A sunday in Madrid

  Can you spot my room?

This is my cheap hotel in Vista Alegre in the outskirts of Madrid. 53 euros per night with private bathroom.

My hotel 

The only thing missing is soundproofing between rooms. I woke up at 2am with the sound of water gushing as if some pipe had bursted. Someone living in the adjacent room had returned from somewhere, a bar maybe, and took a very long shower.

Luckily I have earplugs with me always. Whoever took the shower snored loudly all night long.

I took a bus to the Atocha station only to find out that all trains to Toledo and back had already been fully booked.

At breakfast, I asked for a glass of vermut. Turned out that they do not serve it before noon. I had to make do with coffee only. I had two.

I will not do anything much today. I will get my vermut somewhere. Rebecca Solnit’s Recollections of my nonexistence appears well written and interesting.

And I got my vermut in the very same bar in Plaza Mayor I had beer a few days back. It seems to be the place for afternoon drinks, at least there are many locals and not only tourists like me. It is called Dcorazon.

After a drink or two, I had a walk in the Sabatini park and took the number 5 subway back to Vista Alegre. For lunch I have a delicious salmon sandwich and milk coffee.

The day is not over. A small break in the hotel and I will have replenished my energies and be ready for an evening stroll.

Breakfast

Vermut!

Lunch.