Escape from Madrid

On Monday, we fled Madrid and its crazy city chaos to catch up with friends down on the Medeterranean.  We stored half our bags at the Atocha train station, as you see in the photos, the kids fit just perfectly in the lockers - but in the end we decided to bring them along.  Atocha has an awesome turtle habitat right in the  middle of the station - it’s huge.

Ever since I was a boy, I’ve been impressed with train service in Europe.  The train from Madrid to Alicante was awesome, especially for 2nd class - lots of room, very fast, good food in the bar car…excellante.  The next day we hopped a bus and caught up with Nina, Francis, and Cisco in the small beach town of Santa Pola, where Francis’ parents live.  It was an awesome reunion for Zeke and Cisco.  We swam all day in the Med, and had a 3 hour lunch at their local joint and then Francis and I hung at the beach cafe while Nina, Alison and the kids took a paddle boat way out and swam some more.