ArcticTropic was in Spain – the first stop on the Round The World Trip – for three days – to visit with business associates in Barcelona and then to pick up my son who was accompanying me to China. Above – the AVE from Barcelona to Valencia.

On the Floor of Catedral Sant Jordi.

A delicious lunch at Portoles.

Above the Gran Via Marques del Turia in Valencia.

Valencia !

ArcticTropic recently made a trip around the world, The takeoffs and landings are as follows : Miami – Berlin – Barcelona – Valencia – Zurich – Beijing – Ulanbaataar – Guilin – Hong Kong – Tokyo – Dallas – Miami.

This afternoon ArcticTropic begins a Round The World Journey. Here in Miami I will board Air Berlin Flight 7211 leaving at 3:50 PM, arriving in Berlin tomorrow morning at 7:20 AM. I then have a 6 hour layover ! Perhaps I will go into the nearby environs of Reinkendorf. From Berlin I leave on Air Berlin 8722 arriving in Barcelona at 3:45 PM , where I will spend the next two days.

A week from today ArcticTropic boards a flight from Miami to Berlin, then to Barcelona. From Valencia, Spain, where my 12 year old son will join me, we fly via Zurich to Beijing. RIght now working on optimizing the GoPro for amazing video !

A two hour drive southwest of Barcelona  or northwest of Valencia leads to Castelseras and Torrevellila in the eastern part of Aragon.

Medieval castles are prominent on the mountaintops.

Ancient villages are forgotten by time.

The pace of life is much slower than the cities. A three hour lunch is still common.

Church bells are the loudest sound.

It has been quiet since these anti aircraft guns were fired at Communist planes in the 1930s Civil War.