More Trippin'

I promised myself and others this would be the year of remaining stateside for a longer period of time than last year's world tour. Tell that to the airlines who seem to be giving flights away these days in the form of mistake fares I discovered for both Stockholm and Madrid.

I'm going to Stockholm in September for an obscene discount in airfare. It's a direct flight each way, so no layovers. I had been to Sweden before, Helsingborg and Malmo, on a day trip that was part of my Denmark vacation. I liked these two towns, but they didn't offer enough excitement for me and I decided I would probably enjoy Stockholm instead. I was true on my word that I'd come back when I booked the flight, and I think I'll love visiting this city.

I snagged a mistake fare on Delta for the end of December to Madrid. I hate Madrid. I know I've mentioned this many times before. For $238 round trip total, there was no way I could refuse this offer. What I'm trying to do is use it as a base to go somewhere else, like Barcelona, Lisbon, or maybe even to the UK. Whatever cheap tickets I can find on a low cost carrier will be fine.

I still haven't planned the "Big Trip", I try and take during Thanksgiving week. I am hemming and hawing over where I want to go. I have my mind on a few places, but still haven't made a final decision yet.

Watch this space!

Day 1 - Madrid Layover and on to Paris

I have to admit, I'm starting to like all this posting my vacation stories after the fact business. Besides, it takes the pressure off.

March 14 -

The Iberia flight was uneventful, the food terrible. I slept really well on the plane and didn't have to bother much with jet lag later. I think another reason for this, besides the sleep, was that the US had just set the clocks ahead the week prior to me leaving, so now the countries I would be visiting were only five hours ahead, until a few weeks when they catch back up again. I also completed my treatment for bronchitis and was feeling 100% at this point. Who knew my first decent night's sleep after recovery would be on a stuffy plane?

I only had a few hours in Madrid, but they were lovely. It was sunny and hot. Given the short time, Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol were the areas I mainly focused on. It was nice to see Plaza Mayor busy as opposed to my last visit when it was mostly empty and under construction. I stopped into El Cortes Ingles and bought some saffron and Valor chocolate. I was coveting the aisle of cheap and plentiful olive oil, lamenting that I couldn't bring any back on the plane. Spanish olive oil rocks!

Overall, despite the fact that I was afraid to remove my coat due to having my valuables hidden away there, it was much more pleasant visit than the last time. Then again, a few hours is much different than a few days!

No problems with Iberia this time, thankfully! I enjoyed a Fanta limon at the airport. I was so looking forward to that. The flight to Paris Orly was on time and smooth going. I slept some more. This helped tremendously with jet lag.

The metro into Paris was dead easy and I made it to the hostel with not too many problems. Makes sense to follow the directions, for once. I settled in easily, headed out to a boulangerie for a quick nosh on a root vegetable quiche, and actually woke up at a decent time the next morning.

Finally, Photos of Madrid

This is the last of my vacation photos! I didn't spend much quality time in Madrid and this album documents the few areas I was able to explore. For reasons previously explained, I waited until much later to tackle the photos from the last leg of my November 2007 trip.

Perhaps, someday, I will be able to look at them without my blood pressure skyrocketing.

Here they are. Enjoy!

Madrid Madness

I've returned, albeit two days after my scheduled return date. Sunday evening, when I went to check in for my flight home, the airline informed me that the flight to JFK was seriously overbooked. I wasn't leaving that day.

Due to a stupid mistake I would rather not get into on here, I had no protection. None. Nada. Zilch. I guess hindsight is 20-20. So, lesson learned. The people going to NYC had to wait it out in Madrid until Tuesday. The people going to Boston flew to London for an overnight layover before proceeding onto Logan. How I wished I was going to Boston right then and there!

You would think the extra time in Madrid would have proved to be bonus days, right? Wrong! I had to schlep to the airport Monday afternoon to get on the waiting list. Afterwards, an airline representative informed me that it would be in my best interest to just take the Tuesday flight but check my luggage right then and there in order to secure my seat. I kicked myself realizing that I should have done this in the first place. Saturday night, instead of checking my luggage in storage, I could have simply checked in as my flight was less than 24 hours away. Again, lesson learned. I did manage to find some satisfaction during my short time in Spain, even if most of it was hellish.

I arrived in Madrid Saturday night, placed my luggage in a storage locker at the airport, and hopped on the Metro with my overnight bag to the hostel. Thankfully, I had read up on street crime in Spain, because the combination of this knowledge and being a skeptical New Yorker prepared me for the man who tried to pick pocket me shortly after transferring at the Neuvos Ministerios Metro stop.

Being aware of my surroundings, I saw him try and open my purse, which was crossed over my chest. Thankfully, I didn't keep any money there, instead it was in the chest pouch under my coat. However, my camera was in there, in the compartment closest to my stomach and buried under maps. I immediately yelped, put my elbow up to his face, and quietly but firmly told him to get away from me. He obviously was a pro because he stared straight ahead as if nothing just happened and got off at the next stop. Shaken but resolute in my street smarts, I couldn't help but think that I have lived in NYC for ten years without any incidents, and here I am in Spain for an hour and I'm having problems. This colored the way I was to experience the city. Always suspicious and looking for troublemakers.

I arrived at MuchoMadrid hostel, which was really a great place. Small and intimate, it was the two-bed room reserved only for females that appealed to me. I discovered that my roommate was from NYC, which was nice to have the familiarity considering what I just went through. After settling in, I looked for and found Chocolateria San Gines. The churros con chocolate was divine, and filling. Dinner was at a place whose name escapes me. Not surprising since my meal wasn't good. I had wanted to eat at Casa Labra, but it was closed.

Sunday morning I set out for Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, and the Royal Palace. The royal pharmacy was fascinating, but not really worth the money, even with the student discount. At the time, this was all I thought I had time for. Little did I know what was in store for me! I did try to buy cookies from faceless nuns at a convent, with no such luck. They had already run out of product. The day was warm and sunny. The city was bustling with energy. A major change from the quiet calm of Copenhagen. I stopped by the Museo del Jamon for Tapas and a few glasses of sangria. Delicious. Fanta made another appearance in my travels. In Spain my addiction switched over to the limon (lemon) variety, knocking the orange flavor from its first place spot. Too bad the limon flavor is not available in the US.

With the time dispensed against my will courtesy of Iberia airlines on Monday, I did some random walking around the city. Madrid is loaded with shoe stores, which any other time, I would have jumped at the chance to shop till I dropped. Because of my sour mood, I wasn't exactly feeling the shopping love. I tried though and bought yet another pair of slippers. This pair would be my beat around pair. The ones I bought in Denmark are too luxurious to slop around in. Those would be my feet-propped-on-the-sofa pair. How funny that slippers represent my feelings for the respective countries they were each purchased in.

After dealing with head banging airline troubles, it was reassuring to meet some other people at the hostel. On the last night in Madrid, I met up with the roomie from NYC and two other women, one from New Zealand the other London, to drown my sorrows at O'Connell's, an Irish pub. We exchanged e-mail addresses and later added each other to Facebook.

Tuesday morning, I headed back to the airport for yet another whirl. This time, I had a boarding pass, a secured spot. There would be no troubles. Since my luggage was checked the previous night, food to take home would have to be purchased at the airport. I bought olive oil and turron from duty free, most of it gifts for others.

I guess I'll have to reacquaint myself with Spain again at some point. I'm told not Madrid, but Barcelona, baby! And no, I'm not off my affection for long international layovers, I'm just much smarter about how to do them now.