Retracing My Path Northward

Hasta luego, Ecija!

I checked out a little later than I planned. I was hoping to see my friend again to say goodbye in person, but he hadn't responded to my email. So I checked out and paid my bill, then crossed the street to see if he arrived at work but hadn't read email yet.

After reaching the other side of the street, I noticed a man walking out of the parking lot, focused on reading something on his phone. He was crossing the street toward the hotel.

I called out my friend's name and he looked up from his phone and walked toward me. I tried to be cheerful. He wasn't his usual bubbly self. I regretted that I didn't have more time. We crossed the street together and stopped in front of the hotel restaurant where he was going to get breakfast. We said our goodbyes. Then he turned toward the restaurant and I turned toward the bus station, which was still empty when I arrived. Then I cried.

I was there for three nights, but I only saw him for a couple of hours, maybe less. It felt like a wasted chance.

Miguel and Teresa in Madrid

Miguel was one of my classmates in my MBA program. Teresa was with him during the program but I didn't get much chance to get to know her. But I did this time.

They got stuck in futbol traffic on the way to the train station, so the conversation started with the soccer teams. Apparently, there are 3 teams just in Madrid.

We parked somewhere under the Royal Palace and walked through some plazas and small streets and the big marketplace with so many tempting yummies. We stopped at a couple of places for drinks and tapas and a third place for tea.

I found out a lot of things about them -- how they met (horseback riding lessons when she was 11 and he was 12), how she would have lived as a missionary in Africa if it weren't for him, how he proposed (at a McDonalds parking lot), how he mistakenly reserved an expensive nonrefundable room in Duluth, Georgia instead of Duluth, Minnesota for their honeymoon. I saw a picture of their twin boys on the first day of school and a video of their little girl in the potty saying hello to her dad while he was away.

I don't know how the conversation about Second Life started, but it became the main conversation thread. I admitted that the other people I met on this trip were people I met in SL. In the end, they were reading from my book on my tablet and looking at my Dim Sum pictures. Teresa was intrigued, and Miguel is worried about the potential dangers.

Then they dropped me off at my hotel with promises to keep in touch.

Flight back to Barcelona

The hotel room looked nice, but it smelled like urine and the smell was worse in the morning.

I decided to go to the airport to see if I could take an earlier flight. I seriously considered going to see the Museo Del Prado, as Miguel suggested, but I worried that I would lose track of time and miss my flight.

The hotel clerk told me how to take the 101 bus from the nearby plaza and then the free shuttle to Terminal 4. Finding where the buses stopped was the most complicated thing but I had lots of time.

Unfortunately, all the earlier flights to Barcelona were fully booked. So I checked in for my original flight and decided to just wait. The x-ray guy checked both my bags. He seemed to be checking a lot of bags. When he was done with my suitcase, one of my underwear was loose on top. When I packed it, it was rolled up like the rest of my clothes and tucked in. I should have just given it to him as a souvenir.

I had brunch inside at a restaurant called Paul. The bocatillo Iberia was así-así. But the macarones pistachio was heavenly! I should have bought a second one!

I spent the time catching up on my blog and Wolfgang logged in for a short cuddle until it was time for me to board the plane. The plane was almost full but there was an empty seat next to me. I feel asleep soon after the doors closed.

The cab fare to the Barcelona hotel was 28€. I would have been better off staying downtown. It's almost the same fare. I saw the sign to Castelfels but he didn't take it. He said that was going to the playa. I think he took advantage of me. Then I saw an exit sign with the name of my hotel and an arrow turning right. He ignored that too and took the long way around. Next time I take a cab, I'm bringing up Google Maps.