Our group for the cruise always gets to the port city a couple of days early to tour and be sure that airline problems do not prevent getting to the ship on time. We were out on a walking tour of Barcelona and had some free time at the biggest department store I have seen. So Bev and I went to the toy department to see what they had. There we saw a large poster about a spin top demo by the Mexico Champions that evening. We continued the tour including the subway and some of the famous buildings, but then I realized that I was not going to have time to go back to the hotel and get my camera. So Bev stayed with the group, back to the hotel and I had a quick sandwich and then I went back to the toy dept a little early to wait for the demo team. They showed up a few minutes early and I went over and talked with them (they did not speak much English and I know no Spanish). Alfredo Coroua Ruiz and Enrique Ramirez. So I pulled out a bearing Spintastics and did a few things. Then Alfredo handed me his Cometa Tornado and I did wire walker and a couple of others, he had a big smile at that time. They went to work and I stayed out of the way and watched. The event started with both of them doing the series of tricks that the kids were going to do. Then they did a few more difficult tricks and asked the kids (25 to 30) to sit in a circle. With the parents and other family behind them the way through the store was completely blocked. They went around the circle so that each child got to do the trick and then around again 3 more times. The tricks were spinner, big scoop, sky rocket, and boomerang. Then the fathers did a long spin contest, the mothers did a long spin contest. Both were good but the moms were more fun. Then the kids in 2 groups (younger and older) did long spin. The winners got an award top and everyone had a great time. At the end Alfredo came over and gave me the top he used in the show. Then Cattus introduced himself and we talked and threw a little and found that there were still some of the Cometa tops available so I bought a Spider, Azteca, and a Cobra with a DVD. What a night and what luck that I was in town, at the store, when they were scheduled to be there. I really had a good time and wish that I had my camera.
