Layover in Madrid

Once we received the news that Douglas’ mother was critically ill in the United States, we searched for the earliest and cheapest flights leaving Lisbon. Direct flights are usually available. However, this was a last minute search, so non-stop flights were not an option. As well, most flights were anywhere between $740 to $1200 per person for a one way ticket. There was no way we could spend that much to get back to Algiers. Luckily, Douglas found a flight on Iberia Airlines from Lisbon to Algiers with a layover in Madrid for only $198 per person. That seemed ideal until we noticed it was a 22 hour layover in Madrid. No sane person wants to spend that amount of time in an airport. It didn't take us long to decide on getting a hotel and maximizing our time in Madrid as best we could.

The flight was scheduled to depart Lisbon around 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Madrid at 6:00 p.m. We booked a room at Clement Barajas Hotel near the airport. On the hotel website it listed a Metro Station nearby. That was all we needed - a way into the city. As we checked into the hotel I asked the representative for a map and a few suggestions for dining out that night. The representative gave us some great tips and informed us that the Metro shuts down at 1:00 am. We would have to pay a costly fare to take a cab back to the hotel if we weren't on the train by then. (In my best Sweet Brown voice) Ain't nobody got time for that! Douglas and I planned to drop our bags off in the room and go right out to explore as much of Madrid as we could before curfew.

While checking in downstairs, a few things caught my eye. I noticed the high chair behind the woman helping us. The seat cushion was black with cracks that exposed the foam inside. I also noticed the wall behind the check-in desk was peeling and had chipped paint. I looked behind me and saw two small elevators. I looked further and saw a dining room that resembled a rest stop restaurant one would find driving along a deserted highway. Although we were in a rush to find a hotel last minute, I did my best to scope out the better hotels in the area. Clement Barajas had four stars and pretty good reviews. I have to admit, if we were vacationing in Madrid this hotel wouldn’t had even been an option. But we needed something close to the airport. Based on my immediate surroundings, I was not excited to see what the rooms looked like.

After check-in with the helpful representative we waited for the elevator to arrive. The door opened and I thought Douglas and I were going to have to take turns going up. It was so tiny! Once we got inside and the door was about to close, another couple came running towards the elevator. Part of me wanted to pound the close button on that elevator, but the good heart inside of me just didn’t let me do it. I held the door open for them wondering where they would squeeze themselves to fit. They made it work. I also hate to be judgmental, but I cannot be the only person that gets a feel for the type of hotel you are staying in from the guests you see inside. From the looks of these guests they screamed Motel 6. Again, I cannot be the only one who thinks this way. I’m probably just the only one expressing those thoughts in writing!

We got to our floor and walked towards our room. I could immediately smell disaster, literally and figuratively. There was an odor in the hallway that smelled like old carpet mixed with cigarette smoke. We unlocked our room door and I could feel the knot in my throat drop all the way to my feet. Again, I messed up because I did not take pictures. The only thing on my mind was dropping off our bags and leaving that room as quickly as possible. How I wish I had taken pictures to give you a visual! There were so many things wrong; where do I begin? First, there were two twin sized beds that looked more like premature twin size beds. They looked like something you would see in prison, except they weren’t bunk beds. Second, the TV was, as Douglas joked, the first television ever made. Third, the floors were more rickety than a deserted mansion from a horror film. Fourth, the windows had bars on them. Fifth, the toilet in the bathroom was basically on top of the sink, and the sink was practically in the bathtub. Sixth, the bathtub had half a door that stopped just inches away from the water knobs. The water from the shower head just leaked to the floor since there was no door or curtain there to block it. I could go on but I think you get the idea of just how sad this hotel was. And after leaving the luxurious Tiara Park in Lisbon, we felt like the Jeffersons just met Sanford and Son...on so many levels!

Douglas and I left that room so fast, you would have thought there was a fire. We walked to the Metro, which was only five minutes away, and took it to the city. We made two train transfers and arrived at Plaza de Espana about an hour later. All the shopping, restaurants, and clubs are located in this area. It reminded me of Times Square at night. The streets were packed with people. I had to clutch my purse to ensure it didn’t get snatched. I’m a New Yorker at heart, but there is no place in my heart that enjoys the brush of one person after another against my arm. Holding hands was basically impossible.

It was almost 10 pm and we were starving. The only dish we tasted for was some authentic Spanish paella. I couldn’t imagine eating anything else while in Spain for less than 24 hours. We went to a restaurant recommend by the hotel representative. It was called La Paella de la Reina (Paella of the Queen). The name said it all. It didn’t take Douglas and I long to review the menu and place our order. One paella to share and one Sangria for Douglas - perfect!

After eating we bought some frozen yogurt and then caught the train by midnight. We returned to the hotel just before 1:00 am. Usually after a flight and a tour of the city for a bit, one would be itching to get into bed. However, that bed was not calling my name. Tiara Park’s bed in Lisbon was calling my name. Heck, my bed in Algiers was calling my name louder than Clement Barajas was. Douglas and I usually cuddle together before going to sleep. Well, cuddling wasn’t taking place that night. I invited Douglas over to my side of the bed and he could barely fit. We tried removing the tucked sheets beneath both sides of our mattress and lying together but then the beds started to slip apart. Before one or both of us ended up on the floor we kissed each other goodnight and went to our separate sides. I felt like we were on a marriage retreat gone bad.

We checked out of the hotel early the next morning. The hotel was kind enough to hold our luggage so we could explore Madrid during the day before catching the shuttle to the airport. The hotel representative recommended we visit one of Madrid’s premiere attractions, Buen Retiro Park. Douglas and I love walking around, especially in such a gorgeous park that seemed so perfect for us. We took the train back into the city, just a few stops from Plaza de Espana. Before going to the park we at lunch at a wonderful Turkish restaurant. There is a Turkish restaurant called Bosphore in Algiers, but that place didn’t hold a candle to the one in Madrid. It was the best Turkish food we had ever eaten. 

Turkish meal

Buen Retiro Park was very large. The only other park I'd visited similar in size is Central Park. But this park had much more open space and a fresher look. It housed beautiful sculptures and monuments. There were several activities for kids and adults. It contained a peaceful lake and plenty of grass to lay a blanket down. The park was magnificent. I could have stayed for the entire day.

We weren’t seeking a trip to Madrid, but that layover allowed us to have a glimpse of what the beautiful city had to offer. Hopefully our journey brings us back there for a real vacation...at a much nicer hotel.