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Please note: I have modified parts of this original post to reflect the changes in the hotel situation and update the list of confirmed and likely attendees.

In order to celebrate my move to Europe and at the same time bolster the under-represented number of European Do's (also in response to goading by certain members of the Seattle FT contingent - not mentioning any names MD), I invite my fellow FlyerTalkers from around the world to join me in Sitges, near Barcelona, Spain for the first-annual Much aDO About Sitges, October 3-5, 2003. This date was chosen to fall neatly in between SEADOO and the HNL get-together, with plenty of recovery and travel time from each.

Sitges, also known as the Jewel of the Mediterranean, is a festive beach town about 20 minutes from Barcelona. Known for its nude beaches, carnival, film festival, tango festival, antique sports car rally, and the highest per-capita number of gay bars in Europe, Sitges is a terrific place to spend a weekend (or the rest of your life). A small mountain range creates a microclimate that provides over 300 warm, sunny days each year and this weekend will still be beach weather! Sitges is a top destination in the summer for Europeans, and its beaches are crowded from May to September.

Here's a tentative schedule for the weekend:

• Friday afternoon, October 3: arrive BCN and either rent a car, take a cab, or take the train the short 15km to Sitges. Get settled in the hotel, or the place of your choice, and spend the afternoon wandering around this charming village, stopping into numerous tapa bars, and shopping.
• Friday evening, October 3: drinks, dinner, more drinks, and music at El Cafe de la Plata, my friend's cafe and bar in the marina.
• Saturday noon, October 4: drinks, barbeque and sun on the rooftop terrace of my swinging bachelor pad, also in the marina.
• Saturday afternoon, October 4: take the short train ride to Barcelona for an afternoon of sightseeing. The tour will feature numerous Gaudi works including Parc Guell and La Segrada Familia, a walk through the Gothic Quarter and a trip to the cathedral, a chance to do some great shopping along La Rambla (Europe's greatest pedestrian street), and tapas at El Vaso de Oro, the best tapa bar in Barcelona. Optionally, stay in Sitges and hit the beach, then take the train to join us for dinner.
• Saturday night, October 4: dinner at Bestiari, another friend's wonderful restaurant in El Born, one of the oldest and most charming sections of Barcelona, featuring authentic Catalan cuisine and the best foie gras you ever had.
• Saturday late night, October 4: catch the last train back to Sitges and spend the night drinking in a surprise location TBD.
• Sunday morning, October 5: mimosas de cava and brunch on my rooftop terrace prepared with loving care by our own missydarlin and served, no doubt, in pearls and pumps (edited to add: also by MD).
• Sunday afternoon, October 5: back to BCN to catch your flights off to wherever you came from. Or stay another day and enjoy the beach.

Pre-dinner drinks on Friday night, lunch on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday are on me. Dinners will be fabulous, and from a special FT prixe fixe menu - not expensive. A special rate for deluxe view rooms at the Sol Meliá Palace in Sitges, just around the corner from the marina is available, or pick your own place to stay. FT'ers are reporting rates in the 70EUR range for this weekend. If you have made reservations at the Complejo Sitges, it is still a fine hotel. If you prefer to cancel and move to the Meliá, that is fine too. It is slightly nicer but not as close.

Please respond to this thread if you can attend. The more the merrier!

-alan in sitges


Edited to add this very important information:

What a fun and prolific group! 21 confirmed and 15 likely, that gives us a nice round 36! If I missed someone, it's MissyDarlin's fault. If I mis-capitalized your handle, I'm sorry. I hate this Mac like I hate the crabs. I will keep this updated.

-alan in sitges


[This message has been edited by alanw (edited 08-20-2003).]