We wanted to spend a relaxed week in Spain. We needed vacation, a few days off at the coast. Given how hot it was in Spain, swimming in the sea was an inviting idea.
But, as you could have read in a previous post, we were up to a different kind of adventure. Hunting for our lost computers. Hunting for Jesus, whatever that may sound.
A friend Goran, Macedonian, once said to me, when a problem occurs, it is always to blame a man. And if you want peace in the house, it is best to admit guilt right away. 🙂
Peace at house
Truth to be told, it was me alone, responsible for being left by that Spaniards with no computer bags. I was the one taking backpacks out from the car boot, while Silva was taking stuff from the rear seats of the car.
Rushing to get away from the motorway lane I simply forgot about the second part of our luggage…
After fifteen minutes, when my wife’s anger subsided and I heard everything what I just needed to hear and when we finally walked a sharp detour alongside a road fence leading into the city, we could finally focus on the actual problem.
Three challenges
In fact, we had three problems. First, to find a way to the city center, which we did not even know where was located. Second, to find the police station, where we can help identify the driver. And third, somehow get out of Girona to Tordera (30 km from the city), where we were expected by Laura, our host.
Time was already 11:30 PM when we arrived in the city center. At the bus station we put off our 20 pound backpacks and decided to call Laura. We explained her the situation and asked if she could come up and drive us away.
At the police station
At midnight the girl was waiting at the station. Thank God! Together we went to the police station, where a police officer patiently listened to Laura, when she translated our story in Catalan.
She explained how we found a drive in France and how we forget our computer bags inside (actually there were other important things in the bags, including Silva’s medication that she is suppose to take regularly every day) and, of course, further explaining about the fact that we know nothing about the drivers, except that some birds are transported from Belgium by a driver named Jesus and that we hold his car plates number.
Who is Jesus?
With the help of the car plate registration number, the police officer found Jesus’s full name and his permanent address. It turned out that the gentleman with our computers drove to Villena, near the city of Valencia, which is more than 500 km away. His phone number has not been in the database.
Dear Jesus…
Having his residence address only in this situation was not sufficient. We had to establish contact with him as soon as possible and writing some messages would be way to slow for us. Moreover, I last wrote a letter to my schoolmate in elementary school and I do not know if I can still do it. 🙂 How would such a letter look like anyway…
Dear Jesus, do you remember our journey from France to Barcelona? How beautiful the journey with you and all your birds in the trunk was! I will never forget it. And farewell – as difficult as ever. 500 kilometers of the route traveled together has linked our hearts! Farewell was that much harder, since Silva was almost hit by a car in the middle of the highway, where we were hung up, and as you drove away with both our computers!!! I can hardly wait to see you again.
And then we would be waiting ten days to receive his answer. Or waiting forever. No, a letter was not an option. We need his phone number as soon as possible.
Mission: Telephone number
Laura offered to call a police station in Villena first thing in the morning. That’s where Jesus lives, and they could trace his phone number. I am not sure why a police officer in Girona has not thought of this idea earlier.
Only when we finally arrived to Tordera and entered Laura’s apartment, we could actually feel the total weight of that day, fatigue, agitation and uncertainty. Nevertheless, Laura cared for us admirably. She offered us a delicious gazpacho (refreshing juice of fresh vegetables, typical of Catalonia and Andalusia) and a tasteful salmon.
Computers and a camera
The next day Laura really called the Villena police station and again explained the whole story. A police officer on the other side did not want to disclose Jesus’s phone number since it’s accounted as confidential information. But he agreed to call Mr. Jesús himself from the station and ask him to call us back.
Perhaps this is even a better idea. This way, Jesus would take the problem seriously and could not think about any foolish moves. In the afternoon, our phone rang. It was Jesus. Five minutes of talk with Laura and everything was clear. Here’s how Laura explained the situation:
‘Mister Jesus does not know anything about the bags, he found only a computer and a camera.’
‘No bag!?’ we shouted. ‘But both computers were in a separate bag. In addition to all the other things, Silva’s medicine, cosmetics, USB memory sticks and even a digital certificate! And by the way, what camera is he talking about?’
‘I don’t know. It’s how he said. Computers and a camera.’ Laura replied.
‘No, there must be a mistake. We don’t have a camera, and once again, he could not get our computers without taking them out of our bags.’
Laura called him again. After another five minutes, the picture was getting clearer.
‘This is how it goes,’ started Laura. ‘Jesus’s wife has found both of the backpacks in the morning. She took away what looked of some worth to her and threw the rest to trash, your backpacks included.’
Oh. Where are the times, when one has found a lost item and simply took it to the police, being conscious that it does not belong to him?
‘Well, at least we have our computers secured,’ I said relieved.
‘And a camera!’ Silva smiled back.
We will not give up on a break time
Our holiday as initially planned, has gone down the drain, but we were determined to spend some quality time alone until we depart to Villena, a town some 500 km away. We know that we’ll definitely get our computers back because now, due to police intervention, Jesus will probably not even think of throwing them to trash.
After Tordera, we are to spend next three days in Barcelona, where we meet another ‘sofa’ host, Roxana.
Mediterranean Sea
That day we felt more relaxed. In the afternoon we went to the beach together with Laura and spent some wonderful moments under the scorching Mediterranean sun. In the evening, we prepared Laura a proper Slovenian dinner.
In Barcelona
Three days in Barcelona will stay forever in our memory. Roxana, a Peruvian was an excellent host and we got close immediately. She led us to the Rambla, the main promenade in the center of Barcelona, and we were introduced to most important spots of the city, worth seeing and visiting. It was evening and the streets were filled with people, mainly tourists, of course.
When it gets cooler
In Barcelona, the life never stops. In fact, it is more lively at night than during the day, partly because of the heat. When the atmosphere gets cooler at evenings, people head off for errands, to the streets, to life. Thus, no wonder to be able to see a man walking his dog at three in the morning.
Many stores are also open at night, so that one can actually hardly find an excuse to go sleeping early.
Sight-seeing Barcelona with a guide
And another thing. Our friend Tinkara is a tourist guide in Barcelona. She invited us to join a group of Slovenian bus tourists to visit the biggest city attractions, including main FC Barcelona football stadium, Pueblo Espaniolo (Spain in miniature) and to see the Magic fountains, one of the main night attractions of Barcelona.
Best wedding anniversary gift
Exactly at midnight the lights start flashing with a help of introductory song Freddie Mercury’s, Barcelona. Then, a real spectacle follows. By combining modern music and lighting effects, the scene turns into a magical water park, which blows you away more than any of the fireworks.
Isn’t this the best gift ever for our forth wedding anniversary?
So, we were there at the fountain, hugging each other, revitalized and able to forget all about Jesus and our lost computers, although our thoughts were occasionally still roaming to Villena, a city we will have to conquer the next day.
From Barcelona to Valencia
Our plan. Barcelona to Valencia, Valencia to Villena and Villena to Madrid. If everything goes well, we’ll be in Spanish capital already holding our computers.
The next day we said farewell to Roxana and the bus took us 350 km to Valencia. We arrived there at about five in the afternoon.
I’d be lying if I said that we were not worried and upset. After a few hours, we’ll know whether our computers are in order and whether we’ll get back all connections, battery chargers, cables and of course, the digital certificate.
It’s not yet time for Slovenia
For example, if there were no certificate, this would represent a new problem for us and may even force us to an early return to Slovenia. It is not yet time to do so, at least we did not wish to at this point!
And all men, you probably know how it is to travel with an upset wife. It takes a lot of energy to calm nerves and assuring her every minute again and again that it is going to be ok. I was tired.
From Valencia to Villena
To Villena we went by train. The path was difficult, and we consumed all the energy to hand over our situation to God, to His arms. What is waiting for us in Villena? Will Jesus came along? Will we get back both our computers? Functioning? We don’t know a thing about this man. Are we safe?
We have triggered the police to intervene earlier. Perhaps we just clasped his plans, which he had had with our computers. Like those birds, he could easily find a buyer for them, right? Emotions in such situations are waking up, quickly pushing a reasonable thinking aside.
Meeting Jesus
Ten minutes before arriving to the station, Laura sent us a message saying that Jesus is waiting for us on-spot. This is all good, we thought.
When we exited the train, there were many people standing on the platform. Jesus was not among them. Okay, maybe he was waiting for us at the station entrance. We went there…and saw him. Small with dark face, accompanied by two tall, strong men.
No quarrel
Jesus approached to us, swiftly explaining us in Spanish how his wife threw away everything else, with the exception of the most valuable: our two computers and a camera.
We did not want to argue with him about the problem of throwing foreign things away. We traveled too far and burned too many nerves to further complicate the matter. Then he stepped towards one of both men, took a package with PCs and handed it to us.
We could see he was upset. Was he afraid of us? Did he think that we would come accompanied by the police? Was he expecting two angry Slovenes, who will be making a scene, physically setting all records straight?
Computers finally in our embrace
None of this has really happened. We took a package, thanked him and to his surprise, we even gave him a hug.
Then we said goodbye and we finally got back our lost treasure.
At the same time we quickly started unwrapping the package and found that everything was as it should be. In one of the drawers of the package there even was a digital certificate!
We were so happy and could only thank God for all the help.
And a camera? In a package beside computer there was, as usual, a small MP3 player. Jesus apparently thought that it can do more than just play music. We’ll call it our camera from now on, a precious memory of an exciting adventure!
Nace Volčič
