Train across Spain

After a refreshing relaxed nights sleep and breakfast, I left Hotel Don Paco at eight, and strolled over Maria Zambrano station, with half an hour to spare. Promptly at twenty to nine the AVE pulled out of the station and headed for Cordoba at speeds approaching 300kmh. It's a comfortable quiet ride,and after a while the speed is hardly noticeable. More amazing is the beauty of the summer countryside in the bright clear morning light, richer with colours than the last time I made this trip eighteen months ago in early November.

This time there was nobody checking passengers against tickets on board the AVE, which made me wonder about cut-backs. When we arrived at Cordoba however, there was a passenger steward waiting to escort across the station bridge those changing trains to the platform where the TALGO Mediterraneo to Barcelona was due to arrive. The AVE from Malaga linked to another from Sevilla, for its departure while we were going up the escalator to change platforms, making a long goodbye to Cordoba as it left, as well as faster train to Barcelona in half the time our would take.

Minutes after it left, the TALGO arrived already more than half full with holiday-makers, on their family discount tickets, going north to the Costa Dorada. There were groups of teenagers, amusing themselves, parents and grannies, striving to keep little ones amused over the seven and a half hours I was on board. It's such a lovely way to see Spain and Spanish people in their element.

Paul collected me from Benicarlo station and took me home for a splended welcome meal, prepared by Beryl. Their computer programmer son Duncan was there as well, about the same age as Owain, so I enjoyed conversing with him, as well as Mum and Dad. Paul then took me to the Vicarage, updating me on the way, and left me to sort myself out, and first get the house cool, as it was like a sauna, having been closed up for a few days. All was spic and span, and there was food in the fridge to tide me over until I can get to the shops. Great to be back again.

 

By train from Fuengirola to Vinaros

Out of bed at six this morning, and buying my Cercania ticket at five to seven. The one minute past seven train didn't arrive - it's the Todos Santos bank holiday, and that means a Sunday timetable. The twenty past seven took me to Malaga Maria Zambrano station just after eight, with lots of time to check in for the AVE train to Cordoba, the second leg of my journey. Once we were under way, a steward came through checking people were seated where they should be. Because of the way the indicator at the train door switches alternately from showing the carriage number from left to right, travellers can get confused and take their seats in the wrong place. It didn't stop there. The steward's printout sheet told him I was bound for Vinaros, and he asked me to confirm this.

When we arrived at Cordoba there was another steward waiting on the platform for those who were changing from the AVE bound for Barcelona direct at high speed, to the TALGO Mediterraneo train, taking the slower route over the high plains down to Valencia, and then along the coast, stopping at Vinaros just after half past five on its way to Tortosa, Tarragona and finally Barcelona, my route to the airport when I leave for home. It was a wonderful journey through remarkable countryside, rolling plains full of olive trees, vineyards in autumnal dress, pine forests, stark grey mountains, such a variety of differently coloured soils, reminiscent of unfamiliar named colours in a childhood paint box. Seven and a half hours travelling from Cordoba to Vinaros. Such a pleasure.

Churchwarden Paul met me at the station, and took me to his home near Peniscola, where his wife Beryl gave me my first square meal of the day - shepherds pie followed by apple pie and custard. It went down very well. We reached the chaplain's house just after eight, familiar from my first long locum here two years ago, which I blogged under the title 'Spanish Sojourn', perhaps thinking I'd never return. Here I am having so far spent half of this year in Spain, with another seven weeks of duties before returning for Christmas. What a privilege at my time of life!