Madrid Park in Spring
Made it to Madrid, after a wonderful stay in Barcelona. An amazing city I thoroughly enjoyed visiting there, even stayed at a hotel above the station! A 5-star hotel that was on special, and had thrown in a €22 breakfast for good measure, definitely my lifestyle!!!The Sagrada Familia the stand out attraction for me, in Barcelona.
Thinking I would check into the train early to avoid a crowd, was not a good move. I found out that to check in you can only do so 20 mins before train departure. The train ride was very nice, a reclining seat, the option of a cafe service. Train speeds seemed to be up to 300kms/hour. The landscape, what I saw of it reminded me of the Australian outback, shrubby and very dry. Differed by the sight of little Spanish villages, the occasional fort or castle.
The Madrid Atocha Station was surely one of the bigger stations I have ever been in, it was outstanding in the number of passengers that were moving through it. One of the reasons I believe was the escalators without stairs, so simple for all those suitcases. Not even queues for the lifts. Some of the bigger stations around the world should take note!
Lovely three and a half hour trip down to Madrid on one of the high-speed trains, comfortable seats, so much so, I slept for half of it! The usual orientation required at the gates as to which way to get to the hotel. The staff very helpful, pointing me in the right direction for the hotel
Buskers
Madrid is fast, overrun with tourists, graffiti-covered buildings and Spaniards! Always looking over my shoulder and watching for pickpockets, the sheer numbers of people very scary. Just getting across the road was an achievement, after leaving the station. The hotel I had booked was just a 10min walk away, but oh, the traffic!
Not overly impressed with Hotel Mora on first impressions. Just a bed for the two nights before the tour starts. So far, noisy, no jug. I found a little dairy type shop and got some milk and orange juice. There was no mention of breakfast by the receptionist who appeared to be totally bored. She said if I wanted hot water to ask at the cafe adjoining the hotel. The cafe people were very friendly and obliged willingly with some boiling water. Their food was very nice when I had dinner there later.
Walked up the long main road that the hotel was on last evening, there are seats the entire length, most were filled with people enjoying the passing tourists, cars, and families out and about. Still queues for the adjacent botanical gardens at 7 pm! I just took some bad photos through the fence! The tulips here are in flower with many spring flowers starting to open. One or two stripped off bodies laying on lawns trying to get a suntan??? It’s been 12 degrees most of the day!
I did enjoy wandering through a Lladro /NAO shop, it is made here, but as usual, I never have room for buying extras to join those I already have at home.
From 5 star hotel to 2 stars a shock to the system, not even an electric jug here, and a receptionist who can’t be bothered, but at least walking distance to all the junk food shops, I know my weight has gone up. I have got a few supplies that I can use for breakfast, but it’s not €22! Not fitting one pair of jeans, and the other is feeling tighter……
Tomorrow, the tour starts, I am looking forward to having bags taken care of and everything else organized, just doing as I’m told will make a change.
Starting to look forward to coming home, time is starting to fly, Tracey says my maidenhair fern needs me 🙂