Seat 29A

I must be the luckiest guy in the world. I’m sitting on a full plane on a terrifying 13 hour flight from Santiago de Chile to Madrid with notoriously terrible Iberia and not only did I manage to get the last window seat but also the seat next to me is empty. Goodbye Chile, goodbye claustrophobia, hello panoramic relaxation! Perfect time to reminisce about the last days of this journey.

As the end of the cruise approached and the temperatures started to rise again the general mood on deck noticeably improved and we had quite a few memorable moments on our last day at sea. A parting glass and seafood at the pool, a very classy dinner at The Globe, the ultimate new age cuisine restaurant, and a heartwarming concert by the crew choir. Even though the sauer aftertaste of some of the crew member’s grumpiness remains that last day gave MS EUROPA a much appreciated friendly farewell face.

In the same way our final stop Valparaiso, the so called Pearl of the Pacific and home of choice of Pablo Neruda was a pretty perfect ending. The city that seems to be gently flowing down the steep hills that surround it is made up of an intricate web of colorful streets and endless staircases. It houses a young and cosmopolitan population and offers alternative vibes, queerness, a scent of weed, a bumping night life and tons and tons of street art. Needless to say that especially we Berliners felt quite at home here.

Tonight, 3 days after my return, while my body and soul are back and rested and while some of my luggage is still out there somewhere I finish writing these lines full of gratitude. I couldn’t have imagined a more refreshing and inspiring transition into the new year. Two months and two cruises full of once in a lifetime impressions, inspiring and hysterical new colleagues, great success on stage and 3 follow up inquiries. What a blast!

And good to be home! Back here in Berlin the LOOOOP team is reunited at last after 5 month of adventures and travels and things feel surprisingly well aligned for the new year. Set course for 2023!