Month: March 2012

Training for the camino continues apace. This Sunday, on her second attempt, Piglet made it up and over Tibidabo and down the other side into Sant Cugat.

On the downhill section into Sant Cugat we were unintentionally on the course of the third-oldest cycling race in the world – the Volta Catalunya. We were informed of this by a motorcycle policeman who was telling us to get off the road.

So, for a brief period, Piglet in her chariot was ahead of the peloton, leading the 101st Volta.

Piglet as the peloton whizzes by…

Where did they all go?

They went to Sant Cugat, and so did we. We stopped for lunch at the monastery; they didn’t.

Then we turned around and cycled back up and over Tibidabo, pausing only to visit a playground for Piglet’s first time on a horse:

She loved the swing, which more than made up for being disqualified from the cycling race.

Piglet loves you all, she wanted me to convey that.

Swaddled for the brutal Russian winter.

Piglet went to the annual fiesta of eating elongated spring onions.

Alessandra is a new fan.

Riu and Rebecca are visiting family in Ireland this week.

Here’s Riu with her cousin Ben. Que guapos.

Tickling him under the chin…

Which was just a prelude to stealing his chupeta…

Then she pinches his cheek to show she’s only messing with him.

Only two days until my girls are back in Barcelona.

Even in her sleep…

…she has her hands up for Detroit. Represent.

For Easter week we are going back to the Camino de Santiago. This time Piglet will be travelling by bicycle trailer.

The trailer is this one, generously loaned to us by Pim and Anya:

This was our first training session – Gracia to Barceloneta to Badalona and home again.

She’s a happy traveller.

This is what the whole setup looks like:

Riu can’t speak yet, but this doesn’t preclude her from making sound judgments on toy-manufacturers’ unfortunate style choices.

She patiently builds her criticism, using the very objects that attempt to spoil her harmonious world.

‘Wooden block manufacturer’ – her piercing stare seems to say – ‘why do you introduce discord into my perfect world?’

The torch in the struggle against the universal proliferation of that heinous font is passed on through the generations.

Springtime is coming.

Little by little, we are moving to the terrace. Riu has most of her stuff out there already.

Before Riu got her own teeth, she was always interested in other people’s.

Only hilarious.

We took Riu and her bumbo seat to the climbing wall so she could keep an eye on us.

She’s a quick study. In the changing rooms she was reaching for the door handle on the locker.