Bienvenido A España!

And we're off to Spain!

Our first trip of the year and our first time to Spain.  I think I'm going to make this a tradition - Europe on the New Year!  This is a great way to start 2023.

We flew into Madrid, will be visiting Valencia, and then flying out of Barcelona.  We took a night flight out of Arizona because we thought it would be good to sleep in the evening like we usually do.  It began, as usual, with food, food, food.  Starting at the lounge in the airport.  

Shortly after we got settled in our pods (see the photo above of the pods in front of me), they served champagne and brought around the dinner menu.

Because I ate at the lounge, I opted for the salad, cheese plate, and dessert.  Of course!  It was delicious and light enough to have before sleeping.

Little did I know I wasn't going to be doing much sleeping.  Although the lighting, as seen below, was conducive to sleeping, the temperature was not.  It was SO hot in the plane, even Ed complained - which is unusual.  And if you don't know me after almost 18 years of writing this blog, that I don't like to be hot, let me tell you - I was NOT happy.  In general, sleeping quarters should be cool.  I like it frigid, but I would have settled for cool.  We did mention it to the flight attendants and they said they adjusted the temperature, but it didn't change. 

I did get a few winks of sleep because I obviously fell off due to sheer exhaustion from being awake all day and most of the night, but I wasn't happy.  Disappointing.  But at least I was miserable in business class and not coach.  I probably would have been arrested when we landed in London if I had to spend a hot night in coach.

Before I knew it, they were coming around with the breakfast menu.

Let me just say - I'm not really a big fan of English-style sausage for breakfast.  We were on British Airways and typically the airline serves the food of the country it represents.  Which reminds me...Turkish Airlines food was delicious!

That said, it's a very nice breakfast.  Nice portion, a good way to begin the day.  After the ten-hour flight from Arizona, we would change planes at London Heathrow and then have another two and a half hours to Madrid.

The change of planes at Heathrow was a little harrowing.  We had about an hour and a half layover, but a lot of that time was sucked up by misdirection and confusion.  We haven't done a lot of foreign travel and it always takes a minute to figure out where you're supposed to go, and we'd never been through London before so relied on the British Airways people to help us with our connection.  Turned out to be a mistake not verifying the first person's information with another person to make sure we were doing the right thing.  So after being directed to a line and standing there for almost 30 minutes, only to get to the counter and be told we had to go somewhere else, we were a little frustrated. 

So we headed to the next location which was a bajillion football fields away from where we started.  I didn't think the walking was going to end.  I was hot, cranky, and unhappy about having to drag my luggage behind me.  I was cursing myself for packing so much.  Even though it was a carry-on, it was like pulling a toddler behind you with one arm.  Like, a three-year-old.  Then we had to stand in line for a shuttle that we didn't think would ever arrive, and then take that from one terminal to another.  Then walk another football field to our gate.  Look, I am always generally very happy to be doing most of the travel stuff we do, but I just don't like all the walking.  WTH?

This is the area just outside of customs in Madrid airport.  It was about 6:30 pm when we arrived but the airport was deserted.  And for a few minutes, we couldn't figure out how to get out of this area to get to the transportation area.  

We didn't check any luggage, but here's a photo of the baggage claim area.  Very modern.  Very cool.  We were finally on our way to the hotel

This is one of the streets I snapped a picture of from the taxi on our way to the hotel.  Our hotel was in the Barrio de las Letras (the Literary District), in Central Madrid, so is close to everything we wanted to see and do.  The Museo del Prado (Prado Museum) was first on our list.

As I said, this was our first time in Spain, and we were looking forward to seeing the sights, and Beating tapas, paellas, Jamón, and churros!

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Moto Cop
2018: ¡Salud!
2017: Eddie On Ice
2016: My God, This Reminds Me Of Why I Love Adele
2015: Making Friends And Dinner Plans
2014: It's So EXHAUSTing Being Right All The Time
2013: A Marriage Of Two Loves
2012: I Love A Man Wearing A Damn Good-Looking Workboot
2011: MMXI At Full Throttle
2010: Maybe There’s A Reason Ed Never Lets Me Out Of The Truck
2009: Napolitos
2008: Pull Up A Chair
2007: The Story Of The Uppity Barista: Otherwise Known As A Texan Gittin’ Above His Raisin’
2006: Rock, Paper, Eddie
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!