Let me state up front, I am not a father. But I did spend a full six days and nights with two children under the age of nine in Salou, Catalonia, Spain, alone. Let me also make clear- I am not a kidnapper. The children are my niece and nephew. I was taking care of them because I lost a bet. Well the situation was a lot more complicated than that-it would make my sister sound like a bad mother if she let me take care of them based solely on a lost bet.

My sister, Clare, and her husband, Greg, and their two children (who I will call Jill and Jack to protect the anonymity of the innocent) were visiting me in Barcelona where I was living at the time. On their second night in the country Greg suffered appendicitis. At first he thought he was just terribly hung over. Due to this confusion, his appendix ended up bursting before he would let us take him to the hospital (where he would spend the rest of their vacation). On their first night in the country Greg, Clare and I got quite inebriated while the children were in bed. In some late night gut spilling we got to talking about the most difficult things we had ever been through. I claimed that spending several months alone on a boat while sailing around the horn of Africa was the most difficult thing. But Greg countered me betting that one day alone with their kids in Salou, a nearby resort town, would make me wish I were back on the boat. Regretfully, in my drunken state, I took the bet and then some. So, I booked a nice hotel in the town of Salou. It was really great. It had everything we needed from tv to aircon to a pool, which made dealing with the children a lot easier.

Here are the do’s and don’ts for babysitters in Salou, Catalonia, Spain.

Do: Take them to PortAventura, basically the Bush Gardens/Disneyworld of Spain.

Do: Let them eat whatever they want—after all, they’re on vacation.

Don’t: Don’t take them on the teacups in the Old West section of PortAventura after allowing them to eat whatever they want.

Do: Buy them new souvenir t-shirts after they’ve been sick on the teacups.

Don’t: Take them to nearby Tarragona to look at the amazing art museums and historical sites. They will not appreciate.

Do: Take them to the beach.

Don’t: Take them to the beach without sand toys, water, towels and snacks.

Do: Take them to hotel pool.

Don’t: Let them pee OR throw the cake you bought them into hotel pool. Staff/other swimmers will not think it is funny.

Don’t: Take them to Can Blas, the most posh restaurant in town. They/other diners will not enjoy the experience.

Do: Get them chicken wings and ice cream for every meal.

Don’t: Take them to the jazz club. Saxophonist will not think they are cute.

Do: Take them back to PortAventura again and again. Avoid teacups this time.

I used to hate so-called resort towns, theme parks and fast food. Instead I favored historical sites, traditional slow cooked cuisine and towns untouched by run-of-the- mill tourists. That was all before kids. One week of babysitting will have you grateful to the PortAventuras, Salous and parents the world over.

Budapest, Hungary is a city for romantics and aesthetics alike. Its stunning architecture, historic districts, the winding Danube River and the nearby Buda hills make it the most beautiful city in Central Europe. In the past ten years Budapest has grown in popularity as a tourist destination and is now well equipped to delight any traveler. Forget “We’ll always have Paris” for this generation of adventurers: it’s “We’ll always have Budapest.” Here is a list of the most romantic things to do to ensure that you too fall in love in (or with) Budapest.

Of Wine and Walking Tours
Budapest is a great city for meandering walks and never ending picnic lunches. For an organized walk try- Free Budapest Walking Tours for guided tours of the city; the trained guides work only on tips. They offer a thorough general walking tour all year round; communist and Jewish Quarter walking tours are offered from April through October.

After the tour get out your picnic blanket and take a rest in the historic City Park, be sure to pass by the Vajdahunyad Castle, a model castle built to demonstrate the different phases of Hungarian building design.

After an afternoon in the Hungarian sunshine, you can quench your thirst at the House of Hungarian Wines (Magyar Borok Háza) in the Castle District. Enjoy the ambiance of a neo-gothic wine cellar and sample from nearly 700 wines representing the 22 wine producing regions of Hungary. If wine is your passion- consider making the trip for one of the annual Budapest wine festivals. The Spring Wine Festival takes place in mid-April in downtown Budapest. The Wine Village is next and takes place in mid-August; this festival is a more economical and less touristy than the International Wine & Champagne Festival in the Castle District, which takes place in September. However, at this popular festival both Hungarian and visiting wine makers introduce their best.

Dinner and Dancing
Next in the romance category should be a fabulous dinner with spectacular views of the city. Consider Spoon Café and Lounge or Café Pierrot. Spoon is located on a boat in the Danube River while Café Pierrot is warm and cozy. Both restaurants have extensive menus with vegetarian options. As the evening continues make a stop at Fat Mo’s Music Club, styled as a 20s style American speak-easy, it features live music on all weekend nights. For the serious club dancers, be sure to check out B-7. If traditional dance is more your style consider the Aranytiz Cultural Center. Here you can learn the czardas, the ‘tango of the east’, or simply enjoy the music. Since the 1970s the ‘dancehouse movement,’ as one part of a larger folk revival movement, has been popularizing Hungarian dance tradition. After the dancing, if you haven’t already had too much wine, be sure to sample pálinka, a Hungarian fruit brandy that is a common stable in most local bars.

Budapest is a great place to visit. While you there, make sure you stay in one of there many beautiful hotels. These hotels keep the historic grandeur that they used to have and look very old and European. I loved my time there. Plus, the city is so cheap, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Usually, I stay in hostels when I travel, but here, I splashed out and got a great hotel in Budapest.

London has something to offer for everyone whether you are looking for historical landmarks, modern attractions or just want to have a good time. There is literally a never ending list of things to do and see in this cosmopolitan city.

It is easy to get around in London with its fabulous underground transit system called the Tube. The tube can get you pretty much anywhere in the city in a matter of minutes and is reasonably priced, making it a great alternative to trying to brave London’s traffic.

Riding in a London taxi is also a tourist must. They can also be a quick form of transit as taxi drivers normally know the quickest ways around the city during peak times. If you want a more leisurely tour of the city, try a double-decker bus tour. It is a great way to sight-see and is also a big part of London lore.

When visiting all of the numerous famous landmarks and historical sites, it is a good idea to bring along a guide book. It makes the sites so much more interesting if you know what you are looking at. It is also helpful to record all that you see. You don’t want to get home and look at the pictures you took and not remember what you are looking at.

You also want to pack correctly for London weather…which is unpredictable. Depending on which season you are traveling in, it is normally wise to bring an umbrella with you, and a couple of warm sweaters. If you are in London in the summer, make sure to travel with sunscreen and water. Having to purchase water in touristy areas is incredibly overpriced.

It’s a good idea to make an itinerary to ensure you get to see all the major things you want to, but don’t over plan. You don’t want to be rushed. London is a great city to visit. Hopefully these tips help to get you started.