Passport

Q: How long does it take me to put my signature on a paper?
A: Over 5 hours!!!

To get my new passport, I had to fill in a lot of papers. I did all I could at home and send the whole bunch (request form, photo's, police report,...) to the consulate. Last week they phoned me and told that they had sent the whole packet to Holland, but that I still had to come to Barcelona to put my signature on a paper. And this could not be done by post, but had to be done in person at their office.

So this morning I left home at 8 o'clock to enjoy the traffic jams of Barcelona. After three hours I parked me car, I went into the office, put my signature and within 10 minutes I was standing on the street again. Two hours more in the car, and the morning was finished and I was home again.

Still I am very lucky, because since I live so far away from Barcelona, they are going to send my new passport to me by mail. People living in Barcelona are also 'obliged' to come and get their passport at the consulate, but for me they are willing to do this favour. The girl at the desk even told me that I don't have the pay the cost of sending it!!!!! This must be my lucky day...