Rhonda: We made it to Madrid by the skin of our teeth. We overslept!!!! So our morning started out quite rough. We rushed to get ready and out the door and in a cab. It was supposed to take 15 minutes to the train station but it took us 30 mins. So we arrived at the humongous Barcelona train station at 8:41 for a 9:00am train. All I knew was that we were on the AVE train at 900a and it's near the McDonald's. We were just standing in the station spinning in circles, both of us near tears in frustration. I saw a sign for McDonald's so we ran that way, as best we could pulling two bags each. Then I asked a female police officer for help and she told us to get in this line and hurry. We did . Then someone looked at our tickets and then directed us to an escalator and next we knew.... there we were on the train and in our seats at 857a. What happened? Our travel angel somehow did that! We have no idea how we did it in 13 minutes otherwise.
The train ride was beautiful and so comfortable that we didn't really want it to go by so fast. We really need fast trains in the U.S.
Chris: We sat down and looked at each other and asked, what just happened ? How did we get here ? It was really a very strange feeling because we seriously did not know how in the world we found and got on that train !
Rhonda: Chris had no idea and I didn't want to ruin the surprise but I booked a nice room at the hotel in Madrid. It said it had a terrace with a jacuzzi but I was afraid that meant a tub or a view of a hot tub or something. So I didn't say anything. I was super excited to get there but whomp whomp. Our room wasn't ready. We have been so lucky this whole trip but this time ... whomp. So we left to find lunch . We didn't realize the cool tapas place on the corner was actually part of our hotel so we just stayed there and had a couple of bites. It was only 25 minutes and I got a call that the room was ready. I went and got the keys and found out I was correct!!! We have a jacuzzi! Omg!
I rushed Chris and told him we have to get to the room. He kept questioning what are we doing until our tour at 5pm. I kept playing dumb and just saying I don't know, let's just get to the room. Y'all it could not have gone better. The room itself was huge and beautiful. Chris thought the huge room was the surprise until I drew the curtains and revealed the terrace with the hot tub. He was blown away. Me too!
I can not even explain how marvelous the next few hours were. We got immediately in the hot tub with the bottle of champagne that was in our room. It was chilly out and the hot tub was warm and it made for such a magical time. We floated and let our aches get massaged by the jets. It was so special. But it was not until we had been out there a while that Chris pulled the champagne bottle out of the ice that I saw it said Happy Birthday Rhonda. I was so surprised. Then. I saw My PHOTO on it . What??
How thoughtful! I didn't have any idea they knew about my birthday on this trip.
So after we soaked and napped we got it together for our 530pm TUK TUK tour. It was a little electric open air golf cart kinda vehicle. But it went fast and we went all over the city. Madrid is gorgeous. It's the capital so there are Presidential palaces and Royal palaces, and royal operas and gardens.
Chris: The oldest restaurant in the world is in Madrid. Restaurante Botin has been in continuous operation in the same location since 1725. Thier big menu item is and as I understand it always has been, roasted suckling pig. They say at the restaurant, and Rhonda and I choose to believe it,
that the open fire pit that the pig is roasted over was ignited in 1725 and has burned continuously for three hundred years. That's one hell of a Duro log !
We have been aware of the existence of Botin for years and years and we have always wanted to go so we were super super excited to finally get to go.
Rhonda: We got back and got ready for dinner. Our reservation was for 1030pm. They eat late here and the restaurant is open from 8p- 1230a. Botin lived up to all of our expectations. It was so old school both in service and in menu. But in a very welcoming and delicious way.
After dinner we did a little souvenir shopping and back to the hotel. We scheduled this dinner on our first night in Madrid so that we didn't have to get up and rush to the airport the next day. We were so glad because it was about 3am before we got to bed. We considered this night to be the end of the trip since we had purposely come to Madrid to eat at Botin.
Thursday was a sleep late , pack again, get ready to go home day. We did get out and walk the streets and get a late lunch/dinner.
And Friday, April 7th we flew home. We were ready . It was a perfect vacation!!!
Stay tuned though. We have a 5 years worth of past trips we will be posting over the next weeks and lots of exciting future travel plans.
Love y'all.
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