80 years old and not the least bit tired

Day 27: Wilhelm turns 80 – that was the focus of the day today. This morning we set off from our Granda la Carmela Carmela campsite in time to get to Fortuna in time, as we had half an hour's walk ahead of us and at 1pm a large table was reserved for our birthday party.

When we arrived at the Los Banos de la Fuente campsite, everyone was already sitting in the awning with Maria and Wilhelm in a champagne mood and singing birthday songs. We finally arrived at the El Molinico restaurant on time and waited eagerly for the menu at a long table. We weren't disappointed, on the contrary: "The food doesn't want to stop," Icke groaned from time to time. And when that comes out of her mouth, anyone who knows my wife can imagine the quantities that were served here. A colorful mixed salad, filled puff pastry with honey, super tasty ajoli in between, then a chicken or meat soup, alternatively pasta with seafood, then grilled pork, chicken or sea bass with roasted potato pieces and, as a dessert, cake in all variations with coffee of your choice. And on top of that a chocolate cream liqueur and a limoncello. That was delicious!

We ate for over two hours. I sat next to Martin, who is usually not averse to an afternoon nap - just like me. That's why we were happy when we set off towards the campsite shortly before 3:30 p.m. Apart from Martin, who at 71 is the youngest man in our group after me, and myself, everyone met to have a romp in the thermal baths. We can only smile wearily at prophecies of doom like “You’ll sleep through half your life” and the like. We need our beauty sleep. Everyone can see what it does. If he looks, very carefully, I mean.

Icke, who didn't really need any beauty sleep (yes, there's a lot to make up for!), wanted to lie down too, but just then a saxophone sounded. Right in front of our motorhome. Of course there was nothing keeping her in bed - she had to get out. And even though I was so tired, I managed to keep up five minutes later. The music attracted us almost magically. The man who alternated between playing the saxophone and clarinet was a real artist (I'll tell you more about Armando tomorrow). We were able to persuade him to sing a birthday serenade for Wilhelm when we met in the bar that evening.

Our surprise succeeded. The landlady donated another piece of cake with lit candles as the number 80 and marched with Armando into the anteroom of the dining room, where ten of us had gathered around a round table with water, beer and wine. Armando played three pieces and hit the mark with them. When he was finished, the other guests in the room who were having dinner wanted him to continue playing, but we couldn't and wouldn't ask him to do that.

From our point of view, it was a nice, round end to Wilhelm's 80th birthday. And a look into his shining eyes revealed that he sees it the same way.