Another delightful breakfast in Cordoba served by at least 3 people complete with linen tablecloth and napkins, fresh squeezed OJ and assortmentsof breadsetc. Taxi to the train station and a quick 1 ¾ hour ride to Madrid while we typed Feb 17. Got to Madrid to find all trains to Toledo were full. First rumor was no trains until tomorrow. OUCH! Put on our sorrowful, country bumpkin, rube faces and got separate seats on maybe the last train after three hours wait. Lesson learned: get tickets the day ahead! Typed some more on the blog, to upload once we get to Toledo. Had a brief pizza Margherita and jamon bocadillo (sandwich on a baquette) while we waited for our train. Not willing to say the lunch came complete with potato chips and a coke, or that they tasted good. At time this is being typed we are sitting in the ante-room of the Madrid train station. When we arrived you could not turn sideways in the huge station. As we look around now we only see 3 securidad and each other. Have we missed something in translation? Is this the same Madrid train station el Qaida blew up a few years ago? With a second quick look around at least we see no well shaven Muslim men with bulging coats or loanly left backpacks. Security cameras everywhere, but no shifty characters. Speaking of shifty characters got our first Gypsy proposition, baby dropper, yesterday. We either look more like locals, which we highly doubt in our bright yellow coats, the Gypsies are out of babies which we also highly doubt, or business all moved south for the winter, just like the cruise ships.
Caught our train to Toledo and chose to hup our bags a mile UPHILL to our Hotel del Cardenal. Then hiked up hill some more to Plaza de Zocodover to get the lay of the land...then hiked downhill to the Catedral and an early dinner at Adolfo Vinoteca. We made good friends with our waiter Miguel after 5 tapas and 4 glasses of wine. He gave us his personal oopy of Don Quixote (in Spanish), autographed it, and sent us stumbling on our way. Then we tried to find our wy home. Three miles of winding dimly lit alleys (except when cars speed around the corners), help from El Predsidente's personal security guard, and 8 flights of escalators (down) we found our way back to our room. We have found the Spanish people overwhelmingly friendly and helpful and have never been worried about our safety. Off to sleep so we have time to "do" Toledo tomorrow. Nighty-nite!
We give it a bad time, but the Spanish train system has been wonderful. Any shortcomings have been ours. These trains have been great. The US has a lot to learn.
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