We needed to wake early to make the 10 minute walk down to the train station with our luggage. So far Kate’s light packing has worked out great. We (she) launders nightly and things dry by the next morning. It especially works great when we need to trek to the train station.
The morning trek was fairly simple, especially since we knew exactly where we were heading having passed Attoche train station every day we were out and about in Madrid. We planned extra time at the station to get a little food and buy a SIM card for our phone (thanks Alexa!). The SIM card took much more time to navigate than we expected since we needed the non-English speaking store sales boy to explain where the heck to insert the SIM card into our blackberry. But other than that, it seemed to work as advertised.
The train station was clean and efficient. With only more slightly lax security than an airport, but otherwise very similar. All luggage was scanned, but no waiting bays like in an airport. Rather just a “plaform” where folks lined up, then were released down one of several escalators to their awaiting train. Our train had not yet been assigned a platform on the ‘departures’ board. So I took the opportunity to go find the kids some quick easy food. In the seven minutes it took me to get food we found our train had boarded?? Zeke came running to me. Kate was a little miffed that I wasn’t running back to the platform, but casually strolling. Luckily I’d bought her a coke-free, so I was forgiven (I think).
The train was clean and could have been any airplane except for the doors on either end of our compartment that stewardesses came in and out of as they went from car to car. The kids and Kate enjoyed the High School Musical lead male in some sort of Freaky-Friday rip off, all in Spanish of course. The kids have been watching Spanish Disney whenever they were back at the hotel. And enjoying it. I suspect those malleable brains are just soaking it up without even knowing it. While the movie on the train played, I enjoyed watching the landscape outside. Madrid is a HUGE city, so it took quite awhile to actually clear the burbs. The Spanish landside compares very closely to what we saw in Arizona. very arid, very dry. Nearly desert. In fact, we haven’t packed any sort of rain gear whatsoever and so far no threat of any even overcast weather. I did see a cloud one day! We arrived in Ronda in the heat of the day at about 12:30. Zeke, getting more confident with his Spanish, asked for a map at the train station. The men at the window were smiling and appreciating his good effort. He got our map! I had googled our path to our hotel, but hadn’t accounted for the horribly narrow side-walks. It was truly one-way side walks. And with luggage in tow, there were several times I simply needed to pull aside to let opposite pedestrian traffic pass. Lots of “Lo Siento”, my now favorite spanish phrase. Not having acquired the words yet for excuse me, may I pass, I simply had to wait out slow traffic when I would’ve preferred to have passed them. Parmissio?? We tried to work the shaded side of the streets, but so was everyone else, which made for more congestion on the narrow walks. I’m certain the locals are a little sick of sharing their narrow walks with we foreigners, especially those with wide luggage. But if they are, they are polite at not showing it. Since it was along the way, we stopped by the bus station hoping to get our several bus connections later in the trip. But ran straight into the middle of Siesta!. What was I thinking. Further on we stopped by the tourist office, but I found them far less helpful than their website, which was quite impressive.
We passed by a Western Union and Kate made a good call to change some more Euro. Later she said it was her first run in with an ADHD Spaniard, speaking so fast that even she couldn’t make out any words. Even though she repeatedly asked him to please slow down.
It was great to see the bridge as we broke out of a shaded alleyway into the heat of a piazza just past the Bullfighting stadium, as we knew our hotel was just on the opposite side of the Puenta Nueva (new bridge). And by new, they mean 1750’s!!! A breathtaking view from the bridge that we couldn’t help but stop for. Kate checked us in and we took our first official Siesta.
We woke later after the heat had broken and went out to explore the town a bit. The city (ciudad) itself is built on an elevated cliff and abuts right up to the edge especially on the western side. Many areas along that ledge are public and great for viewing. Our stay in Ronda was 4 days, and I could’ve spent each of those days easily just enjoying the view…
On the walk after supp, Kate noticed on a poster that a band was slated to play in the public square not far from where we were at 10:30. 10:30 is extremely late to take the kids to a concert. but not in Spain, land of the Siesta. Our normal bedtime has been at least 11 or midnight. The band turned out to be a half band half comedy act. Through their antics we learned they were a band of misfits from the insane asylum. Each with their own special insanity. The music was good and the kids enjoyed their antics.
Maeve even made YET ANOTHER friend… This little girl had sat down in front of us, and as soon as Maeve noticed her she’d squirmed out of my lap and plopped down right next to her. They enjoyed the end of the concert together.
Even Kevin, world traveler, learned something about packing from you.
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