I have been in Spain all week. mostly Sitges (south of Barcelona) and an evening in Madrid. Yesterday was a long travel day back to Washington from Madrid via Barcelona and Paris.
The trip started with an 8:35am Iberia flight from Madrid to Barcelona. It was clear and very cool in Madrid, and I watched a bright orange sunrise from the Madrid airport. Madrid Barajas International Airport is beautifully designed, with striking yellow supports and a wavy wood covered ceiling. Airport design went downhill over the course of the trip. Madrid and Barcelona are both beautiful. Paris (CDG) has some ugly terminals, but the Air France area was decent and security was very competent and efficient. Of course Dulles my final destination is neither attractive nor functional, but immigration and customs were very efficient.
Flying west out of Paris we had a very long sunset. I find that sunsets above the clouds can be especially pretty.
I do need to figure out who regulates the Washington Flyer taxi monopoly at Dulles. I got into the cab and told the driver I wanted to go to Alexandria. He said 'it is only my third day on the job you will have to direct me'. In London the cabbies study for two years to learn the roads before they can pass a test to obtain their taxi license. Obviously for Washington Flyer there is no requirement for even the most high level and rudimentary understanding of the local roads.