Thursday 14/05/2026
Travel Day – Santiago to Madrid to Barcelona
We’d asked for a breakfast box the night before since we needed to leave by 7:00 AM. Reception called a cab, and it arrived within two minutes. The station was only five minutes away. Which means… we probably could’ve squeezed in a quick breakfast after all, but we weren't the only ones with brown paper bags on the platform.
On the train, there wasn’t enough room in the luggage racks for all our bags. So Kim’s suitcase ended up wedged between us, our legs turned sideways to make it work. Luckily, it was only a three-hour ride.
Once we arrived in Madrid, we had a cup of tea, shared a couple of Twix bars, and headed through luggage control. My bag got flagged.
“You have eating utensils?”
“Yes.”
I pulled out my cutlery set and opened it. The second security officer smiled—then asked the first one about the knives. She didn’t like my steak knife. Or my butter knife. Personally, I think I could do more damage with a fork, but both were confiscated. I didn’t mention the pen knife hiding in my vanity bag.
Our 12:50 PM train was now showing 1:22 PM. While waiting for the platform to be announced, we tried to eat the sandwiches from our breakfast box. They went straight in the bin. The apple was fine.
We arrived after 4:00 PM and lined up for a taxi. How do you explain to people that queue barriers exist for a reason? And how do you explain to Americans that four people don’t need a maxi taxi? I heard the man say to his wife, “If they can fit, why can’t we?”
Anyway, we made it to the hotel, and my first thought was: Oh my God, what have I booked?
The rooms are clean and a little bigger than Lisbon, but this is definitely not the Parador. That said, it’s well situated on La Rambla—though unfortunately, they’re currently digging up the main shopping strip in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
We had dinner at the restaurant right out front, then went for a short walk. Soccer balls all round.
Early night tonight. Travel days will be travel days.
Travel Day – Santiago to Madrid to Barcelona
We’d asked for a breakfast box the night before since we needed to leave by 7:00 AM. Reception called a cab, and it arrived within two minutes. The station was only five minutes away. Which means… we probably could’ve squeezed in a quick breakfast after all, but we weren't the only ones with brown paper bags on the platform.
On the train, there wasn’t enough room in the luggage racks for all our bags. So Kim’s suitcase ended up wedged between us, our legs turned sideways to make it work. Luckily, it was only a three-hour ride.
Once we arrived in Madrid, we had a cup of tea, shared a couple of Twix bars, and headed through luggage control. My bag got flagged.
“You have eating utensils?”
“Yes.”
I pulled out my cutlery set and opened it. The second security officer smiled—then asked the first one about the knives. She didn’t like my steak knife. Or my butter knife. Personally, I think I could do more damage with a fork, but both were confiscated. I didn’t mention the pen knife hiding in my vanity bag.
Our 12:50 PM train was now showing 1:22 PM. While waiting for the platform to be announced, we tried to eat the sandwiches from our breakfast box. They went straight in the bin. The apple was fine.
We arrived after 4:00 PM and lined up for a taxi. How do you explain to people that queue barriers exist for a reason? And how do you explain to Americans that four people don’t need a maxi taxi? I heard the man say to his wife, “If they can fit, why can’t we?”
Anyway, we made it to the hotel, and my first thought was: Oh my God, what have I booked?
The rooms are clean and a little bigger than Lisbon, but this is definitely not the Parador. That said, it’s well situated on La Rambla—though unfortunately, they’re currently digging up the main shopping strip in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
We had dinner at the restaurant right out front, then went for a short walk. Soccer balls all round.
Early night tonight. Travel days will be travel days.
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