Skipping Granada

Bad news. We just found out that the Alhambra in Granada is booked solid for the days that we could go. We're both very disappointed... :-( So, we have just decided to skip Granada all together and spend more time in Madrid and Sevilla. Word to the wise: book the Alhambra months in advance. Plan your whole vacation around it.

I managed to call long distance and book a bus tour of Avila and Segovia. Normally I don't go for bus tours, but I saw it on Expedia and decided to buy a voucher on a whim. We are booked for May the 8th. All in all, booking the bus tour went pretty well. So, I was embolden to try confirming our hotel reservation in Madrid.

So, here is how it goes:

phone: ring ring ring ring
her: Rafaelhoteles Atocha.
me: Hola. Habla inglés?
her: Yes.
me: I would like to confirm my reservation.
her: OK.
phone: click...click, click, click...dialtone....

Hmm, that's strange, I'll try again.

phone: ring ring ring ring
her: Rafaelhoteles Atocha. (clearly the same woman)
me: Umm, er, do you speak english?
her: yes.
me: Can I confirm a reservation?
her: yes.
phone: click...dead silence for several minutes... I hang up.

We'll try again after the next shift change. Next time I'll make Jenn call...

Update: Jenn called 9 hours latter and got through OK. Turns out the front desk needs to forward you to the booking desk and that's why I kept having problems... But, from now on, Jenn is doing all the hotel calling... :-)