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All over Barcelona there are signs of the city's mania for soccer. This scene was caught in the Raval district where some Arabic kids were playing soccer in the street, and this old man cut in and showed them how it's done. I love the relationship between the old and young and how the roles are reversed—the old man is the active one and the youn is the observer. Maybe he was an old master when he was young.

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by Douglas Ljungkvist, Brooklyn, NY

Douglas's Dream Trip
Beirut, followed by Dubai and Abu Dhabi

I knew I was lucky when I married Erica, for many reasons, especially to marry a fellow travel nut. I grew up in Sweden with a mother in the airline business; she took us all over the world, igniting my passion for travel. Erica grew up bi-coastal, studied in Italy, and lived three years in Germany.

During our four years together we've gone on over a dozen trips. Most to overseas destinations, including our annual four-night Thanksgiving trip to Europe. We're savvy travelers who have never spent more than $5,000 on a trip.

When discussing our dream trip I suggested a port city with beaches, like Barcelona. This would be the best of both worlds, combining city and natural beauty (like Rio), but with less mass tourism, and with a very different culture. Few cities have such a multicultural, layered, and recent history as Beirut; from being a playground for the rich and famous to a country torn apart by war. Following our discussion the New York Times rated Beirut the #1 destination to visit in 2009. This further piqued our interest.

Once there we will take early morning walks to experience the different neighborhoods and interact with the locals, enjoy late afternoon visits to the beaches when the sun is the most golden and the crowds start to thin out, explore food markets, bazaars, catch a soccer game, and fully immerse ourselves in a culture new to us.

I've shared many memories with Erica from my incredible childhood travels, including amazing dinners at Lebanese restaurants in London. To experience that on location and sample Lebanese wines would be a thrill.

After Beirut we would go to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be wowed by the incredible architectural scale, ingenuity, and for some retail therapy in the extravagant shopping malls.

Douglas's Travel Tips

• When it comes to finding great deals and saving time, I always tell friends about Sidestep and Travelzoo. Every Wednesday, Travelzoo sends out an e-mail newsletter to subscribers with 20 top travel deals they have researched. I have personally taken advantage of more than half a dozen offers, including trips to Rome, Prague, and Barcelona. SideStep is an aggregator that searches supplier websites for airfares or hotel rates, displays them in an easy-to-view compare format, and provides direct links for booking. It also lets you search for alternative airports for possible savings.

• As most Eastbound overseas flights arrive in the morning it's all too common to see Americans sleeping in hotel lobbies waiting for their rooms to be ready. Take advantage of that down time and grab a Hop On Hop Off bus tour to get the lay of the land, beat the crowds, and see the city from a different perspective. I've always spotted things or places to re-visit this way that I didn't know about. It will also make the rest of your visit easier to navigate.

• Staying in touch has never been more convenient or affordable. Some options include international calling plans with your cellular provider, renting a GSM cell phone before leaving the US, or buying a prepaid phone or SIM card at your destination. Having a good communication strategy adds safety, convenience, and affordability while traveling.