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.
