Tuesday, March 31 - YYZ-FRA and FRA-MAD: With a three hour wind delay in FRA - Velocipoenology: Sampling Iberian Grape 'Juice' with Two Wheels (Tour 14) - 2015 🇪🇸 🇵🇹

March 31, 2015

Tuesday, March 31 - YYZ-FRA and FRA-MAD: With a three hour wind delay in FRA

THE bike box, though really frayed, did arrive. I am about to open it to make sure nothing was lost.

PS This morning when I was listening to BBC World Service I heard the tail end of a story telling how numerous people were injured and lots of damage was caused by those strong winds. I was lucky.

I was actually on time to Frankfurt despite leaving late. Lufthansa efficiency! Then, the reason I am not fond of Frankfurt reared its ugly head. Not only did I have to trek to the other side of the airport from where I arrived, but I had to re-enter through security and passport checks which took about an hour. The airport is so big with so many people... thus my choice of Munich for arrivals.

Got to my gate only to find that the gate had mysteriously changed, though no announcement was made. Someone else waiting went down to find a departures screen to find this out. Now at the proper gate, we were told that there would be a delay due to the high winds, but there was no firm answer as to how long it would be. The one thing they said was that if we all boarded and were prepared to leave, if a safe window presented itself then we might be granted a departure. Sat, we did, for three hours, then sure enough, we were granted a time and off we went to Madrid!

The arrival to Madrid was later than I had expected by several hours, but, it was sunny, warm and bright as can be. From previous arrivals to Madrid, I knew that the Metro came right to the terminal and with the help of the Tourism Madrid people I bought my Metro ticket, took the bike box down on the elevator and dragged it onto the next train. I had to switch a couple of times but it was straightforward, then I arrived to Puerta del Sol, emerging into beautiful sunlight and throngs of people!

I got myself kind of turned around but before long rolled my box on its cart to the Hostal. They were more than obliging in allowing me to bring the bike to my room so I could assemble it. The hostal was changed in that the reception was another floor up in Tijcal III. And once to my room in Tijcal II, I found it to be a little shabbier than ten years ago. Still nice to refresh the 2003 and 2005 memories.

Late enough for me by now, I organized some of my gear but called it a night. Or a few nights.

Hostal Tijcal 2 - €39 and much less fancy than it was in 2003 and 2005

Though you cannot see it in the photo, the winds are really strong such that many flights are grounded and a few planes are slipping out between gusts.
- Frankfurt, Germany

Arriving to my Hostal Tijcal II. My bike box is almost as big as the room. But it fit, and there was plenty of room to set up the bike.
- Madrid, Espana

Suddenly a hurricane went through the room and there were bike parts everywhere... actually, no. Everything came out of the box and was assembled into... a bicycle.
- Madrid, Espana

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