FROM BRUSSELS TO BARCELONA

Must first begin with a comment on the so-called hush money jury selection in New York City, first time a U.S. president has ever gone on trial for a criminal action.  34 felony counts of falsifying business records, and all 12 jurors will need to agree for a guilty verdict.  If this occurs, Donald Trump could be sentenced for up to 4 years, or fined.  Much of the trial will be covered by news channels, but there will be no video camera in the courtroom.  Should last into the month of June, a month before the Republican Convention to confirm Trump as their presidential nominee.

Of course, there is that other more serious matter of immunity from being prosecuted from Trump's attempted coup on 6January2021.  The Supreme Court will hear final oral arguments on April 25.  When the body makes a judgement will determine whether Trump goes to trial on this more serious matter.  My sense is that the Supreme Court will determine that he is NOT immune before the July Republican convention.  If this occurs, a trial could begin as early as September.  Here is a nice Bloomberg graphic of all the trials facing Trump.  The one most juicy will the Georgia trials, for they will all be televised, live.

So, anyway, we left the MS Espirit in Brussels and flew to Barcelona.

Polka dot tails are those Brussels Air.

One of the better airline lounges we've experienced.

Bread, Penne Bolognese and Tomato Soup, with scotch and beer.

Plane took off and near our ship.

Lunch.

Over a snowy mountain range.

Arrived close by the Barcelona cruise terminal.

Taxi to the Cotton Club, which is one of more than 200 Autograph Collection hotels in the Marriott chain.  Some others include the Mauna Beach Hotel on the Big Island and Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.  Each is unique, and I suspect most of them don't have a club lounge for free drinks, like the Cotton Club.

Almost decided to stay at the W Barcelona with 473 rooms, but the location was away from everything.  The Cotton Club has only 83, but is in the middle of town, and in walking distance of the Sagrada Familia.

Nice room, but the view wasn't much.

We decided to walk around the block to find a tapas restaurant.  Of course, greeted in the park by a host of Blue-Bar Pigeons.

We couldn't find a decent restaurant, and decided that we didn't want tapas anyway.  However, we saw a Popeye's Chicken, so we brought our dinner back to our room.

What a long day with a lot of walking.  9496 steps.

Saturday Night Live cold opened another Close Encounter experience, featuring Ryan Ghosling, Kate Mckinnon and Sarah Sherman.  Surely looked familiar, and it turned out there was another Close Encounter 8 years ago with Kate and Ryan, but instead of Sherman, with Cecily Strong.  Here is Gosling's monologue this weekend.

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