Barcelona, Zaragoza, Santiago de Compostela and Mallorca. Three friends try to keep straight faces; the competition has fins, feathers and surprisingly good stamina.
“Five minutes without laughing,” Colombine proposed. Mea asked when the clock started. Lu Cia wanted to know whether smiling was allowed. Those two questions alone suggested a considerable organisational challenge.
Illustrated fiction inspired by original Travel2City photographs. The places come from separate journeys, not a one-day itinerary. Characters, dialogue, props and some composition and lighting are artistic interpretations.
Behind the aquarium glass, a shark passed with an expression unchanged by three curious visitors. Colombine declared it a model of concentration. Mea pressed her lips together. Lu Cia glanced at her sideways and complicated everything. One look between friends put the model far ahead of them again. The fish continued their circuits. By the time the trio agreed on a fresh start, the shark had calmly moved on.
“Clearly, he has been practising longer than we have.”
In Zaragoza, they decided walking would make it easier. Everyone would look straight ahead; no sideways glances. Colombine straightened her shoulders so thoroughly that Mea noticed at once. Lu Cia raised a hand to her mouth. “Only a cough,” she explained. Mea turned towards a shop window to gain a few seconds. In its reflection she could see both friends. That strategy proved equally unsuccessful.
“Look ahead. And please stop walking so majestically.”
Santiago de Compostela · An unregistered contestant
A pigeon landed beside the stone fountain. It took two steps, stopped and regarded them with convincing seriousness. Colombine gave it an appreciative look. “Another professional.” Mea covered her smile with one hand, while Lu Cia abandoned even the pretence. The pigeon tilted its head as if checking the result. Then it walked away, without a certificate or any interest in their complicated rules.
“This one has not even entered, and he is winning.”
Beneath a straw parasol on Mallorca, they finally sat down without competitive ambitions. Mea was laughing, Lu Cia too, and Colombine admitted that five minutes had been an unnecessarily high target. Nobody started again. The sea had plenty of noise of its own, and a little laughter suited their bench. When they fell quiet for a moment, the smiles remained. They decided to award that result to all three.
“All right. We all win, just in a different event.”
From notebook to book
The Map with No Last Page
Travel2City journeys continue between the covers of a book. Discover our illustrated travel world.
