6/28 On to Madrid

28 June 2008 - We took a 7:30 train ride from Notting Hill Gate Underground Station to London Heathrow Terminal 2. Had no issues with check-in, security, the flight. We arrived in Madrid approximately 2:45 PM.

Barajas Airport in Madrid ... very new - first time that we have seen it. It seems to go on forever in a straight line ...


Our Iberia plane from Heathrow to Madrid ...


We rode the Madrid Metro all the way in to the Alonso Martinez station, next to our hotel. Then that is where the fun began - at the Metro station, in the middle of helping Mallorie lift her suitcase up some steps, three guys came by and distracted us, acting as if they were helping, subtly bumped in to me, then they disappeared. Well as you might be guessing, when we were checking into the Hotel Gran Versalles moments later I discovered my wallet was gone - I was a victim of a pickpocket! The most important things lost was some money (US Dollars, GB pounds, and Euros), credit/debit cards. We had "fun" calling the credit card companies to cancel the cards, went to the local police station to file a report (they found it unusual that the suspects were about 25 years old instead of young kids).

Here is an excerpt from the police report we filed ... it goes in the trip scrapbook.


Waiting in the police station while we file the report ... Anne, Mallorie, Sarah, and Carlos - we were not exactly figuring that we would be spending part of the first day in Madrid in the Police station!


One of the primary reasons for visiting Madrid again was to be able to visit with our very good friends, la familia Carrillo (Oscar, Anne, and son Carlos).


Our hotel, Hotel Gran Versalles ...


This spanish bar has a different look than the UK pubs ... you need to click on the picture to view and appreciate the detail of the tile and columns.


We stopped at a sidewalk cafe, very typical of the area, and had a beverage and sandwich ...


Jamón serrano y queso ... my lunch.