Right now we are on the high speed train back to Madrid. Due to availability when we booked our tickets, we are in Preferente class, which is akin to business class on an airplane without the ridiculous price hike. The experience is much like riding on an airplane. Your bags are scanned, and there is assigned seating. However, it's really low-key: no seat belts, no oxygen mask training, and in general much more pleasant than the "cattle" experience that airline travel has become. The food is marginally better than airplane food, but similar type of experience with a little cart that the stewardess pushes with prepackaged meals on trays. There are 3 seats across in the Preferente car, whereas the Turista class we were in last time had 4 across, but was still very comfortable.
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| The view from our train car |
One very surprising note is that we continually have to "pop" our ears, but not from altitude changes. It's actually the tunnels that are the culprit (very regular in this hilly countryside). I am not sure why, but I suspect that as we enter the tunnel at such high speed, the air displaced by the train can't escape fast enough, thereby increasing the air pressure around us. In times where we pass another train in the tunnel at the same time, it's almost a little painful because it happens so suddenly. I'm not sure how I slept through it completely the first time.
Spring is in full swing, and it's fun seeing crops other than corn and beans. There are lots and lots of oranges (those Spanish clementines have to come from somewhere), olives, palm trees, and there went a castle just now. I can't say we've seen many of those, but it was fun when we did!
Beth is next to me reading about the results of the bull fight yesterday in Sevilla. Evidently the Easter weekend bullfight in Sevilla is one of the biggest events of the year. For those who hadn't heard, El Juli was declared the winner. He was able to get 3 ears during his fights. I guess that's a good thing, unless of course you're one of the bulls. Though, from the gory pictures in the newspaper, a missing ear or two was the least of their problems. Originally, the fights were delayed due to some rain in the morning, but we figured it had started up when we heard people protesting
outside the arena in the afternoon. All this, of course, was occurring as Beth and I were enjoying our favorite tapa of the day, garbanzo beans with bull tail. No, I'm not joking, and yes, it was really delicious!
Beth here, after we got off the train in Madrid we got some lunch at a little, and I mean super little lunch counter. I think there were 5 tables! We each had a sandwich and a Coca-cola. We have seen many of these lunch counters in Madrid and Sevilla. They are all pretty much the same. The sandwiches are literally bread and meat. The first day I ordered one with cheese and it was really just Manchego cheese on a baguette, but oh, so yummy! Today Byron got his with bacon, of course, and I chose Chorizo. Very simple and pretty tasty too. The cokes are different too. They are glass bottles, but they are small, maybe 6 or 8 ounces.
Next we headed to el Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. It is not the most famous art museum in Spain (El Prado), but it came highly recommended by several people so we decided to check it out. It is full of modern art from the Spanish Revolution to the present. We were most interested in the Spanish Revolution. They did a nice job explaining the history and how it influenced the art of the time. We saw many paintings by Picasso, the most famous of which was Guernica. It was massive and quite amazing to see in person. Once the art became more modern we started to lose interest. It's hard to understand how painting two lines and three dots can be called art!
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| Two lines and three dots |
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| Is this geocaching gone terribly wrong? |
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| Part of a series of dried things in baggies that are framed... |
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| This one was entitled, "I no longer like my 10' ceilings." |
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| Ah, finally something I can understand...a lovely Picasso |
We enjoyed a glass of wine at a very local place. Our two glasses of wine came with a plate of olives and a Spanish tortilla (basically a type of quiche). Byron also decided to get some coffee. It was different experience with a non-tourist crowd. One older man could not comprehend how Byron could drink his espresso without milk, he got quite agitated. The three drinks and food cost 4 euros (about 5 1/2 dollars).
Well, we are off to catch the night train to Paris! We are excited to have the experience and will definitely post about it when we get the chance. Still working on those pictures, I hope we can get them to you soon.
Hasta luego,
Beth and Byron
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