Spain, España, My home away from home, if only my suitcase liked my home…

 Buckle up peeps! This is a long one!

Scanning my passport and leaving the country again. I started this trip, how I’ve never started any international trip by myself, I drove myself to the airport (well, the Park N Fly near the airport.) Mom and dad would be coming to get my car just 2 days later when they drove to Trevor and Ann’s to watch the kids while they went on their own adventure.

Got to the airport about 2 1/2 hours before my flight, because that’s just who I am, even though I have TSA Pre-check. Well, the Air Canada desk wasn’t open yet. They didn’t open until 2 hour before the flight. I was hoping this wouldn’t be an indication about how my trip out would be but I think we all know, it was.

Anyway, got my luggage checked in, finally, and made my way to my gate to eat my lunch which I’d picked up on the way to the airport. I tried to find somewhere to sit that was slightly air conditioned, because the gate area for my flight to Toronto was positively sweltering. While I was waiting I got a message that my seat for my flight had changed. So I checked at the desk, and my seat had been upgraded for the flight from Minneapolis to Toronto. YAY! The flight was uneventful, we (myself and my luggage got to Toronto on time. 

I found my gate and waited. The flight out of Toronto was delayed by an hour, no idea why. No big deal, I had a 4 hour layover in Madrid. Finally boarded the flight to Madrid, and I had a whole row to myself, huzzah! 

I decided to splurge and use some of my airline miles and pay for the inflight wifi. Because of this decision, I found out about 2 hours before we landed that my bag wasn’t on the flight, and for some reason would be sent to Rome instead of Madrid. But that I should fill out this luggage form and they would get my luggage to me in a day or 2. I asked at the lost luggage counter, and they assured me that I would get my bag, even though I was in Spain and it was being sent to Rome. This was Tuesday morning. I tried not to worry, last time, I had my bag the next day, it wasn’t a big deal.

Made my last flight to Santiago, and took a cab to a cute little hotel in the old part of the city. Hotel Denike, I highly recommend, if you’re looking for accommodation.

Since it was a bit early for dinner, I spent a bit of time wandering the city of Santiago. Lots of pilgrims, but then, there always are. I remembered my own days as a pilgrim, and was still brought to tears seeing the cathedral. I went inside, and lit a couple of candles. One for my luggage and one for Trevor and Ann, that their trip go well. If I had to pick one of the candles to work, I’m glad it was the second.

Sarah and Nico met me in Santiago the next morning, they had been dropping Sarah’s mom at the Madrid airport that morning, so they picked me up in Santiago on the way home. 

Wednesday afternoon, Sarah and I went into Muxia to wander around. There’s a nice ice cream place in town that makes their own ice cream, that I wanted to stop at, but it was closed. We spent some time on the rocks in front of the church on the water. 

When we got back to the house, Sarah’s friend (and fashion designer) Jose Luis was there. He was going to show Sarah how to do a special stitch with her bobbin lace. Afterward we’re all having a drink and talking, and Sarah asks Jose Luis if he knows of anywhere having celebrations for San Xoan (the feast of St. John) on Friday. Jose Luis suggests that HE host a party. So it’s agreed. At this point it would be 5 people. By the time the party happened on Friday night it was 15! But more on that later.

Wednesday I watched (via my AirTag) that my suitcase had landed in Rome. Yay, we’re on the same continent again. And the BagTracker service has it booked on a flight to Madrid on Thursday, then to A Coruña Thursday night. Yay! I should get my bag sometime Friday! (Or so I thought)

Thursday Sarah and I went to Camariñas, to the lace museum. It’s a cute, tiny little place, but SO interesting. They have modern lace, and 200 year old lace. Then we wandered the market in Vimianzo before visiting the castle there. I bought  pair of earrings from the glass artist that works there.

My bag did NOT make the flights on Thursday. I was quite upset. 

Friday morning, I decide to call the number that Air Canada gives for lost luggage. It goes to an Indian call center. The man at the center tells me that my luggage was on the Thursday flight, but I tell him it was not. Because I can see that my luggage is still in Rome. He gives me a number in Rome to call. Which I think was complete (pardon my French) bull shit. But other than this number, he was entirely unhelpful. I try calling the number he gave me, but it doesn’t go through. I call the lost luggage number again, and get a woman this time. She can’t give me any other information. I’m starting to lose hope. All day on Friday, I watch my suitcase, not move at the Rome airport.

On a positive note, the party at Jose Luis’s house is amazing. We get there and there is a BEAUTIFUL table set up in what is essentially his garage. In addition to Me, Sarah, Nico, Jose Luis, and Jose Luis’s partner (who we started calling Jose Solo), Sarah’s friends Matt, and Rosa were there with their daughter and a friend, as well as several friend of Jose Luis’s. In total, there are 15 people at this party that was arranged in less than 48 hours.

After we all ate, we had a Quiemada, a special ceremony with a burning bowl of punch, meant to scare away the evil spirits. I couldn’t drink more than a couple sips, because the alcohol burned my throat! We got back to Sarah and Nico’s around 3:00am.

Saturday, my luggage hadn’t moved at all again, and by noon I decided I was going to go to Rome and GET my suitcase. I was genuinely believing if I didn’t it would just sit there forever. I booked my flight and started to feel a bit better now that I had a plan. After, Sarah and I went to this beautiful little waterfall that is nearby. There are several spots where I would love to just sit and let the water flow around me, but of course I wouldn’t be able to because the water would push me out. 

That evening, much to my surprise my luggage arrived in Madrid! I was a bit upset because I spent the money on that ticket to Rome, but hey, my suitcase was now in the same country as I was! It didn’t make the flight to A Coruña that evening, but it did the following morning! I started to get excited that I may actually see my suitcase again!

Sunday we had been invited back to Jose Luis’s for tortilla for lunch. I love a good Spanish tortilla, and Jose Luis is so much fun. 

The whole time during lunch, I’m watching my suitcase travel. I gave the luggage company Sarah’s phone number, because I don’t have a phone number in Spain. I was told they would call to arrange delivery. Well Sarah never got a call, and my bag went, literally within a kilometer of Sarah’s house, all over Galicia. I watched it sit in a random city over night. When it started traveling again, Sarah and I decided to GO to A Coruña and find someone to talk to. On the drive up, my bag stopped back at the airport. I kept yelling at the phone, “don’t move! I’m coming to get you!” Long story short(er), after talking to 5 different people, who were all super nice, I got my suitcase back! I had tears in my eyes when I’m she’d the last lady to help us if I could hug her. She seemed taken aback, but when she found out it had been a week without my suitcase, she understood. 

After the airport, Sarah and I went to the mall in A Coruña for lunch, and some shopping. 

Tuesday, ecstatic to have other clothes than the same 2 outfits I’d been wearing, I finally got to wear the cute dresses I’d bought for my trip!

In Vimianzo, every year there is a competition to see which place as the best pinchos (like tapas). So for a week before their big festival, you can visit the 10 bars participating, and try their pinchos. Sarah, Nico, and I checked out the first 3 places on Tuesday, which was the first day of the competition. The first place had my favorite. It was baked chicken wings, with a garlicky mayo sauce. SO YUMMY!

That afternoon, Sarah and I went to the Sea Glass beach. The town has thrown their glass into this little cove for generations and its made the beach into sea glass. It’s so pretty, and peaceful, even with a bunch of people there.

Wednesday, Sarah and I visited the waterfall again, before going to Matt and Rosa’s for tea. Matt and Rosa are from England, and now run a little bed and breakfast near Muxia. If you’re ever looking for a place to stay, check out the Sosego d’Oruxo. 

Matt brewed real English tea, and made a variety of cakes. I’m not normally a tea person, but this tea was delicious, and the company was fantastic.

Thursday was an early morning for everyone, as Sarah and Nico drove me back to the Santiago airport for my flight to Bordeaux. It’s always sad to say goodbye to Sarah, because I don’t know when I’ll get to see her next. I won’t be traveling next summer to save money for Meredith’s 16 trip the following year. But after several long hugs, and a few tears, I waved them off, and went to check in for my flight.

When I was booking my flight from Santiago to Bordeaux, I was booking coach tickets, but by the time I’d paid for my seats and my bags, it was basically the same price to get Business class seats, so I did. When I got the Madrid airport, after going to the Turrón shop to get a treat, I realized, I have business class tickets, I can probably access the Iberia lounge. HOLY CRAP! Is this how the other half flies?! There were free food and drinks, and comfy seats, and wifi. I could get used to traveling like that!

But eventually it was time to leave the lap of luxury and go down to where the poor people were to board my flight to Bordeaux. It was a VERY small plane, and we had to walk out onto the tarmac to board the plane. I WATCHED my bag go up the conveyer belt into the plane! Let the French part of my trip begin!