Floating Party and and Ice Cream Nanny

Barcelona, June 2022

Coming from the paradisiac waters of Formentera, it seems very exotic to be on a boat-party excursion in front of Barcelona’s cargo-ship harbour. We were around 200 guests invited for dinner to a friend’s new restaurant, that he recently opened on the fancy side of the harbour. It’s Tamsin‘s business partner’s hubby, who decided to throw a floating party before seated dinner. As this event caught me totally by surprise and I was actually on duty working for the newspaper, I had to run around with laptop and mobile hotspot, trying to fulfill what needed to be done before the Sunday issue would be printed, in between dancing (or better jumping as I can‘t really dance anymore with one functioning leg), drinking, chatting and walking/limping towards boat pick-up and drop-off. Lucky me, the only decent dress I possess is a sailor‘s outfit, which I am traveling with since over 20 years. Not much space for clothing as my hand luggage is mostly occupied by children‘s presents and a new surf wetsuit for my sister Guggi in Rio de Janeiro where I am flying to next week. Will be there for my twin nephew‘s babtism and 5th birthday, together with sister Deborah, Mama and stepfather Manolo from Ecuador.

But for now, I am staying in Barcelona to take care of my best friend Tamsin‘s three daughters while she and her husband Ivan go on their very well deserved one-week vacation, just by themself. Same as they did last year for their 10th wedding anniversary, when I flew in. The only difference is my further degenerated inmobility, which is nothing new, just another thing to adapt to. But as the girls grow older, becoming more self sufficient every time I see them, we seize the moments spending a great time together. Especially when we go eating ice cream in the neighbourhood of Gracia, right after pick-up from school and before homework, dinner, teeth brushing and good-night-book reading.