Madrid (Spain) | Reunion - Day 135

I love this metal sculpture that I passed in Les Escaldes. On the one hand, it reminds me of a futuristic state, and the piece looks to the future with optimism. But, on the other hand, it reminds me that we are all imperfect beings. I can see the voids (i.e., the things that are lacking) in other people, or I can see beauty in our imperfections, which are common to our human experience.

I leave the hotel at a quarter past 5 am. I've walked past this little church several times now, and I love how stunning it looks surrounded by darkness.

The streets are mostly empty this morning, though I notice people are moving about already. I've enjoyed my time in Andorra. I have no regrets for not exploring this beautiful little country more. I arrived with a single purpose, which was rest and relaxation. As I leave this morning, I feel rested and look forward to my next adventure in the Balkans. I can tell my batteries have recharged, as I am also excited about spending more time in Madrid, Spain.

I don't remember much of the 3-hour bus ride down to Barcelona. I slept most of the way in the darkness. When I wake, I notice the landscape around Barcelona is very arid. It reminds me of California's high desert near Victorville, where I once lived. However, the Barcelona area gets about 4 times as much rain, 572 mm (22.5 in). The bus drops me off at Barcelona-Sants, the central train station west of downtown.

The Renfre Avlo bullet train will cover the 500 km (300 mi) to Madrid in about 2.5 hours. This is a new experience for me. I've traveled on many trains but never on a high-speed one. The train is nearly 40 cars long. My car is #26, and within minutes we are underway. I notice on the digital scrolling marquee in the car, we are traveling at 70 kph (43 mph). It feels like we are moving much slower.

Below is one of the few pictures that turned out from the train. Who knew it would be so challenging to take pictures through a dirty window that reflects light while moving at 300 kph (180 mph)? Walking is also a challenge aboard this purple bullet train. I attempt to walk to the restroom about halfway through the journey and find it impossible to walk down the narrow aisle without grasping the seats' headrests for stability. The movement feels gentle and subtle while sitting, but once on my feet, I realize that everything is exaggerated at 300 kph (180 mi). The other thing I notice that is difficult about moving at such a high speed is the air pressure in the cabin. Multiple times, I needed to clear my ears by equalizing the pressure. This was especially noticeable when we entered a tunnel. It made me briefly feel like my head was a vice.

When I step outside Madrid Atocha Train Station 2.5 hours later,  I take a few moments to let my senses acclimate to my new environment. I love the first few moments in a new city and find it essential to simply inhale and BE before heading anywhere. As I look around from my location, I can already tell I will enjoy being in Madrid. So I ping Borja, "I'm in Madrid!!"

Madrid is the Capital of Spain and has an urban population of 3.4 M and nearly 6.7 M, including the surrounding metropolitan area. This is the largest city I have visited on my travels. Generally, I have made it a habit to avoid large cities and enjoy experiencing the culture in smaller towns more. However, I have heard that Madrid is an incredible city and it has a major airport, which I need to leave Spain.

I notice the beautiful Ministry of Agriculture building only a few hundred meters from the train station. The skyline and colors of this building are stunning.

I look back at the beautiful Madrid Atocha (a.k.a Puerta de Atocha) train station building.

On my way to the hostel, I remember Anne was supposed to be in Madrid too. So, I ping her too, "I'm in Madrid!!" Shortly after, my phone buzzes me. "I am going to grab lunch. Want to join me" says Anne. Yeah, I'm starving. So, let me go drop my bag at the hostel. It's not too far from here, I say. "Great, I know this awesome place, Pez Tortilla. See you there," says Anne.

Anne tells me she's in love with Pez Tortilla. "You were a breath of fresh air in Muxia. I was having such a difficult day. It made me feel so good when you congratulated me for making it to Muxia and then telling me I didn't have to walk anymore," she says to me. I am surprised to hear that these simple words made her day on that rainy day in Muxia, and it reminds me that I never know when a simple interaction will brighten someone's day. "I had to distance myself from Allen in Finisterra the next day. He was so hard to talk to, and he was so difficult," she says. Yeah, I had the same problem with Allen and am relieved to hear it wasn't me. He was a strange guy, I say. 

My phone pings me, its Borja. "Hello, Marteen! Welcome to Madrid! I finish work at 3 pm. I'll send you the location where we can meet." I type back, "Sounds good, and see you soon!" I need to go meet my friend Borja who lives here in Madrid. How long are you in town, Anne? "I leave for Valencia on Monday morning. I am meeting up with a friend later today too. Maybe we can meet again on Sunday for dinner if you are free?" she says. That sounds good. I'll see you then.

I walk over to the Mercado de Los Mostenses, and when I arrive, I call Borja. After finding me outside, he takes me inside to meet his co-worker Elana. They both work at the Department store Zara. Elana speaks very little English. Meanwhile, Borja introduces me to all his friends at the Mercado. "I found a group of friends, which included Alex. There were 7 of us from all over the world. We called ourselves the 7 Nations Army," he says. I laugh. He hiked with the 7 Nations Army for 2 weeks, and when injuries started, he had to leave them, or he would not have finished before returning to work. 

The three of us leave the Mercado and meet up with a couple of their friends that only speak Spanish. Elana takes a selfie of the group while Borja and I talk about his trip to Thailand in 2019. Then, Borja shows me pictures of him handling a small green poisonous snake and a video of an enormous King Cobra in a shallow pit with which a local handler plays. The snake is 4 m (13 ft) long, and the handler distracts the snake while moving it around the pit. "I was scared, and I wasn't even in the pit," says Borja.

"When do you go back home after Madrid?" asks Elena. After a Madrid. Croacia (Croatia), I say. "Then you go home?" asks one of the others. No say [I don't know], I tell them. Maybe southeast Asia. "Estas Casado [You married]," Elena says, laughing as she nudges me. I laugh. No Casado, I say.

Shortly after, Borja leads me on a windy furious tour of Madrid. A storm is moving in. "It is never windy like this in Madrid," says Borja. The sky is incredible and dramatic for pictures. Unfortunately, our pace makes it tough to keep up with Borja and take photographs. 

"This is the biggest building in Madrid, > 6,000 sq m (64,500 sq ft), the Hotel Riu," says Borja as he zips around the next corner. 

The Teatro Real (i.e., opera house) is a beautiful building near the Palacio Real de Madrid (Madrid Royal Palace). 

We rush past the Mercado de San Miguel. "You won't find any Spanish people here. It's too many tourists. Too expensive for local people," he says. The Mercado de San Miguel is a recently renovated famous indoor market. It has enormous glass windows. As we pass by, I notice he's right. All I see are European and North American tourists. 

Then we walk into the. Plaza de Mayor [town square]. The courtyard is illuminated by the warm glow of the yellow lights. It looks incredible, but Borja is on a mission. I suddenly remember why we parted ways on the Camino. He walks at a furious pace!

We finally arrive at a local tapas bar. Borja orders Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes), huevos con Jamon (eggs and Serrano ham), grilled squid, and croquetas con Jamon (dumplings with Serrano ham). We pass the plates back and forth, getting our fill. By the time we top it off with two beers each, I am stuffed. "Ok, Marteen, we'll see you on Monday before I work," says Borja. Yes, Monday for ceviche, I say, then we part ways sometime after 11 pm.