RENFE and me
I've been avoiding this post, not wanting to complain too much, but I'm afraid the time has come. RENFE is the Regional bla bla bla, basically, the public train system here. And while yes, it can get you almost anywhere you want to go, there's no guarantee it will get you there in time. And it just seems to be getting worse. A few weeks ago, frustrated commuters finally stood in the tracks blocking other trains until someone came out and told them that a train would indeed take them home. The problem has been compounded around Barcelona lately, where they're building the new high speed station and working around the airport as well. It's all kind of a blur to me, but every time I've gone to either Barcelona or Vilanova lately, I've had to wait 30-45 minutes. And then, there's the fact that during rush hours they consistently seem to put on the shortest trains, with only a few cars. This leads to what I call the "Who is the most decrepit?" game where if you are lucky enough to get a seat for the 1.25 hour ride, you must be constantly vigilant, making sure there's not a tottering old woman nearly passing out in the aisle, too proud to ask you for her seat. You can try glaring at the teenagers in the next seats, but that's not too effective. It's just about 20-25 percent of us who keep an eye out, evaluating our own exhaustion and guilt factor with those poor souls standing in the aisle, we've all been there. And then, of course, sometimes I just fall asleep, and I become the most mentally decrepit of all, and I lose the game. It's tough, but somebody has to play it.  ¶ 6:54 PM