfeld, Marketing Director, who gave us some great advice and a much-needed map of Croatia. 

                                FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Buy yourself a world atlas and put it by your bedside.”
                                                                -Peter Greenberg

               A FAVORITE PHOTO TO TAKE HOME:

Just as we were leaving the show, my granddaughter, Mila, who was in control, as usual, tugged us over to the colorful Redding, California booth to get a photo taken. She chose the background and props for the photo. Redding is located near the Cascade Mountain (background) in northwestern California, and it looks like a great destination for hiking, fishing, and kayaking.

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CADIZ, SPAIN - The Ancient City with 126 Watchtowers

While traveling through Andalusia during October, one of our favorite discoveries was the city of Cadiz (pop.117,000) in southwestern Spain. This intriguing place sits on a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean and has been inhabited for more than 3,000 years—making it one of the oldest cities in Europe. 

The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and North African Muslims who once ruled this city have left behind a hidden gem that is made for days of walking and exploration. It is filled with ancient winding streets, plazas, arches, castles, fortresses, ocean walkways, beaches, watchtowers, and well-preserved architecture.

We stayed for six nights at the Hotel Monte Puertatierra that was conveniently located near miles of ocean walkway and the old walled city. Cadiz was also a good base for our day trips to El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Cadiz was one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and home to many wealthy merchants. Located on the prosperous trading route between Spain and the West Indies, it attracted people from all over the world. The merchants built watchtowers on top of their homes to view their ships as they entered and departed the harbor. The city is still home to 126 of the original 160 watchtowers.

The best place to learn more about them is to visit the Torre Tavira, an original tower, that is located in the center of the old town and open to the public. It offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city (after walking up ten flights of stairs), exhibition rooms and the camera obscura for viewing the city below.

On one of our many days of meandering through the city, we happened to come upon the ancient Theater of Cadiz that dates back to the first century BC. It is the second-largest theater ever built in the Roman Empire—surpassed only by the Theater of Pompeii in Italy. It was only recently discovered in 1980 due to a major fire at this location that led to an excavation. Entry to this well-preserved wonder is free.

The combination of an ancient city to explore and wonderful sea walks make this undiscovered city in southwestern Spain a special place to visit—without the overcrowding that is typical of many tourist destinations.

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                        Gibraltar - A Small British Territory on the South Tip of Spain 12/12/19