Montserrat and Cava from Barcelona

The sadness of departing the ship was softened significantly by extending our time with Gen and Ed- friends we've spent a lot of time with during the last month.

When we told them of our upcoming tour to Montserrat, they decided to join, and we were able to arrange being together for the trip. Our guide was Marta- who grew up on Long Island

What a remarkable place. The mountains truly look serrated from afar. And when we were near the monastery, it was walking through a medieval town. We had enough time to see the church before they closed for Mass. Unfortunately, we needed to leave before the Boy's Choir sang.

We picked up some goodies- cheese, almonds, and fig cake. I about got knocked over by a young lady as I tried to pay for some goods- she had to reach across me to grab something.

Then on to Art Cava- I've discovered a new vice. Cava is Spanish sparkling wine. We've been drinking Freixenet for decades- but Art Cava gave me an appreciation for the smaller vintners. Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarello are the three traditional varieties of grapes used to make Cava. (And I discovered techniques for handling the bubbles.)

We purchased some bottles to be shipped home. We'll be able to enjoy our memories in the future.

Then to the hotel.Read more