Why Barcelona?

Because in Barcelona, in early spring, I can wait out on the street in the sunshine while I wait for Toni to pick me up on his motorcycle.

Because in Barcelona, we can go have lunch at a tiny Japanese restaurant owned by a Japanese woman and her son and eat food described by a Japanese friend of Toni's as "as close to his grandmother's cooking as he can get anywhere outside of Japan". We squeeze in on the stools at the bar, barely enough room for 10 people to eat at once.

Because in Barcelona we can go to the movies for free at 4 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon and even though the movie is terrible (this time), it's 4 o'clock on a Tuesday and I'm at the movies...

Because in Barcelona I can go to a yoga class for 4 euro and at least take a stab at not taking life so seriously.

Because in Barcelona, Toni can take me to go eat a burger with a fried egg on it, a beer, and patatas bravas with "volcano sauce," made black with squid ink.

Because in Barcelona, I can sleep on my own, personal floating Mexican embassy and have a toasty night's sleep while hearing the wind whistling outside and the sound of ropes clanging against metal masts.


Learning to focus on the positives...