It was midnight by the time I found myself in the midst of the Madrid nightlife scene. The festive atmosphere in the series of plazas near the city center was unlike anything I had experienced before. The bright lights and loud noise made it almost seem like midday. With my train leaving in six hours, I decided to give up my search for a hotel and join in the fun. It was a warm, beautiful night and I enjoyed watching the throngs of locals and tourists mingling together beneath the lampposts or crowding around the entrance to a bar or just enjoying a late meal at one of the many sidewalk cafes.
Madrid Night Life
There was a feeling that everyone knew everyone else, and, who knows, maybe they did! For sure, no one knew me, but I was greeted with a pleasant smile or a friendly ‘hello’ wherever I went. Crossing streets to pass from one area to another I was amazed to see the amount of traffic for that hour of the night. At two in the morning it looked like commute hour in any large American city.
Traffic at 2 AM, Madrid, Spain
I wandered around the busy squares, took a load off my feet when I could and just generally blended in with the rest of the folks. The time passed quickly and before I knew it, it was time to find my way back to the train station. As I left the party scene, the same old familiar refrain was going through my mind…”I’ve got to get back here for more of this sometime!” My train arrived right on schedule, and I was soon on my way to the next party town…Barcelona!
The train pulled out of the San Sebastian station around 6 PM and I settled in for a pleasant ride through the Pyrenees Mountain region of Northern Spain. The Pyrenees Mountains form a natural boundary between France and Spain and this region is known as Basque country or the home of the Basque people who many believe to be the native people of Iberia. We soon turned south, leaving the mountains behind as we entered the central region of Spain. Our route took us through Pamplona, famous for the annual running of the bulls, and it was with great disappointment (make that ‘relief’) that we were passing through in May and the running of the bulls takes place in July. So, this time I would not have an opportunity to join the other brave crazy souls in this wild celebration dedicated to the city’s patron saint. I have no doubt, however, that I will ‘run’ (in the other direction) on my next pass through this beautiful region.
It was getting dark by the time we went through Zaragoza and nearly 11 PM when our train finally pulled in to the Madrid Atocha Railway Station. The Madrid train station is the largest in Spain and was the site of the 2004 terrorist bombings that killed 191 people and wounded another 1800 arriving on crowded commuter trains. I have been through many train stations throughout the world, but this station has to be one of the most beautiful. Once inside, it feels more like being in a large botanical atrium rather than a busy transportation hub.
Madrid Atocha Train Station at Night
With my rucksack on my back I ventured out into the streets of Madrid on that balmy spring evening, hoping to find a room to catch some ZZZ’s for what was left of the night. Thankfully, Madrid, though large, is an easy city to walk, but after a one hour sweep of the area I was unable to find a single room at a price that I was willing to pay for only a few hours sleep. Madrid was an unplanned stop in my itinerary and to keep on schedule, I would have to be back on the train heading for Barcelona early the next morning…now only six hours away. Around the time I had resigned myself to spending the night on a park bench, I arrived at the center of night life where revelers spill out from the tapas bars into the plazas as they party all night. I quickly gave up my quest for a room and joined in the fun, taking advantage of this impromptu opportunity to enjoy one of the many things for which Madrid is famous. As both the big hand and the little hand on my watch met on the 12 mark, my very long day had suddenly become two days, but by the end of the night I was pumped and ready for the next leg of my trip.
Setting out from Bordeaux, France heading for San Sebastian, Spain in the early morning of Saturday, May 30, I had no idea that it would not be until I arrived in Barcelona two days later that I would once again sleep in a bed. This was one of those times when the independent traveler has to be flexible and bounce with the ball. In the end, it turned out to be a good thing. Otherwise I would have missed the all night party in Madrid! But first, back to San Sebastian. The short train ride took me past Biarritz and into the Pyrenees Basque country region of Southern France and Northern Spain. After a two hour stop over in the quaint border towns of Hendaye and Irun, I arrived in the beautiful resort city of San Sebastian.
San Sebastian, Spain
Bathing Beauties
It had been a number of years since I last visited Spain, owing to the relative isolation of the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed my earlier visits to this country, but was quickly reminded when I first caught sight of the stunningly beautiful beach of San Sebastian on the Atlantic coast. Its beauty lay not only in the clean, white sand, the dark blue water and the green hills surrounding the crescent shaped beach, but also in the bathing beauties who studded the beach itself. It was a pleasant struggle attempting to cope with this sensory overload and I found myself staying longer than I had planned in order to take in all that the beach had to offer.
The Beach at San Sebastian, Spain
No Room at the Inn
Perhaps that’s why by the time I finally tore myself away, I could not find an available room anywhere in the city. Looking back, it makes sense. Every red-blooded man in Europe who could possibly get away from the every-day routine must have been in San Sebastian taking in the sights! At any rate, the situation called for a quick change of plans in my rough itinerary. After a brief walking tour of the town I was back on the train at 6 PM heading for Madrid hoping to have more luck finding a room in a larger city. But it was not to be.
There’s nothing like the prospect of exploring new territory to get a weary traveler up early in the morning. The eight hour train ride from Paris to Bordeaux started at the Montparnasse station within walking distance of my hotel. I had purchased a reservation for about $6 the day before which included a 2 hour stopover in Nantes. The beautiful ride through the Loire Valley took us through LeMans and Angers before we arrived in Nantes around 9 AM. It was a gorgeous day and I walked around the central part of the city with its wide boulevards and classic edifices. Of particular note was the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne protected by a water-filled moat and surrounded by beautiful gardens. Once back on the train we headed south down the Atlantic coast of France, getting an occasional glimpse of the water along the way.
Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne, Nantes, France
Hotel Regina
Arriving at Bordeaux at around 2 PM I immediately found a hotel near the train station. While nothing fancy, the Hotel Regina easily met my minimum criteria for lodging, including convenient location, safety, and cleanliness. In addition, it had a friendly staff and I was allowed to go into breakfast before serving time the next morning so that I could make the early train to San Sebastian, Spain.
Hotel Regina, Bordeaux, France
A Walking Tour
Located in Aquitaine on the Gironde estuary, Bordeaux is much more than just a city in the heart of wine country. My walking tour took me through narrow streets filled with visitors, young and old, enjoying the elegant shops and sidewalk cafes. In short order I was able to locate the Cathedrale St-Andre, the flea market, the bell tower of Eglise St-Michel, the Great Bell of Bordeaux (Grosse Cloche) and the Monument aux Girondins, which commemorates the leaders from the area who were guillotined during the Revolution.
Great Bell of Bordeaux, France
The Water Mirror
Even with all these interesting landmarks, I would have to say that my favorite spot in Bordeaux was the Water Park known as the Miroir d’eau or Water Mirror. It is located between the river bank and the Place de la Bourse and consists of a large square filled with water only 2 cm deep and accompanied by beautifully manicured gardens. Here throngs of people hang out alone or in small groups, some to play and others just to cool their heels. I must have spent several hours just watching everyone enjoy this unique water feature on a warm spring afternoon. Bordeaux is definitely on my list of places to see again and next time the surrounding countryside will be a top priority.
A first time visitor to Paris will certainly need several days or more to do justice to this fabulous city, but as a returning visitor my plan was only to hit some of the highlights before heading deeper into France. After all, I was on my way to the Atlantic coast area which I had never seen before.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
Getting There
I left Mannheim in Southern Germany in the late morning of May 28 for the three hour train ride through the beautiful Alsace-Lorraine region of France. On arrival in the early afternoon I found an office at the Paris train station where I could make a hotel reservation and since time was limited I secured a room on the Left Bank and was soon on the subway heading for Montparnasse. I was quickly reminded that Paris is one city where you will not find many bargains when it comes to lodging. With little trouble I found my hotel near the train station from which I would be leaving the next morning and checked in to a very nice room that had a window opening out to the wide, tree lined Boulevard du Montparnasse. Taking advantage of the conveniences of my backpack, I unzipped the day pack from the main pack, which I could then leave at the hotel. Armed with a map, my camera, plenty of water and the Let’s Go Europe travel book I headed out to conquer Paris on foot once again.
The Moulin Rouge in Paris, France
The Left Bank
My walking tour lasted from about 2 PM until I returned to the hotel around 9 PM and took me essentially in a large circle around the city, encompassing some of the most famous sights and certainly many of my favorites. Walking past the Invalides it was not long before the Eiffel Tower came into view. It reminded me of my first visit to Paris some time ago, when rounding a corner after emerging from a subway I spotted this famous landmark off in the distance for the first time. It is a stunning sight and truly an exciting moment for anyone who enjoys seeing the wonders of the world. This time I had to pace myself so that I didn’t spend too much time milling around the beautiful park-like area surrounding the tower and pressed on across the Seine River to the Right Bank to see the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees and the entrance to the Elysee Palace, home of the French president.
Montmartre in Paris, France
The Right Bank
The next leg of my walking tour was the most difficult, as I struggled with the map to find my way to Montmartre where artists put their famous Parisian scenes on canvas. Passing the Moulin Rouge on the way, I slowly climbed the hilly streets of Montmartre and continued on to the beautiful Sacre-Coeur Basilica at the top, with its breathtaking view of the city. It wasn’t until I spotted the Maine-Montparnasse Tower standing out alone near my hotel way off in the distance below that I realized how far I had come. Thankful for my good pair of walking shoes, I slowly made my way back down into the city center area. Crossing back over the Seine this time at the Ile de la Cite, an island in the river where the Notre Dame Cathedral is located, I was able to get in just before closing to see once again the fabulous rose windows. Back on the Left Bank again I rounded out my whirlwind tour by visiting the Luxembourg Gardens, the famous university, La Sorbonne, and the Pantheon before dragging myself back to the hotel.
Sacre-Coeur Basilica, Paris
An Excuse to Return to Paris
Veteran Francophiles will notice right away that I missed some of the most notable sights located in the center of my walking circle around Paris and elsewhere. To name just a few, the Place de la Concorde of ‘Reign of Terror’ fame during the French Revolution, the Bastille, the Louvre Museum, Versailles with its Petit Trianon, and of course the sidewalk cafes of Paris. These will have to be at the top of my list on my next visit to the City of Light and make for a convenient excuse to return.
A Eurail Pass can be your ’ticket to Europe’ if you know how and when to use them. They can only be purchased ahead of time in your home country and they are fairly expensive. I have found the 15 day pass to be the most useful and have covered most of Europe over the years by using this particular pass on five different trips. Once your pass is activated on the first day you plan to use it…the clock starts ticking. If you are prepared to get up early every day to be on the first train in the morning heading for the next city on your itinerary, you will get more than your money’s worth out of the pass.
See Germany by Train…First Class!
What’s the Cost?
Your pass entitles you to first class accommodations on the train (adult pass) and if two or more are traveling together, there is a discount. A check of the latest fees (December 2010) indicates that a Youth Pass for those 25 years of age and under is $469.00 for 2nd Class Travel. Adults 26 years of age and over can only purchase a First Class ticket, which is $719.00 for one person or $609.00 for two or more traveling together.
Things to Consider
Once in hand, the ticket is a valuable commodity and can be lost or stolen. For a small fee of around $12.00 you can purchase replacement insurance for your ticket, which I recommend. Since I first began using Eurail passes, I have noticed an increasing requirement to make a reservation the day before each leg of the trip and also to pay either a reservation fee or a supplement, all of which tend to defeat the purpose of the pass. Some countries are more apt to require these than others. During my first trips with the Eurail Pass I needed only to get on the train and show my pass, enabling me to skip the long lines at the train stations and the language barrier at the ticket window. It was also easier then to get on and off the train several times during the day in order to visit more sights. The requirement for reservations and supplements negates these conveniences.
Watching the German Countryside Go by from the Train
Should I Get a Eurail Pass?
The Eurail pass is now valid in 21 countries, but, unfortunately, some of the most interesting countries in Eastern Europe, like one of my favorites…Poland, are not included. Hungary and Romania are now included and hopefully more will be added in the future. It would not be cost effective to visit a country that is not included in the pass in the middle of your 15 day pass period, as the Eurail Pass would be running concurrently and you would be wasting days. Therefore, careful planning ahead of time is necessary. Once you have a rough itinerary planned, check the internet for the point to point ticket costs and see how they compare to the cost of the Eurail pass. You may find that it would be cheaper to purchase point to point tickets. In summary, the Eurail pass is ideal for first time travelers to Europe who want to see a lot in a short time, but may not be the best idea for leisurely travelers with only a few planned stops on their itinerary.
