We expected that crossing the border from Portugal to Spain by train would be a non-event. In fact, the Spanish are particular about who enters. Perhaps a lingering effect of the 2004 Madrid bombings, or perhaps it's just the Spanish way. The train stopped at the border, and Spanish immigration police boarded to check papers. We were disturbed when the officers showed unusual interest in our passports, discussing them among themselves and radioing back and forth to a central authority.
El jefe asked us how long we were in Portugal, and how did we get there. It turns out that Portuguese immigration, besides delaying us two hours at the airport, neglected to give us an entry stamp. So it looked like we were entering Spain without legally entering the EU first.
We began to have images of being escorted off the train to "clear up a few minor questions". It didn't help that our passports contain stamps from Bolivia, Peru, Thailand, eastern Europe, Hong Kong, and other destinations of uncertain reputation. But apparently such oversights are not infrequent in Portugal, and our interrogator just laughed and wished us good journey.
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