I was traveling to Spain. Of note, while everyone normally gushes over tapas and Gaudi, the one thing I love about Spain above all is the wine.
I was on a 3-hour layover in Madrid to Barcelona. I had landed in Madrid realizing I needed to charge my phone. My US phone charger didn’t work in Spain, and I forgot to bring my converter in my backpack.
I walked around the entire gate area looking for a USB port to charge my phone. Half the airport was under construction, and the happiest place to sit down was a Burger King. Given I had flown on an airline I had never heard of, Air Europa, I looked around at the sad Air Europa waiting lounge in dire need of a USB charging port and realized I clearly flew on a budget airline.
Alas, I saw a VIP members lounge. I wasn’t a VIP or member of any airline that would want me in their lounge. But I walked in anyway. I figured they would have a USB port somewhere. The front desk guy was helping someone else. So I stood up straight, walked in like I was Beyonce, and entered the VIP lounge before anyone could stop me.
Everyone’s computer was plugged in with their European plug. I briefly considered asking someone if I could plug my USB plug into their computer. And then I spotted a desktop computer business center at the end of the lounge. I plugged my USB into the first of two computers with no avail. I spied two young guys with their laptops sitting next to the computers. I wondered if the next, and last, computer didn’t work, if they would let me plug my USB into their computer.
Alas, the very last computer worked. So I quickly plugged my phone into the USB charger, and looked around. This lounge had showers. They had a nap lounge. They had food and espresso and most notably, wine.
I took some salami, cheese, and two containers of fruit. And then an espresso. And then tasted all three of their Spanish wines laying out. The third was the best. A Spanish guy walked up straight to the third bottle, poured himself a generous glass, and looked at me. I exclaimed, “es mas mejor!” So he poured me some too. Which I was relieved, because I didn’t want him to finish the rest of the best wine bottle without me sharing in that process.
I got some water. I exchanged a futile 3-minute conversation with another older Spanish guy about “Agua con gas? Oh, no gas.” I just wanted “con gas.” He kept thinking I wanted “sin gas” and passing me the “agua natural.” And I kept on grabbing a new “con gas” and giving him back the “sin gas.” I could have done this forever if I didn’t have a glass of Spanish wine waiting for me.
And then I sat next to the young computer guys to USB charge my phone. And remembered espresso makes me sneeze. And wine makes me sneeze. And I was suddently sneezing a lot. And drinking both at noon Spanish time (or 3am PST, which is what my body was on) miscommunicated my tiredness for looking sick. Or hung over. Or both.
So here I was drinking and sneezing and drinking more. I’m confident the young guys were thankful I didn’t ask to charge my phone in their computers.
With my phone charged to now 83%, and another hour until my flight boarded. I figured I’d pour myself another glass of wine.
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