Homage to Catalonia

It hardly seems like exactly a year since we were on our world tour of Catalonia. I scribbled a few notes a while back and here they are as a shameless excuse to accompany a new photoshow down at the blog bottom. (though they do have a more permanent home on my Picasa web album Catalonia)


"A brief report of our brief visit to Catalonia.

First stop Castello d'Empuries. A medieval village where we made base camp in a nice bed and breakfast built on the ruins of the former home of the Counts of Castello.

We stopped off in many historic little villages all around this area north of Girona, including Peralada, Besalu, the last resort in Spain – Cadaqués, and of course Figueres to see the Dali Museum.

Cadaqués

Our next hop took us over the French border to Perpignan. It was just like Spain – Tapas, paellas, lots of seafood and Moroccans– but everyone (apart from me) spoke French.

Then we travelled through miles and miles of wine growing country, Corbieres, Minervois to Limoux which is the place that developed the original Brut 'Champagne' known as Blanquette. We stayed in a Chateau that once belonged to one of Napoleon's cronies and toured the area, full of Cathar castles, and the Cité of Carcassonne and Canal du Midi.

Carcassonne

The final trip was the long drive back to Barcelona (I stopped off in Lloret de Mar the first place I ever visited in Spain 30 years ago on the way) to drop off the car and moved into our apartment accommodation.

We did all the tourist things, Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, etc etc and spent 6 hours in the MNAC art gallery. We ate and drank lots. Found a nice little bistro – Crema Canela – by the Placa Real and really had fun in El Gran Cafe, Avinyó 9, great food and a maitre D with a sense of humour.

Mask/balcony detail. Gaudi's Casa Batllo, Barcelona

And that was that.

High points – French roads, wines and toilet paper.
Low points – French drivers, petrol and toilets."