Hi all!!

I can't believe it, but we're headed off for Spain on Friday!!! Each time I go back, I think I'm more excited than the previous time!! We'll be at the Hostal Playa and HOstal La Plata, I'll report back on them when we return...

Anyway, has anyone heard any more about the MadCow/Hoof-Mouth diseases? Is there anything we're going to have to do when we return to the US? (A friend of mine's mom said we'd have to clean our shoes in bleach, but she gets a little carried away sometimes...)

Thanks in advance, hasta pronto!!

Denise

[ 04-12-2001: Message edited by: Antonio ]

I recently flew into Philadelphia from London and did not have to walk through bleach, although throughout travels to various countries in March I heard over and over again that surely we would have to at least walk through disinfectant when arriving at another country from Great Britain. I also heard of suitcases being opened, and all shoes packed in them being disinfected. There were notices plastered all over Philadephia airport about reporting visits to farms, but that was it. Lots of people have the same impression as your friend's mom. I was surprised they turned out to be untrue, at least in Philadelphia's case, because they make sense to me. Maybe they are being more careful at other airports.

Have a wonderful trip!!

[ 04-12-2001: Message edited by: Diana ]

Hi Denise,

There are other posts on this matter. Do a search and you will find them. I posted the website of the official site where the Spanish government put all the information regarding the mad cow disease in Spain.

As for the foot and mouth disease ("fiebre aftosa" in Spanish) so far we haven't had any case in Spain. However, it's a extremely contagious disease and everything arriving from countries suffering it has to be disinfected (shoes, cars, buses, even trains).

Regards,

Antonio

Thanks for the clearer state of things in Spain and once we must return. (And I say MUST because I never WANT to return from Spain!!)

Viva Espana!!

Hi all-

Looks like mad cow wasn't really a concern for us at all. The Spanish have very high sanitary and food standards, and are not allowing any British beef into the country, according to my friends. We had no trouble returning (no cleaning of feet required upon re-entry), however they did seem to pay special attention this time to the question about if we'd visited any farms etc that's on the customs form & the only question they asked was if I was bringing any kind of food in.