Saturday, September 10
We got a taxi from our hotel to the train station, and then realised how the world has changed in these days of heightened security. No one was allowed onto the platform until 30 minutes before departure, and then our luggage and handbags had to go through an X-Ray machine! We didn't mind but that's the first time we've had to do that for a European train trip!
The AVE high speed train got us to Madrid in 2.5 hours, and we finally checked into our apartment about 2pm. After settling in we went for a late, long lunch, and then did some shopping to get set up for the next 6 nights. Unfortunately the tv in our apartment doesn't have any English channels, but we found a channel showing bullfights and it appeared to be live. We thought they had banned it here, but after watching one (unequal) fight the matador killed the bull. When we went out to explore the area we are in there were a lot of people carry placards against bullfighting, so we figured there must have been a protest somewhere.
We couldn't believe the number of people out and about at 7:30pm - it was more crowded than 5th Avenue in New York or the Ginza district in Tokyo, and the traffic jam was incredible. All the shops were crowded, but we finally found some space at Plaza De Espagna where we saw a wedding party getting photos done. We figured they wouldn't start their meal until about 9pm!
We decided on an early night and then get an early start tomorrow.
We got a taxi from our hotel to the train station, and then realised how the world has changed in these days of heightened security. No one was allowed onto the platform until 30 minutes before departure, and then our luggage and handbags had to go through an X-Ray machine! We didn't mind but that's the first time we've had to do that for a European train trip!
The AVE high speed train got us to Madrid in 2.5 hours, and we finally checked into our apartment about 2pm. After settling in we went for a late, long lunch, and then did some shopping to get set up for the next 6 nights. Unfortunately the tv in our apartment doesn't have any English channels, but we found a channel showing bullfights and it appeared to be live. We thought they had banned it here, but after watching one (unequal) fight the matador killed the bull. When we went out to explore the area we are in there were a lot of people carry placards against bullfighting, so we figured there must have been a protest somewhere.
We couldn't believe the number of people out and about at 7:30pm - it was more crowded than 5th Avenue in New York or the Ginza district in Tokyo, and the traffic jam was incredible. All the shops were crowded, but we finally found some space at Plaza De Espagna where we saw a wedding party getting photos done. We figured they wouldn't start their meal until about 9pm!
We decided on an early night and then get an early start tomorrow.
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