April 11, 2022 Greetings. We are greeted with fresh air and cloud-dappled sky in Madrid. The taxi driver at the airport gives us a warm welcome on our way to the train station Chamartín. The receptionist at our nearby hotel welcomes us with a warmer “bienvenidos a España.”
At Chamartin we see our first yellow arrow showing the way. And we begin to see several. Noticing is truly what the signs are about. They’ve been there all along but we have been blind. Years ago, as part of three couples on vacation in San Miguel Allende, Mexico, we went by La Flecha Amarilla (Yellow Arrow) bus to Dolores Hidalgo.
Another different greeting new in Europe. Reflecting the geopolitical times, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting exodus of immigrants and asylum-seeking women and children, the train station hosts reunification points. My heart breaks for the people of Ukariane and their shattered lives and country. We are closer to them than ever. I’m convinced that travel brings you to a deeper appreciation of people and an understanding of humanity is a way different than reading the LA Times or watching on-line news from afar.
We are on the high-speed train and it’s time to unplug, to watch the countryside, and to count the tunnels and viaducts to Northern Spain. Soon we will board our last train taking us to Sarria in the pouring rain (here called borrascas; what my mom called tormentas; what I call a sheets of rain). Bye for now and happy birthday to my brother Dionicio!
RoMA
Ordinary Gente 
Soon you’ll leave Sarai behind and you’ll be walking towards another adventure.