Another packing question - food???

16 years ago

My husband has a business meeting in Spain next week - Seville, to be precise. This will be my first trip with him since my surgery for breast cancer and the 8 months of chemo and radiation treatments. I don't know how much energy I will have to be out and about on my own. But my primary concern is the issue about eating so late - he was in Spain for similar meetings several years ago, and it's not customary for restaurants to open for dinner until 9:30 or 10:00 pm.

We will be staying in a business hotel/conference center a bit outside of the city. Reading the reviews about it on TripAdvisor, I'm not optimistic that it will have a full service restaurant all day long and I know that there are no retaurants or grocery stores nearby. I'm thinking about packing some food to keep in the hotel room in case I just want to read/sleep.

Any suggestions? So far I have bought a bag of whole almonds, some dried fruit, some crackers and some tins of sardines.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. I know the food in Spain is supposed to be marvelous but I'm not sure how much of it I'll be awake to experience lol!! We do have breakfast included in our room rate.

seagrass

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Comments (11)

lsr2002
16 years ago
I understand your concerns, I remember well the fatigue from chemo and radiation and I don't have a lot of endurance and am still needing lots of rest after my heart surgery. I think you have a good start and I would add a box of protein bars, Luna bars are OK. I usually just read all the labels at Costco for bars that have the most protein and the least sugar.

It's been eight years since I've been in Seville but I would think you could make a taxi trip to a grocery and stock up on some fruit and yogurt.

I'm sure you will enjoy the trip even if you can't do as much as you would like to.

Wishing you a wonderful time,

Lee
readinglady
16 years ago
If you don't mind disclosing, could you email the hotel/conference center where you're staying to see what they have on offer? It may be that they have some (even if limited) facilities for light snacks, mini-meals, tapas or room-service menu options that would also fit your needs. Or they can inform you of nearby shops you can access easily by taxi.

Perhaps you can contact the hotel concierge? Usually they're terrific at meeting individual needs.

You might still choose to pack some back-up snacks, but it's always a comfort to know there are other possibilities. Either way, you can plan accordingly, knowing that when you're just too fatigued, there are resources available.

Carol
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lindac
16 years ago
I also haven't been in Seville in more than 10 years....but it seemed to me that there were lots of opportunities to buy food, like fruit and cheeses and crackers.
As for restraunts opening for dinner earlier than 10....think Tapas! I'll bet that hotel has a tapas bar where you could get lots to eat.
How long has it been since the end of the radiation/chemo?
I found that when my hair grew to 2 inches, I had my energy back!
Enjoy....you'll do better than you think!
Linda C
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for your kind replies. I have wondered from the start whether it was a good idea to sign up for this particular trip but it's too late now.

Taxis and tapas - that will be my plan lol!

LindaC - my hair isn't quite an inch. The treatments were over at the end of July.

seagrass
lindac
16 years ago
Well....you have another month and an inch to go....
But you're 6 weeks post treatments.....you will feel better every day. Once I made up my mind to get out and moving and to push myself a bit....my energy returned in leaps and bounds.
But plan a day of recovery after the flight.
If you have a day to do it...I strongly recommend a tour of La Cathedral, and a visit to le Treasor....the treasury where the most amazing art is displayed in a most casual manner!
And of course the Alhambra is nearby....but seeing that in a day exhausts even a very wwell person!!
Enjoy!
Linda c
canarybird01
16 years ago
Depending on the hotel you will surely have a room service menu available at all hours of the day, especially in a business hotel. Remember too that the midday meal in Spain is the main one, usually from 1 to 4 pm with supper starting around 8 pm until 11 or midnight.

Also most hotels have a bar where snack foods are available at all hours...toasted ham & cheese sandwiches, bocadillos de jamon (ham in a baguette), fruit, juices, coffee and drinks.

South of Spain is known for having wonderful almonds and dates which you should be able to buy in the airport when you arrive. Cheese and crackers make a good snack. Try and buy some Manchego semi-curado (semi-cured) cheese once you're there and don't forget to pack a little cutting board and cheese knife. The crackers we see here are usually non-salted and come from England, called cream crackers, but a nice Spanish cracker is called TUC, which are salted and small like saltines. Tins of olives are readily available if you like them.
Bring a can opener in case you come across tins that don't open with a tab pull. Hazlenuts, called avellanas, are also seen a lot in Spain.

I hope you have a good trip and enjoy your stay!

SharonCb
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
Original Author
16 years ago
LindaC - thanks for the travel tips. We'll have the weekend to do a bit of touring outside of Seville but have decided that seeing the Alhambra would be too much to try in one day.

SharonCb - thank you for the info. My favorite thing to do in a new country is shop for food lol! I do have a knife and cutting board and corkscrew to put in my checked bag. I'll add a can opener. I remember getting cans of olives in France that needed an opener.

seagrass
canarybird01
16 years ago
Since the Alhambra is in Granada not in Sevilla, it would be a long and tiring day driving between the two cities and back as well as walking around the Alhambra.
Not recommended unless you are staying in a Granada hotel.

SharonCb
Lisa_in_Germany
16 years ago
I am not sure you can pack the knife in your baggage. I think it's a no no.
Lisa
canarybird01
16 years ago
It's okay in Europe if packed in your checked luggage, just not allowed in carry on cabin bags. Same as scissors, metal nail files and similar.

SharonCb
jojoco
16 years ago
No suggestions, just wishing you well in your road to recovery.
Take good care of yourself.

Jo

Another packing question - food???

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lsr2002

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