Train from Spain to Paris

---

Travelling to Madrid by Trenhotel was everything a ten year old Aoife wished it to be. We had our very own cabin with lots of bits and bobs hidden in secret compartments. Alan also enjoyed the cabin although he spent his time standing precariously on seat handles trying to get a better view.

After ten minutes of rummaging around the cabin, we set off up and down the train in the manner of giddy twelve year olds before finding ourselves exhausted in the train bar under the kind stewardship of Fernando, the helpful barman.

Fernando dispensed cerveza and information about the locale as we sat watching the beautiful dusky umber of a Spanish evening to the clack of the train on the tracks. The bar filled up and the sounds of different languages murmuring added to the journey, English, Spanish, French and of course Irish!

Agatha Christie’s influence helped me persuade Alan to go for a fancy dinner and we spent our time drinking fine wine and speculating which of our fellow travellers would be murdered by dawn and by whom.

We arrived in Paris first thing and Alan was brought on a whirlwind tour of the city’s sights. We eventually decided to check out the hotel, and indeed check out was the first thing we did (it was seriously dodge, type of place where rooms are rented by the hour if you get my drift!). We ended up in a much nicer spot off Rue Faubourg in Montmartre.

Paris is full of sports supporters at the moment, and Alan was bemused that his first sight of the tour d’Eiffel was accompanied by the soulful singing of 2,000 scottish fans who were most empassioned about ‘me ould flower of scotland’ whilst swigging beer, chips and whiskey (Scottish of course).

We’re having a great time and really looking forward to Berlin, where we’re heading tomorrow night on the Nachtzug.

Au Revoir xx

---

Photos

Going to sleep on the Trenhotel
Avoiding sleep by taking photos in the mirror!

Field in Spain
Watching the sun set over spain while annoying Fernando the barman with demands of Cereveza and local information

Alan eating coffee cup
Alan eating a coffee cup in a chocolatier in Madrid, poor boy thought it was made of white chocolate.

Comments

[Ali Bourke]

Hello!
I can just see you running amok down the train carriages and pestering the staff. What a relaxing sujourn this must have been for the other passengers :) Messing, I'm just jealous cause I'm sitting not on a train carriage not in spain not drinking cerveza (desk chair, london, tetleys tea... ugh) Sounds like you're having an amazing time, am thrilled for you! Keep the travel stories coming, Ali xxx