I caused a
lot of laughter at the Santiago bus station yesterday. Twice.
The first
time was when I again lost my temper with stupid replies being given to me
- this time at the Monbus ticket office at the bus station -
and was looked on as a crazy guiri. Albeit one who could shout
in Spanish.
I should
point out that there's no information given there as to which platform the many
incoming buses arrive at. Your ticket tells you
it will be between numbers 10 and 18 and also gives you the number of
the bus. But, as the buses arriving don't portray numbers, people
mill around, trying to find what destinations are shown in lights on
the front of each bus.
I was
looking for one showing 'Ferrol' but never saw one. So, at 4.20, I went
to the ticket office, where this ensued:-
What
happened to the 4.pm bus?
It went.
How
come? I didn't see a bus saying Ferrol.
Yes, it
was showing 'A Coruña and Ferrol'.
Isn't
that two different directions? There were 3 buses down there at 4
0'clock and none of them indicated Ferrol.
Well, I
took the passenger details down to each bus so I know one went to
Ferrol.
But
there was no indication of this. Either for me or for the guy who
spoke to you before me because he never saw a bus to Ferrol either.
Well, when
you're not sure, you should aways ask the driver where a bus is
going.
Why
isn't there screen saying where the buses are going, as there used to
be.
There was
one but there isn't one any more.
I know
that.
[At this
point a Monbus driver got involved, really getting my goat up]
There
definitely was a bus going to Ferrol. I spoke to the driver.
Maybe
there was but it wasn't showing Ferrol, only A Coruña.
No, it
showed A Coruña and Ferrol. I saw it.
Why
would you be looking for the destination of a bus? And, more to the
point, do you think I'm blind or stupid? I was watching all the buses
and their destinations and none of them had a rolling screen saying
it was going to La Coruña and Ferrol. There was only a fixed one
saying 'A Coruña'.
Are you
calling me a liar?
[At this point, I turned back to the woman at the counter and asked
for my money back. There was no resistance to this. I returned at
5.45 for the 6pm bus and picked up the conversation.]
So,
when you go down to each bus, do you give the driver details of
tickets sold and the number of passengers getting on?
Yes.
So, why
doesn't he/she correlate that with the number of people who get on. Or
don't, like me and the other guy?
Because
many people don't turn up.
So, why
do you do it?
So we know
how many are on the bus if it crashes and everyone burns.
But
that total won't be right if there are no-shows!
What do you mean?
What do you mean?
Well,
the 4pm bus [assuming it ever really existed] will have had at least
2 passengers fewer than the list, being me and the other guy. No?
I guess
so. But we have to do it.
. . . . .
How
long does the bus take to Pontedeume?
Not long
after this, I gave those present another reason to laugh, when I
tried to go back up a down-escalator after only going down a metre or
so.
I would
advise against this even when you're lightly encumbered but certainly not when you have a heavy rucksack on your back and are carrying
2 walking poles.
I fell
and then stupidly tried to do it again. Having fallen again and hurt
my knees, I gracefully accepted defeat and decided to remain prostrate until the
bottom, when 2 people kindly helped me gather both myself and my
things.
Then I
noticed I no longer had my ticket and realised it had gone into the
maw of the escalator. So, in an even fouler mood, I limped
back up the stairs to try to blag my way to another one. Or pay for it, if necessary.
Happily, I
saw it on the floor at the top of the escalator. A crumb of comfort.
I have a
strong suspicion the 4pm bus was cancelled, and was strengthened in
this belief by the care taken by a Monbus employee to tell me
where the (late) 6pm bus was coming from and where it was going to.
Which - need I say? - was direct to Ferrol, without first going to A Coruña.
By the
way, I tore my trousers and bloodied my knees in my fight with the
escalator. But I won't allow this to spoil my highly enjoyable week. Especially
because of this little tale:-
During our
walk along the Coastal Way a couple of weeks ago, my companion and I
met two young French women while waiting for a bus out out Unquera.
As they said they were bound eventually for Vigo, I said I could pick
them up a week later in Oviedo and they could wash all their stuff in
my house in Pontevedra and sleep in proper beds for night or more. During the next 2 days,
I tried but failed to get calls and messages of confirmation to them
by phone and email but nothing got a response. So, I concluded
they hadn't been serious when they'd said they'd definitely come.
Yesterday
at midday I was sitting on the terrace of a Santiago cafe, waiting
for some friends. But I was actually in the wrong place. I looked up
from El País to see to a young woman looking at
me. When she asked, in effect, if I was me, I said yes but admitted I
didn't recognise her. She was, it transpired, one of the 2 French
women from Unquera and she told me they'd sent me messages galore
trying to find out if they could still come. Once we got over our
surprise and pleasure at this remarkable chance meeting, we agreed I'd
pick them up in Santiago after I'd got my car from Pontedeume. In
view of previous difficulties, we agreed a fixed time and place.
Which is just as well, as I was, of course, rather later than agreed
and all attempts to contact them again failed completely.
So, there
might be a god, after all. At least if you live in Santiago de
Compostela.
Normal
service resumes tomorrow.
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