Never Mess with Spain

Okay one of my favorite things about Spain is public transportation. Either Americans just don't know how to do it right or the Spaniards have perfected it is beyond me but I quite enjoy it. But with all good comes a little bit of bad, but in the end I can laugh about these (okay mom you probably won't laugh...)

1. Chasing the bus in Pamplona and getting denied entry- Their fault
Okay back when I was in Pamplona I would the bus (two buses actually) to get to school, which started at 8:30. I would take Bus line #6 to the center of the city where I would catch the 12 which would basically take me to the front door of my school, the whole trip would take me about 30 minutes. Usually when I switched buses in the center I'd have to walk over to a stop very close and I would have a good ten minutes to do so, but one fateful day as I stepped off the bus, already running late, I saw at my stop the bus I needed to take. The 12 only ran every 15 minutes so I knew missing this one would mean being late to school. So i did the only logical thing I could think to do, sprint. I ran as fast as I could and thankfully the bus was only five feet away from the station cause it got stuck at the light. I run to the doors and knock on them to be let in, why would he say no, right? He aggressively waved his finger in the air and then pointed back at the bus station as if telling me I will wait. Guess who got to school two minutes late that day and the office had to call home?

This is what the Pamplona buses/stops look like. Not my picture, but felt any visual could help.

2. Almost getting kicked off a Madrid bus- My fault

So a few weeks ago I was going to take the bus into Madrid to meet up with some friends and do obligatory touristy things. The bus was going to cost 5.10 (sorry don't have the "Euro" symbol on my computer) so being what I thought was smart and prepared I went to the ATM the day before to get some money for the day, maybe I'll want to buy something or what not. So I pull out about 200 euros (I get an international charge ever time I swipe my card so I pull out money on the ATM in large sums to avoid having to pay a fine everytime I buy something) It gives me 2 50's and 5 20's. Now here comes the stupid part. I wake up and go to the bus station and wait for the bus and finally it shows up. There are three of us getting on so I let them go first since I'm going to pay with the 20. Yep what was I thinking. I get up to the bus driver, tell him where I want to go and hand him the 20. He nearly dies. Then he starts yelling at me and asks if I have smaller bills or coins.... um nope... He yells some more. Tells me he can't break a 20 and that I need to get off the bus. Then I just look at him like he's crazy while he lets out a sigh of anger while he slaps down my 14.90 in change... Muchas gracias I say with a smile. As scary as it sounds to get yelled out by some crazy spanish bus driver I was really happy it happened cause I understand everything he said... so I think that was my first breakthrough moment...

Okay Bus Enthusiasts must be loving this post.

3. Run in with Madrid's Metro security/ Maybe almost being arrested or something- my fault...?

Last one, definitely the most exciting one to read. So I'm going to preface this photo with a picture (NOT A BUS I SWEAR) it's of the entrance of some of Madrid's Metro stations.

This is what they look like. You insert you ticket in a slot on that black bar, once you do that the clear "gates" open and you walk through, while walking through you grab your ticket which went through some sort of scanning system and go on your way.

One day on my host dad's way to work he dropped me off at the end of the line of MetroNorte (Hospital Infanta Sofia) which is kinda the same as Madrid's Metro but a little different. My first mess up in this station came on my way to the city. I used my "frequent flyer" Metro pass to try and enter here, it didn't work cause my pass apparently was only good for ten rides on the normal metro. So I go to the machine and buy a MetroNorte ticket and am on my way. Mess up two when riding MetroNorte line 10 know that when you get to Tres Olivos (another station) you'll have to switch trains, don't worry it's not hard to figure it out... follow the crowd. So before you can switch trains you have to go through these entrance things again, since I was entering the normal Madrid Metro I figured my pass that didn't work earlier that day would work here. So I go up and put my ticket in and walk through and look back to get my ticket and it was back at the entrance spot, it got spit out!! But I couldn't go back through because the gates were closed. I left it there and thanked my lucky stars it only had one ride left so I was wasn't wasting any money at all really. Okay the next mistake is going to happen in the same station on my way back to the Hospital where my host mom was picking me up. So I get of my train at Tres Olivos and again follow the crowd as we switch trains, knowing I'll need to buy a MetroNorte ticket I go to the machine and it says "out of service" and another sign says "go on for free" (in spanish). That's perfect right? I get to go or free! Yipee! I get on the train and ride it to the Hospital where I arrive at about 5:30 which is when I was to meet my host mom. So I make my way to the exit and it looks exactly like the entrance, you need to put your ticket in to get out. I had never seen that before. I didn't have my ticket and there are security guards on the exit side, so I can't sneak my way out. What do I do...? Oh I got it! Use my ticket from MetroNorte from this morning and it'll open for me just fine BEEP BEEP BEEP, the machine screams and the little red lights flash and security is walking over, oh no what do I do. The guard is like let me see your ticket. The idea hits me, lost foreigner who speaks no spanish and brings no harm. "ummmmm no hablo espanol" the guard gives me some crazy look and continues to explain in spanish... I understood what he wanted but I just said I didn't speak spanish in a complete panic so I have to stick with it. I just give him wide eyes as if I understood nothing. "French?" he says and before I can say no he explains yells the same thing to me in French, which let me just tell you was even more awkward. Then I gulped out the word "Ingles" and he said "ohhhhhhh one moment" and made his way to the guard room where he spend a good five minutes cause other metros arrived and the other guard out there was starring at me to make sure I didn't make a mad dash for it. Finally after a good ten minutes of dealing with this debacle a guy who speaks English comes out and I explained my problem and he was like "ohhhh don't worry come on through" and opened the gate for me and I went on my way, needless to say that was a scary ten minutes of my life.

Hope y'all enjoyed!!