Madrid

Wednesday May 11, 2011                             Day 315

We took an early train this morning for Barcelona, and after a short layover there, traveled on to Madrid. There was a movie on the Barcelona-to-Madrid leg, but it was in French, with French subtitles, so we forwent it in favor of sleep. We passed through the plain in Spain about which Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle sang.

A field of poppies on that Plain in Spain

We arrived in Madrid without incident and located the correct subway line to get us to our hotel. The subway car was very crowded, but we managed to squeeze in nevertheless. After one stop, when the crowding had eased just a bit, a young man moved between me and the door, placing himself so that he was facing me. He had his jacket draped casually over his arm so that it covered his hand. I became aware that it felt as if he was feeling along my purse. I backed away and turned so that my purse was against Roger. After two more stops, we got off. I shared with Roger that I was not certain, but I believed the guy was trying to pick my purse. Roger said that the guy had stood by him and he thought the guy was feeling along his pocket. He said he put his hand down alongside his pocket, and that is when the guy moved away, then selected me as his next target. Welcome to Madrid. I wore my purse turned inward in most of the rest of Madrid, so that the zippers and the openings of the purse were next to my body rather than facing outward. 

At about 7:30, we went out to find dinner. We were surprised to learn that Madrid does not open for evening dining until 9:00! We returned to our hotel room and spent some time on the computer, then shortly before 9:00, we set out again. Our goal was a restaurant not far from our hotel which offers live piano and opera music. When we arrived, we were asked if we had reservations. When we said no, we were next asked for our address. We told the hostess that we were staying at a hotel down the street, and she made a note, then took us to a table. We were not able to determine why she asked for our address.  

I resent that they bring us bread, as is the case in many U.S. restaurants, but then they charge extra for the bread. There is not even the opportunity to refuse it. They just plop it on the table and add 3€to the bill. It is not that would we refuse the bread if we knew we would be charged for it separately, but I just feel it is a backdoor way to get a little more money out of our pockets. 

Our starter came, and we ate it pretty quickly - we were tired and hungry after our travels. Our waiter then approached us and told us that the program of opera singing started at 10:00, and gave us the option of dragging out the meal so we could hear the program, or bringing out the food more quickly. We chose the latter, with some astonishment and slight disapproval from her. She could not believe we would not stay for the program! We did get to hear the first opera piece by a young lady with a fine voice, and some pop tunes played by the pianist. Neither of us cares particularly for opera, however, and were not persuaded to stay and enjoy the entire program. We did share a whole bottle of wine - unusual for us. We had to stagger back to the hotel, which was fortunately on the same street as the restaurant.