I was up early on what was a Wednesday morning, I can always seem to do that when I’m on holiday! I was in the lift down to breakfast by 7.20am. And although there were some people there I managed to get a pic of the room!

There are loads of reviews online of the Meliá Plaza moaning about how there are no windows in the breakfast room, but it didn’t bother me. I think it has had a bit of a recent refresh but it was totally fine I thought!

I had a bowl of fruit and some peach yogurt before tucking into the usual pork products, potato and scrambled egg!

Back in my room I had a quick coffee on the balcony before heading out on a quick errand. I had some postcards still to buy. I’d got a nice selection of illustrated cards for some people at La Postalera, but I felt some recipients would rather have a card with a photograph on the front.

It turned into a bit of a mission! There were a good handful of souvenir shops around the Plaça l’Ajuntament where I was staying, but a lot of them had postcards that looked like they were designed in the 1980s. And not in a good way either! I was tempted by this one…

Paella! But in the end managed to find a shop with some I deemed satisfactory.

Just a couple of steps away was the Correos – or Post Office. It was in a beautiful, ornate old building…

…but sadly the current day post office is in a tiny corner of the building and isn’t much to write home about (ironically!)

I took a ticket and had a look around when my eyes caught this display which I was instantly drawn towards.

‘What is this!’, I thought. A quick google and read of the Spanish Wikipedia page had me discover Maya the Honey Bee (or La Abeja Maya in Spanish) is a Japanese manga series about a honey bee, which is based on a German book written in the early 1900s. Originally produced in Japan in 1975, it arrived in Spain three years later and proved wildly popular.

I had never heard of it, have you?

When I went up to the counter to buy stamps for my postcards, Maya was staring at me from a little glass case on the counter…

Minutes later I was involved in a minor kerfuffle as, having decided to purchase the celebratory Maya stamp (what on earth I am going to do with it I have no idea but I just liked it!), the lady couldn’t work out how to ring it up on their computer system.

About ten minutes later I was wondering if it was worth all the hassle, when everything got resolved. So I’m now the proud owner of a Maya the Honey Bee 50th anniversary stamp! From Spain!

A refugio – a hidden sight from Spain’s past

Postcards sorted, I had one last venue I wanted to visit before I checked out and left València. I’d read about refugios prior to arriving, and had actually spotted one the day before.

Refugios are a relic of the Spanish Civil War. The latter’s something I really don’t know much about, but I’m planning on buying some books on my return to read up on both it and Franco.

Spain’s Civil War ran between 1936 and 1939. And at first València was relatively unscathed. So much so in fact that giant signs were erected in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento – where I was staying – to remind the city’s civilians that the front was “only 150 kilometres away”. Sadly it wasn’t long before València became a target for bombings too. On 15th March 1937, at 8pm – when it was calculated the maximum number of people would be on the streets – six Italian planes appeared and dropped around 20 bombs on the city centre. València would go on to take the title of the third most bombed city during the conflict.

Soon refugios were constructed all over the city – shelters where civilians could protect themselves from the risk of bombs. Most of them were built by volunteers and veterans.

I was keen to visit one, as several still survive across the city. As it happened, there was one right below the city hall which was beside my hotel. Finding the entrance however, would be a bit of a mission!

Apple Maps seemed to point me towards a back corner of the building, so I made my way around the back of the city hall and soon spotted what I thought must be the entrance…

On the sign to the right of the doorway was the recognisable font used to depict refugios – apparently designed so it was easy for people that couldn’t read to identify them.

I went in the door, which also seemed to be the entrance to a small art gallery and asked the man behind the desk where the refugio was. “City hall, city hall” he said. So I exited the building, went around the front, and into the main city hall building.

After going through security, there was no denying it’s an impressive building!

A grand staircase was the first thing I encountered. And on the first floor was this amazing room.

The place seemed to be full of schoolchildren and people just having a look around which I thought was nice for an official city building. I also went out on the balcony for a quick look at the view.

But the entrance to the refugio was nowhere to be seen!

At last I asked someone, who explained the entrance was at the back of the building – just where I’d come from. I went around the back, and tried another door, only to be told it was the next door down – the door I’d gone through in the first place.

I went through it again, turned to my left and spotted the tell tale sign on the wall.

So I’d been right first time! I turned around to look at the guy that had sent me on a wild goose chase, but he’d left his desk. Maybe I just hadn’t been clear with what I was looking for, who knows!

I made my way down a corridor which was lined with photographs and information panels before turning left through a small door into an outdoor courtyard. I’d found the entrance of the refugio.

This refugio wasn’t actually built for members of the council or those in high society in the city. This one, the Ayuntamiento refugio, had been constructed to protect 700 children – students at a school which used to occupy the back of what is today València’s City Hall.

Descending underground, I reached a part of the staircase where the walls were painted a bright red colour.

This was apparently to suggest danger, and to help ensure citizens carried on down the stairs, allowing other people to flow in behind them. I thought that was quite clever – like the reasoning behind the refugio font.

In the shelter were a load of small chambers, linked with arched corridors. I tried to imagine what it must have been like as a schoolchild to be whisked downstairs, the sound of sirens and aircraft filling the skies.

Dotted around the shelter were information panels about the refugios, and this one in particular. All of them apparently had their own water connections, toilets and urinals – something I hadn’t even thought of!

At one time there were 25 sirens installed across València, the sound of which would be a warning to seek safety. Today, only one is still in place – apparently it can be seen from the street but the only other guidance about where it was was that it’s opposite “the red house”. I didn’t even know where to begin looking for that, so didn’t bother!

In total, my trip to the refugio really only lasted about fifteen minutes or so. There’s not loads to see or do, but it is an atmospheric part of history I’d recommend visiting. A list of refugios you can visit is on the official València tourist website.

Checking out

After my last bit of sightseeing I headed quickly to a branch of the Spanish novelty shop Ale-Hop and picked up a couple of small gifts before heading back to my hotel and getting ready to check out. I was sad to leave my hotel really – I had been really comfortable there.

I went downstairs and waited for TWENTY MINUTES at the reception desk while one man seemed to occupy all three members of staff. Although one member of staff would sometimes just stand and stare in to the distance.

With five people in front of me waiting to check in, I began to get a mild panic on that I was going to miss my train to Madrid. I still had a twenty minute walk to the station. Things moved at a glacial pace….

When all the people ahead of me had been served, a lady behind the desk just stared at me which I took to mean I should approach the desk and explain what I wanted. After confirming that everything was already paid for I looked at the lady as she stared at me and simply said “Bye!” in a tone I wouldn’t use with my Mum!

I had loved my stay at the Meliá Plaza, and had planned on saying that on checking out. My room had been great, the staff had been lovely, and the location couldn’t have been any better. Check out definitely left a sour taste in my mouth though! BYE!

Getting to Madrid

I had about forty minutes until my train departed, so I walked smartly back to València Joaquin Sorolla Station – where I’d arrived what already seemed like weeks ago!

The walk, once more, wasn’t exactly scenic once you’d passed the gorgeous Estacio del Nord…

Once I reached the station (with plenty of time to spare) I all of a sudden got a real hunger on so quickly nipped into the station’s McDonald’s for a cheeseburger, which I ate outside in the sun. It was my first trip to McDonald’s of the holiday, hard to believe that!

Next, I visited the vending machine to buy a drink. It was one of those ones where once you’ve ordered the shelf flies up to the row of drinks before the can pops out into it. I paid my money, the shelf shot up…

…and then got stuck because of this incorrectly stored rail jutting out at a row of Monster Energy drinks.

Brilliant!

An expensive bottle of Coke Zero that turned out to be as I had to go to another machine. Just what I needed after my check out experience too!

Anyway, my train to Madrid was already waiting at platform 4, so I placed my bags through the x-ray machine and got on board. If you remember, there are two companies servicing this line – on the way to València, I’d gone with Iryo. This time I was on one of Renfe’s AVE trains. Renfe is the state owned railway company in Spain.

Again I’d paid a tiny premium to travel in Comfort – or first class – for the roughly two hour long journey. My first impressions were that I preferred the 1 / 2 across layout of the Iryo trains.

The Renfe train also seemed to be much, much busier. I was seated next to a lady with a crying baby. Thankfully the crying only lasted about twenty minutes or so!

Where my Iryo ticket had included a meal, this time I’d mistakenly booked a Comfort ticket that didn’t include a meal. I’d read you could add one on at a Renfe customer service point in a station 24 hours before travelling, but when I’d tried the day before I got told just to buy it on the train.

After seeing an attendant going up and down the Comfort class carriages with food and drinks, I found his trolley and sneaked a peek at the menu.

I then asked him if it would be possible to buy one – no dice! It was really annoying as I’d actually fancied a proper meal rather than a sandwich. He sent me in the direction of the cafeteria car.

Which was quite jazzy!

And the man serving was so lovely as well. He was really cheery and smiley.

I ordered an Iberian ham bocadillo and a packet of crisps and a Coke Zero. I was impressed that the man opened my bocadillo packet, took the ham off the bread with tongs, heated the roll, then put the ham back on the bread (also with tongs in case you’re wondering). He also gave me a little pot of tomate triturado (crushed tomato) and a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil for my sandwich. I think it was actually better than a hot meal!

A couple of other differences between Renfe and Iryo – my Renfe seat had a screen with a moving map showing the train’s progress…

…and which also teasingly listed a movie and TV selection. However when you selected those… the screen was blank.

Also, the Renfe train made a couple of stops, while the Iryo train was non-stop. Both operators may have entertainment you can stream to your own device, I’m not sure.

Finally the wifi on Renfe was atrocious – whereas on Iryo it had been solid and pretty fast.

For most of the journey I sat writing my blog, and the time really flew in – before I knew it, the announcement came over the very echoey tannoy that we were about to arrive at Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor Station – the one undergoing heavy construction work.

I got off the train and for a couple of minutes followed the sea of people walking one way before realising there were actually three trains at my platform – one after the other, and that they were walking past my train to get on one at the front.

So I had a bit of an embarrassing about-face before starting my walk again – this time towards the actual station.

Arriving and my hotel

I had a couple of options for public transport but rather than taking a Cercanías (local train) and the metro, I decided on the Cercanías and then a ten or fifteen minute walk, so I could see some of Madrid en route.

I couldn’t quite believe it as it had seemed a lot more recent, but it had been more than seven years since I’d been in Madrid – not counting connecting there to get to Seville in 2021.

My local train took me to Sol – a really central, underground station which it turns out is enormous. Although Apple Maps told me which exit to take, none of the signs inside the station pointed me in the direction of that exit. So obviously I walked for what seems like miles, and came out at exactly the opposite end from where I should have.

Puerta del Sol is a massive public square in Madrid that seems to be a real gathering place for locals and tourists. It’s just always, always bunged!

But it was nice to be back there.

It was a pretty uneventful walk to my hotel, but I did pass a few more wig shops.

I don’t know why there are so many in Spain, but they do seem to be everywhere! I was going to say it’s maybe because long hair is more of a thing in Spain but I’m not sure that is the case!

I arrived at my hotel at just after half past four in the afternoon, around three hours after my train had left València. I was staying at another Meliá hotel – this time the Casa de las Artes Meliá Collection to give it its full title.

Check-in was straight forward. I did have an upgrade voucher which I tried to use, but the lady explained the next category of room wasn’t available for the three nights I was staying. She did offer to upgrade me to a room with an outdoor terrace but for £230 or so, so I passed on that.

I headed to my fourth floor room, opened the door and was hit by a WALL OF HEAT. I looked at the thermostat which showed the temperature was sitting at…

…30.5°C. It was absolutely roasting! And the sun was beating in through the windows.

As always, the room thermostat was covered in buttons and cryptic symbols, but lowering the temperature to 19°C and hitting the fan button seemed to work for two seconds before it switched off again. It was so hot I just couldn’t bear being in the room. So I went back downstairs to reception. The lady promised to send me an engineer – who it turned out seemed to be trying to fix exactly the same problem in the room next door to mine.

We communicated through hand signals as he wasn’t able to speak Spanish but the engineer opened the window (slightly, as it wasn’t able to open fully due to a safety mechanism) and then went away and came back with a tower fan and switched it on. I think he said he’d then come back to check in and left.

The room was nice, but after leaving the fan running for five minutes I put my hand against it and felt what I would describe as a “neutral” temperature of air coming out of it – it was really doing nothing. I went back downstairs to reception and explained neither of the solutions implemented really seemed to be working. The lady admitted 30°C was really hot but to give it some time to see if the room cooled down – maybe I could go out for a bit?

All I really wanted was a shower to refresh after my journey but I headed down the road to a wee supermarket and bought a couple of drinks and snacks before heading back to my room. An hour later and the temperature had decreased by 0.5°C. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I really hate complaining, but in this instance I felt I had no other option.

I went back down to reception and spoke to the same lady who said the engineer was checking if any of the other rooms on the floor were cooler. She explained the type of room I had booked all face the sunny side of the hotel, and that the air conditioning wasn’t on at the moment and wouldn’t function.

While I was sitting speaking to her a man came down absolutely giving off that his room was unbearable because it was 26 degrees! I liked to think I was adopting a more conciliatory approach than he was, but couldn’t help thinking ‘you wanna try 30! point five!’

The receptionist made what seemed like a really long phone call before relaying a plan to me. I’d move to a lower category room for one night (absolutely fine) and then the following night I’d be upgraded to a junior suite. I suspect that’s probably what my upgrade voucher would have got me anyway, but I was happy with that.

The lady, Eva, showed me the new room which I was totally happy with, and then I said I’d just move everything myself, as I hadn’t unpacked.

The new room was absolutely, and totally, fine – I would have been happy staying there for the rest of my time in Madrid to be honest!

The view out the window was, in my opinion, *chef’s kiss* !

Off into the distance, I spotted an intriguing looking tower. Is it possible for members of the public to go up that tower I wondered to myself!

I quickly flicked on the TV and – what are the chances – think I maybe stumbled upon the Spanish version of Judge Judy? The gavel and scales made me think that…

And a case about puppets as well, what was going on! Only through sheer willpower did I drag myself away and on to the streets of Madrid for a quick late night mooch around some shops.

A quick trip to two favourite stores

Before I headed back to the Puerta del Sol, a noisy, good-natured crowd of people across the street caught my attention.

I crossed over and up a small lane and discovered my hotel was directly across the street from the Mercado de Antón Martin, a small market. Markets are just everywhere in Spanish cities. I wish it was like that in the UK, as I’d do all my shopping in them if we had the same choice of stalls and food too!

The crowd I’d seen earlier was enjoying some tapas at a local popular bar which, although outside the main market, seemed to be a part of it – up that small lane was a butcher and a couple of other food related stores.

I had a quick peek inside the actual market as well – but there wasn’t too much going on. Although I did stumble across a potential dinner spot for another night!

Back out on the streets I headed into the city centre. Every street was packed with bars and restaurants with crowds of people socialising.

It was just a really nice atmosphere walking the streets. The sound of chat and laughter filled the air.

Before long I came across a square and immediately got a sense of déjà vu. I’d approached it from entirely a different direction, but I was in a square I’d visited on my previous trip to Madrid- to try out an Andalusian bath experience. This was to happen a couple of times on this trip – I’d turn a corner and immediately recognise somewhere, which was surprising given it was so long ago that I’d visited Madrid. It must have happened about ten times though!

Minutes later I was walking down the street and remembered the exact spot where almost a decade earlier I’d gone over my ankle.

Anyway back to the present!

Crossing Puerta del Sol I quickly nipped into a massive branch of lefties, which I’d also visited in València.

They had a much bigger home section this time, but I wasn’t tempted by anything!

Next stop was fnac!

This branch wasn’t as big as I remembered – although there did seem to be some building or refurbishment work going on in the store. Roll on my trip to Paris in May when I hope to visit a massive branch! I spent a good twenty minutes or so looking through vinyl and CDs, before leaving without a purchase.

Right across the street from Fnac was El Corte Inglés, so I just had to go in and have a look. Like I don’t mean to sound obsessed about the place, I just like having a nosey round them!

This branch looked like it had had a complete makeover really recently. It was very modern inside, and absolutely sparkling! The whole ground floor was given over to Samsung in this branch – which it turned out was devoted to homeware.

I headed up to the Gourmet Experience on the 8th floor, which is a fancy food hall and food court rolled into one. I could remember from my last visit the balcony here that offers a great view of Madrid, but this time I just had a quick look through the food hall.

There are loads of different branches of El Corte Inglés around the Gran Via and Puerta del Sol areas including a five floor building dedicated to sportswear, with different floors dedicated to Adidas, Nike and Urban Amour. To be honest I tried to use their store locator to work out which branch I was actually in here and got completely bamboozled. I think there are a number of different buildings which all fall under the one store name maybe? I’m guessing it must be this one. If you do ever fancy visiting the Gourmet Experience in the centre of town, I’d recommend just finding Fnac first and then going into the building opposite!

After nosying around the homeware section for a bit where I noted some potential future purchases, I decided to call it quits for the evening. I picked up a bag of crisps, a sandwich and two glass bottles of my favourite chocolate milk from the supermarket in the basement and headed back to the hotel.

Passing through the crowds in Puerta del Sol again I felt sorry for these two men carrying their new TV! How far were they having to carry it I wondered!

Back at the hotel, my dinner maybe wasn’t the fanciest but it did the job – I watched a bit more of Industry before quickly falling asleep. Tomorrow would be my first full day exploring Madrid!