Madrid: Part I

I arrived in Madrid after about 13 to 15 hours of Travel. I am so anxious about meeting Bean; she sent me a crazy email about how she’s on the run in Malta trying to escape her deranged lover…..more on that later. Looking like a worn-out crazed peacock, I impatiently wait at the baggage claim. Finally, after retrieving Bean’s Dad’s red back pack in one piece, I head towards the exit. THERE SHE IS! I am so relieved to see my Binka (aka Bean)! After hugs and warm greetings we head to the Metro.

*Note: Finding the train station is not hard…getting the tickets are. There are small ATM like machines that sell tickets and there is one that is about 10 Euros and it’ll last like a day or two.

We arrive at our hostel “Hostal Metropol” – great place to stay! Excellent location, AMAZING views, free internet, breakfast included and public phone in the main room – and check in. Our room is very spacious, but shared with 4 other people. As we settle in, we wake up one of our roommates Jorge, a green eyed guy from Argentina. He has lived in Madrid before and was back for a visit.

*Note: You never know who you are going to meet in a Hostel, so be friendly to everyone…it generally works out in your favor.

We were starving and ask Jorge to join us for dinner. We walk towards the Plaza Mayor and choose a random café. Paella + Strawberry sangria = pure happiness

After dinner we wonder around Plaza Mayor and Jorge points out the tourist office –

“One of the main tourist information offices is the Municipal Office of Tourist Information, which can be found at Plaza Mayor (address: Plaza Mayor, 3). You can reach them on the telephone or fax at: Tel: 91 366 54 77. Fax: 91 588 16 36. If you are planning to see as much as possible on your stay, then this tourist information office should be the first stop on your itinerary.” http://www.gomadrid.com/practic/tourist-information-offices.html

After some wondering, Bean and I head back to the hostel for a quick nap. Determined to party on our first night, we drag ourselves out of bed. Jorge takes us to the local bar scene.

*Note: the night life we experienced in Madrid was very disappointing…drunk American college kids acting a fool…a sad and smokey regurgitation of 6^th street (Austin, TX reference). If you know of any authentic party spots in Madrid, please let me know!

One drink in and we are done. Back to the Hostel, tomorrow will be a busy day.

The Backpack

The backpack I used on the famous trek across Europe has a very special meaning. This ordinary red backpack is the main reason Bean even exists. When Bean’s dad was a young man fresh out of school, he too went traveling across Europe. During his adventure he caught a ride from a young Slovak woman. They were in an accident, and Bean’s dad was injured. The young Slovak girl took him to her home and nursed him back to health. They fell in love through English-Slovak dictionaries, and the rest is history. This backpack represents true love and the mysteries of destiny.

HOW DID WE DO IT?!?! (I still don't know)

View Backpacking Trip in a larger map

Looking back on the Show Pig’s backpacking trip and the places we traveled to, it seems utterly impossible that we visited 18 cities in 21 days. Some were just pit stops, others were actual stays. Below you will find the list of places that we touched:

1. Madrid, Spain
2. Oporto (Porto), Portugal
3. Lisboa, Portugal (day trip)
4. Barcelona, Spain
5. Montpellier, France (pit stop)
6. Nimes, France
7. Nice, France
8. Cannes, France (day trip)
9. Monaco, France (day trip)
10. Milano, Italy
11. Venezia (Venice), Italy
12. Trieste, Italy
13. Ljubljana, Slovenia
14. Zagreb, Croatia
15. Budapest, Hungry
16. Bratislava, Slovokia
17. Nitra, Slovokia
18. Vienna, Austria (pit stop)

Now, we wish we could have stayed longer in all the different cities, even try to visit a few more. However, once reality set in, time, money and our stamina only allowed us to do so much. That said, the first adventure on the menu is:

MADRID, SPAIN