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Walking France and Spain, 2024Walking France and Spain, 2024
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A new walk in the south of France, another pilgrim route from Arles to Lodeve, then 10 days walking the Camino in Spain that we missed last year, on the meseta from Burgos to Leon. Looking forward to another spring walk with the green crops! Read more
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  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 11

    Beautiful walk, now back in Montpellier

    April 20 in France ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    A perfect day’s walking! Cool and cloudless, we left a little after 8.30, and followed the recommended plan (even by The Book) of getting the no 1 tram to euromedicine stop. Tram line was neat the hotel, and we’d found that yesterday, we knew which direction, and Amr as always negotiated the ticket machine at the stop. The tram ride took us to the edge of the city which was perfect, and when we alighted we immediately saw the signs for the GR, so off we went with no angst.

    And through really pretty countryside, a bit of climbing, and quite a lot of bush walking, with loose stones, roots etc. our eyes have again become accustomed to sighting the red and white signs, very important today, as every now and then there would be a trick turn off which wasn’t obvious. They are very good mostly, and confirm you are on the right path, and put red and white crosses when a wrong turn, but much of today’s terrain had very few places to put a marker!

    We walked about 15 kms on the walk (would have been 20 from the city centre) and arrived at Montarnaud by 1.30, much earlier than the 4pm booked with Cyril! We thought we’d explore the town a bit, sit and have coffee in a bar and relax, but found it is a pretty but totally sleepy town, that is, no main square with cafes, and the only shop we saw was closed…so we found the Mairie which was the meeting point, and found a picnic table where we could sit and relaxed and read - I had fortunately brought my kindle for this possibility! Amr called Cyril but being Saturday afternoon he had bookings, but did get to us by about 3.30 and we are back at the hotel in Montpellier and ready to hit the town, find somewhere to eat for dinner, and explore more of the sights.

    Just back from dinner, showered and happy! It was COLD walking round…I am so surprised, because when I checked temperatures before we came it seemed to be quite warm, and I was hoping it wouldn’t be too hot…I love not being hot, but we did need jackets and Amr even kept his puffer on all dinner. But we had a lovely wander and saw more than we did yesterday…beautiful buildings of course, and there is an arc de triumph, an aqueduct, lots of neo Roman buildings…but mostly from the 1700s…the arc de triumph said Ludovicus magno, but not a Roman emperor, just Louis IV! All lovely in the bright sunlight, and the Saturday afternoon crowds also wandering round. We stopped for a drink in the Place de Comedie, lovely till the sun went behind a building, then went for dinner, nothing spectacular - I decided to boost the ferritin and have beef which was a mistake, as steak here (in Europe) I have found to be disappointingly tough and dry (I’m sure in gourmet restaurants not so, but in the ordinary ones just not worth it) but it was fun anyway, and buzzing by the time we left. Amr had beef tartare which is safer, if you like it! Can’t be over cooked! Tomorrow we get picked up at 9am to go back to Montarnaud, and begin walking from where we finished today, and then everything continues as normal. Tomorrow is quite a hard walk I think, and the next day the hardest, but then we finish with a short one on Tuesday.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
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    Day 12

    At St-Guilhem-le-Désert, a long walk!

    April 21 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today we didn’t swan in at 2.30 and have the afternoon to relax and explore…we staggered in at 5, a long time, but only 22 kms - it was hard work rather than long distance! And we did pause a few times - for lunch, for coffee/chocolate, to help rescue a dog, and when we looked at the Devil’s Bridge and got a little off course! But we survived, and actually our legs are feeling good and we’ve just come back from exploring the village which is on the side of a hill, and extremely charming. Very much a tourist place, but also deservedly one of the plus beaux villages de France.

    We left Montpellier at about 9 and were driven to Montarnaud (not by Cyril but by Cyril’s friend!). So we set off and found that the climb that we knew was ahead was on very difficult paths - loose stones, just such slow progress…once we reached the top it wasn’t too bad…we went along the top of a plateau, sometimes loose stones, but sometimes easier terrain …it was completely different countryside from previously - we were up in the wild rocky hills, sort of Cézanne territory…not tall lush forests, rather scrubby bushes and trees…but wildly beautiful.

    We stopped for lunch when we were about half way there by our reckoning, about 1 or later.. there was, according to the Book, meant to be a choice to take the GR or a short cut through an old railway tunnel for 300 metres…but the choice never happened as we just followed GR signs (which then were along an ex railway line, so it was flat but now a path of more loose stones) and never saw mention of the tunnel, however we were happy to arrive at the next village, which was for once awake and there was a choice of bars to pause and have coffee!

    After that we had an amazing section of walking through vineyards - suddenly this wild area was filled with myriads of picturesque vineyards…so beautiful, and we felt that the end was in sight…we thought (hoped) it was about 5 kms to go, and when we saw a village coming up, we assumed it was ours.

    So we happily walked along, saw quite a few walkers along the route, being a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We came upon one group of 4 walkers having trouble - their dog had jumped into the canal and couldn’t get out, and they couldn’t reach him…he was just dog paddling and waiting for help! There were sloping concrete edges, and he kept sliding. In the end Amr suggested using some fence-railings lying there from workers, and they managed to put it down and use it as a sort of ladder and pull the poor dog out! Very grateful to Amr for the idea…

    Then we came to the Pont du Diable, the Devil’s bridge, a big feature on the map, historic bridge, and the town just above…I went off the official route to go on the bridge, and look at the view (we are now in an enormous spectacular gorge)…then we suddenly saw the signs to the town and realised it was another one, that was several inches away on the map from our destination!! Such disappointment!

    Our dog friends were horrified and said that is an hour’s walk!! We said we had been walking since 9.30, and would be ok…and it was, but it did seem endless, along the shoulder of a rather busy road most of the time, everyone going home after their Sunday doings. There was canoeing in the gorge, people had been sunbaking on the banks seen from the Devil’s bridge….we are now half way up the gorge here, the running river way below at the bottom, and towering rocky cliff faces above. Amazing changes in one day.

    Finally we found this delightful village, our hotel was the first one we saw, so happy to arrive, bags in room and all good. And now back from a perfect meal here (included tonight), and ready for bed. AND I forgot to say, that while wandering in the village, we got Amr a hat! Very funny, made in Nepal (better than the other cheaper and more normal looking ones made you know where!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 13

    At St-Jean-de-la-Blaquiere

    April 22 in France ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We arrived here at about 2pm, after one of the most spectacular walks we’ve ever done, and that is saying something! But we did not do the 8 hour, étape difficile, that the Book which is in French, warned us about. Instead, after a long and rather difficult stage yesterday we decided we would not enjoy an even longer and more difficult one today. So after studying the Book, and finding that today started with a 3 hour difficult ascent (and we could see the huge rocky hillsides all around us!) we decided to organise a taxi to shorten the distance. And it was such a wonderful plan…our lovely hotel lady rang to organise it last night, and we were picked up at 9.30 and taken to a town, Arboras, which is actually a bit more than half the distance! But we are not proud, we just wanted to enjoy the day, and not endure it…

    So the taxi dropped us off, right where there was a GR and chemin de Compostelle sign, and we set off happily. And the whole of today the way was well marked, never worried that we may have gone off track. And it is still cold…in fact today was the coldest yet, and in the high spots the wind felt icy! In the end I took off my hat which was annoyingly flapping in the strong wind, and just put up my jacket hood, and Amr had his hood over his new hat!

    So we only had a walk of about 12 kms, but this was the part that Book said was difficile, and we did it knowing we could be slow and careful (don’t want to spoil things with a twisted ankle…) and pause and admire the view and not just be intent on reaching a destination. And so began our wonderful walk. From Arboras we walked at first among a valley of vineyards and then did a very long ascent, even higher than the one out of St Guilhem, all the while looking down at the view of the valley from the heights. We could see Arboras in the distance and were amazed at how high we were. Photos just can’t capture the scene, but will put some up anyway, but they won’t do justice to the beauty.

    There were a few other walkers on the track today…one man who zipped past so quickly on the uphill - we barely had time to say bonjour before he was gone - and on the downhill to our amazement 2 cyclists whizzed past…riding over the boulders, roots, zigzagging around trees!!…and also another woman who is also staying in this town. After the exhilarating uphill we started the inevitable descent, which was the difficult part - the book had warned of sliding rocks, slippery slopes etc, and it was a bit of a tricky narrow path, but not as bad as we feared, and wonderful views over the other side. We found a perfect picnic table in the sun for lunch, but it was just too windy…and by then only a few kms from St Jean, so we continued on, and found a slightly more sheltered and sunny seat in the main square near the Mairie and ate there, as we were fairly early, and often accommodation places don’t want you to arrive before 3.

    But at about 2.30 we headed off to this wonderful place, an oasis! It was another kilometre from the centre of town, not in the direction of the camino - great today, but would have been a lot after an 8 hour walk! It is a B and B run by a delightful couple, who welcomed us, gave us a beer and cake, and with whom we will have dinner tonight as we are the only guests! They like Australians and Australia as they lived in Perth and their daughter is in Nice living with a group of Aussies. So we can comfortably speak French and English! Now we are relaxing totally and will have dinner at 7.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
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    1
    Day 14

    French pilgrimage finished - in Lodeve

    April 23 in France ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    We have arrived in Lodève, French walk finished! We feel quite proud, as it wasn’t easy walking, but certainly spectacular. We have checked into our very nice Hotel De La Paix, and booked to have dinner here at 8. Amr is, surprise surprise, off to the laundromat to wash everything, and I’m happily sitting in the room in shorts (all that’s left not being washed) and with 2 tops and my jacket still feel cold…I look back at photos of walking a couple of days ago and I was just in a t-shirt and can’t imagine it….today we did 16 kms of strenuous walking with fleece and jacket on all day and not even sweaty!! …and yesterday the same, but didn’t have my fleece and wished I did!

    Anyway, first last night’s dinner…it was rather like a couple of years ago in France when we stayed at a guest house, we had dinner with the hosts, Martine and Guy, such lovely people. The season is just starting and we were the only people. They can take 14 people, but only do dinner for 4….so we had a delicious home cooked meal in their dining room overlooking the valley! Just beautiful. Started with endive, egg and crumbled cheese salad, then pork fillets and potatoes with very tasty onion sauce and a raspberry tapioca dessert. Comfort food! And we had fun and lively conversation…half French and half English…and this morning we had breakfast there before we set off.

    They had told us a shortcut to get to the GR without going the km back to the village, a path at the end of the vineyard and across the creek, but Amr this time wanted to be authentic and we walked back and started from the square, following the true path! After quite a while we thought we must have passed where we would have joined in from the guest house, as we were out in the wilderness and had been walking several kms, but then suddenly we saw their Domaine through the trees on the other side of the valley… it would have been a true shortcut.

    We knew from the graph that today’s walk was basically a big climb, then going along for quite a way along the top plateau, then a descent into Lodeve. But the Book said it was a short (15km) stage and somehow implied easy…but it wasn’t really easy, the big ascent was most of the time very rough loose stones and roots that needed concentration, and also the descent at the end was also potentially treacherous! But of course the views were spectacular and it was very exhilarating! But we didn’t saunter into Lodeve in time for lunch!! And it continued to be so cold, with the icy wind blowing a gale, specially when we were at the exposed spots at the top…Amr said his app said it was 42 km/hr at one stage, but not sure if that was the max…sometimes you could hardly walk against it. But we are lucky, despite the cold wind, it remained sunny and blue sky. So many wildflowers out now - we saw lots of lavender and irises, which you associate with this part of the world, and the new oak leaves are so bright and beautiful.

    After about 12 kms we realised we needed a break, and tried to find a semi sheltered stone to sit and eat…very pleasant, but about 50 metres further we found the perfect spot, tables, sheltered and a superb view ….too late - if only we’d ventured just a bit further!

    This hotel is part of a chain we loved when we were on the walk from Vézelay, and where we always seemed to have the surprisingly superb meals…so here’s hoping for tonight. Tomorrow we take a bus to Montpellier where we stay for 2 nights before getting a train to Barcelona on Friday. Just a little break between walks! But we are familiar with the Camino walking, and there is no tough bush walking there like we have had for the last 3 days, so we feel very relaxed!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
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    Day 14

    Addendum to Lodeve

    April 23 in France ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    I have to add a bit more to finish the day…once Amr returned with the clean clothes, still warm from the dryer, I felt so much better in warm pants and fleece, and we set off to explore a bit. First found out about buses to Montpellier…they seem to go about hourly, so all good there. And we went to the beautiful and of course huge cathedral, St Fulcran, lovely stained glass windows, and we lit a candle for Ira so that she will be skipping by the time we return.

    Then we found a bar and had a glass of wine - Languedoc wine, just what we needed, in a nice inside warm space! The music playing there was Killing me Softly…bygone times…Some people sitting outside, but they hadn’t walked for hours on the heights above town today. For Paul’s information, who I think at the moment is swanning with Charlie and Jaimee in Santa Monica, and anyone interested, the vines we have been walking amongst are muscat and sauvignon, and those were the wines, white and red, that we had last night with Martine and Guy.

    We are feeling cold, but it is sunny, but we are worried about Rowan and Anne who have just started on the camino from Le Puy which we enjoyed so much in 2015, and not only have they been cold, but with snow and drizzle, but their checked bag did not arrive at CDG and has still not been delivered to them….how ghastly, and neither Qantas/Air France seems to be able to care or solve it…we wait and hope…

    Just back from a superb dinner…with a whole bottle of Languedoc wine, 2014, rather than a half litre of the house vin. I had a soup (velouté) of broccoli and minted peas, and Amr had a complicated dish of beans, avocado, humous on bread and a soft boiled egg, both delicious, and for mains Amr had Guinea fowl and I had a scallop, prawn dish with orange…just right.

    And I have to add that Amr has given me the stats of the day…we have climbed an altitude gain of 518 metres during the walk and the average temperature was 5°, which is pretty amazing..no wonder we needed our great dinner…    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    1
    Day 15

    Back in Montpellier for 2 nights

    April 24 in France ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    A lot happened today, but it wasn’t walking or picturesque, in fact my legs are suffering from not enough exercise! But we got the 10 am bus from Lodève to Montpellier, it took an hour, stopping and picking up and dropping off people, not an express…a locale…and for the 2 of us, with an extra for day passes on the tram in Montpellier, it cost €6.

    The tram pass was necessary as the bus terminates at the end of the tram line 1, which we took when walking out of walking out of Montpellier last week, so we are experts at this line, and caught it back to the stop, Comédie, near our hotel, which is in the centre and also near the railway station. Luckily, at 11.30 our hotel (another Ibis) was able to check us in with room ready, so we dropped our bags, for which we are now responsible until we do our Spanish camino next week, and got back on the tram to the other end of the line where there is a big rather soulless mall, but which has an Apple Store!!

    And we bought me an iPhone!!! It is a modest one, as the insurance money is paying for what we still owed of the one stolen (and the one before), and it hasn’t got as good a camera as before, but it is now all downloaded with everything and it feels so good, except I am very scared of carrying it round, and will not have it on me in cities at all…I even felt a bit nervous here in Montpellier, and certainly will leave it safely locked up in Barcelona, Madrid and Paris…but it will be wonderful to be able to take photos on the camino in Spain. Amr may look less anguished, (please note Peter and Simon!) as all photos of him so far have been taken by me on his phone when he is worried that I will drop, break or lose it!!! So now hopefully he will relax…and also getting him to stop for a photo was a problem…

    So all that took most of the afternoon. We had to do another trip back to the hotel before sealing the deal with Apple to get Amr’s passport for the tax free receipt, and we stayed in the Apple Store while it downloaded using their strong wifi, meanwhile attending a lesson there on drawing on an iPad, with a special app…So Amr was happy, and I was happy that he was happy, but I kept being distracted when the new phone kept asking questions that I needed help with! But all got completed, even pairing it with my Apple Watch, though I have lost all the wonderful stats of the last week’s walk.

    After that we stopped for a coffee/chocolate and pretzels, much needed as we had forgotten to eat…then checked with Orange about getting a SIM for a month, but not worth it was their advice..went back to hotel, drew breath and went to the favourite square to sit and have a drink which we did, but still rather windy and cold for comfort, and we decided to eat at 7 and got into the Italian we had enjoyed last visit, the luckily got in, just, it was soon totally buzzing. The only photos are taken by MY phone, of our spacious room, and Amr eating pizza!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
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    Day 16

    A lazy day in Montpellier

    April 25 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Not a huge amount to say as we have just been happily mooching around town, without any deadlines or necessary tasks. We wandered the narrow streets where there are little specialty shops with local products, and are getting to know our way round and to our hotel which is very central and handy, but was hard to spot when we first arrived…

    It is still cold, specially when not doing serious walking (though my watch says I have walked 13 kms today, and that’s not including walking somewhere to dinner soon)…and today is cloudy, with rays of sunshine peeping through now and then, and even a few raindrops as we arrived back just now.

    We stopped twice on park benches for kindle sessions, but I found it too cold to really enjoy sitting outside. Even after I went back and put on an extra layer. Amr has been living in his puffer jacket - I didn’t even bring one! I have plenty of layers, but didn’t think I’d need to wear them all at once! We had a delicious lunch - we shared a large salad with avocado, salmon, soy beans, a rice/grain/seed section and leaves, with Asian tasting flavours…just right. And we walked in the Jardin Botanique….that’s about all to report really. Tomorrow a train to Barcelona, leaves here at 4.30pm and arrives there at 7.30.

    Addendum..just back from dinner and have to add because it was really good…French cuisine seems to have moved to fusion, like everywhere else, and you order dishes that are surprising, and delicious. Like our lunch salad had Asian flavours, tonight I ordered an entrée of grilled eggplant, but it came surrounded with almonds, pomegranate, feta crumbles….and my lamb dish was on couscous, with honey/ginger carrots…yum…Amr had his tartare de boeuf, his last chance before Spain, and his entrée was tomatoes, peppers with soft boiled egg…not just the classic French, but these are French eateries.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
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    Day 18

    Now in Barcelona

    April 27 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    ..and the Spanish adventures begin. slightly sad to leave France, as I feel much more comfortable speaking French, and we love being there, but exciting to arrive here, and Amr always rises to the occasion and is the spokesman, and does so well in being understood and understanding!

    Anyway, our day started by filling in time till the train at 4.28pm…we had a late checkout, so didn’t have to vacate till 2 which was nice, and we wandered about, and went to an area fairly near us, called Antigone, which is a whole district, 37 hectares Wikipedia tells me, which has been built in neo-classical style, and started in the 1970s…it is so unusual, and nice to walk through…there is a big walkway down the middle, like the champs élysées...so we wiled away the day, and then waited in the station, that process when everyone watches the board to find the platform for the train…ours was an AVE (Spanish TGV) and had started in Lyon, arrived and left exactly on time, and was totally full, as this is Friday and I guess everyone is going somewhere for the weekend.

    Easy 3 hour journey and we arrived about 7.30…Barcelona much more comfortable temperature, we actually feel just right here. Montpellier continued to feel cold, even though that very strong had died down for the last couple of days. So after sitting in the train we decided to walk to the hotel…about 4 kms…it was daylight and our legs needed it!! The walking was good, and we love the wide boulevards of Barcelona and the great buildings, but finding the right road was the only anxiety, and really it was just a straight line basically…but Google kept changing its little tweaks…but we found the hotel, where we had stayed before in 2017, and have a great room with a view of the Sagrada Familia.

    Had a baguette on the train, but went out for a wine and tapas to unwind in a little place just opposite, and now relaxed!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 18

    Saturday in Barcelona

    April 27 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    You can’t help loving Barcelona! I must say I wasn’t keen on being in a big city just yet, but the beautiful buildings, wide leafy boulevards just blow you away. Got up leisurely and found a lovely patisserie to have breakfast - a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, a yum pastry and a cup of probably the best coffee so far this trip! We will go there tomorrow (hope they’re open on Sundays).

    Then we walked off, no special destination, but went down the road that leads to the arc de triomf, walked in the park there, then went across through the old medieval narrow streets, and visited the cathedral (not Sagrada Familia). Had a wonderful visit…it is a magnificent building, and our ticket allowed entry to the cloisters and up to the rooftop. We can never resist the views from high place, and it was fabulous!

    After that we walked across to La Rambla and joined the crowds there, by this time getting to midday. Went just about down to the sea front, and then back into the markets which were incredibly buzzing and fun, and I felt totally carefree with nothing in my pockets except a tissue, lip balm and the hotel key! Nothing to pick. We sat at one of the stalls and had our favourite pimientos de padron and some grilled asparagus with bread…perfect, and glad we did as found out the market is closed Sundays.

    This is the first day for a while that I haven’t felt just a bit uncomfortably cold….in fact we both rather wished we could have shed a layer. It was just right, and the possible rain showers never eventuated, or so far anyway. As we walked we kept admiring the fabulous buildings and wide streets…varied apartment buildings, fancy balconies, so lovely to walk along. Stopped for a coffee and a ColaCao!! Back in the land of ColaCao - if you ask for a chocolat here they think you want the thick chocolate that you dip churros in - and it’s usually not available anyway…only at churros time.

    After a little downtime and drawing of breath, we set out again, and decided to walk back to the market as we wanted to eat at a Basque restaurant we had loved before, and tomorrow wasn’t possible. On the way Amr spotted an interesting entrance all lit up, and we found ourselves in a rather upmarket, and very hip and happening, area of bars and tapas..el Nacional…so we with a bit of difficulty found 2 seats and had a glass of wine and one small tapa and enjoyed the vibe!

    Made our way to the still busy market and had dinner (really more tapas, true dining doesn’t start here till well after 8)…and we’re a little let down, it was good but the Basque-ness seems to have gone…maybe taken over by non Basques…and now back, walking through the milling throngs…I will be happy to be back in small villages and towns after Monday! But we are having fun, and have another whole day here. I have to add that our rambling today added up to 20 kms!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 19

    Sunday in Barcelona

    April 28 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    It was cooler today, or felt cooler. We set off to our good breakfast place, then headed off to visit Sant Pau Art Nouveau site…we have been before, but it is quite astonishing, and worth another look. It was built in 1902 as a hospital, on a site where there was one, but this was modern and state of the art medically, though the buildings look nothing like a functional place! It was a working hospital from 1916-2009! It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is now a space for historical and architectural dissemination, the blurb says…

    We then went back to put on another layer (me) as just a bit uncomfortable, and Amr remembered spotting a sign that said there would be some Sardana dancing in a park near the Sagrada Familia at noon. So we wandered along, and the band was tuning up, and quite a lot of people gathered, and it started…such fun…men and women, old and young, they hold hands in a circle and do the steps they probably learned in primary school…people would come up and join in the circle, and all their jackets etc thrown in a pile in the middle. We had come across it accidentally years ago in Barcelona…it is a Catalan thing…we are getting quite good at Catalan (reading I mean) lots of bilingual signs, or just Catalan, and quite a few Catalan flags in windows, though not as many as our most recent visit when there were thousands during one of their rebellion times…so that was a fun interlude, and Amr took a short video of the dancing which gives an idea of the vibe…

    After that we decided to walk up to the Gaudi park which is quite a long walk, and quite a long uphill…but we need to keep walking, so of course we walked it…we could see it as we approached, very Gaudi decorations on fences and buildings etc, but to our distress, and I think many others, it was full, completo, no room…they could give us a ticket for Tuesday!! It did look crowded, the little bit you could see, but what a pity. We had imagined it was a park that you could stroll through, and admire the Gaudi decor…anyway, no choice but to walk down the hill again, but we had spotted a delightful square on the way up and stopped there for R and R, that being some pimientos de padron, some artichokes and some calamari..washed down with water and rosé…

    Our spirits restored, we set off again and aimed for a concert hall (can’t remember its proper name) but famous and down near the arc de triumf area, and designed by the same art nouveau architect as the hospital. Finally found it, very ornate and over the top, but again thwarted, no entrance…maybe closed on Sundays, though we saw people inside probably on an official tour, and we could see a ticket office, but all firmly shut. Again admired from outside!

    Then we had a short kindle session, but there started to be droplets in the air, wouldn’t call it rain, but we made our way back, via a cafe/colacao. And now Amr decided this was the moment to go to the laundromat, so as not to take the time in Burgos, and so that we won’t accidentally find ourselves wanting dinner at an unfashionably early hour. We plan to eat at one of the little places near us, as we leave early in the morning, 9.05am train from the main station Barcelona Sants.

    Addendum: name of the music hall is Palau de la Musica Catalana, and the architect is Lluis Domenech i Montaner. Also noted that along the road by the Sagrada Familia, where there are literally thousands of tourists, every American food chain we had ever heard of was represented! Plus, we walked 15 kms today.    Read more

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