2geonomads

Madrid to Barcelona
Tuesday 6th October 2015

Early checkout from Hotel Europa then it’s a walk down Carrera de San Jeronimo ( nothing to do with John Wayne movies) to the Thyssen- Bornemisza Museum and Art Gallery. On this occasion we avoid the mistake of lingering too long on the religious paintings of the 15th – 16th Century and move quickly to the superb collection of works from later periods, including Impressionism and Post-Impressionisn.

All the more remarkable is the fact that this collection was acquired over two generations of the Thyssen-Bornemisza family and remains one of the world’s foremost and most distinguished private collections.

After a couple of hours we head back to the hotel, pick up our suitcases and on the advice of the hotel concierge drag them across the Plaza Sol and quickly hail a cab to the railway station. Surprise, surprise our friendly little cab driver, through no fault of his own, ends up behind a procession of senior citizens protesting about pensions ( or maybe lack thereof ). Now at least we have a cause with which we can identify!

Arrive at the station in very good time to board the bullet train to Barcelona and we are soon up to speeds in the region of 300 kms an hour. As we had been told by other travellers there is no real sensation of these high speeds and and the whole journey is very comfortable.

Madrid Station

The scenery during the initial stage of the trip is unremarkable and the landscape is for the most part very arid flat.

However, as we move further east this gives way to more fertile plains and a marked increase in more built-up areas.

Two and a half hours sees us arrive at Atocha Station and another very obliging driver ( where were they all when I was visiting Europe when working for Ladybird Childrenswear in the 1970’s) drops us off at Plaza de Sant Jaume where we are supposed to be met by the owner of our apartment, Sergio.

Unfortunately, initial telephone calls provide futile but eventually Stefania, the Rumanian girl who manages the property for Sergio arrives to take us up the five flights of steps of the spiral stairs to our accommodation. While waiting for the welcoming party to arrive this old blogger had put his 4 by-passes to the sternest of tests by hauling the heavier of the cases up to the 5th floor.

Stefania is delightful girl who has obviously worked very hard to overcome the animosity of the local population towards Romanians and all this while bringing up her 3 year old son Giovanni.

She gives a full briefing on the apartment and then leaves us to settle into this very fine flat in a superb location.

From lounge window overlooking the square

Apartment right in corner of square St Jaume

After a brief walk around the area and the nearby cathedral we have dinner at a restaurant where the food is acceptable without being spectacular. As is our wont we get into a conversation with a Swiss family at the next table.

The arrival of two Flamenco guitarists who sit down at a table next  to us sends us into a momentary panic  but as it turns out they are in fact quite good entertainers. Nevertheless we beat a hasty retreat before I am required to swing my Titanium knee round the small dance area.

First impressions of this city are very promising so we can’t wait to get moving early the next morning.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret