Every great family story needs a sibling to stir the pot—and this week, it’s my sister Ritu’s turn in Barcelona.

She arrived with equal parts curiosity and chaos, ready to explore the city we now call home. Within days she’d covered more of Barcelona on foot than we had in ten weeks. From the labyrinthine alleys of the Gothic Quarter to lazy afternoons in Turó Park, she gave us fresh eyes on our adopted city—and a reminder that sometimes you need a visitor to help you see what’s right in front of you.

Her verdict? Barcelona is absurdly clean, shockingly safe, and unfairly filled with good-looking people. Also, if you’re “socio-economically blessed,” you’ll do just fine here.

We covered it all:

• 🧼 Clean streets & kind strangers: Ritu was amazed by how respectful people are on public transport—offering seats to parents and elders.
• 💸 The myth of cheap Spain: Groceries and coffee? Cheap. Manicures and tattoos? Apparently, luxury experiences.
• 🏰 Tourist tips: Book your Sagrada Familia tickets way in advance—trust us, we learned the hard way.
• 🐶 Dogs everywhere: Dog-friendly everything, but apparently, “don’t pet the dogs.”
• 💬 Cultural quirks: Catalonians are humble, efficient (ish), and quietly kind.
• 🏍️ And yes… my scooter got stolen. (Pro tip: Don’t have financial tragedy when your sister is visiting.)

We also talked about the kids—how shockingly well they’ve adapted. Amalia’s off at her first sleepover, Milan’s already on the pitch, and our youngest, Savana, has charmed everyone in sight.

And somewhere between the laughter, police calls, and late-night gelato, we found a little more rhythm in this life abroad.

The episode ends with a debate about the name Tapas & Therapy. Sara thinks we should change it to Bay to Barcelona. My sister insists. Sara agrees. I protest. (Democracy in action, apparently.)

So—help us decide.

Do we stay Tapas & Therapy… or embrace Bay to Barcelona? Drop your vote in the comments.

Either way, we’re keeping the tapas.

And, apparently, renting a new scooter.