May 28 – 29

We filled up at breakfast the next morning and knowing we might not eat again until later that day, made some sandwiches to bring with us, thinking we would eat them during the two-hour bus ride to Barcelona.  We checked out of the hotel and walked the half mile or so to the bus station, where we soon enough boarded, found our seats and began our journey, the last of the trip until we got on the plane for home the next day. 

As it turned out there was no eating onboard and so, when we arrived at the Barcelona Nord Bus Station, we found a row of seats in between two doors that led out to where the buses are staged and sat down to eat our lunch.  I had placed my large daypack with laptop, iPad, hearing aids, two jackets, credit card wallet, etc. on the seat next to one of the doors and then sat in the one to the right of it with Joanna on my right.  When I finished my lunch, I got up to go to the restroom and when I returned, I asked Joanna where my daypack was.  She didn’t know as it was gone. 

It turns out we got burned by a well-known scam (visitors to Barcelona are constantly warned about thievery), that is a young man came up to her and asked her how to connect to the WIFI and while she was distracted, his accomplice snatched the bag and went out the door.  When we talked about it later we realized that should have tipped her off because why would a younger man ask an older woman a tech question?   An initial phase of shock set in but as the fog began to clear we took stock and realized that fortunately I had our passports on me and that Apple products (other platforms may allow for this as well) provide users with a function called “Find My” which offers the ability to track, ones devices (phones, laptops, iPads, etc.) other people who’ve given you permission to do so and other personal items that you’ve placed an AirTag into. 

As my iPad can connect via phone lines, we started tracking it along with the daypack through my phone and left the station after many stops and starts due to renovation construction resulting in many closed doors and started to follow the trail of the thieves.  Not sure where that was going to get us, we rounded the corner of the bus station, and in a stroke of great luck, noticed a police station connected to it and made a beeline for it. 

We entered and explained the situation to the female desk sergeant who immediately got on the phone to some colleagues out in the field and after many anxious minutes, long story short, they nabbed the thief recovering the bag with everything in it.  What an turn of events and one that we couldn’t stop wondering aloud about as we put the pack back together, thanked the officers profusely and then took a taxi to our Double with views to Plaza Catalunya Airbnb hotel for 119 Euros ($134) located right at the top of Las Ramblas.

Honestly, we would remain stunned for the rest of the night as we considered our good fortune and amazing turn of events.  We unpacked just what we would need for the evening and then set out for dinner and a beer or two at Bier Cab, a short ten-minute walk away.  When we spent a few nights in Barcelona at the end of our 2017 trip we found a similar place in this general area, but it had long since closed.  Bier Cab would nicely fit the bill though. 

After being seated, we started with a local sour for Joanna and a Helles Lager for me while we also placed our order, being quite hungry by now after our afternoon’s activities.  I’d go for the burger while Joanna had the Bocadillo Cochinita (shredded pork, arugula, Havarti, and tomato vinaigrette).  For our last two beers, we’d both select something strong, for Joanna a 12% Imperial Stout with Cherries from the Laugar Brewery in Gordexola, Spain (near Bilbao) and for me the Wood Brothers 9% Blind Pig Triple IPA from Ontario, Canada.  It was all very good and all we could have asked for, the service attentive and with a final tab of 49.45 Euros (456.42) just what we needed to put a smile on our face as we made our way back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before our early morning flight home. 

And that would wrap up the trip, our journey home without any hitches and a busy June to look forward to.  Normally I would break down costs for each component but this two month visit had so many moving parts, what with the start where we split costs five other people in Portugal, did a week-long tour on Morocco, used both Euros and Moroccan Dirhams, a week long bike tour in Spain, rented a car there, and then again split costs for a time between three and then four people. 

Trying to analyze this on a typical “what did it cost Joanna and I per day” basis turned out to be so convoluted as its value to any of us doesn’t seem worth the effort.  So, I’ll keep it simple.  In the end Joanna and averaged a cost of about $344 a day, not including the airfare to get us there and back.  More than we’ve been averaging for most of our trips, but lodging is much more expensive than it was before, although as I mentioned so many times in my posts you can eat and drink for so much less than in the states. 

What was originally supposed to be a longer trip to Portugal turned out to be another full month in Spain, our third since starting in 2014 and we continue to find it to be a country worth visiting.  Perhaps one day we will give Portugal the time it deserves but with so many other destinations that beckon, that may not happen.  Then again, as of late our international excursions have resulted from invitations from other family members to join them and so, who can say where we will end up next?  Each trip brings with it its own unique and satisfying memories and moments.  This one did as well, from the Riads and Medina’s of Morocco, the Hippy Garden near Almeria, the stud farm and resort at Alter Real, and sharing them all with family and friends.  Stay tuned for more travel in 2025 and 2026 and we shall see you then. 

Links

Barcelona Nord Bus Station: https://barcelonanord.barcelona/en

AirTag: https://www.apple.com/airtag/

Double with views to Plaza Catalunya: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53651979?source_impression_id=p3_1774110720_P3UUoPQ9dbbwTYah

Bier Cab: https://www.biercab.com/