Exploring the mountains of Spain
Writing this more than a year late it is going to be a bit light on detail! I now know why I tried so hard to keep up at the time but Spain captured us in so many ways that we just wanted to enjoy every minute of it so they are the ones I am now catching up on before TravelPod closes it doors for ever and I have a half completed blog…
This is about the only time we had any drama with accommodation and given a long day and what looked like an impossible way to contact the accommodation I got a little panicked. Cam though just wondered down to the local pub and asked if anyone new the deal to get into the apartment and came back with the owner – no stress, well maybe just a little bit of stress. We had a lovely little apartment through for 3 nights so could really relax here and it was really nicely set out. There were lots of funny little things that went wrong with it but it just seemed amusing in some way as it was destined to be out one less than perfect place – still awesome though and very comfy.
The next day we were really keen to do a big walk in the mountains, well Cam and Sandy were Holly less so. We managed to get some great information from the visitors centre and proceeded up to a huge man made dam that you could walk past way up into the mountains to some lakes. It was the end of spring so there was still a bit of snow around and some of the track quite challenging. Holly’s knee had given trouble in Italy so she chose to sit and enjoy a book in the car while we headed up the hill. Nearing the top of the mountain we met a couple coming down who said the wind at the top was too strong to stand up in, they were locals so we chose to believe them and headed back down. No sense being silly and we had already had a fantastic walk and view.
The next day we just explored all around the area, driving the back roads, finding quaint place after quaint place it was both awesome and relaxing which was really needed after a few very big days. We did have some planning to do as well though as we had nothing booked between here and Barcelona. Our next stop is pretty much a close your eyes and put your finger on a spot choice…
The Spanish Countryside
Heading to the town of Vic, we stopped off at a Castle ruins in Cardona. Sadly it was closed the day we went through but still the views from the Castle were amazing and just imagining this little bustling town in the day.
Carrying on we arrived just outside of Vic and at incredible accommodation in the ground level of an 1800’s farm house complete with vaulted ceilings. It was run by an older couple who could not have been more friendly yet also just left us to our selves. This stop was just a few nights to explore the local area and it was yet another originally walled city to explore. We had fairly average weather so didn’t do heaps and heaps.
We explored Vic on market day, smaller due to the rain but heaps of atmosphere in the town square. A drive out to Sau reservoir was a real find. Really really windy and quite narrow road all in among the trees and then we when we got there a magnificent reflecting lake with a clock tower int he middle of it. A huge man made dam and a drive around to the back roads completed an fabulous explore.
That evening Cam has spotted a restaurant on trip advisor that had rage reviews so we decided to give it a go. We waited till around 7 knowing nothing opens too early in Spain but still we were an hour early… The owner hustled us inside though saying no worried the cook is french he starts cooking at 6 come in come in. We were taken up stairs, the only people in the restaurant and introduced to the french chef who was a huge rugby fan, so while English did not come easy Richie McCaw or Dan Carter got huge smiles of recognition. We were seated and then read out the menu doing our best to select something from the set selection. then waited to see what arrived – well the entree was like a main and the main like a banquet and the dessert to much for one or even two…. all the while the chef sang in the kitchen next door and we were way more entertained than a room full of people. We in the end had no idea what it was going to cost but it was a mere 12 Euros each!! when I can remember the name I will add it in here.
We ended up with only one full day here but it was a fantastic detour on our way to the Costa Brava which is next up.
The Real Costa Brava
Leaving our lovely apartment just out of Vic was a bit sad as we thought how on earth could we top that we would have to score it a 10++, as it turned out we topped it straight away.
After a very cruisy drive through increasingly beautiful Spanish countryside we wound our way through unbelievable narrow streets – clearly not designed for vehicles and ended up just on the outskirts of this beautiful town in a small Spanish farm. We were directed to our accommodation and truly you could only describe it as luxury lodge – huge with a big deck looking out at prefect rural settings and it even came complete with a lovely Spanish farmer – sadly we worked out he was too young for me and too old for Holly but we both thought this was somewhere we could stop for a very long time.
Not too many people around, it’s the advantage of this time of year but it also means a few things are closed or have reduced hours but it hasn’t been an issue for us yet. We managed to explore a beach at Para Frugall, a fortress with an amazing view at Burgel and then a castle and medieval town of Pal all very very awesome but we were just keen to get back to our amazing accommodation to just hang out and have a lovely meal on our balcony as the sun set – perfection itself and to top it all off Holly discovered their dog which became instantly attached to her. It was very entertaining though when the mother, who spoke no English, tried to have a conversation with Holly and show her things in the house including getting Holly to help make some traditional food like a very fancy version of a donut, it really has been an amazing experience. When we left he offered me some local sunflower seeds to grow but sadly customs would not let them in I am sure – here you can bring anything through customs it is just so different.
Our second day started early, like 6:30am early, as Cam had researched where to get a good sunset and off we went following our good old nav man in the hope of arriving at the right place. Cam was really insistent that this was the beach as we passed other equally lovely ones. I soon found out why when we got there – it was indeed beautiful but it was also a nudist beach!!! Sometimes you have to wonder if boys ever grow up. I was not playing that game so started snapping away at the lovely sunset only to have my view disrupted by a grinning and laughing Cam photo bomb my shots (shots not to be shared on a family blog!!) Success all round we headed back for breaky with the still sleeping Holly and a wee seister before hunting out a local estuary to look at some bird life. We drove up and instantly there were three incredible stork nests way up in the trees complete with huge storks (no babies though). You basically just wondered around tracks and they had little ‘hides’ for you to watch the birds and at the end of the walk a big estuary had a huge assortment of birds including more flamingos. On the walk back we also spotted turtles and otters, basically I was in bird photography heaven but the other two teased me as other more serious bird watchers were out there with camouflaged lens that were twice the size of mine!! I was quite happy knowing I had probably spent a 10th of what they did.
We explored bit more driving around but ended up again back at our lovely accommodation to sort ourselves for the next move to Barcelona plus a last effort to chat to the farmer and his mum (we still haven’t spotted a wife so it might not be too late). I showed him some of the photos of our farm and especially Dads workshop which he kept identifying different bits of machinery and saying how he had the same – he really does seem the real deal (sigh).
Barcelona Wow so much to enjoy!!
We were very sad to leave the beautiful accommodation and people behind but were super excited to get to Barcelona. The first stop was at Montserrat Monastery, wow just wow what more can you say it is carved into rock high high up on the hill. Given it was a fairly quiet time of year we drove up to the top and took a good look around, so many views and beautiful churches it was well worth it.
We did not stay too long though as Cam had to drive back to Perpignan to return the car to France before training back to Barcelona. The cost of returning the car in a different country was astronomical and this did not seem a bad option. Holly and I had only moments to catch the next train to Barcelona and go the man at the train station to help us with his limited english and then standing there we freaked out about which side to stand on!! anyhow all went well and we arrived safely in the city and wondered down to find our accommodation at The Bird House. Meanwhile unbeknown to us Cam was battling terrible weather and huge traffic to get the car back on time.
The Bird House was awesome, really central and we had a huge apartment upstairs with full kitchen, living space, bedroom for us and bathroom with laundry etc all included. Holly was pretty exhausted so stayed put while I went off to watch the fountain display and meet Cam off his train back.
The fountain was very very cool, but wow huge numbers of people watching so hard to get a great look. the next night we went back but watched from the steps up on high which gave a totally different perspective. Cam and I managed to meet up and wondered back to the accommodation enjoying the wide opens streets for walking and cycling.
We had two full days in Barcelona so we packed in heaps and heaps. Trained out to the Gaudi park where we queued up to by ticked to the inner part – which was worth it but you could see a lot of it from outside and it was just packed – the park itself was awesome though. The funniest thing was watching the hawkers grab there blankets and take off in a huge mass when a cop came close.
We also explored the outside of Sagrada Famillia and decided to get tickets on line for the early time the next day – brilliant decision. We were not first in but second I think so was not packed full of people when we arrived – sure was when we left though. This place is incredible and when the sun came through to show the rainbow light inside I was just mesmorised, it is so full of wow and oh my goodness moments that you could spend an age in it. We didn’t pay to go up the towers but I am sure that would have been worth it. We did spend quite a bit of time in the museum though so don’t miss that.
We checked out the standard Gaudi buildings in the main street, went to the cathedral and went up through the park to see the sunset before revisiting the fountains. Cam and I went to visit the park on the last day and just enjoyed watching the families playing in a great open space including ornate fountains.
On the last night Cam and Holly went out to a Jazz bar ( Jazz Si, in Requesens st) and had an incredible time, I was the exhausted one this time so just went for a walk in the local neighborhood.
The last morning we caught the local bus out to the airport and were on our way to Norway…..
