Bali wedding once more

It was another Bali wedding.  You would think I would be getting tired of them, but that wasn't the case at all.  Every wedding had enjoyed a beach and tropical vibe, so there were certain things that didn't change.  That didn't seem to make any of them less enjoyable.  They were always a happy occasion, with everyone in a good mood, with the holiday vibe adding to all round good spirits.

 

This wedding had one extra special element compared to the previous Bali weddings I had attended.  This one was full of children.  There had been kids at all of the previous weddings, but nothing like this.  There were babies, infants, small kids, bigger kids all running around as the wedding was about to start.  Ryan and Jess were well aware of the crowd, and had even arranged a large room at the back for all the kids to rest and relax.  It added an extra family feel to the entire festive mood.

The wedding was lovely and it was amazing to see Ryan and Jess so happy together.  A lot had changed for them since we were all together in Hong Kong.  We were all happy to see them after they had moved, so this wedding had been the perfect opportunity for a reunion.

After dinner, as the wedding continued into the night, those of us with kids arranged for the kids to be taken back to the villas.  Veronica took Pickle back to the villa to be looked after before she came back to join in the rest of the party.

Everyone was drinking and dance.  It was a great time, but I felt is harder than any previous wedding.  Life with a child is an energy consumer.  Even as other continued to enjoy the party, I could feel my strength waning.  We stayed just a little bit longer, before we decided it was time for us to go back to the villa to sleep.

Off on a tropical adventure

We were off again on another trip.  All our trips with the baby Pickle had been a success so far.  Many had looked at our trips with shock.  Others with admiration.  Maybe we had become overconfident and arrogant to travel so much?  I didn't really care so much.  For me, the difficulties had all been worth it and I felt it had given us time and opportunities to bond that were invaluable. 

Sitting in the lounge as we waited for our flight, Pickle was curious of everything around him.  I went and got glasses of champagne for myself and Veronica.  This piqued his interest immediately.  He looked at us intently as we drank and decided that surely it was time for us to share some of this with him.  

When we boarded the plane, he was already tired.  Once we took off, the flight attendants promptly set up the bassinet and I was able to carefully place him in to sleep without any disruption.  I lay my head down as well, trying to rest.  This didn't last long though as the baby Pickle woke after only a relatively short nap. 

Refreshed and reenergised, he decided that now was the time to start exploring.  He couldn't really walk yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't crawl or climb around.  With this skill, he decided that what he really wanted to do was to say hello to pretty Japanese girls seated in the row behind us.  He scraped and crawled over me, stepping on my shoulder and face to get his head above the row of seats.  Perched up high, he smiled and laughed as the girls cooed at him and exclaimed "kawai", all the while encouraging him further....

When we arrived at the airport in fairly good spirits.  Everyone was well rested enough and it wasn't too late. We expected there to be a long wait at immigration and customs, but instead we found almost no lines.  With baby Pickle in tow, we were also directed to the "short" line which meant we were able to get through even quicker.  Outside there was a car waiting for us.  A short drive later and we were at our villa for the next few days.

Baby Pickle soon found himself comfortably settled in one of the rooms as the staff immediately came to provide us with all the comforts we needed.  

All of the staff seemed to be incredibly happy and excited to see us with the baby.  A few hours before we had arrived, our friends Chris and Lico had also arrived with baby Luca.  It would be a nice few days together, with parents and children all able to enjoy the surrounds.

Cypriot wedding

The wedding was being held in the shade of a nearby church.  It was right next to the beach and walking distance for all the various hotels that everyone was staying at.

The day felt hot, so we wanted to ensure we were well shaded when we arrived.  Knowing my Swiss friends well, I was certain they would all be on time.  I arranged to walk down to the wedding with them.  As expected, they had all agreed on the time to meet at the hotel and when to start walking.  Veronica and I happily joined them and we walked down to the wedding together.  We arrived early enough to have our first choice of places to sit, well shaded and with the ideal view of the wedding.

As the sun slowly began to set, the wedding began.  The groom has set himself up down the path leading from the door to the church.  After a very traditional delay, Corinne appeared, looking radiant and lovely, walking down the aisle towards Stelios.  I was incredibly happy for her.  We had known each other for a long time now.  All the back to when I lived in Australia and she was studying there.  We had become good friends and had even visited each other over the years on our various holidays.  I still remembered when she came to visit me in Hong Kong with Stelios as well.  I would never have imagined that I would now be at her wedding in Cyprus of all places.  I felt this strange sense of satisfaction and ease to see her happy with Stelios. 

Stelios and Corinne both looked great.  There were songs sung, vows exchanged and speeches made.  A lovely ceremony for everyone to witness.

  

After the wedding ceremony, we all made our way back to the large villa complex they had hired.  There on the grounds overlooking the water, the reception had been set up.  As the catering staff worked to get everything set up, all the guests enjoyed snacks and drinks. When we were seated at the tables, we were then given the most food I have ever seen at any wedding I have ever attended.  Every course was enormous, and the number of courses didn't seem to stop.  By the time it did finally stop, the tables were completely full of large plates.  Most people had long stopped eating, unable to handle anything extra.  

The bride and groom made their way around the tables.  Greeting everyone with smiles.  As the night continued, the drinks continued to flow and games were organised with all the guests. 

After more games and more speeches, the dancing began.  This was a Greek wedding, and no Greek wedding can truly be complete without the dancing.  I dragged Veronica with me to the dance floor so that we could join in, our tired feet reenergised by the music.

Cyprus with no baby

My good friend Corinne was getting married in Cyprus.  We were invited to her wedding, but with work commitments and the need to look after Pickle, it didn't seem possible.  Suddenly though, there was a change.  Projects that needed to be completed disappeared.  Reorganisations happened.  Jobs changed.  Suddenly a very busy time became quite free for the both of us.

We were out in a park with Pickle when I asked Veronica her thoughts on this very sudden idea.  Should we go?  Could we go?

It seemed incomprehensible only a few weeks earlier, but now it was all becoming something at least within the "realm of possibility".  I messaged Corinne to ask her if she was free to speak.  She was and took my call as we walked around the park.  I asked her whether it was too late to come, assuming we could get the logistics all worked out.  She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the call was about something more concerning.  She was delighted and hoped we could make it work.

So for the next few days, a flurry of activity occurred as we tried to make the necessary arrangements for a trip to Cyprus.  Flights weren't cheap and they weren't convenient, but we found something passably acceptable (only just).  Pickle would be cared for by his grandparents for a few days.  Annual leave was arranged.  The days passed us by, and soon enough we were at the airport waiting for our flight to depart.

It all felt extremely strange.

We hadn't been parents for very long, but it was an all encompassing experience.  To find ourselves suddenly separated from it all just didn't feel right.  I knew that Pickle was being well looked after, but it didn't remove my sense of concern or anxiety for him.  

After a short stop in Doha, we arrived in Larnaca in Cyprus.

We had arranged a hire car to make things easier.  The wedding location was the East of the island, so instead of immediately driving over we started to explore the local area around Larnaca first.  It was one of the bigger cities in Cyprus, but it was still relatively quiet out on the outskirts near the "famous" Salt Lake.  As we stood on the salted crust of the lake, I bunch of young guys pulled up in their car and started to walk out to look as we were.  They were clearly tourists as well and one of the guys asked me in a joking and sarcastic manner: "Is this place any good?  I don't think it is."  He was probably right....

After the initial stops closer to the airport, we moved into the city itself to eat and explore.  We went to a souvlaki restaurant that had been recommended by the manager at the car hire company.  "It looks touristy, but it's actually good" was what he had told us.  He wasn't wrong, and we had what would be one of the best meals of the entire trip.  The vegetables were fresh and full of flavour, the meat was smokey and nicely grilled.  It was simple food, but it was from the region and set us in the right mood.

We walked around Larnaca after lunch.

It didn't feel big at all and there was a nice relaxed feeling to the place.  The height of the tourist season was over, so things were now apparently much quieter than what they would otherwise be.  It meant that the stroll through the town was a calm experience without any jostling or crowds.  The first place we went to on our exploration of the town was the Church of Saint Lazarus.  This church and the salt lake seemed to be the two most famous attractions of this area. After our visit to the lake, I was more reserved in my expectations for the church.  From the outside, it was a relatively small and humble looking church.

On the inside, it was far more magnificent.

It was still a very small church, but it was adorned with gold.  At the back, there was a large wall of Orthodox church icons.  Saints, with their images brightly illustrated and surrounded with ornate gold decorations.  It was a beautiful and impressive sight. 

We kept walking around the rest of Larnaca.  There wasn't too much exciting to the place.  There was a beach and promenade area.  Shops, restaurants and cafes all along the front, as well as an old fort.  We walked through the fort, stood up at the top and took some pictures before we walked through the town back to the car.

We now needed to get to Protaras where the wedding was.  It was mid afternoon and we had plenty of time.  It was a quick drive.  Only 45 minutes along the highway and we were already at the hotel.  At this point, we needed to be careful and quiet.  A pre-wedding dinner had been arranged this evening before the wedding day.  Corinne knew we were coming, but we had decided to keep it a secret from all our other Swiss friends as a surprise.  I had to be careful coming and out of the hotel to ensure we wouldn't be caught early.  I knew my Swiss friends well though, they would all most certainly be on time.  So after checking in, we intentionally delayed leaving to ensure we would be 10 minutes late (unheard of for my Swiss friends).  Everything we amazingly well and we arrived at the restaurant to looks of happiness and shock.

Dinner was a bit of a blur.  Veronica and I were jetlagged, but the emotion of seeing my old friends swept me us as well.  The food came and went, but none of it really mattered to me.  We all chatted and laughed, years had gone by and it was a joy to be able to spend time together with them again as well as to be able to introduce them all to Veronica.  If it was only this evening, the travel had already been worth it.

Faster than expected

It felt like we had only just moved into our apartment, but we were already leaving.  I still remembered with clarity the excitement of getting the keys.  The agent walking out of the apartment and knowing that I was living in my own place.  Not a place that I was renting, but my very own place.  I had expected to have been here almost indefinitely (or at the very least for quite a long time), and instead after only a few years I was off again.   It had been a far shorter stay than I expected or planned.

As I stood in the apartment, everything being packed away by the removalists, I felt a strange feeling.  It wasn't the same as previous moves.  I remembered those moves.  In those moves I felt clearly the pang of leaving somewhere that was close and important to me, of leaving my home.

I didn't have the same feeling this time.

I had experienced a lot in this apartment and yet it didn't have the same feeling of home to me.  Was it because I had moved too much?  Or was it that I just hadn't been in this apartment for long enough?

Barceloneta

Our trip was coming to an end.  We had a flight to catch that night.  I was able to arrange for a late check out at the hotel, so we packed our things up as best we could and decided to enjoy the little time we had left.  Phil had enjoyed a big night, so he was nowhere to be found.  Whilst we waited for him, we went exploring the small streets and alleys around the old Gothic Quarter and El Born.  It was relatively early in the morning, so the crowds were only just starting to gather.

We walked past an old looking cafe and went in for breakfast.

The food in Barcelona had been good, but the small style cafes we had enjoyed visiting in Madrid didn't seem to be as good here.  Everything seemed so tourist oriented it was hard to work out what experiences were actually a slice of everyday life and what were just an inauthentic recreation for visitors.  Inside the cafe, everything was fine.  Nothing spectacular or memorable.  Just all fine.  

Later in the morning, with Phil finally awake, we went in search of somewhere for our last lunch of the trip.  Chatting with Phil about our previous visit, I remembered that we had never visited the beach.  Our trips to Barcelona had always been during cooler months, so the fact we hadn't been here was less of a surprise.  However, given the fame of Barcelona as a party town by the beach, it was still somewhere we thought would be worthwhile to visit now.

The part of Barcelona closest to the beach is called "Barceloneta".  It's quite an appropriate literal name for this place as it does feel like a small miniturised version of Barcelona next to the beach.  Within the built up parts of this neighbourhood, the streets were all aligned in a strict grid pattern. Off in the near distance was the ocean.  It was quite a surreal image to see the tight rows of houses, the regular patterns of the streets, and then suddenly all opening up towards the ocean and the sky.  It seemed to make all the buildings float.  I wondered whether this was part of the inspiration for so many of the famed Spanish surrealist artists or even for Chris Nolan.  Were they really such imaginative geniuses or were they merely blessed with inspiration staring them in the face?

 

It was a fantastic (and in some ways fantastical) place to visit.

It was easy to walk.  Everything was close by and there was a more laid back vibe to the place than in the other parts of Barcelona.

It was nearly lunch time, so we found a popular paella place that would take us in.  Once again, looking for a place to eat with the baby Pickle wasn't a problem at all.  The upstairs dining room was not an issue at all, as the staff hurried down to help us carry the stroller up.  There was never a complaint or any hint of annoyance with it.  It was always friendly and always a seemingly normal thing to do.

Baby Pickle was fast asleep.  He was well fed and comfortable.  The long walk had soothed him and so even the move upstairs hadn't been enough to wake him.

For us we were hungry.  We had been eating paella in various locations, but we had been most surprised by the "fideua", which seems best described as being a paella with the rice replaced by noodles.  Whereas the paella was something we could get overseas (albeit to greatly varying degrees of quality), the fideua was something far more special and unique to this part of the world.

Everything was washed down with big jugs of sangria.  All freshly made and full of fruit.  It wasn't particularly refined, but it all tasted great.  Everything was shared, and we pressed spoonfuls of the food onto one another's plates as we quickly and happily ate. 

I was sad to leave, but also keen to get home.  The trip had given me everything I could have hoped for with my new family.  With all the rush and excitement of a new born, in particular with the rush of people constantly around us, it felt at times like we weren't able to spend so much time together without interruption.  This trip was the break from all of that.  It was just us.  Just the three of us.  Our new family, exploring the world together.

Cultural Pickle

Maybe it had all been a bit too much for poor baby Pickle?  We had certainly put him through a lot in a short amount of time.  There had been international flights, cold weather, train trips and constant sensory overload.  Still, he had seemed to enjoy it all.  Whenever we tried to lower him down on the pram to rest, he would start to scream and cry.  He was only happy when sat up, looking around at everything and enjoying all the sights and sounds.  Each day provided new and wonderful experiences for him and he seemed to be enthralled by it all.  When we went to sleep, there was very little fussing and would sleep quickly and well.

It was far more fun than I expected to take him from museum to gallery to cultural site.  From a personal life experience point of view, it was also a wild ride. I don't think I could ever forget being inside some of the great museums of the world, full of priceless pieces of art, the best humanity could offer, all whilst desperately trying to change Pickle's full diaper without getting it all over myself. 

At each stop, we would place Pickle near or in front of one of the more famed pieces of art or attractions.  I'm not sure if Picasso's message in Guernica got through to him, but how would I know unless I gave him the chance to see it?  

Pickle's curiosity was constantly apparent.  He was just an infant, but his eyes were darting around.  I hoped that he would find the world to be a wonderful place, full of things to find and explore.  This would just be the beginning of it all. 

 

After our exploration and visits, baby Pickle normally fell asleep.  The cobblestones of Europe seemed to always ensure he quickly fell asleep.  For myself and Veronica, it was a comfort as well, knowing that the simple act of going for a walk would be able to sooth him.

He wouldn't remember any of this.  That was a bit of a shame.  But we would have these incredible memories with him, and he now already boasted a travel photo album that most could only dream of.

Montserrat

Phil had hired a car as part of his exploration of Catalonia.  He was returning the car soon now that he was in Barcelona with us.  With a few days left, we thought it would be nice to do a day trip out of Barcelona to see some of the surrounding regions.  Having just come from a beach resort town, we decided to go to the exact opposite and head towards the mountains.  I had done some research on day trips from Barcelona, and a name that kept coming up was Montserrat.  A short drive from Barcelona and it was an important part of the culture of Catalonia.  It seemed perfect for us.

Early in the morning, I set off out of the hotel myself.  With the baby Pickle, we needed a car seat for the drive.  I had found a place that would rent a car seat, but it was a high price and a twenty minute walk away.  In hindsight, give the cost, it may have even been better to have just bought a second hand seat, but this was more certain.  So off I went on my early morning walk.  The streets were calm and empty.  The light of the day was still only beginning and everything looked gentler and softer.  It was a nice walk.  It gave me a completely different appreciation for Barcelona, different from the usual crowded and busy streets. 

With the car seat obtained, Phil drove his car over to our hotel.  After the expected struggle to install it, we set off on our journey.  Pickle cried a bit, then very promptly fell asleep to the motions of the car.  Getting out of the city was easy, with only minor traffic.  We were soon on the highway heading to Montserrat.  Or rather we were heading to the famous abbey at the top of Montserrat, given the name applied to the mountains in the area.  We arrived near the base of the mountain, parked the car and then took the "rack rail" which slowly climbed up the steep terrain to the base of the abbey.  The views from out the windows were incredible.  Completely unimpeded, we could see far off into the distance.  Looking up, we could see the strange rocky formations of Montserrat reaching up towards the sky.

The abbey itself wasn't just a single building.  It was a series of different buildings, churches and structures.  There were restaurants, museums, vantage points.  Much more than I had expected to see.  We went through the small museum and gallery.  There wasn't much to it other than a few paintings that freaked out Veronica.  We went back to the main square near the church.  It offered the best views of the surrounding mountains.

We were hungry, so I searched for a restaurant.  We walked past a sad looking cafeteria style type of restaurant.  It didn't appeal to us.  I kept searching and found a far nicer, though far more expensive restaurant further back from the church.  It was a dark and old school restaurant.  Food served on square plates and decor that felt like it had been modern in the 90s.  We sat down for what would be a longer than expected lunch.  The food was good, with many options recommended to us as being more "regional" specialities that weren't so commonly found.  With a nice bottle of wine, we settled in.  Pickle slept and we enjoyed our time.

Our timing was perfect.  Once we finished our meal, it was time for us to enter into the church.  We had booked our tickets in advance, but all entry was based on time slots.  We entered into the main courtyard.  With the stairs and narrow corridors, we were told it would be too difficult for us to bring the baby Pickle with us.  Instead, we decided to take turns going in to look at the church and the relics.

At the back, after walking up a series of fairly steep stairs which became increasingly narrow, we made it to the very back, where the "Virgin of Montserrat" was kept.  It's a small statute.  Very old and made in a style which seems out of place compared to the surroundings.  Apparently, the claim is that the church was actually built around the statue and that this was a place of worship long predating the Christian era.

After visiting the church and the relics, we took the funicular (always a fun word to say) up the mountain.  The views up and down were incredible as we rose up above the surrounding peaks which had enclosed where we had been.   

At the top, we went for a walk.  With baby Pickle in his stroller, the hike up and down was a combination of intense work out, exhilaration and mild danger.  At certain points, the steepness meant I was effectively using my entire body wait to push up against the stroller to push it up the hill.  Each time we walked around a corner, we had another lovely view to look at.  With nothing else in the way, you could see out far off into the distance, even as far as the ocean.  We had to be careful though as well.  The wind would pick up and even as baby Pickle slept, we could see the stroller being gently shaken by the strong breeze.

This visit to Montserrat wasn't exactly what I expected.  I enjoyed myself.  The views were incredible and the church and its relics were also beautiful.  It wasn't a quick trip though.  This was a visit that took up most of the day.  Were I to be asked about it by other travellers, I would probably say to them that it is only worth the visit if you had the luxury of time like we had.

Barcelona and the kindness of the Spanish

Attending the wedding was incredible.  We had been surrounded by friends and were able to celebrate the It had been the reason we had come on this trip, and everything so far had been worth the effort and travel.  We weren't finished though.  The wedding was only the middle point of our holiday.  To finish of our travels, we would be spending a week in Barcelona. 

I felt like I was doing my previous trip to Spain in reverse.  It had been Barcelona and then Madrid, but this time it was Barcelona that would be the conclusion.  The weather had also changed completely.  It wasn't warm, but the cold of Madrid was now long gone.  Wandering outside, it was a comfortable cool.  Nothing more than a light coat or a top was needed.  Perfect weather for walking and exploring.

The city was as busy as has been advertised.  Barcelona has long been a tourist town, but there had definitely been a surge in the years since I had last visited.  Wandering down the long La Rambla in the Gothic Quarter was a shock.  We were used to busy crowds living in Asia, but this felt different and a bit more uncomfortable.  Whereas in Asia, it is a crowd that generally moves with purpose, this was a slow and meandering crowd.  Masses of people who seemed to wander aimlessly and without direction into one another and into the space of others.  It made sense given almost all of these people were tourists who didn't know where they were or where they were going.

It was a fairly minor issue though.  Could it be a bit annoying for those living in the city?  I'm sure it could.  But at the same time, there also seemed to be plenty of places that were far less touched by the tourist masses.  A short walk out of the centre and you could easily find the same elegant and calm streets and boulevards devoid of the visitors.  It was quite pleasant to stroll down these streets.  

Being in Barcelona with Phil, we decided to embrace the food culture of the city as much as we could.  Any opportunity we had, we would try to jump into small local restaurants.  Casual or more fancy, we didn't really care.  So long as the food was good and the beer was cold.

Most of the places we found ourselves seemed to be far more casual.  There was a reputation that Spain had or more avant guard and fancy dining, but none of that seemed to appeal to us that much.  Whether it was because we had access to it in Hong Kong, or because we were wanting more traditional fare, we seemed to gravitate towards the options that were the most Spanish. 

 

It was pure tourist fun, but we found ourselves at one point inside the famous old "La Boqueria" market off to the side of La Rambla.  It seems to continue to operate as a real market for the locals, but it is an undeniable tourist attraction, full of visitors looking for pictures and that perfect moment of Spanish life.  It was hard to tell how much, if any of it, could really be considered to be real anymore.  There were still certainly locals wandering around buying things, but there seemed to be just as many British tourists on their stag trips.

Deep inside were the cooked food stalls and restaurants.  We found ourselves a restaurant that seemed to be run by friendlier staff.  Phil and Veronica had wandered off looking for a table, and I was by myself pushing baby Pickle.  I pointed towards the baby and then indicated we had 3 adults.  The lady behind the counter smiled and nodded.  As space at the counter opened up, I began to move towards the seats when another couple of visitors quickly rushed to try and get to the table.  The lady behind the counter snapped back at them sharply, pointing at me and the baby.  They quickly apologised and moved to the side. Once were all seated, we quickly ordered.  It was touristy, but there fresh seafood, cooked immediately in front of us tasted amazing.  The sangria was immediately mixed at request.  All so touristy.  But we didn't care, it was all great.

One place that Phil and I both wanted to visit again was Cal Pep.  This beloved restaurant was in the El Born district, and we had experienced one of our most memorable meals when we had first traveled to Barcelona.  There were no menus, it was up to the chefs who decided based on what the best options were from the markets that day.  I remember it being cold.  Lining up at the back of the restaurant, waiting for a space at the bar to open up.  We waited with bottles of wine.  The wait didn't seem to matter.  The restaurant was full and noisy.  Everyone was having a great time and so were we.

It didn't seem possible to go back.  With memories of a busy and crowded restaurant, everyone lined up and waiting for a bar space, it just didn't seem quite right to go there again with an infant in a stroller.  Phil wanted to try anyway, so we went for a walk through the maze like streets of El Born.  The walk through these streets in the evening was already a highlight for me.  It felt like an adventure, exploring something new and unique, even though this was probably one of the most touristed places in the world!

We arrived at Cal Pep.

It was as busy as I remembered.  I didn't hold much hope and I already started looking around at the neighbouring restaurants, considering alternatives for our dinner.  Phil disappeared into the restaurant.  He wandered out again and I was expecting him to tell us the bad news.

"They have table for us."

This was a surprise, but not one I was going to turn down.  We navigated our way through the narrow gap between the patrons seated at the bar and those who stood at the back waiting for their turn.  At the very back of the restaurant was a small dining room and wine storage area.  I had memories of there being this dining room from when I last visited, but I didn't think we would be so lucky to get a table.  It was far smaller than I expected.  I think we were lucky that there was space, but also that most people seem to want to wait for a table at the bar.

The food we ordered was as I remembered it.  Fresh and simply prepared.  It was all the best the nearby markets had to offer.  Some of the dishes I remembered, others were new.  But all of them were still delicious.  Baby Pickle was asleep.  Nothing seemed to put him to bed faster than a nice walk with the stroller on cobblestoned streets.  For us, we ordered a bottle of wine, and then another.  It was a happy dinner.  Eating with friends.  Great food.  Good wine.  A sleeping baby.  There wasn't much else we needed.

Phil looked out towards the bar and saw who he thought was the waiter who had served us when we last visited.  He had been incredibly friendly and much of our enjoyment had been from our interactions with him.  The waiter we had this time was a young guy.  He was also extremely friendly and helpful, if not also more than a bit cheeky.  I took out my phone and searched for a photo from our last visit.  The older waiter looked a lot like the guy in my photo.  I showed it to the young waiter.  A look of evil delight flashed across his face and he screamed "JAVI!!!" and ran out of the dining room towards the bar.  He dragged Javi into the room and pushed him towards us.  He looked at me, pointed at me with recognition.  I don't speak Spanish, but his comment seemed to be along the lines of "I remember you...."  I pointed him towards Phil, he jumped a bit in shock and seemed to say "you as well!"  I showed him the picture and he started to laugh, patting his head which now had far less hair than previously.  He gestured to me with his hand "five years?"  I held up both my hands, "ten years".  He smiled and nodded, where does the time go?

Something which I had been struck by throughout our trip had been the incredible kindness of the Spanish people towards us.  Life with a baby had been enjoyable so far, but it was certainly much tougher than before.  In addition to an underlying stress that never went away, there was just the added physical burdens and complications.  Extra bags.  Strollers.  A variety of different items that needed to be carried.  I knew this would be something I would probably carrying and dealing with to varying degrees going forward.  But with this stress and concern, it was nice to get the consideration and support from the locals on an almost universal basis.  Any restaurant we went to, the doors were thrown open.  Space would be found.  Stairs were never an issue as people rushed out to help us carry the stroller up.  Other patrons would smile and laugh with us, never making us feel out of place or like we were causing any nuisance.  More often, they would come over wanting to say hello or to look at the sleeping baby.  At one restaurant in Barcelona, a very hip and popular one at that, when Veronica went to enquire about whether there was space, the man at the front desk quickly responded that it would be more than twenty minutes.  Veronica thanked him and turned to me, at which point he saw me with the stroller.  He called her back and told her to "wait just a moment".  He rushed inside and then came out quickly again, gesturing to us to come in.  A table, in a nice and quiet corner of the restaurant had been found for us.  I strongly suspect that he had bumped multiple other guests waiting ahead of us to give us this table.  His demeanour to us was extremely kind and friendly as he came and went from our table, checking on us to make sure we were all comfortable.  We encountered this type of behaviour constantly.  This was an experience that seemed to speak directly to the heart of who the Spanish people are and how well they treat people.