What a day. Yes we saw the Raphael exhibit at the Metropolitean Museum of Art. Yes, we had a spectacular dinner at Quality Italian (57 W. 57th Street). But the highlight of the day, no, the highlight of the trip was going to Carnegie Hall tonight to see my favorite pianist. That is of course, our grandson, Julian. There were about 35 young people performing at the recital. Each of them had won a competition somewhere in the USA. We saw musicians from New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Utah, other states, and of course from California. There were musicians as young as 6 years old (Julian is 8) and many in their late teens. Only one, was younger than our grandson. Julian played Bach’s Prelude in B Flat Major. It was incredible hearing him play. In addition to being a wonderful pianist he was incredibly cute. See below.
My little Mozart getting ready to enter the theater. Doesn’t he look cute?
I’d like to write more about the day but we have an early flight so I need to get to sleep.
More about NYC soon. We are coming back in 3 weeks.
But next on our agenda is the Take Steps Walk supporting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation next Saturday, May 30th at Griffith Park. Hope to see you there. If you haven’t donated yet, here is the link to the Team Reiss page.
This morning we got up relatively early and headed down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast at 10 AM (7 AM our time). It was pretty good and not grossly overpriced. The restaurant staff members were excellent.
I had Norwegian Benedict (salmon instead of Canadian bacon)Patrice had “Sunrise Bowl”, granola, yogurt, fruit. Her choice was healthier but my choice was better.
We then headed back to the room to shower and get ready for the day. We realized that we needed to print tickets for the show we planned to see. I asked Patrice to call downstairs to find out where we could print them but she said “The phone doesn’t work”. Ugh.
Downstairs the concierge was very nice and printed the tickets for us and we were on our way. The staff has been great here (except for a manager who was rather rude) but the hotel has been less than I would like. I don’t think we will return.
With tickets in hand we headed to the Golden Theater to see “Operation Mincemeat”. It’s a musical based on a true story of a British secret mission designed to confuse the Germans during World War II. The plan fooled the Nazis and prompted them to reduce their forces in Sicily allowing the allied troops to invade with a tremendous manpower advantage. The show was entertaining, funny, and touching (Patrice writing now, yes Robert cried)
When we returned to the hotel I got very excited because I thought I discovered a storage area I hadn’t seen on arrival.
I was thrilled when I saw this:
But my excitement soon waned when I opened it to see this.
An air filter system.
After that disappointment we met up with our son. David’s wife and their son are visiting her mom, so we got to be with our son.
We went to dinner at Blue Willow [40 W. 56th Street (212) 213-2299]. It is a Chinese restaurant with very good Yelp reviews. The food was good but the main attraction was speading time with David. I am feeling a bit stuffed but wouldn’t want to leave you without a few more pictures of food.
General Tso’s ChickenNoodles. Sorry, we can’t remember what they were called.
We also had won ton soup, dim sum, and a pork entree. For some reason the pictures are too big to be uploaded and I am not smart enough to know how to compress them. Hey! Give me a break. This is a free blog (no ads) for friends and family.
The food was good but there were loads of offernings. We had trouble deciding what to eat. The ones we picked nosed out, Beef Aorta, Angry Frog, Spicy Sautéed Intestines, Numbing Beef Tendon, Wood Ear Salad, and my personal favorite: The Husband and Wife Special
That is enough food for one day. Tomorrow it is Carnegie Hall where we will see my favorite pianist.
As if our lives weren’t crazy enough, with our upcoming move we decided to make a quick trip to New York City. The reason for this trip will be discussed later. One thing we counted on was that a trip to NYC in May would be accompanied by better weather than during the winter or summer months. Well as soon as we exited the terminal at JFK I was very happy I brought my heavy coat and rain jacket. It was cold and raining when we arrived and the forecast calls for a 100% chance of rain tomorrow but only 95% on Monday. It will be clear on Tuesday………. the day we return home.
No matter the weather we always make the most of our travel experience. We did get a thrill on the way to the hotel. Our driver was very entertaining in that he was talking to himself most of the trip. You’re probably saying he must have been on his phone. I thought the same, but no, he was talking to himself.
We are staying at the Le Meridien hotel (120 W 57th Street) . It’s a Marriott property and has a very nice lobby. We chose this location because of its proximity to Carnegie Hall. Yes, we will be going on Monday to hear an amazing pianist.
The hotel is lovely on the outside and upon check-in we were told about all sorts of perks they offer (e.g. free museum and movie tickets). We were escorted to our room by a very nice bellman and could not believe the sight we saw. This has to be the tiniest room I’ve ever seen. We requested a room with a king size bed. We got the bed we wanted but apparently floor space is an added option. The room is so small we will need to put the luggage on the bed in order to open it.
This is ALL the space available to put our luggage. You might be saying “I see a drawer below”. No, that is a safe.
The room sucks but today’s highlight was meeting our son, David, and our grandson, Julian, for dinner. And you know what that means, yes, food pictures. Well not tonight. Sorry but spaghetti and pizza doesn’t make it to the ReissTravelBlog. Maybe better luck tomorrow.
Patrice and I find ourselves in Denver, Colorado. Loyal followers of the blog know that we have already been to Coors Field in our quest to visit all 30 MLB stadiums so that is not the reason we are here. Even if we hadn’t been to Coors Field, it is very tough to see an MLB game in early March unless you are in Florida or Arizona. No, we are in Denver for a much different reason.
Many of you on this blog have helped me raise money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in order to fund research needed to find a cure for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease known collectively as Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Each year we participate in a fundraiser called Take Steps where we walk to raise awareness of this problem and raise money for this fine organization. Last year our team (“Team Reiss”) surpassed $1.000,000 in total funds raised. In recognition of this milestone the Foundation is giving me the Modell Award honoring the Foundation’s Volunteer of The Year. When I first heard that I was being given the award I was taken aback. My motivation in raising money for the organization has always been to help people suffering from these diseases. You probably know that 2 of our 3 children have IBD. Yes our son, David, and our youngest daughter, Erica, have Crohn’s disease. I am hopeful that my continued fundraising will help us find the cure in my lifetime.
Prior to receiving the award there was a heartwarming video shown with a variety of people congratulating me. By the time I got to the stage to accept the award I was a sniveling mess. I can hear you now, “Robert crying? Is the Pope from Chicago?”
Yes, I was emotional but I managed to make it to the stage and thank people for the honor and their support. Two of my biggest supporters, Patrice and David, were in the audience, which of course made it even more special.
No food pictures, no monuments, no star sightings, no just one happy husband and father.
Do I look happy? With my son and wife, how could I not be happy?
If you would like to be a member of Team Reiss please use the link below. If you are a regular donor, don’t worry your email will be on its way very soon. If you are new to the fight please accept my thanks in advance and if you don’t receive an email please contact me.
Join me in helping end Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (see the link below)
This weekend we visited our son and his family. Usually I don’t post when we make these visits because who likes hearing someone brag about their grandchildren? No one wants to hear that but yes, mine are amazing. So why post this weekend? Well you might know that this was Super Bowl weekend. You also might know that the Super Bowl was being played at nearby Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, not too far from where my son and his family live. I’ve never been to a Super Bowl and frequently fantasized that it would be nice to go to just one before I exit this planet. Well yesterday was that day and I can now check that one off my bucket list. Yes, I WENT TO THE SUPER BOWL!
My son and his wife got tickets to the event and graciously invited me to join them. I’m truly blessed.
I have heard that there are people who have been to all 60 Super Bowls (I’m told that number equals 6). I’m among those who are just happy to be have been alive for all 60. I remember the first one before it was called the Super Bowl and merely named the AFL-NFL World Championship game. Of course that game was a joke since there were at least a half dozen NFL (now called the NFC) teams who would have beaten the AFL (now AFC) champion, Kansas City Chiefs. It was the Green Bay Packers who had the honor, led by their quarterback Bart Starr and their ancient wide receiver, Max McGee. I think he was 34 but that seemed ancient to me at the time. If you believe the folklore he was suffering from a hangover on game day because he got drunk the night before. Interest in the game was so minimal it was blacked out in Los Angeles hoping to boost attendance. There was a reported 61,946 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum that day leaving over 30,000 seats empty. I listened to the game on the radio.
Over the years there are a few games that stand out. Super Bowl III when a brash Joe Namath predicted a win for the underdog NY Jets and backed up his promise with a victory over the powerful Baltimore Colts. Super Bowl XXII, in 1988, I was incredibly sick. We only had one amazing child at that time, our almost 5 year old son, so it wasn’t too much for me to ask to stay in bed and watch the game while Patrice took care of her two babies (David and me). I got ready to watch and just hoped for a good game because the previous few years there had been about 4 or 5 blowouts. I settled down and watched the Denver Broncos put up 10 quick points on the board and I said “Oh, no, not another blowout!” My fears were realized when the Broncos opponent, the Washington (then called the Redskins) put up 45 unanswered points.
One of my favorite memories was being in Portugal in 2017. It was about midnight and I was there with Patrice and our daughter, Erica. It was time for bed and Patrice wanted to head there. I said I was going to go down the street and watch the SB at the Hard Rock Cafe. Erica said she would keep me company. And Patrice not wanting to be left out joined us. The restaurant was not especially crowded but I did see a young man wearing a New England Patriots jersey. He seemed very excited about the game, anticipating another Patriot Super Bowl win. When New England fell behind 28-13 with 8:31 left in the 3rd quarter, I saw the kid literally laying face down on the floor. It was as if his life savings depended on the game outcome. I have to admit I always root for the underdog (unless my team is the favorite) so I was quite pleased to enjoy his misery. Football fans will remember that the Falcons proceeded to then experience one of the biggest collapses in football history. The Patriots won their 5th Super Bowl and the kid in the jersey had his life reinvigorated.
Many fans will remember Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 as the game pitted the Harbaugh brothers (John and Jim) against each other. John, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens took a commanding 28-6 lead in the 3rd quarter. Then there was a power outage that resulted in a 34 minute delay. When power was restored it was as if the teams had switched jerseys because the 49ers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, dominated the rest of the game but came up short losing 34-31. Many remember that great game because of the power outage and the exciting play on the field. I remember it because of the amazing filet mignon sliders at our friend, Melanie’s Super Bowl party. In fact that was all I looked forward to each Super Bowl Sunday for many years. Who cares about the game. I’m waiting for the half time filet mignon sliders. Heck, my mouth is watering just writing this sentence. Of course covid ended the parties and with that, adios to the sliders. This year the party (and I assume the sliders) returned. I had to message Melanie that we wouldn’t be at the party this year because as I told her, “I AM GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL”
Kickoff was scheduled for 3:40. The stadium is about a 30 minute drive from the house so we left a little early……. 11:30. I couldn’t leave too early………….. I WAS GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL.
Left to right, David, Me, Robyn, and Robyn’s brother, Marc just before we left for the game
We arrived at the stadium after a relatively short walk and having to avoid some religious zealots with loudspeakers and signs talking about God, the future of the human species, and some specifics about gays. With that obstacle avoided we then had to deal with security. One of the security screeners said that he thought my binoculars might be too big to let me in. Really? My binoculars are too big? Fine, give me Leonardo DiCaprio’s seats and you can have my binoculars Luckily the security guards did not have a problem with my binoculars and we entered the expo outside the stadium without incident. We looked at a variety of the exhibits with the most interesting being the line to see the Lombardi Trophy (Super Bowl winner’s prize). Who would wait about 30 minutes just get a look at the Super Bowl trophy (see below).
I would wait! Afterall, I am at the Super Bowl!
We then saw a display of all the Super Bowl Championship rings and then headed into the stadium. Our seats were great. We were seated among a lot of Seattle fans but that was fine with me since I planned to root for the Seahawks.
Getting ready to watch in person, my first Super Bowl.
The game was amazing with the Seahawks’ defense dominating the day/night. There were also some interesting sights in the stadium.
Two Seahawk fans possibly? Hmmm, in real life do you think one is a marriage counselor and the other a kindergarten teacher?
When the game ended, I didn’t want to leave. Neither did my mates. We stayed for the award presentations. The owner, coach, and MVP all thanked the fans of course. There was a lot of confetti and the traditional Gatorade on the coach’s head.
It was a spectacular day and thank you so much to David and Robyn for making it happen for me.
Patrice and my next trip will be to ………. Not trying to be coy, I really don’t remember because afterall, I JUST WENT TO THE SUPERBOWL!
Today we went on an adventure rather than a vacation but I just had to report it.
COSM in Inglewood opened in 2024. I thought it was a few years ago when I saw this venue on TV. COSM is “Cosmic Coliseum” and is like a miniature version of the Sphere in Las Vegas. I saw a report about COSM last year and I knew I had to go there someday soon. During the MLB playoffs I thought my time had come and I bought tickets to a Thursday night game. Unfortunately the listing on the website was incorrect. Instead of the game starting at 6 pm Pacific time, it was actually starting at 6 pm on the east coast. In spite of this being the website error, I could not get a refund of my money but only a credit. That kind of customer service is enough to turn me off to ever using a business. But they had my money and I still wanted to see a sporting event at the venue so I waited until the right time.
A Reiss family tradition has been to go to the movies on Christmas Day. Usually it was dad going to the movies with the kids, giving mom a chance to breathe. Of course like most moms, Patrice did the vast majority of childcare duties. This was an easy way for me to pretend I was helping her.
With our kids grown and out of the house, Patrice and I have continued our Christmas movie tradition. I was not very excited about the offerings today and then wondered what might be showing at COSM. I looked at what was offered and all I saw that fit our schedule was a meaningless game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders. Meaningless game was great because the prices of the tickets were reasonable.
Having never been to sporting event there I didn’t know which seats were best. I did some internet research and decided on level 2. The tickets there were slightly more expensive than level 3 so that must mean they are better, no? Unfortunately my logic was faulty.
We got to the venue early and found plenty of parking. You get a ticket in the lot and upon entry they validate your parking. Yes, 4 hours of free parking. Much better than the $40 to $80 you pay when you actually go to a sporting event.
The video was spectacular. For audio you heard the actual television broadcasters. In addition to the main screen there are two smaller screens that show you the television broadcast so you can see the event from different angles and all the replays. Any special tidbits from the broadcast (player interviews, highlights from other games) are also available.
The main COSM screen shows you the game from 3 different vantage points. One was a close up 50 yard line seat which was my favorite.
Almost like being on the sideline.
They also have the same view from a more distant site. (sorry, no picture of that).
Finally they had an end zone view (when the scrimmage line was inside the 35 yard line).
End zone view of Cowboy quarterback, Dak Prescott ready to take the snap from the Dallas 15 yard line.
In many ways it was much different from being at the game. The seats are MUCH more comfortable. At COSM you sit on cushioned sofas with a table to put your food and beverages. The food service, much like at the ballpark, is overpriced but you can order from and get delivery to your seat location.
In regards to the levels I think Level 3 would be preferred since the view of the main screen is as good as it is from Level 2 but you have the advantage of being able to see the two additional screens (for instant replays) without straining your neck.
Patrice and I waiting for the game to begin at Northwest Field in Landover, MD. But we are relaxed indoors in Inglewood, California.
Finally, I just want to end by saying, I really like Cheerios. That might seem totally irrelevant but a patient of mine said that General Mills pays bloggers for product placement and mentions. Did I tell you I would never sell out to corporate America? I lied!
Next trip is planned for February, any guesses where we might be going? I will give you a hint, it is NOT going to be at 1 General Mills Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55426. But I can’t rule that out in the future.
Today it is time to go home. I am happy to get back into my own comfy surroundings but it is very hard to leave our baby daughter behind. Here are a series of photos that will hopefully bring a smile to your face.
Not quite sure what farton chocolate is or how it tastes and with a name like that I am not sure I want to try it.I appreciate the effort toward recycling but possibly the people of Madrid need better aim.We were on the Christmas train (Line 3; the Yellow Line of the metro). I love this photo.Should I bring these pens to my tattoo removal volunteer gig?The entire city is decorated for Christmas, I particularly like this drawing of the 3 wise men in the metro.This warning at El Rastro is very much appreciated even if the grammar isn’t. I agree with this sentiment. I saw it on the way out because previously I had been on my phone (JUST KIDDING!)Eric was upset, no pictures of the dogs from El Perro y la Galleta restaurant. So here you are.Cigarette machine. Something we saw in multiple restaurants. So happy we don’t see them in the US any longer. If they are still in the US, I haven’t seen any. I remember there used to be one in the stairwell at Centinela Hospital. Can I confess now, that I used to unplug it?Last photo of the trio this trip. I’m NOT CRYING (yet)
I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as we did. Our next trip is not scheduled as yet but it might be sooner than you think.
Today was our last full day in Madrid with our wonderful daughter, Erica. Every moment with her is a delight because we see her so infrequently. When we leave tomorrow it will be very difficult for me.
But let’s focus on today because it appears I’m on the verge of stardom. It seems as if Erica’s colleagues have not subscribed to the blog yet but another person who I don’t know did. At this rate of growth I only need to blog for about another 70 years to make this thing profitable.
I did get an exciting pat on the back yesterday in regards to my blog. I was notified by a neurologist consultant, that one of my favorite patients, Irv, would be having emergency spine surgery last night. I messaged him to see how he was doing and let him know that I was aware of the problem. Irv confirmed that he was in the hospital about to have surgery and asked me how the Madrid swimming pool fishing was going. OMG! Someone about to have emergency surgery is reading my blog? How could I be more thrilled?
Prior to leaving on our trip, Patrice and I were experimenting with an AI program called Grok. We asked it if it was familiar with the famous blogger named Robert Reiss. It said YES! It proceeded to tell about our recent trip to New York City. That is information it could only have gotten from my blog. I’M FAMOUS! I’M FAMOUS! Before I get too excited let me back up and say it got a couple of facts wrong. It said we went to NYC to celebrate my birthday (we were actually going as a celebration of Patrice’s birthday) and that I was celebrating my 90th. I’m happy to report although my age is more than I care to admit, 90 is quite a way off. It reported Patrice’s age as 46. Nothing more will be said about that statement. I asked if it knew if the famous blogger did any other work and it correctly stated I was a doctor for UCLA health. It said we have one child (off by two) whose name is Lindsay (that is correct). When I told it that the famous blogger actually has three children it replied that I was correct (thank you for that affirmation) and their names are Amanda and Andrew. Erica and David, welcome to your new names and Patrice, relax, I don’t have a secret family.
Breakfast today was at a place recommend by one of Patrice’s friends. Patrice promised to reimburse me if I didn’t like the meal. What is wrong with that picture? Cafe Murillo (Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón, 27, Retiro, 28014 Madrid) is located next to the Murillo entrance for the Prado (a famous museum which we have been to multiple times). The restaurant opens at 12 pm but online we could only get a reservation for 1 pm so we went early hoping to be seated. We arrived at 12 and told our greeter that we had a reservation for 1. She smiled at us and asked “Americanos?”
The restaurant was beautiful. Patrice and Erica shared an eggplant parmesan which was small but they liked it very much. I had the “huevos rotos” (broken eggs) which looked beautiful but was a bit disappointing. For dessert we had chocolate fondant (also known as chocolate lava cake). It was served with a scoop of ice cream and this was something I would tell all my patients to avoid. It was superb.
Eggplant Parmesan Broken EggsChocolate Fondant with ice cream. Yes, amazing.
We then toured the Real Jardin Botanico (Royal Botanical Garden). It was lovely. I especially liked the bonsai plants. I also liked the free entry, as a professor, even more.
Bonsai that reminds me of the sculpture in Sol.
This is my favorite photo from the garden.
The three of us in the Botanical Garden green house.
After a rest at the hotel we decided our final dinner in Madrid should be a Spanish traditional meal. So we took a vote between paella, cocido, Jamon Iberica and finally decided on Indian food.
Tomorrow we head for home. As usual I will finish our trip with a series of photos that I found interesting and hopefully you will too.
We got an early start today (leaving the hotel at about 11:30) to get something to eat. Breakfast looked much better than it tasted here are two photos for Claudette’s enjoyment.
Patrice had the omelette. Jamón, tomato, and toast for me.
Following lunch, (oops I meant breakfast. I got confused because we ate at noon, the traditional breakfast time for Spaniards) and headed to look at an apartment with Erica. I was very uncomfortable because some of the jamón from breakfast was stuck between my teeth. We didn’t have time to go back to the hotel so I made a quick stop at a pharmacy to get some floss. When I saw they wanted 8 € for a small container of floss my tooth discomfort was almost completely relieved. We later found some floss at a supermercado (supermarket) for about 2 € and my faith in the Spanish system was renewed.
Erica seemed to like the apartment we saw today so we visited a bank to see if she could get a hipoteca (mortgage). At the bank we learned she could get a mortgage at a 2.5% annual rate. I then interrupted the conversation and said “Forget about Erica, can you help ME refinance my house?” The banker gave me a rather curious look. I supposed it was because they don’t do mortgages for properties in the USA. I asked Erica and she said that was not the case, it was because my Spanish is not very good. Apparently, instead of asking about a mortgage I asked if the fishing is good in Madrid swimming pools.
This afternoon we were the honored guests at the Irish Embassy Christmas party. Actually, we were invited to attend after they finished eating. Apparently Erica told them if I was invited for the meal they would have to increase the party budget. It was great meeting her coworkers because they all seem to love Erica. I never tire of hearing how wonderful my children are. I also met some of Erica’s colleagues who were very interested in my blog and promised to become followers. They seemed like two wonderful people with whom I’m very pleased to share our travels and I say welcome to Patrick and Tamzin. They each agreed to get 1,000 of their closest friends to sign on as followers so I can make this a second career.
Next we headed to one of my favorite places to eat in Madrid, El Brillante (Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, 8, Centro, 28012 Madrid). This place is famous for their calamari sandwiches and the waiters who yell at each other.
The waiter spotted us as Americans and handed us the menu with pictures. Look at all the yummy choices we had. See below.
This is why you come to Spain, you just can’t get a great fried pig ear in L.A.Lamb intestines are also a tough item to find.
I also had a choice of pig stomach but even those the above items were temping but I opted for the bocadillo (sandwich) they call, “El Brillante”, the same name as the restaurant. It is fried calamari and absolutely delicious.
After eating we went to the Madrid Comedy Lab for a comedy show. I hope you are impressed that my Spanish is good enough to enjoy a comedy show in Madrid. Unfortunately I need to confess that it was all in English.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Madrid. If you don’t think it will be tough for me since we will soon be leaving our dear baby, then you don’t know me.
We had a wonderful day with Erica yesterday. We looked at another apartment which was a bit of a disappointment but had a great time going for wonderful meals, visiting the Matisse exhibition, and of course dealing with my toes. I failed to report about our after-dinner visit to Retiro park. For those not familiar with Madrid, El Retiro “The Retreat” is a real treasure. Besides its unusual beauty it adds special holiday lighting during the Xmas season. Erica was excited to share this with us. Dinner was at a restaurant across the street from the park so after a brief walk we were treated to a beautiful show. We stopped for a quick photo as we planned to circle the display and then return to the hotel.
You can see part of the Xmas light display behind us. I am sure you will agree this is very special.
As we came to the end of the display a security guard drove rather close to us and gave me a bit of a startle. We continued our stroll, then suddenly all the display lights turned off. At that point we started to walk toward the exit. Before we got to where we entered we were told by another tourist that the gate was closed and we had to find another place to leave the park. So we then started towards the metro exit. Before we could get to the metro station we met 4 tourists from Belgium who let us know the metro exit was locked. Erica said let’s try the Atocha exit. She seemed confident that we would be able to leave the park at that location but I was nervous about possibly being forced to spend the night in the park. We then picked up 3 Spanish speaking women who seemed more interested taking pictures than finding a way out of the park. Next we met a French student doing a study abroad year She seemed very grateful to Erica for apparently leading her to safety. I wasn’t as confident. Finally, all 8 of us, (we and our new found friends) made it to the Atocha gate and were able to exit the park and get back to our hotel. The whole event was a bit traumatic but will make for a funny story one day (hopefully today). Later, Patrice read about some tourists who got stuck in the park for two hours looking for an exit after closing hours. I suppose by comparison we were very lucky.
With the trauma of last night behind us, we spent today mostly looking at apartments for Erica and………. eating. Both are very fun activities for me.
A little travel tip that most of you probably already know, but maybe will help one of you. Years ago, prior to travel you would need to get local currency prior to boarding your plane at home. Now that is totally unnecessary. You will find that pretty much every merchant will take your credit card (I recommend using Apple Pay) for reimbursement. You might want some local cash for small purchases (for a dollar or two). When you use your credit card you will be asked if you want the merchant to charge you in the local currency (in Spain, it is the Euro) or US Dollars. ALWAYS choose the local currency. You will get a much better exchange rate from your bank than from the merchant. For example today we had a lunch that cost us 44.05 €. The merchant option was to pay $56.01. The conversion of 44.05 € using Google was $52.22. I was charged $51.88 on my credit card.
We are headed to a late dinner now so I will check in with you again tomorrow.
Love those comments. Please keep messaging me so I know I am not just writing to myself.
Robert Reiss Travel Blog and Other Ramblings 