Post from Barcelona

 

  Kate and I are staying at a lovely hotel. Tonight it’s 300 Euros. We are paying about 80 Euros. Around a $100. I spent 3 or 4 hours on line waiting to leap on a good internet price. Patience paid off. The Mediterranean weather is suburb. Low 70s. Everyone is nice to us since we understand the local language. Money. We are careful to avoid the pickpockets. They are not careful to avoid us. I got up early and went down to see the night-clerk. I asked for hotel stationary. He gave me one piece of paper. Blank. I asked for paper with the name of the hotel. He found a single sheet with their name on it. He presented it to me as though it was a chocolate chip fortune cookie that contained directions to the Fountain of Youth. I thanked him and asked him for five sheets. He counted out four more sheets. He was grim about it. I asked for four envelopes. “Why?” he asked. “I have pre-addressed stickers for the envelopes.” So why five pieces of stationery?” “I always make one mistake.” He looked at me for 15 seconds and then laughed and completed my request.