12 April, 2009, Madrid, Barcelona

In the morning I checked out from the hostel, and took the metro to Atocha station. I locked my backpack in an automatic locker and went to visit the nearby Museum of Reina Sofia. This museum is dedicated to modern art. They have a remarkable collection of Salvador Dali, and many other artists, most of are not in the understandable category. But that´s art. At 12:30 I took the fast renfe train from Atocha station and after about 3 hours I was in Barcelona Sants. This supersonic :-) train´s speed was always between 280 and 310 km/h. On the way I saw small villages passing by in the constantly changing landscape occasionally interrupted by beautiful castles, and also by footprints of evil industries. In Barcelona I walked down on the La Rambla street to my hostel. My room is actually in an appartment on the 5th floor. There is an elevator in which I didn´t fit in with my backpack. Yeah, good food in spain :-) .
In the afternoon I saw the wax museum, and evening hours I went for a walk in the small streets of the old city, until I saw that a classical spanish guitar concert it about to begin in a nearby church. Without a second of hasitation I payed 15 euros for the ticket, which made the evening one of my best experiences in Spain. Manuel Gonzalez, the famous guitar player played pieces of various Spanish compositors. Fantasia Española, Siutes of Isaac Albeniz, Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Dreams from Alhambra) were just a few of them. That was *really* fantastic.
A nearby tapas bar put the final chord on the day with excellent drink and food, tempered by most meaningful discussions about the financial crisis with some British and American guests. After solving all problems of the World I went back to the hostel.

Inside Atocha Station, Madrid.



Renfe train at the Atocha station


I met some old friends in the Wax Museum of Barcelona


Rain in Barcelona