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Hi,
I'm going to tell you about a rather negative experience I felt during an end-of-course trip in Catalonia. I was 14 years old and that day we were traveling by bus to see Lake Banyoles. Before arriving, we made a stop in a small village, of which I do not remember its name, because two students, including myself, had stomach problems. I needed to use the toilet and what was my surprise when I left and did not see anyone. They were gone without me. So, I asked in several stores and they all spoke to me in Catalan, a language that of course I did not understand. Although many times, I asked them to speak to me in Spanish, they refused. I started crying and left the store to the plaza, where I could see my Social teacher, D, Juan Carlos returning, who comforted me.

I have returned to Catalonia on other occasions and I have felt very good there, but I have never been able to forget that unpleasant visit.

Hi Carmen! What an experience at that age! I may understand what you felt in such a unpleasant situation. Anyway, it is an experience and it is way to learn to sort out unexpected situations in life. What actually made me smile in your anecdote was the way you address your teacher, "D. Juan Carlos". It took me back more than 30 years ago and I imagined the way I called my teachers too.

Thanks Sergio,

The way in which I have written D. Juan Carlos has been intentionally to differentiate between thirty years ago and now. It's a matter of respect!.

Carmen

A place to avoid is Greyfriars Cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland. Some friends and I went there on holiday and we decided to get a free tour walk. The guide told us that there were many stories about ghosts and mystery in the city and recommended us to pay attention to everything, especially to cemeteries. Everybody laughed. I did not care much either but when the group arrived at this cemetery, it started to drizzle and it was suddenly really cold. An old woman and a boy vanished as soon as they entered the cemetery and they were taken to hospital. At this cemetery, the well-known lawyer Mackenzie, “the bloudy”, put many covenanters in prison and executed them there. Later he was buried in that place in a mausoleum and it is said that his poltergeist is there. It was then when two German girls fainted and a man was sick that the guide told us we were in front of that small tomb or mausoleum. We were lucky because we did not feel so bad. We felt sorrow for those people and were very worried for the cold and the fog. I do not recommend this place because we all got soaked and felt strange things and due to the fact that one of my friends had scratchers on his back the following morning. He still keeps the photos. It happened the afternoon before the day we returned home. We were really scared!!!

Five years ago, I went with my partner and children to he mediterranean coast, in Spain. Tosa del Mar was the place and it actually was a beautiful destination. Unfortunately it was sometime in July and it was packed. You has to wakeup early in the morning to get a piece of space at the beach and at the restaurants it was always crowded and loud. All in all, it was rather stressing and did not get to fully enjoy our holiday.