The Tumultuous Arrival To Barcelona

Yesterday´s perfect sunny weather turned to today's cloudy windy pensive day. Sitting on edge of the docks I stared out into the sea, watching the ships come in and out as the workers loaded and unloaded the cargo. The cool winds blew hard as the days continued to grow colder and shorter.

The Mediterranean was restless that day. I was leaving Sardinia on a ship to Barcelona. The tumultuous sea was carrying us away into the dark night. As we continued away from land, we encountered a storm so strong our twelve story cruise ship wobbled like rubber ducky in 5 year old's bathtub.

The boat kept rocking and it sure makes you  nervous when all around you can hear the squeaking and creaking from the walls of the ships as it tries to resist the force of the waves. Titanic Part 2?

An announcement was made that it is absolutely forbidden to go on the upper decks because the of the unstable weather conditions. Of course I had to go to check it out! Barely holding myself up as I climbed the stairs with a couple smokers and peeked out onto the deck- the winds were blowing at least 100 miles an hour, the rain pouring furiously, the waves splashing onto the deck stories high, the chained tables and chairs sliding back and forth, a sea of white foam surrounding us on all sides- yet we continued head-on smashing into the the giant waves ahead of us. Yep, we're going to die!

What do do?

I decided to go to the bar for a glass of wine.

Sitting at the bar, you take a step back back and really look around at what was going on in this circus of a ship; I'm not sure if it was the wine but I couldn´t stop laughing! Boy, what great entertainment on this lovely evening!

Everybody was walking around like they were drunk- stumbling, wobbling, barely being able to stand or walk. BOOM! We smash  into a giant wave again. The chairs were sliding back and forth, doors swinging, windows rambling, lights flickering on and off- you can even feel your stomach sink as the boat falls from a wave. Appropriately, I played classical music on my ipod to accompany all the chaos. Now if only I there was some way to cue in the slow motion effects...

We're finally reaching the hour of arrival, time to get my things! Waiting (im)patiently by the door with all my things ready to go by the door, someone mentions to me that the boat is delayed. Ok,  understandable. For how long? SIX HOURS!?!?! Whoops, guess they forgot to fill in the passangers on that tiny detail.

I ended up schmoozing with some old people at the bar, having a deep life convo with the bartender, taking a nap on a chair and finally playing some backgammon with a group of Albanian guys.

We finally arrive at Barcelona in the middle of the night! It´s dark. And cold. And I have no idea where I am. I have no map. No phone. Nothing is open.

Bienvenidos!