Sunday, May 28, 2006

Jose H. Ponce of the District is the latest contributor to our Your Vacation in Lights feature, in which we invite Travel section readers to share the dish about their recent trips. It's a big, confusing travel world out there, and you can help your fellow travelers navigate it. Your hot tip can be the next guy's day-maker; your rip-off restaurant, the next family's near-miss. To file your own trip report -- and become eligible to win a digital camera -- see the fine print below.

THE TRIP: 14 days in Spain.

WHO WENT: My wife, Holly, and I -- it was our honeymoon.

WHEN: October 2005

ITINERARY: Barcelona, Cadaques/Figueres, Zaragoza, Toledo, Madrid.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I . . . Drove a car through the medieval streets of Toledo.

BEST HOTEL EXPERIENCE: On Barcelona's main drag, La Rambla, the Hotel Montecarlo had the most comfortable beds we encountered, as well as Jacuzzis. Both perfect after long days of sightseeing.

MOST UNIQUE HOTEL EXPERIENCE: The Monasterio de Piedra between Madrid and Zaragoza was once a Cistercian monastery. Today it is a bare-bones, no-frills hotel nearly 20 miles from the main highway (and the modern world). Not only did we feel like sequestered monks within its grand halls for two nights, but with the monastery's many waterfalls and acres of gardens, we began to think like monks, too.

BEST FOOD: Tapas bars are everywhere, and we learned that a crowd is the best indication for good food. Barcelona's El Xampanyet (across from the Picasso Museum) was standing room only when we arrived, and since there was no menu for the day (a sign of a true local hangout), we put our trust in the wait staff and ate the best olives, tuna and cheeses. Casa Labra in Madrid is also standing room only; the napkins and toothpicks on the floor are not only customary, but signs of plenty of people eating good food.

COOLEST ATTRACTION: Salvador Dali's home and studio in Port Lligat near Cadaques. Since only small groups are allowed, it's an intimate glimpse of Spain's most eccentric artist.

MOST DISAPPOINTING ATTRACTION: The aquarium in Barcelona. The nearby harbor holds more aquatic interest.

CHEAPEST THRILL: For me: A $2 can of warm beer at the bullfights in Madrid. For her: A two-hour shiatsu massage while I drank a $2 can of warm beer at the bullfights in Madrid.

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: Failing to take a closer look at our food dictionary. In a restaurant in Madrid we ordered a plate of orejas (pig's ears) when we meant to order oreja de mar (abalone). Barbecued pig's ear can look a great deal like seared seafood, until you bite into a piece and the hairs tickle the back of your throat.

CULTURAL FAUX PAS: Tipping 20 percent at restaurants. Waiters in Spain are almost indifferent to tips, and diners rarely leave more than loose change -- usually rounding up the bill to the nearest dollar. Convincing yourself that you're not a cheapskate by leaving only a few coins is harder than it sounds.

MOST WORTHWHILE TREK OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Goya is buried on the outskirts of Madrid. Seeing his tomb and his recently restored frescoes above is a sobering experience for any fan of the Spanish artist.

SILLIEST/MOST TOURISTY THING THAT TURNED OUT TO BE FUN: Rowboat rentals at Retiro Park in Madrid. The duck-infested lake is full of romantic Madridians lazily drifting under the sun. If you haven't yet fallen in love with the laid-back, unhurried lifestyle of Spain, a few minutes here will do the trick.

SILLIEST/MOST TOURISTY THING THAT TURNED OUT TO BE SOUR: The very popular and much-hyped Salvador Dali museum in Figueres. More like a funhouse than a museum, it's difficult to navigate, overcrowded and noisy. Dali may be smiling at the numbers who flock here, but we left with headaches.

DO IT AGAIN? En un latido del corazón [in a heartbeat].

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Want to see your own vacation in lights? We'll highlight one report, along with a photo from the trip, on the last Sunday of the month. To enter, use the categories above as a guide (use as many as you wish, or add your own; for a complete list, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/vacationinlights) and send your report to Your Vacation in Lights, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071; fax it to 202- 912-3609; or e-mail vacationinlights @washpost.com.

Entries chosen for publication become eligible to receive a Canon PowerShot A610 (or equivalent) digital camera at the end of the year. Entries will be chosen on the basis of humor, originality and usefulness; are subject to editing for space and clarity; and become property of The Post, which may edit, publish, distribute or republish them in any form. Employees of The Post and their immediate families are not eligible. No purchase necessary.