A Prelude to my Spanish Vacation 2007

At just about this time last year, I was away on vacation. It was a 2-week long vacation with my older sister, Niezl, and close college friend and work colleague, Elzbieta, in Spain.

I always have the intention that when I visit Spain, I will look up my ancestral background - a kind of reverse family tree research-type. Rather than starting the research from the present (meaning with me and my family), I will begin with the ancestor that left Spain and migrated to the Philippines. I was told that it was my paternal grandfather’s grandfather (does that mean he was my great-great-grandfather, then?) that had the real and full Spanish blood in my father’s side of the family. Now, what does that make me? Eh, one-sixteenth (1/16) Spanish? Fractions and genetics were never my strong suit in school.

I did not have any concrete plans, per se. I just know that since I have never met anyone with my last name I was not related to, either by blood or marriage, so it should not be that difficult to do, right? I was thinking as my initial step to begin my ancestral research, I would go to the Hall of Records, or such, in Madrid and look through ship logs listing all the passengers leaving Spain bound for the Philippines. Of course, I had neither the specific date of departure, port of entry, nor ANY specifics AT ALL except one thing �" my last name! I miscalculated. And I miscalculated big time! It was the one thing I forgot while planning for this trip with the intentions of doing some family historical background - it was which I dearly lacked the entire time I was in Spain �" TIME!

First of all, my sister (Niezl), Elzbieta, and I joined a tour group. Now, I had a blast with this tour group. I met new people, saw the history and the must-not-miss sites, and partied like I have never partied before. But that did not allow me to have any free time �" or at least have adequate time �" to do any research! I did not even get to see the all museums I wanted to see, much less peruse through numerous log books from 150 years ago! I was too busy partying, sightseeing, and shopping!

It was a hectic tour; wherein we visited 9 Spanish cities, consisting of: Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, Torremolinos, Malaga, Granada, Valencia, and Barcelona, and the British territory and sovereignty of Gibraltar.