Location: Madrid, Spain
Summary: A brilliant Segway tour around Madrid, a relaxed lunch, a disappointing visit to the Bernabeu, and a great evening with a few beers to finish the day.
Morning Segway tour
After a large breakfast, we caught a taxi to the starting point for our Segway tour. We were a little early, so we stopped for a coffee in a nearby bar before returning to the Segway office.
After a quick lesson for Paul, we were soon hurtling along at a breakneck 4 mph. A short ride took us to a viewpoint overlooking the Atlético Madrid football stadium, where we practised a bit more. Our guide then removed the training mode and adjusted our Segways so we could reach 9 mph.
He asked what we had already seen and what we wanted to visit, then customised the tour to suit us. As it was only Paul and me in the group, we were able to explore at our own pace. Madrid felt much quieter, more peaceful and more beautiful than I had expected. Most of the traffic seemed to be underground or using the ring roads, nothing like the chaos of a large English city such as London.
Mid‑morning break
It was a very hot day, and after about an hour our guide took us to a shaded spot for a 10‑minute break. He returned from the back of a café carrying olives, a Spanish omelette and two beers. It was around 11:00, so I suppose it wasn’t too early for a beer. After our refreshments, we continued exploring more areas, parks and buildings of interest.
Lunch & the Bernabéu
After the Segway tour, we returned to the office and were given photos from our trip. We then headed to a local restaurant for lunch. I had gazpacho and the best pig’s cheeks I have ever eaten, absolutely fantastic. Refreshed and full, Paul and I took the Metro to the Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid.
Having visited the Nou Camp in Barcelona a few years ago, I thought the Bernabéu looked tired and wouldn’t meet Premier League safety standards. I was very disappointed with both the stadium and the tour, but as a new stadium is being built, I’ll reserve judgement until I see the replacement. Compared with the Emirates Stadium, home of the mighty Arsenal, the Bernabéu doesn’t even come close.
After finishing the stadium tour, we stopped at a nearby Irish bar for a few pints before heading back to the Plaza Mayor for a few more beers. Eventually, we made our way back to the hotel.
It was a great day overall, and I think Paul really enjoyed his first Segway tour.
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