Always an exhilarating day with the Queen of Brighton

 

13:00pm: went into the city again today for lunch at our favourite restaurant with Emilio, Joaquin and co (I was appropriately dressed today). Parked in an underground car park with convenient aseos in the corner. High-tech entry as we had to scan our ticket for the door to open. Took us approximately fifteen tries to enter until another lady casually walks up to the door and swipes the card (apparently jousting the machine with our ticket wasn’t quite the right technique). Finally got in and were faced with possibly the exact opposite of the French gas station bathrooms. Questionable slime on floor and walls. Mother trotted back to the car in search of Aloe Vera baby wipes. Of course no gracious public loo experience would be complete without some delightfully loud classical music blasting from the old speakers.

(high-tech bathroom door)

13:15pm: stood in the warm rain for ten minutes contemplating whether or not to return to the car for umbrella.

13:30pm: greeted at the restaurant with more laughter and abrazos and were pulled to the notice board by everyone to eagerly show us that they had displayed our photo and postcard we sent last year! It was like a little reunion :) Ordered a salad starter to share. A tropical salad – kiwi, apple, cherries, bananas (!), lettuce, tomato, carrots, ‘pink sauce’ and sugar!  It was delicious and certainly enough to fill us both up all day long. Not fazed by our full tummies, we had our beloved pasta to follow. Lovely owner then gave us the strongest Limóncello ever created and I nearly dropped to the floor at a modest 3pm. Mother, of course, downed it - along with a goldfish bowl of red wine.

Emilio and I tried our very best to converse; I attempted Espanol while he did very well at his English (a great improvement from the shy Spanish boy last year). Mother interrupts with a ‘fabulous’ idea; “OOOHHH, honey give him your email address! *flaps hands around and tries interpretive dance to demonstrate the act of emailing*. She delves into her purse and whips out a sheet of paper and a pen while Emilio excitedly runs off in search of the same. Email addresses spontaneously swapped and we said our goodbyes. Nope, not before Mother grilled the lovely barman about fellow diners; “but where do all these smart people live? Is there an affluent area? You know, a posh place  *sits up straight, wobbles shoulders and extends neck as if this is how all the upper class behave*”

17:00pm: Mrs Garmin let us down for the second time and we struggled to leave the city. Round and round the tiny one-way streets. May need to replace Mrs Garmin - I am not attached to her. Mother wants to simply update her but I’m sceptical.

Mother’s quote of the day: “Look at his Spanish arms, darling!”

Hope all is well in frozen Britain (stay safe and warm)

Much love,

Charlotte-Elizabeth xoxo