Getting Lost and Finding a Cure

Google Maps have become our life rafts.  They provide you driving, walking and bus/subway directions.  But there is a catch--you have to write down the directions.  And you have to remember to keep checking them on your journey. 

Last night, I did okay with these steps, except for the last one.  As we traveled from one end of Barcelona to another by train, by second train, and then by a third train, and the kids were starting to get that look in their eyes that says, "you really shouldn't have us out this late," I dug into my pocket to double-check directions and figured out where that extra forty-five minutes had gone. 

Determined to get to our destination--a kids' Mardi Gras Carnival, even two hours late, we backtracked to the correct train stop, and walked about one more mile, reaching this impressive plaza where men dressed in uniforms were cleaning up and putting away speakers and sound systems.  Just as the clouds got darker, I noticed this small ice cream store that turned out to have all kinds of exotic flavors, including Tiramisu, coconut (made with real coconut), and chocolate of the most sinful kind.  After we ate, it took us another hour to get back home.  But funny how a taste of ice cream can help kids and sometimes adults forgive mistakes and turn hours of seemingly wasted time into a worthwhile evening.