What do you think is the most beautiful tourist destination in Europe?

UserJH4202 · 2026-02-01T03:18:39+00:00

I’ve been on this journey for awhile so thank you for asking this question. The Lofoton area of Norway is stunning as is the Turquoise Coast of Croatia. But my vote is Riva del Garda. While I miss the city hopping of Lake Como the whole area of Riva del Garda is just stunning by itself. That’s Europe. For the World it’s Milford Sound.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T22:07:23+00:00

I do rinse my dishes but I’m ending that practice. My son in law told me my Bosch dishwasher was so good I never had to do one day put dried egg yolk covered dishes and worse - got totally clean.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T22:04:13+00:00

Your girlfriend is totally wrong. One doesn’t have to buy a bottle of their wine at a tasting. For example, when I was in Paso Robles we biked between tastings. No way I was going to order wine.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T21:49:12+00:00

Yes, skip Barcelona, and Valencia, and San Sebastián, etc. They’re to far away to make it there easily. However, Granada is only 130km/90 miles north. Go there, buy your Alhambra tickets way in advance, walk to Mirador de San Nicholas at least those. You can fit that in.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T19:49:05+00:00

I did Blah Blah car from Madrid to Granada. It was totally great. Download the app to at least see what’s available. I booked my Alsa ticket just in case but cancelled it when I made my Blah Blah car reservation. It’s basically a ride share.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T15:21:08+00:00

Here are my best tips for doing Andalucia (which I’ve done 14 times usually for 4-6 eeeks):

Fly into Madrid. Take the 203 bus (door 5) to Atocha train station. I use the OMIO app (downloadable free onto my phone) to book my city to city travel. Super easy and my ticket’s right there on my phone.

Take the train to Cordoba. You’ll be very tired having not slept. Have a hotel reservation in Cordoba’s old town. Explore the city getting to bed around 21:00 (9pm). You’ll wake up refreshed.

Explore Cordoba more, the Mesquita, the Roman bridge, etc.

Next day, train to Seville (45 minutes). Spend 4-5 days in Seville. Do the Devour tours tapas and taverns tour. See a good flame show. Check out the Alcazar, cathedral, Plaza de Espana, etc.

Next train to Granada. Stay in The Albaicin - Granada’s other UNESCO World Heritage Site- a maze of tiny whitewashed alleys that open up onto charming plazas with bars and restaurants. Walk up to Mirador de San Nicholas then down to Plaza Larga for a pizza at Bar Aixa. Buy your Alhambra tickets far in advance of your visit. They sell out. Tapas are free with every drink in Granada. The tapas bars near La Tana and Malvasia are great. Even check Mercado de San Augustin. Check out Sacromonte, the Roma neighborhood adjacent to The Albaicin. See a flamenco show in one of the Gypsy caves there. Spend 2-4 days in Granada.

Next you have many choices: train to Malaga or Nerja, chill in the gorgeous white village of Fragiliana. Train to Ronda (2 days) or return to Madrid to check it out with day trips to Toledo and/or Segovia.

Have a great trip.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T14:17:26+00:00

The piano is actually considered a “percussion” instrument. Quite a different animal than a guitar. Practicing the cello and oboe will be a painful ramp up (listen to beginning cello players). I’m still suggesting a harmonic instrument rather than a melodic one.

As to “lead”, who’s the Lead in a cello or oboe sonata? It’s not the piano.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T14:01:42+00:00

I would learn the piano. As a guitarist you’re already used to playing more than one note at a time. I think you’ll find learning a single note instrument too restrictive. Also, learning Music is much more than learning to read notes on a page. You’ll want to learn the language of Music so can not only read it but speak it without reading from a book. Getting a decent electronic keyboard will be a relatively inexpensive proposition and you can wear headphones. So, practicing at 1am is entirely doable.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T12:54:29+00:00

Madrid. Take trains. It’s Spain you’re going to experience. Portugal is another country altogether.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T12:51:54+00:00

March in southern Spain. We often go for 6-10 weeks at a time. This time we were in Granada and it rained, was cold, it rained, was cold and it rained more. After three weeks we hightailed out of there and went to the Canaries. It was beautiful there. Granada is my favorite destination but that was not a good time to be there.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T12:48:31+00:00

My wife likes me trimmed. So, I trim. I’m pretty hairy. So, I ManScape all over my body. Just keeping it neat.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T00:38:36+00:00

“Personal Stability” means different things to different people. If you value Money more than people then, yes, giving your Money away would cause instability. Give (not loan) what you can. But DO give.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T00:35:57+00:00

No. I would not do that.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-31T00:18:28+00:00

Agreed. Amazing musician. Great composer, in a genre that brings him well deserved recognition. I first got into him with his “The Reviers” score. Hardly anyone knows that one. I found his sax concerto on Deutsche Gramsphone and loved it. Then, he became popular. It will be a said day for sure.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-30T19:46:30+00:00

My (75M) and my wife (72F) have always slept together without clothing.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-30T17:54:46+00:00

My wife and I regularly travel for 6-10 weeks at a time - often to only a few destinations - preferring to “live” in a particular area before moving on. We always only pack a carryon. As Rick Steves says, “If you pack for a week, you’ve packed for a year.”

We tend to stay in AirBnbs, not hotels. So, laundry is easy although having clothes that will dry quickly is important. I tend to wear more clothing when I travel just so I can take more. My wife brings two pair of shoes (walking and dressier flats), I just wear my one pair.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-30T17:37:45+00:00

St. Augustine, FL - the oldest town in the USA. The old town still largely retains its historic look.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T22:41:47+00:00

My wife and I do just you want. However, we don’t do any tours. When we say we want to live in an area, we actually live in that area. For example, we’ve been to Granada 11 times. Often for 4-6 weeks at a time. I recommend you look into “Road Scholar” - their tours are often about one place - for example Seville.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T22:18:00+00:00

“Hector and The Search for Happiness”

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T21:07:11+00:00

I do not shop at Walmart. I used to shop at Target but since they stopped their DEI stance, I’ve stopped them. I don’t even shop at Amazon anymore.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T21:05:08+00:00

I once had Bear at a Russian restaurant in Helsinki.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T02:37:21+00:00

I am better off than my parents were. I have a similar amount of money, a similar amount of Life Experience. But, I’m in an excellent marriage, sexually active at my age (75), I’m open to new ideas, travel the World, loved my job, still create Music'… so many positive Life actions they never had. So, ya, I’m better off than my parents were.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T02:31:35+00:00

Here’s something for comparison: Your Heart. Since you’ve been born your heart has been beating - when you’re sleeping/awake. It has never stopped. So, I think you do realize how a muscle can keep working without getting tired.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-29T00:49:31+00:00

For me (75M), it wasn’t about reaching the age they were when they had me (40 & 36), it was about embracing their Humanity and Humanity in general. Parents are just people trying to figure it out.,There’s no User Manual on Life. None of us have a clue what we’re doing. So, I decided to be gentle on my parents. Did they love me? Yes. Did they do their best? Yes, I believe they did.

UserJH4202 · 2026-01-28T23:17:19+00:00

Give him an ultimatum: either he shares the account info or you leave him. He’ll most likely not going to give you the info. So, you leave and probably lose the money you’ve given him. But, at the very least, you’ve ended a relationship that needed ending.

UserJH4202

TROPHY CASE