Sevilla, Spain to Barcelona, Spain – August 1

waiting to go...cool painting

42 degrees, blazing sun in Sevilla, by the time we got to Barcelona it was 28 and humid

As today was a travel day, there’s not a whole lot to report. Out flight wasn’t until 7:20 PM, so we had a whole lot of time to kill. We decided just to have a lazy morning and get out of the hotel as late as they would let us. The small courtyard outside out room was so fantastic, that we spent the morning out there.

Sevilla hotel lobby...very cool.

We opted to get an early start for the airport due the taxi strike that the complete and entire country of Spain is experiencing right now! We weren’t planning to take a taxi, we were planning to take the same bus we came in to Sevilla on, but everyone else that had planned on a taxi would have to make other arrangements, and we thought the bus would be packed – it wasn’t. In fact, other than a bit of a protest that we saw last night, if we hadn’t read about the strike or the hotel hadn’t told us, we wouldn’t have even known. Hopefully this lasts and we don’t really notice it in Barcelona either. The strike is all about the taxi drivers against Uber…no big surprise.

not exactly Spanish

Last night when we were sitting on outside for dinner a taxi driver protest drove right past us. Basically their form of protest is to drive very slowly, blasting music and honking their horns. It lasted about 30 minutes. It was annoying for us and would have been more annoying for those driving around it, but pretty much peaceful. One of the ‘buskers’ that like to sing one song and ask for money had even more gall to ask for money for what he may or may not have sung during the protest – ha…NO!

Anyway, because of all of the extra time we planned ‘just in case’ to get to the airport, we had A LOT of time to kill in the airport – certainly better than the alternative.

The flight to Barcelona was about 90 minutes, so a glass of wine, an episode and a half of Mad Men and we were there. Our plan all along was to take the subway to the hotel, so that’s what we did. It took about an hour with one transfer and about a 5 minute walk…super easy and no need for a taxi! And as a huge added bonus…no potential (pretty much a sure thing, really) screwing by the taxi driver!

By the time we got to the hotel it was 11, so we dumped our stuff, and headed out for a quick stop for water, snacks and donairs (every trip has to include them!) We tried to get beer, but were shut down, apparently we were too late for the piggly-wiggly to sell booze.

The snacks included emmental chips…not exactly Spanish or even unusual, but I had to get something for the collection.