Leaving Spain

We woke up early and took three ungodly overpopulated rush-hour subway trains to the airport. The first train was too full for us with out bags, and we had to take the second one that arrived. Our connecting train was crowded, but we made it in (though for a time I had to stand awkwardly, with all my weight on the ball of one foot). The final train was so crowded we couldn’t even get into the trainside waiting area until two trains had filled up and left. Still, we made it to the airport in reasonable time, especially since Eric’s flight was cancelled and he was put on a later flight. We ate together at the airport – ham sandwiches, so last night was not the last ham – and Eric walked me to the bus stop so that I could go to my terminal, the newly-built and remotely-located T4.

T4 was a multi-building pavilion-like space with undulating high ceilings. To get to my gate, I had to take an underground train (sort of like a horizontal elevator) to the other building.

My flight was, of course, delayed (as Mila and Eli’s turned out to be, as well). Why? Labor unrest and transportation strikes in France, whose airspace we needed to use.

For whatever reason, British Air bumped me up to first class, which was lovely. I had no such luck with my American flight from London.

A rather sick Susan very kindly met me at the airport in Chicago. I got back to the house to find the first daffodils in full bloom, as if to say, welcome home, we missed you! The cats were, naturally, apeshit, but they calmed down after extensive and concentrated snuggling.


Tony, Eric, Yelena, Mila, and Eli in Granada

Labels: journal, personal, spain

posted by Tony at 7:56 PM