Oviedo to Madrid

 Friday, August 14, 2026

Remember that laundry we put in the wash last night?  Will I got up at 6:15 to put it in the dryer and at 8:30 it was still pretty wet.  After some dithering we decided we'd rather have a final breakfast out with all the kids that worry with it any more.  We put everything is plastic bags and we'll deal with it i Madrid. 

Because the car holds five, Jenny scoots out the door to catch the bus and the rest of us drive into town and park in the garage right by the train station. Conveniently enough it is also quite close to our breakfast destination and to Ole's Spanish class.  

Jenny has ordered one of these so everyone can sample the open-faced jamon on toast with olive oil and tomatoes!

After breakfast we retrieve our luggage and the guys head off to class. The girls walk us to the to the train station, make sure that we know which track and that the end of the line is our stop.  They're so sweet and take such good care of us! They watch as we wend through the security line and finally pass out of sight with one last wave.  I didn't think I would be emotional but not only did I tear up then, I'm doing it again as I type this Friday night! Sheesh!

The train arrives precisely on time and we stash our big bags and find our seats.  We couldn't get two together but we both have windows and after I evict the guy from my seat it turns out that he has the aisle seat and our middle seat is empty! 

A couple of stops later that's no longer true;  but, unlike airplane seats, these are roomy enough that it really doesn't matter!  And it's only a thre-hour ride anyway.  I have plenty of time to edit photos (don't need internet for that!) and I even get to tread for almost an hour!

When we are detraining, my suitcase isn't where I left if. :(  But Ginger spots it.  It must have been in someone's way and they stashed it in the overhead. I, of course, have no chance of retrieving it from their so I take Ginger's bag and get out the train and out of the way.  She, too, had to ask someone for help! 

                                         Interesting wall art in the Madrid train station!

Well, that's all sorted and we head for the exit and the taxi line.  Little did we know that the line was actually a huge U shape!  But it's all flat and is moving quickly and in no time we are settled in the back seat and off to the Zleep Hotel!  Really!  It's 26 Euros and worth every penny! We check in and ask about the airport shuttle and breakfast.  For the shuttle we need to know our terminal and for that we need to check in to Aegean Air, so we copy the WIFI code and head up to our room.

It's certainly not elegant, but it's got what we need and is right by the airport, so it's fine.  The first order of business is to get our wet clothes out of our luggage and strew it about room in hopes of it drying overnight.  And if that doesn't work, we'll repack it and try again in Athens.  We'll be there three nights and it that doesn't do it, I give up!

Getting into the WIFI is a bit tricky, but gets done and then the process of checking into Aegean begins.  It takes me a bit of sleuthing to find all the information they need but, again, persistence will out! And I'm able to get Ginger set up, too.  

Now that we know we leave from Terminal 2 we can go back downstairs and check into the shuttle.  After some backing and forthing involving us and the lady at the desk we finally decide that the timing will be much better if we just take a cab, and she promises to order one for us in the morning.  He should be here at 9:30 and get us to the airport before ten for our one o'clock flight.  I don't know anything about Aegean, so it's better to be early than to have problems with no time to solve them. And the breakfast is a buffet for 15 euros.  We can't possibly eat enough that early in the morning to be worth that!  We'll find something at the airport.

Here's your puzzle pic - This machine is located inside a glass enclosure that is as tall as the hotel.  It appears to be attached to something at the top.  Ginger thinks it is for someone to be able to wash the glass from the inside.  I just think it's messing up the stylized Zen garden they've got going on!  Thoughts??

Whew!  Now we can settle in, plug in electronics, check mail and, for some of us, blog!  Around 6:30 the hunger pangs begin and the lady at the desk says there's nothing within walking distance.  She suggests taking a cab to the mall where there are shops and restaurants but we don't even do that at home!  There is a small restaurant here in the hotel and we go there to check out the menu.  It's not exciting but it's right here and that counts.  We get spaghetti bolognese and that yummy drink Ginger had last night that's the Spanish version of sangria, tinto de verano, which means summer red wine.  It's equal parts red wine and either lemon or clear soda over ice. We split the bill and head upstairs for the night.  We won't be up past midnight this time!!  And I'll be caught up with the blog!  Sweet dreams!