Getting Settled

As I write this, it is just after 9:00 pm.  In the past 12 hours, I have walked over 7.50 miles, and Ubered a couple more.  It was rainy off and on, so I decided to do the botanical garden tomorrow, when it looks to be nicer.

When I got here last night, it was later than anticipated, and dark. I had been up many hours at that point, and couldn't get my bearings at all. I went inside the station to see if I could find a map to figure it out, but there was nothing but metro pathways that went off in all directions.  I ended up back outside, looking for someone who spoke English.  I finally interrupted some poor businessman on his phone, and he helped me get headed off in the right direction.  It was a little scary, actually, because it was not well-lit, and I was hauling my bags along the cobblestones.  Once I got a block or so down from the main road, my memory of the map kicked in, and I finally hauled myself into the lobby about 10:30.  I have no idea why I didn't think to call an Uber.

I slept in a bit this morning, then went out to explore my new neighborhood.  The Palace is undergoing renovations and wasn't available, so I am staying near Atocha train station at the very modern AC Atocha Marriott.  It's kind of the complete opposite of the "old world" Palace - all in black, grey and white, with lots of modern art, sleek lines, and glass.  Very cool, but the shower arrangement is a little disconcerting. The shower is in a glass box right next to the room door. It has all kinds of fancy jets and a rainfall showerhead but there is just nowhere to hide if I forget to lock the deadbolt and housekeeping comes in. :)

The see-through shower

In the daylight (and having gone back and forth a few times now), everything is much easier.  There is every fast food place you could name, as well as little shops where I found my beloved Aquarius water and Coke Light, and picked up some fruit for later.  I brought my purchases back to the room, then decided to Uber down to Puerta del Sol.  My driver was very nice, dressed in a suit - and driving a Tesla. He offered me water, too, which was nice.

Sol was jammed with people, and the Plaza Mayor had chairs and a stage all set up for some kind of concert or something, so I am glad I didn't plan to take pictures down there this time.  I went to Mercado de San Miguel and bought a caramel crepe, as well as a barca de manzana, a kind of  "boat" of flaky pastry filled with finely sliced apples (kind of like an apple pie), for later.  No more caramel crepes for me, unless I have someone to share it with - it was so rich I couldn't finish it!  Then I walked down to my favorite little store, El Rincon, where they sell Lacasitos in bulk.  I ended up walking farther down, too, to see if Steak n Shake was still there (yep).  When I had finally had enough wandering around, I took the metro back to Atocha.  The line at the Reina Sofia art museum was too long to consider going in, so I went back to the hotel for a little siesta.  Good decision, since the rain that had been threatening all day, sprinkling on and off, finally started in earnest just after I got back.

When I woke up from my nap, the rain was over so I walked over to explore Atocha station and scout out where my train will be leaving from next week when I go to Valencia.  After spending some time there, saying hello to the jillions of turtles that live there in the rainforest, I went out to find a place for dinner. Even though it was only tapas time, not dinner, what I wanted to eat IS a tapa - patatas bravas (potato chunks with spicy red sauce and garlic mayo).  I also had a tapa whose name I don't know, but it was like a flatbread "pizza" with chunks of ham and red pepper.

The Atocha rainforest.  It has pathways and benches throughout.

Some of the many, many turtles that live in Atocha.

My plan for tomorrow is to head over to the botanical garden.  I have to pass Reina Sofia on the way, though, so if there is no line I might do that first.  I have to check out of here by noon, I think, so I hope I can leave my bags for a bit before heading to Eurobuilding.  I'm meeting up with Karen, Carolyn and Mary (from last year's VT) at 4:30, and we will walk to the tapas reception together at 5:00.

Grrr, remember last year when I was so proud not losing anything on my trip?  Well, I just realized that I left my sweater at the restaurant where I had dinner.  So I went down to the lobby and asked the reception guy if he could call for me to see if they found it.  He did, and it's there, and I can pick it up at 10:00, right when I should be headed to the botanical garden anyway.  Whew!