Tags: Airline Airplanes Chinese Food Flight Attendant Madrid Palace Plaza Mayor Shaved Ham Spain Tapas Wine

I made it from Charlotte to Philadelphia and then on the plane to Madrid.  There was a seat available in first class and I was able to have it.  This was great considering my ticket cost $28.00.  When we landed in Madrid we went to the hotel my husband and I did our usual and got changed and hit the streets.  Most things in the non tourist stores were closed as it was Holy Thursday when we arrived.  Though everything was open in the tourist locations.  We walked around all day and saw the Plaza Mayor and the Palace.  We purchased shaved ham in the San Miguel Market and also bought some fresh olive oil chips.  The shaved ham was amazing and I probably gained 5 pounds.

After walking around all day we then went back to the hotel for about an hour.  We were meeting the crew in a bar across the street.  We went over there and had a few drinks with them and had some tapas.  The captain of the plane was a very funny guy and the entire crew was very friendly.  In the year he has been doing this he has never met a bitchy crew.  Everyone is nice.  Most of the crew had slept the entire day and were not ready for dinner.  The captain the the co-pilot.  Went off to dinner and the Flight Attendants hung around a little longer.  We then gathered up and went out to a Chinese place for dinner.  There were 7 of us and they had a special at the Chinese food place for 6 that was 52 euro total.  We ordered two bottles of wine and a bottle of water with gas.  The total bill including tip 70 euro.  Not bad for 7 people.  We sat around talking and the food was great.  All of the flight attendants on the crew have been with the airline over 25 years and the A flight attendant has 42 years with the company.    They were telling us that they were told initially that this was not supposed to be a career.  The flight attendant with 42 said this was supposed to be summer job.  All of the crew were block holders and with the seniority level they have they fly almost any trip they want.  They also were amazed my husband and I had stayed up the whole time by the time we got to bed I have been up over 36 hours (though I did sleep for two hours on the plane).

We are headed out again today back to Philadelphia and I’m hoping to get first class again as the flight is almost empty.  I’m hoping to be able to sleep some more as when I get home I will have an hour drive home.