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Arrival
Well I arrived in Spain today. The trip lasted overnight so that I actually left yesterday and transferred in Amsterdam this afternoon. Both of my flights were about twenty minutes late, but that isn't bad considering the distance. Anyway, I arrived in Madrid with my backpack and bicycle and didn't have too much trouble finding the car rental place. Everything fit in so far, but I will have two more people in that car starting tomorrow.
Driving
I didn't have much trouble getting out of the airport and onto the road either. This is my first time driving overseas, so I was a little worried. The autovia looked pretty much the same as the interstates that I am accustomed to back in the States. The speed limit is 120kmh which is a bit faster than I am used to. Plus, there are lots of corners that seem just a little too fast at that speed. As much as possible, I tried to drive Spanish and kinda blend in.
Cars
I have seen small cars in Japan, but I would say that the average size is actually smaller in Spain. There are lots of Golfs, Escorts, and other cars that would fall at the small end of the American spectrum. My rental car, a decent four-door with sort of a hatch-size trunk, seems to almost be bigger than average.
Cruising
I put the music on pretty loud and just headed on down the road. I actually felt like I was on vacation, since driving a car has become a treat for me. The scenery was nothing special, so I took the opportunity to make some miles. I got a couple hours east of Madrid before it started getting dark. Just before eleven I pulled into Calatayud Hotel just short of Zaragoza.
The Hotel
There were a bunch of older people congregated in the bar and outside the restaurant which had just closed. I found my way to the desk and asked for a room for one. The rate was about US$35 which I thought was pretty reasonable. The bathroom was pretty nice and even included a bidet though I didn't use it. I was amused by the German David Letterman, the British news, and a translated version of an American classic: Showgirls, the movie.
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