Catalunya
Welcome to Catalunya 1
Barcelona, Beginning and End
Not for the first time, and I’m sure not the last, we find ourselves in Barcelona at the end of summer. A time when there’s barely a spare bed to be found in the entire city. Locals and visitors are drawn together to celebrate the end of summer; seek the blessings of the gods; and pray for a short winter. The festival of La Mercè stretches for days in a series of parades, services, parties, fireworks, fire-breathing dragons and explosions. They know how to party in Barcelona and they do it well. Everyone is drawn into the celebration but, as with most things Spanish, families come first.. 2
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The built environment is a big part of Barcelona’s attraction, along with beaches within walking distance of the city centre. Architecture’s long been respected. In this city more than most, artistic expression has been encouraged and takes centre stage. From the visionary early cathedrals to the eternal Gaudi’s incredible designs, there is a wealth of visual, built beauty. And it’s still being devloped. Who wouldn’t want to live here and be part of the vibe and the beauty? Barbara tried to claim refugee status but failed on the first question. She said ‘Yes’ to ‘Do you have a valid passport?’ 4
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We couldn’t just languish for the entire stay though, however much we enjoyed the rooftop views from Ivan & Ivana’s apartment. We moved on to Figueres for an afternoon stopover to see Dali’s TeatroMuseu. There was no end to his genius stunning stuff. Photos can’t do it justice, it has to be seen - and touched. The marvel is that you can touch the vast majority of it. Creativity pervades everything and the breadth of his work is massive. I missed the house at Portlligat again. Maybe next time!
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We were lucky to stay in a family apartment in El Port de la Selva and the owner, Toni, was kind enough to ferry us from Figueres, as well. A great space and place to relax. We walked to Cadaques one day, the Monastery of Pere du Rodes the next and to Llança with Mark after he joined us. The walking is excellent with most paths wellmarked; stunning scenery; always a destination; and always refreshment when you arrive. Cadaques is a beautiful town of whitewashed houses on a perfect bay. It’s close to Portlligat (Dali again) and Cap de Creus - easternmost point of mainland España 10
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Sitges - una vegada més
Yes, we’ve been here before… and it’s likely we’ll visit again. Another special place though hard to know why. It’s a temple of retail, beachside hotels, tourist bars and restaurants. It’s one the gay capitals of the world but also incredibly popular with families. It does have pleasant beaches, a nice old quarter and some good festivals but what it is that draws so many people so many times, I cannot define. Its proximity to Barcelona and frequent train service helps. It meant we could visit Barcelona and the final festival of La Mercè without having to scrape the Barcelona accommodation barrel. Been there, done that. 22
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Why, I wonder, must all good things come to an end? I’m sure at least one of the hotel residents was there when we stayed in 2009 so perhaps they don’t. Wonderful end to a wonderful trip hard to believe the entire adventure was less than four weeks. We enjoyed a couple of the better restaurants before we left. There will always be time for one last, lazy lunch. Fins la pròxima…