K&J: day 3 in Madrid

The night before we decided to walk less. We booked a tourist bus ride using hotel reception. Up early, walked to bus company about a block away. Their front door was locked but they buzzed us in. That shopping arcade in lane way must be tad unsafe - possibly cash on hand? The bus trip zigzagged around Madrid. Surprised how many bits we had already stumbled into or past on previous days. But still worth doing. Didn't take many photos - lousy from inside a moving bus! Stopped outside bull ring and Real Madrid CF stadium (contrasts between the arenas?) Rested up a bit after we got back. A cold drink on beautiful hotel balcony then caught Metro out towards where we wound up first night. Much faster when you plan it :-) Poured rain just after we sat down and ordered wine. Stopped soon enough, had some tapas. Metro home and another night early to bed.

Day 3. To Barcelona and down to Valencia

A very early start at Dubai but that's OK because our body clocks said it was much later. Dubai terminal 3 was the usual bustling throng although we sailed straight through luggage checkin, immigration and security. A nice breakfast at The Hub upstairs and we were on our way. The fed us more or less continuously on the plane and very good food it was. Once again the plane was a 777 which I prefer to the A380.

Barcelona airport was easy enough to deal with, minimal queues. We took the bus from the terminal around to the other terminal where the train station is, a suburban train into Barcelona Sants and then the Euromed train to Valencia.

Since the last time that we came along this coast (2003) the change was quite noticeable. A lot of development, mostly apartments, mostly ugly and many empty. A real disaster. It was a warm day and the Med looked very inviting, but I couldn't get them to stop the train for a swim :-(

It turned out that our Valencia accommodation was not ideal. A fair walk from Valencia Nord to collect the key, then a fair walk to the apartment, then a lift followed by a flight of stairs to the apartment. Most of the distance on cobblestones... a bit of a workout for suitcase wheels.  Once we got there it was OK but not great, so we cancelled our later stay and decided to find a hotel closer to the station for when we returned to Valencia.

K&J got in fairly late but we connected up OK and I even had a cold beer waiting for them :-}