A Day of Surprises

Today started with a smooth hotel pickup and drop-off at the Barcelona train station—then the chaos began! The station was packed, and after lining up to board, we discovered our printed tickets had been canceled. Thankfully, I had the digital version on my phone, which had been updated. Crisis averted—we made it onto the train for a scenic 2.5-hour journey to Madrid.

Madrid greeted us with more crowds and energy. We met our driver Manuel, who took us to our Airbnb. That’s when the next drama hit—no access info, no key, no idea how to get in! After a few calls and some help from a Spanish-speaking housekeeper, we finally made it inside.

The apartment? Let’s call it quirky. We’re tucked into the attic with sloped ceilings, a crawl-in kitchen and bathroom, and a head-bumping hazard at every turn. But hey, it’s charming—and the location is fantastic.

We ended the day with a walk through the neighborhood to get our bearings.

Had something to eat, we are finding that the food is so expensive here, so we opted for the supermarket as we can rustle up our own grub in our dwarfs kitchen. Plate of chips and a small pasta with a glass of wine and a soft drink $55 Aud

Here’s hoping for smoother sailing tomorrow!Read more