Walgreens in Barcelona

Kent - thanks for the info. What is Google Earth and how does it work. I'll be on a RS tour so won't have a GPS. Stephanie

Simple answer: ask your hotel concierge or desk clerk. You wont have to take anything with you. Barcelona is a very ?cosmopolitan city. The only unknown is how near it will be to your hotel.

We found a supermarket around the corner from our hotel.

In every European city we've visited, including Barcelona, there are pharmacies all over. Depending on the items, you may find them in supermarkets as well, e.g., soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. Don't expect to find things like aspirin or cough medicine anywhere but a pharmacy. You should also be aware that the prices may shock you. I misplaced my dental floss and had to shell out 5 euros (approx. $8) for the 50m size in Vicenza a few months ago. Last year I forgot to pack my ibuprofen, which I take daily for bad knees. I could only get it at pharmacies, in packages of 24, for 7.2 euros. I figure I spent $40 on ibuprofen on that trip.

Actually you're better off using Microsoft's mapping service at http://maps.live.com Instead of using satellite images that Google Earth uses, Microsoft has a "bird's eye" feature that uses images captured from low flying aircraft, at four different angles. The detail is stunning!

The birds eye feature doesn't have the "glider" feature. But since every location is photographed at four different angles, and at a lower overall angle to the horizon I find it more useful. The satellite view that Google Earth uses only shows you roof tops, whereas with live.earth you can see the front the buildings. And if you look carefully enough, the images are so detailed that you can actually see people sunbathing in the nude, on top of buildings:) Not that I would every use it for that purpose of course:)

Kent-How do you have time to post on this site if you're off flying around the world?

Stephanie-rather than worrying about the nearest drug store, go get a quart bag and put 2 shampoos, 1 conditioner, 1 hair product, 1 toothpaste sample size, 1 liquid makeup, 1 hand sanitizer. You'll find you have plenty of space.

We like Google Earth at our house. It does have a feature where you can look at things at an angle. I like the different layers you can put on it, like points of interest, restaraunts, hotels, public transportation and so on. It really helps us get a feel for the neighborhood of where we are going.

Jo, the tilting feature on Google Earth doesn't give the same effect as the Birds Eye on maps.live.com Google's gives you a view from directly above whereas with BE you see the images at 22 degree angle-like what a bird would see when flying.

I can't wait to fly! I'm going to try it right now after I fly out of this site. We went to Switzerland, Germany and Austria last summer. Hope to zoom down the Lauterbrunnen Valley up to the snow covered mountains.

Stephanie. Unless you have an excess of money get your stuff here. They have what you need in Europe, but the cost is very different. I wear contacts and only took one bottle of solution for a month. I ran out and the same brand, same size cost me $20 rather than the $7.50 at home in a discount store. The next trip I timed how long it took to use up a medium travel bottle. It last 2 weeks. So I took two of that size plus the small travel bottle. That way I could throw the medium bottle away when it was finished. I saved the small one in my purse. That is just an example of other things you might need. I take vitamin C everyday and bought a small bottle to take rather than the huge one I have at home. Last summer I ran out of hydrogen peroxide and had a terrible time finding that in Stuttgard. This year we will be in Greece for 36 days. Must cut way down on what we take so smaller bottles for everything.

We were in Barcelona for a cruise departure. That Sunday morning we walked (with out luggage) down
La Rambla to the river front and took a city bus to the port. Being in May (the start of nasal season) I regretted not bringing my RX nasal spray. $89 at Walgreens. I got the spray at a pharmacy that morning for $4 w/o a prescription. So YES there are places to get just about anything you want.

Thanks for all the info. I have traveled and had to use the baggie. I know it will not hold all I will need for 17 days, that is why I was asking for help - I have a better idea now and will just have to shop wisely while there. Thanks again.

Stephanie, Think about the items where you are the pickiest and make sure you have an adequate supply of those things in your baggie. Other things you can get in Europe. So, for me, facial creams and cleansers and shampoo are things I don't want to be experimenting with, but I'm happy to take a flyer on toothpaste, and soap, and body lotion. That way you maiximize the value of what you have in your baggie.

While you're in Spain, get some of the terrific European sunscreen that isn't available in the US--Avene and Ombrelle are good ones. Look for mexoryl or tinosorb in the list of ingredients. They provide much better and more stable UVA protection than US sunscreens.

JER - Thanks for the tips. I can also do toothpaste ,etc. when I get there but I'm hoping to be able to find a good mousse for my hair - the cans are too big to pack in a baggie and without it my hair looks like something from a Halloween movie.

Odd things are expensive or cheap. Aspirin in Germany is expensive as are vitamins, but aspirin is cheap in Turkey. why?? They do have a lot of over the counter stuff here that may not be available in the US without prescription. They can also usually match up drugs that are similar. Our pharmacy has a PC right at the counter where the pharmacist will check information about medications, answer questions about side effects etc. while you are standing there. Wish I could tell you more about Spain though.