Fall

After all the Mollina emotions, nothing better than a couple of days in Lisbon, spent with good and old friends and Francisco. It is easier said than done, but this year I did it. On Monday I traveled first to Madrid and then to Lisbon, where I was greeted by nice temperatures and warmly hosted by Sara and Zé and their twin little boys, in their beautiful apartment in the centre. It was really nice staying with them, because it felt like going back to one of these places that always feel warm and nice even if you don't use them for a long time. Sara and Zé are exactly like that: friends whose presence brings good memories back, and whose love feels as fresh and new as when it was first expressed, many years ago. It was nice staying with them because of the kids too; not only because they are a really nice pair of little boys, but also because as the main purpose of my visit was Francisco's birthday, it made sense to be with friends who have kids themselves. And on Tuesday, after sleeping, getting a haircut, having lunch with another good friend and wandering around Lisbon, I picked Francisco up at the kindergarden, went for a nice walk with him and, then, in the evening, accepted Sara and Zé's kind invitation to gather some other friends and more kids around a nice dinner and a chocolate cake topped by a 5-shaped candle. On Wednesday, the real B-day, Francisco arrived early in the morning and we spent the whole day together, playing and having fun as I imagine normal fathers and sons do. I hope that it was kind of a special day for him; for me it definitely was. Special and full of emotions. One day to remember that other one, five years ago, when, for the first time, I saw, heard and touched Francisco; but, also, one day to celebrate all the other times I saw, heard and enjoyed him. I wish I could express by words how much I love and miss this son of mine... I wish he knew it... and I hope one day he will... And then, suddenly as usual, we had to say goodbye and part... I stayed in Lisbon for a couple of hours more, time enough to visit the new place of another friend, Marcos, and his beautiful family. On Thursday I came back to Brussels and realised how long I had been away, first in Spain, and then in Portugal. Summer had already gone and autumn had arrived and was fully and comfortably installed. The warm temperatures of Lisbon seem very far away now; but, despite the cold, the days have been sunny, and you all know how much I love Brussels when it is sunny! Tomorrow, a new week will start, and I will be back on the road again: Strasbourg and Paris, for a fully French and busy week. A special week though: it will be Pedro's last in the European Youth Forum... Change, as I said, will be a permanent guest in this blog's next weeks' entries... and who doesn't like change?! I do!