PDX updated! This is the first time I’ve been in the airport since May, so the new section is open. There were trees and lots of foliage scattered around. What was most noticeable is the entire path from the entrance door into the airport all the way to your gate, including TSA, was completely different in my opinion. Even the initial check-in process looked more European than before. Too late to take a photo so you’ll have to trust me!

Our overnight flight was good. 9 hours sitting is never fun but once I was able to fall asleep I felt a little better.  I am not sure we saw the northern lights or if we saw the sun coming up over the horizon but the sky was beautiful. What do you think?

London airport – what can you say about any place when you’re tired? We spent 3+ hours with too many of our fellow travellers. Being from Portland it’s easy to forget the additional volume of noise and jostling of bodies that go along with travel through the larger airports. Get comfortable, find a coffee and settle in is my motto.

Barcelona airport – We made it thru the lengthy line at customs, found our checked backpacks and headed for our taxi. A thumbs up in prebooking a taxi when reserving your hotel. The taxi folks were in touch once we landed asking how we were, where we were, greeted us and walked us to the taxi. After traveling many hours it was a pleasure to not think about the best way to get to our hotel – because we had found it!

While standing in line at hotel check-in the couple behind us said hello and mentioned they recognized our backpacks from the London flight. They flew from Vancouver BC and we took the same London to Barcelona flight. A very nice couple who live on Salt Springs Island. We ended up making a tapas date with them, giving us each time to get into our rooms and take a momentary break. 

Nick and Elena. Nick joined us but Elena had said she probably wouldn’t as she was tired and wanted to relax in the room. So Nick, Rick and I left the hotel and found a tapas bar to enjoy a beer and some shared plates. We each had an Estrella beer, and enjoyed plates of ham and cheese croquettes, cuttlefish strips and tomato toast. I was unfamiliar with cuttlefish but Nick explained they were similar to calamari. I would order that again. Missing from the food was any type of sauce so we’ll look for sauce options before we order tapas again.

Nick just retired from his general contracting career and Elena is still working as a social worker. It was an interesting conversation between Rick and Nick as they really had a lot in common. They will head south to Seville while we head north to Burgos. We wish them a happy vacation!

Off to bed. Tomorrow we take the train to Burgos where Rick can finally spend the day in the Museum of Human Evolution.

#Spain2024