leaving for Madrid in 3 weeks should I be concerned about bombing today?
 

Hi all!

I am leaving in 3 weeks for a week in Spain with husband and 20 of our friends for our annual trip to Europe together. Last year we left the day the war broke out and were in Vienna without incident of course. But then again, we knew who was going to touch Vienna??

We are all pretty saavy travelers and intellectually know that the chances of it happening again in 3 weeks is small. and as they say , usually after some incident, you are typically safer.

But after seeing the pictures and learning of this most horrific act, I do have to sayI am concerned.

No one in my group has called or e mail me today in a panic, so this is good news.

I know we should go, but any good Fodorite thoughts?

We all need a little more info before we can really understand what's going on. The Spanish gov't seems to assume this is a ratchet up by basque separatists - but they don;t seem to be taking responsability. Who did it and why will help determine and ongoing risk level. I think concern is legitimte at this point until you know more. but I wouldn't cancel any plans at this point - and hope info over the next several days will clarify the situtation. You don't say where'how you are going - which may be important factors.

Thanks nytraveler.

We are first going to Barcelona via London( British Airways, not flight 223!) for 3 days and then off to Madrid via Spanair from Barcelona.
for 4 more days.

I am the organizer for the group as I have been for the past 5yrs.

Also forgot to mention we all live inthe same neighborhood in Alexandria, VA, about 5-7 minutes from the Pentagon so we are used to dealing with scary stuff right here!

But nonetheless, it is a bit unsettling.
Yes, you are very right, that we need to wait and see who is behind this.
Thank you!

HI-
We are scheduled to leave for madrid next Wed the 17th - family of four w/ two teenagers. We live about 1 mile from Ground Zero, so we know what it is like in a city after a situation like this...We constantly have to "be alert" and it will probably be the same when we get there, but I was just wondering what other people would do if they were in our shoes....thanks for your advice

I would go. Keep up to date on the news, be alert and careful, and enjoy your trip. There is no way to predict anything like this happening in Spain, at home, or anywhere. It's sobering to think one has to factor the chances of a terrorist act into a vacation, but that's the way it is. If you change your plans or become too anxious, you are succumbing to a climate of fear. A vacation is supposed to be fun, so make sure that it is. You'll be fine!

You should go. The attack is designed to hurt tourism as well, so Spain will need all its friends! Plus, in the aftermath, the major cities will probably be in lockdown, and therefore it will be fairly safe.

We are flying into Madrid in 11 days. Todays horrific incident won't stop us, but I suspect the mood of the city will be different than it usually is.

Thanks st Cirq and sera!

Keep the reassurances coming. I know none of knows what can happen, but dang it, I hate this feeling all over again!

We are flying to Madrid this Saturday. We have no plans to cancel our trip. Depending on what happens in the next couple of days, we may alter our plans a bit, but as of now have no intent to do so. Right now we are scheduled to spend three days in Madrid, followed by three days in Sevilla. We'll be in Spain for two weeks total.

My thought is that anything could happen anywhere at any time. So I am trying to be very rational about it. Something could happen here today - you just never know....

Hopefully, we are making the right choice! My thoughts and prayers are with those innocent people who were injured or killed.

Sally

You must go!

Place flowers and a note from us FODORITES at the site if you are in the area.

Pray.

My Sincere Best Wishes,
Oaktown Traveler

We're going to Spain next month, and, needless to say, are watching the current events with concern.

Barring any major escalation or continuation of violence we will not change our plans. We were in Paris two weeks after 9/11, and I imagine we'll have some of the same feelings of heightened awareness, but most likely security should be better than ever.

The truth is, any time you venture out into the world, there are dangers. And while I wouldn't willingly travel to a war zone, I also refuse to be intimidated by what I hope is an isolated terrorist act.

For now, my thoughts and prayers are with the people affected by this tragedy.

This terrible crime was directed at ordinary spaniards (men, women & children)going to work or school on a commuter train. The ETA terrorists obviously did not want to attack tourists.
As one who has visited Madrid many times, I see no reason for tourists to be concerned over a single isolated terrorist act. I'm sure Spanish authorities will identify the murderous criminals within a very short time.

Oaktown, what a lovely thought. I WILL place flowers if I can at the metro stations. Yes, even though I am concerned about my own trip, my first thought was to e mail my agent and make sure everyone we are dealing with in Madrid is ok. Having lived through the Pentagon attack, I know I must be sensitive to the direct victims of this tragedy, not just my own vacation plans!

1pm EST and still no one from my group in a panic... good sign!

Anyone else headed to Madrid inthe next couple of weeks; your thoughts?

I was just there 2 months ago and I would go again tomorrow if it were possible. We can't hide away and live our lives in fear. It is impossible to predict when or where the next terrorist attack will occur, and if change our plans because of that, then the bad guys have already won. Go on, enjoy life to the fullest, and as Oaktown traveller suggested, do offer condolences from the Fodorites, as well as the rest of the US.

We too will be going to Madrid and London in 3 weeks. We also live downtown NYC and are travelling with our kids. I think I'll be a little apprehensive about mass transit, but am not going to let this horrendous tragedy ruin my vacation plans. I suppose being here in NYC is just as much a threat, if not more, than these other cities at any given time.

Thanks for all of your input. We have decided to go. I will be giving you all a report when I get back. We'll try to lend a sympathetic ear as fellow victims of terror and express our deepest sympathies. It really is true- we live in NYC with the threat of terrorism every day, and we keep on going...

JParis, if you have a chance ( and only if you have chance, do not make any special alterations to your days in Spain), could you e mail me from Spain and let me know how things are going.

Again, I do not expect it at all, you just go and have fun. but if you can my e mail is [email protected]

We are still going too, no one has balked yet...... hoping......

I think we'd all appreciate first-hand accounts of how it's going over there.

If you really do "know we should go" then you really don't need reassurance, or shouldn't...yet you posted it anyway.
Ask yourself why? and also ask....is anything anyone says here actually going to cause you to cancel this trip? If the answer is "no" then one really does wonder why you are doing this.

If I can somehow find an internet cafe (I am sure that my teenage son can smell one a mile away), I will post and let everyone know. It it is anything like it was in NYC, it will be safe, but somber.