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As every year, Madrid dresses up in lights and colours to celebrate the most magical season: Christmas. From November 29 2024 to January 6 2025 the Naviluz experience returns, the famous Christmas bus that travels through the illuminated streets of the city. We bring you all the information for you to take advantage of it and a summary of our experience! Inaugurated in 2012 and originally known as ‘’ the Christmas Bus ‘’, Naviluz breaks records every year for the number of attendees and lights to enjoy. For the Festivities 2024-2025, the city council deployed 12 million LED lights at 230 locations across Madrid. One of the biggest surprises this year is that the lights include designs created by first and second grade children, who won a competition promoted by the city council. In addition, the iconic illuminated tree at Puerta del Sol will have a new design, 37 metres high and 245,000 points of light. 🚌 What is the tour like? The route of the Christmas Bus has only one stop , in Calle Felipe IV, on the side of the Prado Museum (just behind the statue of Goya in front of the Prado Museum). At the end of the circuit, the bus drops off a few metres away, at Plaza Cánovas del Castillo. The approximate duration of the journey varies between 45 and 50 minutes, depending on traffic. The Naviluz 2024 runs through some of the most emblematic areas of Madrid. The districts along the route are Retiro , Salamanca , Chamberí and Centro , passing through important points such as Serrano, Velázquez, Gran Vía, Alcalá and Cibeles. Thanks to the open-air roof , you will enjoy the lights from a privileged perspective. The festive atmosphere makes Naviluz an experience to go with family, friends or as a couple; it is a unique opportunity to feel the Christmas season in all its splendour. 🎟️ How do I get tickets? Tickets for Naviluz 2024 have been available since 15 November on an official website set up by the Madrid City Council and tend to sell out quickly. Here is a mini tutorial: Book online : Go to the website ( click here ) and select date and time. Prices : Tickets vary according to the time before or after 9pm. Adults pay 10 or 8 euros; seniors over 65, children up to 11 years old or people with disabilities pay 5 or 4 euros; while children under 7 years old can enjoy the ride for free. Pro tip : If you can't find tickets for a bus you are interested in, we suggest you look for other buses for the exact same time (there may be three buses leaving every ten minutes!) or try another schedule. The number of seats occupied can vary considerably depending on the day and time you choose. 🌟 Our take Naviluz is, beyond any doubt, one of the must-see plans in Madrid during Christmas. It combines the best of the monuments and points of interest with an original experience. If you are a tourist, you can get to know the city with a dazzling first look. If you are a resident, you can see Madrid in a new light that will make you fall in love with it. In previous editions they had put carols on the loudspeakers of the bus and gave it an extra touch, but unfortunately this year there were none. We advise you to take some extra warm clothes if you are going upstairs, because of the extra wind when the vehicle is in motion. On this occasion there was a group of six of us and we were in the first seats on the top deck of the bus, we had a lovely time and took lots of photos, video calls and filming! Our opinion To give you a better idea of what Naviluz is all about, here is a video with a summary of the highlights of our experience this year: 🎫 Have you got your tickets yet? Hurry up, because they're selling fast. And remember, if you found this content useful, like, subscribe and join us on our next cultural trip! Questions for our readers: Have you ever done the Naviluz and how was your experience? Do you know of any Christmas light tours elsewhere that you would recommend? Leave your answer in the comments!

We survived the Great War and were lucky enough to be able to enjoy Taylor Swift's historic "The Eras Tour" concert in Madrid 🌟 But... what many have been asking us these last few weeks: 🎫 How did we get tickets to see Taylor? It is no surprise to anyone to know how complicated it is to get tickets for Taylor Swift, it was experienced in the same way all over the world and particularly from Spain with Tomi we experienced it that way: Taylor announces the "Europe Leg" and among the cities he will be playing in is Madrid on 30 May. → Twitter explodes, we all go crazy with joy. Since the announcement, Ticketmaster gives 72hs to register on a form. → Basically if you weren't on Twitter you didn't know about it. Months later you might (or might not) be lucky enough to receive a magic link and code to access ticket sales. → As you can imagine... I didn't get one. Tristeza nao tem fin. They enable tickets ONLY for people with a code. → Which, by the way, only those who had registered within 72 hours could receive it. The tickets are sold out in a matter of hours. → We lose all hope of seeing Taylor. There is hope! They manage to move a game that was at the Bernabeue and announce a new date for May 29th.→ Once again I receive no code.... In the midst of the chaos of these new mails, Tomi finds out that a colleague at work HAS A CODE and she manages to get us 2 tickets for the 29th. → Wtf are we going to see Taylor? WE'RE GOING TO SEE TAYLOR!!!✨🎉 👢How was the preparation before the concert? After the emotional ups and downs we went through, the date of the concert was approaching and we had to define two crucial aspects for it: 1 - The Outfit We know that this recital is an ideal opportunity for all those fashionistas and seamstresses who literally build works of art to wear these days, but I regret to inform you that this was not our case. Not having this kind of talent, we made do with going "colour coded" and dressing in the colours we like the most. For those of you who like to browse this kind of stuff: Tomi went lilac for "Speak Now" and I went blue for "Midnights" 💜💙. 2- The friendship bracelets We couldn't be without friendship bracelets to exchange at the recital. So we went in search of beads and beads of letters to make our own. We got what we were looking for in the Action and Tedi shops. We had several get-togethers with friends, in cafes and homes, with Taylor playlists, where we enjoyed spending time together and, most importantly, making lots and lots of bracelets to exchange. ✨I share with you photos of the bracelets I made for this day: 🏟️ The long-awaited day has arrived We went to the concert in full enjoyment mode and we didn't plan beforehand to record videos for Reels or Youtube in order to be present in the moment. Buuut as the concert progressed we found ourselves recording little clips of cute moments, like Taylor's entrance to the stage, the torches of the mobile phones in Marjorie, or the colourful light project of the Eras in My Tears Ricochet. It wasn't until several days after the concert, that we were watching again the videos we had recorded that day and decided to share them on our Youtube channel to share a little piece of that joy with more people. We share with you our favourite moments from Taylor Swift's concert. Taylor's entrance to the stage - Eras Tour Madrid N1 We were very quiet waiting for the recital to start until we saw the famous "cleaning box" in which everyone knows what goes inside Taylor and from then on the screaming didn't stop until 3 and a half hours later. All too well - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 One of the songs that goes into my top 5 Taylor songs without a doubt. The arms were not going to resist 10 minutes of recording, but I tried to record my favourite part when it starts with "And maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much". Don't blame me - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 Iconic. I wanted to record the mega note that Taylor hits in this song, I ended up recording the transition from "Don't blame me" to "Look what you made me do". It wasn't intentional, but we appreciate it 🙌🏻 Willow - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 This song is simply magical. And you know what the worst thing is? I heard this song for the first time when I saw the Eras Tour in the cinema. Until then, although I knew it existed, I hadn't heard it. It was a before and after and just like that it became one of my top 5. Style - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 I wanted to record the colour combination of Taylor's outfit in Era 1989 because it had the colours of the Spanish flag! And it couldn't miss the famous strut (or walk) that Taylor does in this song, queen 💅🏻. But Daddy I love him - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 At the Europe Leg we were treated to a glimpse of Taylor's new Era with 7 songs from "The Tortured Poets Department" or as they call it in my TL "The Tortured Poets". In this video I put together 3 fragments of the beginning of the era and parts of the song. Who's afraid of little old me? - Eras Tour Madrid N1 My favourite from the TTPD album. As this era wasn't in the film version I didn't want to spoil anything online until I saw it live, and I'm glad I filmed it because eeh, the eyes at the end?!? Nono, it's just all good. Fortnight - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 Can we talk about the fact that there is a bed spinning on the stage? I didn't notice it at the time, but then watching the video again I noticed that the bed structure has the initials of the TTPD album on it. I love the details that the people who put the show together have, they are in everything. I can do it with a broken heart - Eras Tour Madrid N1 It always makes me feel upset to enjoy this song with its undertones, but Tay manages to transform her pain into art with astonishing ease. Did you notice that within the song you can hear the cues from her in-monitor? By the way, this video is courtesy of Tomi, who recorded 100% of this song. Lavender Haze - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 This is the only song I filmed 100% complete and you know why? Because it's Tomi's favourite (aww💜) and I wanted him to be able to have the recording to watch as many times as he wants after the show. So if you like the video you know who we have it thanks to. Karma - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 The end of the night is approaching at the Bernabeu and everyone is shouting "karma is a cat". The atmosphere is super festive, all the dancers dressed in colourful costumes, lots of confetti and even mini fireworks. ✨ Definitely the best closing for this +3 hours of recital! Canciones Varias - The Eras Tour Madrid N1 As I mentioned in the intro of this section, it all started by filming small fragments of beautiful moments of the concert. As they were so short, 20 or 40 seconds, we decided to compile it all into a "mixed" video. 🎶 In this video you have mini clips of: Cruel Summer, Betty, August, My Tears Ricochet, Marjorie y Shake it Off. This was our experience of seeing Taylor in Madrid! Honestly, it was a total pleasure and we are very grateful to have had the opportunity to see her live. I feel it's a concert that will go down in history, like Queen or Beatles in their time, and one day I'll be able to tell my grandchildren that we saw it in person. If you've read everything up to this point, thank you very much for your support 💜 You know you can subscribe to receive the updates we upload and follow us on social media to keep up to date with all the content we publish. Question section for our swiftie readers: Did you go to The Eras Tour concert? Which is your favourite era? Which surprise song would you have liked to hear? I'd love to read your answers in the comments! 💜

Until 8 September 2024, at CaixaForum Madrid you can attend the exhibition "The Science of Pixar" and unravel the secrets of how your favourite animated films are made. This summer Madrid is hosting the interactive exhibition that began in 2015 at the Museum of Science in Boston and since 2017 has been travelling the world to show the details of 3D animation. The Science of Pixar is an approximately one-and-a-half-hour tour through nine sectors that correspond to each step of the production process (pipeline) of a Pixar animated film. Tickets are available for €6 every day, but children under 16 and La Caixa customers get in free. Open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, it is open to all ages and fully accessible. Located on the first floor of the exhibition centre, upon entering there is a reception hall with a short five-minute introductory video in which Pixar's digital designers and animators explain their work process. The creators' comments are interspersed with clips from Pixar films to give a better appreciation of each example. The exhibition is then divided into nine sectors, corresponding to the steps of the film production process: art and sketches; modelling; articulation; surfaces; sets and cameras; animation, simulation, lighting and rendering. In each of them, the exhibition set up interactive stations to experience first-hand what each step consists of. Some of the interactive stations have parts of different materials and textures or involve correctly positioning buttons and levers to achieve the desired effect on the 3D model. Others are high-tech and allow you to tweak the animation in real time with surprising results. On a very positive note, there was more than one interactive station (two, even three) in each section to avoid delays or queues that would have detracted from the experience. In addition, each section is set with a Pixar movie set design and original soundtracks from the best blockbusters can be enjoyed. Throughout the tour you can take as many photos and videos as you like, without flash. Each installation has precise indications of which parts or objects can be touched and how to interact with the electronic controls. At the end of the exhibition, you can go to the CaixaForum gift shop and buy souvenirs or gifts alluding to Pixar. You're sure to want to see some of the films you experienced again! Want to see the exhibition in detail? We share with you our video with everything you need to know about the Science of Pixar: And remember, if you found this content useful, please like, subscribe and join us on our next cultural journey! Questions for our readers: What is your favourite Pixar film? What other interactive exhibition have you visited? Leave your answer in the comments!

Until 26 May 2024, at Feria de Madrid you will be able to attend the "Pixar World" exhibition organised by Fever and enjoy immersive rooms with the films of the Pixar animation studio. This year IFEMA's Hall 5 is hosting a 360° exhibition featuring many of the most famous 3D animated characters. The installation shares space, although it is separate, with the Jurassic World exhibition. Pixar World is an hour-long tour of different rooms with recreations of Pixar films. Tickets are available from €12.8 and vary according to day, time and availability. It is open daily from 09:00 to 21:00, is open to all ages and is fully accessible. The site is huge, with over 3000 m2 of exhibition space. On arrival, there is a reception hall for each group of visitors to wait and enter at the appropriate time. From then on, there is a set design and Pixar images to start the immersive tour. After passing through a tunnel with LED screens, in a first immersive room with a micro-cinema, visitors listen to a welcome video and an introductory explanation given by the exhibition staff, who announce that the tour is guided and unidirectional, with no way back. There it is announced that the tour is guided and unidirectional, with no possibility of turning back. You can take as many photos and videos as you like, including interacting with certain parts of the rooms when indicated. It is requested that you do not touch with your hands or feet the spaces that are not marked. The next twelve circuit rooms recreate the sets and characters from UP, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, Elementary, Coco, Luca, Inside Out, Cars, Ratataouille and Finding Nemo. In each room, the scenery is accompanied by giant screens, the soundtracks of each film, and even allusive smells. In addition, #PixarWorld offers a small treasure hunt in which you must find the Pixar ball hidden in each of the rooms. At the end of the exhibition, there is a gift shop and you return to the reception room - you'll definitely want to go back and watch some of the films you visited! Want to see the exhibition in detail? We share with you our video with everything you need to know about Pixar World and each of the rooms: Questions for our readers: What is your favourite Pixar film? What other exhibitions have you visited with film re-enactments?? Leave your answer in the comments!

It is well known that you cannot go through airport security with liquids of more than 100ml and I am sure we all know someone who has had their bottle of water taken from them at the security scanner. And whether it's to take medicine, in case we get a cough on the plane or just because we're thirsty, there are many of us who are reassured to have a bottle of water with us during the flight. With Tomi, as soon as we get through the security checkpoint we set out to get one, and that's why in this video we want to share with you where to get the cheapest water in an airport. Food shops at the airport Food and beverages of all kinds are available in these shops, and there are several of them in every airport terminal. But if you look closely, you will notice that in 2023 the price of a small bottle of water is between 2.25 and 4.10 euros. In addition, most of these shops are not open around the clock, so if you are at the airport in the early hours of the morning, you cannot buy water from them. We therefore advise against getting water from the shops at the airport, although in an emergency they are still an available option. Where to get the cheapest water at the airport Nowadays, we find food and beverage vending machines in most airports, which is where we can find bottles of water at the lowest price. Also, unlike in shops, vending machines are available 24/7, so we can always count on this option. However, in these machines there can be several brands of water, each with a different price. These machines are self-service, so if you are going to buy your water in one of them we recommend you to check the price of all of them and make sure that the price of the water you prefer is the cheapest before selecting it. For example, in the machines we saw in Barajas there was one option for 2.50 euros, another for 1.80 euros and another for 1.50 euros. Incidentally, six months ago the cheapest water was only 1 euro, so they increased them, but even so, it is still the cheapest option if we need to buy a bottle of water at the airport. Another advantage of the vending machines is that, as they are self-service, they allow you to get your water without any problem at any airport in the world, without language barriers. Where to get free water at the airport Now let's see how to get free water at the airport. This tip requires that we carry a bottle with us in our backpack and - very important - the bottle has to be EMPTY BEFORE going through the security checkpoint. Once through the security checkpoint we will look for one of these drinking fountains to refill our bottle. The vast majority of airports usually have drinking fountains, either in the corridors or near the toilets. At Barajas we discovered one that we had not seen before and it is this automatic drinking fountain where you bring your bottle and the water comes out by itself. So, as long as we bring our own bottle, we can refill it at the airport drinking fountains and thus obtain fresh, drinkable and, above all, free water to drink during the rest of the flight. A self-service Starbucks at Barajas airport? As a little bonus, for those who like Starbucks, at Barajas airport you can find these self-service mini-stands where you can prepare your own coffee. They work with a card, have a digital screen to choose the options and on the sides you can find the cups, lids, straws, sugar, mixers and napkins. We didn't use them this time, but maybe in the future we'll try them out and see how similar this coffee is to the one in the shop. We leave you the complete video with all the information: Questions for our readers: Have you ever had your water taken away from you at a security checkpoint? Do you know of any airport where they offer free water? Leave your answer in the comments!

Until January 14th 2024, the CaixaForum in Madrid is bringing the exhibition "Revered and Feared", which analyses the representation of women in universal art through more than 150 pieces on loan from the British Museum. The CaixaForum in Madrid is a space that brings together several cultural exhibitions a year with current and attractive proposals. This time we came to visit Revered and Feared, a compilation that highlights the multiple faces of female power, with more than 150 pieces from the British Museum. This exhibition runs until 14 January 2024. We begin our journey in room 1, "Life and Creation", where women's connection with nature and creation takes centre stage. The Roman statue of the goddess Demeter and the Egyptian papyrus of the goddess Nut introduce us to the wealth of representations of divinities associated with life and fertility. From Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, to examples from Japan, Nigeria, Ireland and Cambodia, the diversity of perspectives is impressive. Room 2, "Love", features Venus, Aphrodite, and other deities who have been objects of desire in different cultures. From the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar to pottery from Athens reflecting social relations in Ancient Greece, the exhibition explores the role of women as symbols of attraction and beauty in various mythologies and eras. Room 3, "Demons and Magic", takes us into the mysterious world of diabolical goddesses, witches and sorceresses. From the marble sculpture of the Roman goddess Hecate to depictions of Medusa, the exhibition examines the transgressive role of women associated with magic around the world, with further examples from Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Africa. In room 4, "Justice and Defence", the focus shifts to women as protectors and guardians. The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, the lioness warrior, heads this section, accompanied by the strategic wisdom of Athena and the fertility of Oshun in Yoruba culture. Although some figures may appear bloodthirsty, the exhibition highlights how these female divinities were invoked to protect their people. Room 5, "Mothers and Saviours", introduces us to saviours and mothers, highlighting female figures as spiritual guides. From Avalokiteshvara in Buddhism to Isis in Egyptian mythology, the exhibition explores how mother goddesses have been central to different cultures throughout history. Finally, room 6 invites us to participate in an interactive experience where we explore five attributes: Fertility, Sensuality, Ambition, Rage and Resilience, as power or condemnation. A unique opportunity to reflect on the diversity of roles and attributes associated with women throughout time, and even in the present. "Revered and Feared" at CaixaForum is a fascinating window into the richness and complexity of female power in the history of humanity. If you are in Madrid, don't miss this exhibition which will be on display until 14 January 2024! We hope you enjoy this experience as much as we do! We leave you here below a video with a summary of the highlights of the exhibition: And remember, if you found this content useful, please like, subscribe and join us on our next cultural journey! Questions for our readers: What is your favourite goddess or mythological female figure? What other exhibitions have you visited that explore female power in history? Leave your answer in the comments!

With this two-part post we inaugurate the Crossroads of Cultures category of the blog. The main idea is to create a space for comparison between cultural attractions that can be found in different parts of the world, to explain them "through the eyes of" the other culture. In the previous part, we looked at the history of European gardens, their different main styles and the elements they shared with Asian gardens. Today we are going to focus on Asian gardens and see how they differ from the cases we met. Now you know the Asian gardens and can play at recognising the different styles when you visit! Whatever they are, they are all a beautiful stop on our travels. They are a unique window to appreciate the culture of these countries and their relationship with nature, and don't forget that you can also find examples outside Asia! Questions for our readers: What is your favourite East Asian garden? Why do you like to visit monumental gardens on your travels? Leave your answer in the comments!

With this post we inaugurate the Crossroads of Cultures category of the blog. The main idea is to create a space for comparison between cultural attractions that can be found in different parts of the world, to explain them "through the eyes of" the other culture. For example, more and more Asian tourists are visiting European destinations. If the sites they will visit are explained through comparisons with similar examples they have in their own countries, they will get more out of their travel experience. At the same time, it helps any Western reader to reason out many things that are naturalised as being "their own thing". In this first entry, we will enjoy European gardens through the eyes of Asian gardens. In most tourist destinations these large green spaces are part of the list of priority attractions, so it is very useful to be able to delve into their logic and secrets. Despite this classification, combinations or variants of them have emerged over time. And don't let the names fool you: you can find Italian gardens in Prague, French gardens in Vienna or English gardens in Madrid! Now you can play at recognising the different styles when you visit a garden in Europe! Whatever they are, they are all a beautiful stop on our travels. In some we can have picnics, in others we can sit in the sun or look for shade, in others we can take unforgettable photographs. In the second part, you will learn about the characteristics of gardens in Asia and how they differ from what we saw in Europe. You will see that it is a whole different world! Questions for our readers: What is your favourite garden in Europe? Why do you like to visit monumental gardens on your travels? Leave your answer in the comments!

From the "prehistoric" printed maps to today's Google Maps, we all need to use some form of guidance or orientation when we are travelling somewhere new. In our first trips we used to carry printed maps or we would ask for them in information centres or hotels where we would mark the places to go with a pen or pencil. Later, with the advance of mobile phones, we started to use GPS tools to guide us, more specifically: Google Maps. But what was the problem with Google Maps? We needed to have internet to use it! And back then, international roaming had exorbitant prices and the use of prepaid chips with data was not yet implemented, so we didn't have internet access except for the occasional establishment that offered free Wifi. So how did we use the maps if we didn't have internet? Simple, we downloaded them to our mobile and used them offline. And this is something we still do today, even if we have data, because you never know when your mobile signal might go down and having access to a map is essential for any trip. Especially if you don't speak the local language. WATCH THE TUTORIAL: We recommend downloading the maps before the trip. That way you can download them to your mobile while connected to data or wifi. How to download offline maps step by step with Google Maps Open the Google Maps application. Click on your profile picture. Click where it says "Offline Maps". Click on "Select your own map". Adjust the area you want for your map by zooming or un-zooming with your fingers. Once you have the area selected click on "Download". Then click on "Download now". Wait a few minutes for it to download and we have our map! 📱If you want to test it and check that it has downloaded correctly, put your mobile in "aeroplane mode" and without being connected to wifi or data, try to search for places on the map. Questions for our readers: ¿Have you ever downloaded maps to your mobile phone? What do you use Google Maps for most (looking for places to eat, how to get to a place by public transport, opening hours...)?

With this post we inaugurate the category Travel Stories. This section of our blog will be told from the point of view of different guest writers. In this first reflection, Lucía shares a comparison of what it was like to organise trips before and after the digital world, here we share a brief profile of her: I am Lucia, an Argentinean passionate about travelling. Since I was a little girl we used to travel with my parents to visit my grandparents who lived in another province, that filled me with joy, partly because of the trip itself, partly to see my grandparents and partly because of the new friendships I met there. Then when I grew up I began to broaden my horizons and so I travelled through all the provinces of my large country, neighbouring countries and then Europe. I enjoy travelling from the very first moment, from the moment my brain starts thinking about different alternatives of where to go on the next trip until I come back and look at the photos of the trip. Being from the generation of the 60's I have gone through great changes at the moment of organising and carrying out the trip due to technological changes. 1. Maps On my first trips, I always went out with printed fold-out maps of the country, regions and provinces and, depending on the area I was travelling to, I also had a Pirelli, YPF or Michelin guide to help me find my way around. Then we added the portable GPS, later the one in the car and now with the APPS on the phones, Google Maps, internet, artificial intelligence. With Google Maps or some other app we have instant route status, traffic status, etc. On my first trips I would mark on a map the route I was going to take, then I would make a summary of the main routes and note down the km where I had to turn off or take another route. When I arrived in a city, the first thing I did was to look for a tourist office to get a map of the city and mark the places I was interested in visiting according to the time I was going to be in that city. Today I download the Apina map with the places already marked. 2. Booking tickets When I didn't travel by car and I had to book tickets, I did it through a travel agency, it was good to have a friendly travel agency that would listen to you and guide you to make the trip of your dreams. They would put together the circuit with the airline tickets, hotels, tours and itineraries in each city and a copy of the maps of each city to visit. They would give you a bulky envelope with the vouchers for the whole tour and there you would go to see what you were really going to find. Today, you search for places from your computer or phone, look at the different alternatives offered by the market, compare circuits, read comments from other travellers, put together your own route and buy and pay for the different tickets, hotels and tours without leaving your armchair. And if you don't want to worry about organising your own itinerary, you can search on the web for the tours and do it all from your computer or phone. 3. Organising trips: places to visit When it came to defining the circuit to be covered and the places to visit, I used travel guides. In my case, I used Pirelli, YPF, Michelin guides and travel books. Today, I read different blogs and I put together my itinerary according to what most appeals to me. 4. Communications Communication with the family was a big issue. When I went on holiday I had to be aware of finding a public phone or a call centre to let them know how we were doing, then the mobile phone appeared, but in many places there was no coverage, but it was still a step forward and now with today's mobile phones you can make video calls almost anywhere. Making a live video and sharing the moment you are living with your loved ones is great! That they enjoy that moment with you is very nice, it's not the same as showing a photo of the place some time later. 5. Money The money for the trip! What a change! Before, I had to think about where to take my money, make sure it was safe, large notes so that it didn't bulge so much, a little small money for the immediate needs and then get change at each destination, praying not to lose it, or use a traveller's cheque. Then credit cards appeared, but you couldn't use them in all businesses, and in some countries they wouldn't even accept certain types of cards. They had to go through a manual post to register the number and fill in by hand the amount you had spent. Today with contactless credit cards, virtual wallets, etc. that issue has disappeared. You just have to have your phone at hand, or your watch or the right chip! I've even got as far as my phone, we'll see how I get on! Time goes by, great changes take place, we adapt quickly to everything new and we think how we could have lived without all these advances, but luckily other new things always appear that amaze us and we go for more. What always remains is the travelling spirit, the desire to get to know something new, to meet people, to get to know other cultures that enrich you, to experience the journey from the very beginning and that remains engraved in your heart. Questions for our readers: What surprised you most about the way you used to travel? What is your favourite tool for organising travel nowadays? Leave your answer in the comments!

We all know someone who has had to pay for excess baggage or pay for an extra bag at the last minute. It happened to us, without going any further. The first time was in 2014 on our way back from Prague, when we had narrowly overbooked and the airline staff took pity on us and let us through without paying the fine of.... 100 euros! As a result of this experience, for our subsequent trips we started to travel with an analogue scale. Although it allowed us to always know the approximate weight, it was more cumbersome and heavier. For this reason, we thought about getting a digital luggage scale, which could be one of the best investments you can make before your next trip! Digital scales are easy to use. All you need to do is place your luggage on the strap and lift the scale. The weight is displayed on the digital display within seconds. This way, you don't have to worry about guessing how much your luggage weighs or having to ask a stranger to hold your luggage while you weigh it. In addition, digital luggage scales are small and portable, which means you can take them with you on any trip. This is especially useful if you plan to shop while on holiday and want to make sure that your luggage does not exceed the maximum weight on your return home. Another advantage of digital scales is that they allow you to distribute the weight evenly across your suitcases. So if you find that one suitcase is heavier than the other, you can rearrange your belongings to balance the weight and avoid additional overweight charges. It is clear then that digital luggage scales offer more advantages than analogue scales. Previously, we had to deal with their inaccurate measurements and we know that often half a kilo makes the difference in not paying for excess baggage! In addition, the analogue scales were heavier and bulkier, difficult to carry on journeys to check the weight on the return journey, clearly the most contentious leg of the journey. The new digital scales are more accurate, easier to use, portable and versatile, making them a superior choice for us travellers. That's why we mention it first in this section of our blog: a digital baggage scale is an essential tool for any traveller who wants to save money on overweight charges on their flights, or simply keep better track of weight on all legs of their journey. Be sure to add one to your list of must-haves for your next trip - your wallet will thank you! Where can you get it? → Digital Luggage Scale: https://amzn.to/44gJRvk 🎁 OUR RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS • https://cutt.ly/75Kas3U As an Amazon Affiliate, we get a small commission if you use the affiliate links. This will not cost you extra and with your purchase it is possible to continue to generate content for this site. Thank you for your support! Questions for our readers: Have you ever had to pay for excess baggage or pay for extra luggage? If you were overweight with your luggage, what would be the last thing you would remove from your suitcase?

On Sunday 16 April, more than 17,000 people took part in the 10th Race Against Cancer in the city of Madrid. The initiative was promoted by the Spanish Association Against Cancer, a civil society institution that has been fighting the disease on all fronts since 1953. The event, which took up the entire Paseo de la Castellana, featured two traditional circuits of 4km and 10km, with independent starts, as well as children's races and the Family Activity Space in the Plaza del Descubrimiento. In addition, there was the possibility of joining the race through the Dorsal 0, collaborating with a contribution but without the need to run, thus also crossing "the finish line" against cancer. The event was attended by people of all ages, entire families, work teams and nearby villages who came to the race en masse. On a spring Sunday, cool and sunny, the whole day took place in a climate of good energy and high spirits. A total of 17,000 runners took part in the different types of race, a success for the organisers who had set a target of 15,000 participants for this tenth edition. The funds raised will be used to promote research to achieve a 70% survival rate by 2030. The X Carrera had the support of around twenty sponsors from the private sector and the support of the Madrid City Council, the Salamanca and Centro District Council, the EMT, Telemadrid and the Community of Madrid. We were delighted to take part; we enjoyed the run from start to finish and were thrilled to see so many people wearing the same T-shirt! Questions for our readers: Have you ever participated in a race or marathon? Which charitable causes motivate you the most? Leave your answer in the comments!