Girona

Camino 2022 Parte 1: La llegada/the arrival

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The day had finally arrived. Por fin, el día ha llegado.

My graduation from my M.A. program present to myself had been postponed for two years because of Covid. I had recently received the new bivalent vaccine and had some new KN95 masks for the flight. Había aplazado mi regalo a mi mismo por graduar de un programa de máster por el Covid. Ya había recibido la vacuna bivalente nueva y tenía unas mascarillas (tipo KN95) para el vuelo.

I was finally going back to Spain, the place where I lived for ten years and where I yearn to return to live some day. Por fin, iba a volver a España, donde viví durante 10 años y donde aún deseo volver a vivir algún día.

My boyfriend drove me up to O’Hare and we said goodbye. I killed time until my first flight to Munich left, and it was an uneventful flight, as was my flight from Munich to Barcelona. No delays, made it through customs fine, as did my luggage. I caught the bus that went to Barcelona centro and got off at the stop nearest Barcelona Sants, where my hotel was. Mi chico me llevó al aeropuerto de Chicago O’Hare y nos despedimos. Hice tiempo hasta mi primer vuelo a Munich–fue un vuelo tranquilo, como el vuelo de Munich a Barcelona. Sin retrasos, sin problemas en las aduanas, y mi equipaje llegó. Cogí el autobus que iba al centro de Barcelona y me bajé en la parada más cerca a Sants, donde estaba mi hotel.

I checked in and went in search of food, settling on a plato combinado, knowing I’d have plenty of time for for my menú del día. I tried getting a Spanish SIM card for my mobile, but I would have to fight with ATT to get my phone unlocked (it actually was easy, but having to call from Spain was annoying). Hice check in y fui a buscar algo para comer. Al final tenía que comer un plato combinado. No pasa nada como sabía que tendría mucho tiempo para los menús del día. Intenté comprar una tarjeta SIM para mi móvil, pero tenía que llamar a ATT desde España para abrirlo.

I made my way to el Barri Gotic, where I went to Decalthon for supplies for the Camino. They had to order the zipoff hiking trousers that I wanted, which I could pick up in Girona.  Fui al Barri Gotic para ir de compras en Decalthon para algunas cosillas para el Camino. Tenían que pedir los pantalones especiales que quería de la tienda en Girona.

The next day, I woke up and went to Barceloneta for the beach and finally got a working SIM. I had breakfast at a nearby cafetería during the rain, and I savoured every bit of that first authentic tostada con tomate I’d had in four years. El día siguiente, me desperté y fui a la playa de la Barceloneta. Por fin pude comprar una tarjeta SIM. Antes, desayuné en una cafetería cerca del hotel durante la lluvia, y disfruté mucho de la primera tostada con tomate auténtica que me he tomado desde hace 4 años.

I had a 13:00 AVE (bullet train) to Girona, where I’d spend time reacclimating to the time zone and my “home” culture. I checked into the hotel, found a place for that menú del día, and roamed around the Old Town. Tenía el AVE a las 13.00 a Girona, donde iba a pasar el tiempo para aclamar a la hora pensinular y recordarme de mi cultura. Fui al hotel, encontré un restaurante con un menú del día barato, y exploré el Casco Viejo.

Thursday I went back to Besalú, population 2480, home of one of my favourite bridges (bridges would later be a theme for my Caminos) and checked out a new-to-me poble català, Castellfollit de la Roca, population 926. El jueves, volví a Besalú, población 2480, donde se encuentra uno de mis puentes favoritos (un tema recurrente de mi Camino) y también exploré un poble nuevo para mi, Castellfollit de la Roca, población 926.

Friday morning, I got in my last preparation hike for the Camino and walked to the nearby Castell de Sant Miquel. My backpack felt okay, but I lamented not bringing my new hiking poles as it was steeper than I thought. I had lunch in a nearby plaza, in a terraza protected by a roof from the sudden 10-minute deluge of rain. El viernes por la mañana, hice la última ruta de preparación antes de embarcar en el Camino, y fui al Castell de Sant Miquel, cerca a Girona capital. Mi mochila no pesaba mucho, pero lamenté no llevar los bastones nuevos porque había más pendiente que pensaba. Comí en una plaza cercana al hotel, en una terraza protegida por un techo de un diluvio que duró unos 10 minutos.

I stopped at a few bares for my café con leche, always going for a terraza to avoid Covid exposure. I’d later learn that the rates for Covid in Spain were low at the time, but I’m still glad I took precautions. Paré en algunos bares para tomar un relaxing café con leche, siempre en la terraza para evitar la exposición al Covid. Luego, me enteré que la transmisión de Covid era muy baja en aquel momento, pero más vale la prevención que la cura.

That evening, I took one last stroll through the Old Town and found a dog park, where I got to play with several dogs. Por la tarde, di un paseo por el Casco Viejo y encontré un parque de perros. Jugué con muchos perros.

The next morning, I stopped in Manresa to leave my suitcase with a friend, I ended up missing the hourly train to BCN due to long lines at the ticket office. I had to take a taxi to catch the bus and just barely made it to catch my AVE to the Aragón capital Zaragoza, where I would spend the night before making my way to Jaca, ready to get back on the Camino de Santiago and start my Camino Aragonés…La próxima mañana, paré en Manresa para dejar mi maleta con una amiga. Perdí el tren a BCN (hay uno que sale cada hora) por la culpa de las colas largas de la taquilla. Tenía que coger un taxi para llegar a coger el autobus, y llegué justo a tiempo para coger el AVE a la capital aragonesa, Zaragoza, donde pasé una noche antes de ir a Jaca, listo para volver al Camino de Santiago y empezar el Camino Aragonés…

A continuación…

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Road Trip! Parte 1: Barcelona-Cadaqués-Besalú-La Seu d’Urgell.

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There’s just something about a road trip. I love being behind the wheel on the open road. Hay algo sobre un viaje en coche. Me encanta estar detrás el volante en la carretera abierta. 

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That said, I hate driving in cities. To avoid driving in Barcelona, I arranged to pick up the car at Barcelona Prat. After picking up the car and maneuvering it to the motorway, we were on our way by 10:30. Ahora, tengo que admitir una cosa. Odio conducir en las ciudades. Para evitar conducir en Barcelona, hice la reserva de coche en la oficina de Barcelona Prat. Después de recoger el coche y encontrar la autopista, estábamos en el camino antes de las 10.30. 

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I was having problems with the navigation. I’m pretty used to Google Maps for walking, bikes and public transport, and I have no experience with a car GPS system. Whoever had the car before us had changed the system to avoid toll roads, which I didn’t figure out until it was already too late. Foreshadowing…El sistema de navegación del coche me daba bastante problemas. Estoy acostumbrado a Google Maps para caminar, ir en bici y transporte público, y no tengo experiencia usar un sistema de GPS de coche. La persona que tenía el coche antes cambió el sistema para evitar peajes, que no me di cuenta hasta que ya era demasiado tarde. Un señal de cosas de provenir. 

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The first stop was so fitting for me this year, Cadaqués. The village of 2820 people has been visited by many famous people, including artist Salvador Dalí and writer Federico García Lorca. Luis Buñuel probably visited with them too. The village is on the Cap de Creus cape near France and offers stunning views of the Mediterranean. La primera parada tenía mucho sentido para mi este año. Cadaqués. El pueblo de 2820 residentes ha sido visitado por muchos famosos, incluso un tal artista que se llama Salvador Dalí y un tal escritor que se llama Federico García Lorca. Creo que Luis Buñuel visitó Cadaqués con ellos. El pueblo está en el cabo Cap de Creus cerca de Francia y ofrece vistas impresionantes del Mediterráneo.

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My mom was shocked. I hadn’t told her anything about where we were going, and she loved it. I had been once before, in 2011, and I always wanted to go back. I still want to go back to explore the cape hiking. We didn’t stay long. I popped into the Dalí museum to get a post card for a friend. With the shorter autumn days, I was a bit nervous about driving. Mi madre estaba asombrada. No le dije nada sobre donde ibamos, y le encantó. Había estado una vez antes, en 2011, y siempre he querido volver. Todavía quiero volver para explorar el cabo al pie en rutas de senderismo. No quedamos mucho tiempo allí. Fui al Museo Dalí para comprar un postal para una amiga. Con los días más cortos de otoño, estaba nervioso de conducir. 

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I then proceeded to make my first mistake listening to the car’s GPS system. While we saw some beautiful coastal villages, I knew we should be going more toward the interior of the province of Girona. When we reached the French border, my suspicions were confirmed. Después, hice el primer error por escuchar al sistema de GPS del coche. Aunque vimos algos pueblos de costa preciosos por culpa el error, sabía que deberíamos estar yendo hacía el interior de Girona ya. Cuando llegamos a la frontera francesa, mis sospechas fueron confirmadas. 

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I figured out the way I wanted to go, and we passed Figueras, Dalí’s home town on the way to another special village of Girona I wanted to share with my mom, Besalú. The village of 2400 residents is most famous for its medieval bridge over the River Fluvià. It was as stunning as ever, and my mom started to understand just why I love the Iberian peninsula so much. Encontré la ruta que quería hacer, y pasamos Figueras, donde nació Dalí, por el camino para ir a otro pueblo especial de Girona que quería enseñarle a mi madre, Besalú. El pueblo de 2400 habitantes es más conocido por su puente medieval por el Río Fluvià. Era tan impresionante como nunca, y mi madre empezó a entender porque me encanta la Península Ibérica tanto. 

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The navigation system acted up again and took us through a back farm road. The sun was setting, and I wanted to get to our hotel as soon as possible. My heart sank when the GPS told us we still had two hours to go before arriving at the Parador in La Seu d’Urgell. Of course, as the darn thing was set to avoid tolls, which I didn’t know, and I thought I had selected the fastest route (not what that stood for!), it ended up taking us more than two hours. El sistema de navegación empezó a comportarse mal una vez más y nos llevo por una pista de granja. El sol estaba poniéndose, y quería llegar al hotel tan pronto como posible. Me puse triste y frustrado cuando el GPS me dijo que todavía nos quedaban dos horas antes de llegar al Parador de La Seu d’Urgell. Claro, como estaba evitando peajes, que no sabía, y pensaba que había elegido la ruta más rápido (no era lo que el icono quería decir, creo), nos tardó más de dos horas. 

It took us through some pretty bad roads up and down and all around the Pyrenees. Nos llevó por muchas carreteras malas arriba, abajo y por todos los lados de los Pirineos. 

I stopped for another café to give me some energy after crossing the Lleida border. I had already given up on seeing that village I’ve wanted to see for eight years, Puigcerdà, and my heart ached to go there when I saw its name on a sign. Pare para tomar otro café para darme energía después de entrar la provincia de Lleida. Ya he dejado la idea de ver ese pueblo donde he querido ir durante 8 años, Puigcerdà, y el corazón quería ir allí cuando vi su nombre en una indicación. 

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We finally arrived at the Parador. I’ve always wanted to stay in a Parador, and it was a nice experience. Was it the best hotel I ever stayed in? No. Did it live up to my expectations? No. It was on par with a nicer Holiday Inn in the US. It was still a great place to stay, and I want to stay in another one with a special someone. I wish we had had more time to enjoy the hotel. Por fin, llegamos al Parador. Siempre he querido dormir en un Parador, y era una buena experiencia. ¿Fue el mejor hotel donde me he alojaod? No. ¿Llegó a mis expectivas? No. Era parecido de un buen Holiday Inn en los EEUU. Todavía era un buen hotel para dormir, y quiero alojarme en uno algún día con alguien especial. Ojalá tuviéramos más tiempo para disfrutar del hotel pijo.

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Alas…the next morning we had to leave early for day two…La Seu d’Urgell (information in the next entry, I promise!) to…Bueno, la mañana siguiente tuvimos que salir pronto para día dos….La Seu d’Urgell (información en la próxima entrada, os prometo) hasta….

A continuación…

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Another weekend in Catalunya.

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I’ve been toying with the idea of a summer in Catalunya for a while, long enough to be able to find some bus tickets (round trip/return) for only 10€ from Bilbao to Barcelona for this weekend (May 14-16). I had two interviews lined up for Friday, and I have to say, I was quite impressed with Barcelona (as always) and even more with the professionalism found in how they conduct interviews. Lately I’ve been receiving messages on Whatsapp demanding I connect to Skype that very instant so they could interview me, Skype interviews being unconfirmed or them not showing up, and the like. So kudos for that. He estado pensando en pasar el verano en Catalunya durante un rato ahora, durante tanto tiempo que aproveché una oferta de ALSA en un viaje de ida/vuelta por solo 10€ de Bilbao a Barcelona para este fin de semana (el 14-16 de mayo). Tenía dos entrevistas el viernes, y tengo que decir que me ha impresionado Barcelona (como siempre), esta vez por el profesionalismo de las entrevistas. Ultimamente tenido las experencias de recibir mensajes por Whatsapp exigiendo que conecte yo en el momento para una entrevista, sin cita previa o aviso previo, entrevistas nunca confirmados o entrevistas donde la persona no pareció, y más experencias así. Enhorabuena a Barcelona por su profesionalismo. 

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After my Friday interviews, I had a very great (and cheap) meal at Si b moi located near the Badal metro stop, which is close to the famous Camp Nou. I had never actually been to Camp Nou, and I was quite excited to finally see where my second favourite fútbol club plays (I am louder with Barça than I am with València given that I am also quite anti-Real Madrid, who doesn’t just care about València CF. Barça will annoy!). I was quite emotional and still hope to see a game played here one day. I still miss my fave players David Villa and Cesc Fàbregas though. Después de las entrevistas, comí bien y barato en el restuarante Si B Moi ubicado cercá de la parada de metro de Badal, que está cerca al famoso Camp Nou. Nunca había ido a Camp Nou, y me dio ilusión visitar y ver dónde se juega mi equipo de fútbol segunda preferida. (Hablo más alto sobre el Barça que el València porque también soy super anti-REal Madrid, a quien le importa un bledo el València. ¡El Barça también sirve para fastidiar!) Estaba super emocionado y sigo esperando ver un partido aquí en el futuro. Todavía echo de menos mis jugadores favoritos, David Vila y Cesc Fàbregas. 

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Any trip to Barcelona includes a trip to the Barceloneta. My fave café, Ke, located in the heart of Barceloneta, was packed, so I went looking for other cool places located downtown after a windy stroll on the beach. I didn’t find any that really tickled my fancy though, as I was tired and getting headachy, typical for me with heat and lack of sleep. Cualquier viaje a Barcelona incluye una parada en la Barceloneta. Mi café preferido, el Ke, ubicado en el corazón de la Barceloneta, estaba llena de gente, y por eso busqué otro sitios en el centro después de un paseo con mucho viento por la playa. No encontré ninguno que me gustaba mucho, como estaba cansado y tenía un dolor de cabeza, típico con el calor y falta de sueño.

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Saturday I woke up on my own and decided to go to Blanes, a village located in Girona that is the gateway to la Costa Brava with a population of just over 40,000. The train station is located a good hike from the town, but for 1.85€ you can catch a bus. I opted for the hike and was unimpressed until I finally got to civilization, the town centre, and the beaches with their beautiful, crystal blue Mediterranean waters. My fave part was the Sa Palomera rock. The city has been the site of a few battles and more than a few storms (the most recent in 2008), so they have had to rebuild on occasion. I lamented my lack of time to visit the San Joan/San Juan castle on the nearby hill for more spectacular views. Sábado me desperté sin poner la alarma y decidí ir a Blanes, un pueblo de Girona que es el portal a la Cosa Brava y tiene una población de 40,000 personas. La estación de tren está lejos del pueblo, pero hay un autobus que cuesta 1,85€. Elegí el camino. No me impresionó hasta que llegué al centro del pueblo y las playas con sus aguas preciosas y azules. Mi parte favorita era la Roca de Sa Palomera. La ciudad ha sido el local de algunas batellas importantes y más de un par de tormentas (la más reciente era en 2008), y por eso han tenido que reconstruir más de una ocasión. Lamenté la falta de tiempo para visitar el castillo de San Juan que también debe ofrecer. 

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However, it was a hurry up and wait situation as the train back to Barcelona had a unprecipitated stop. A train just ahead of it had actually hit someone on the tracks. I’m trying to find some more information. Most people were complaining about the delay, myself included (it was about an hour and 20 minutes), but then I realised…someone probably lost their life, and we’re complaining about an hour. I explored Matarò a bit during this time and found it unremarkable, besides the beaches. I was impressed with my ability to take it all in stride this time. Sin embargo, era dar prisa y esperar porque había muchos retrasos por la vuelta a Barcelona dado que alguien era atropollado de un tren. (Sigo buscando más información). La mayora, yo incluso, estabamos quejado del retraso (era sobre una hora y 20 minutos), pero me di cuenta…alguien probablemente se ha muerto, y estámos quejandonos sobre una hora de retraso. Caminé por las calles de Matarò un rato y no vi nada super interestante, salvo las playas. Estaba contento con mi propia habilidad para aceptar todo con calma esta vez. Poco a poco.

 

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I’ve been trying to move to Barcelona for about five years now. I left Valencia in 2011 dreaming of Barcelona, and life took me to Madrid and then Bilbao. Will I ever end up in Barcelona? Who knows. Llevo desde 2010 intentando trasladarme a Barcelona. Me fui de València en 2011 con sueños de Barcelona. La vida me tomó a Madrid y después Bilbao. ¿Acabaré en Barcelona? Quién sabe…

Girona…a Catalán and Dalí experience.

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One of my favourite Christmases was the Christmas I spent in Girona in 2011. Granted, I left for the trip on the 26th, so I had spent Christmas in Madrid, but it’s the spirit of things. Everything was still decorated for Christmas, and Sant Esteve (Saint Stephen) is an important day in Catalunya. For those who haven’t heard of this amahzing (I’ve been watching Happy Endings, so read that in a “Penny voice”) place, it’s the province between Barcelona and France on the Catalán coast, la Costa Brava. Girona is probably most known for its beaches, but it also has some incredible sites in the Pyrenees too that I’m dying to explore.

My first time in Girona (Gerona in Spanish, but officially it’s the Catalán spelling and pronunciation Girona) was actually in 2008 for a connecting flight to Italia. I was still getting a grasp of Spanish geography at that time and thought flying from Girona to Italia would be a good idea when I was living in Andalucía. I still can’t believe I was ever so naïve. I came to the conclusion that it had to be a popular place for tourist in the summer based on this brief time at the airport.

In 2011, I had the chance to return and explore both the capital city and the province. I wanted to ring in the new year in Barcelona in hopes that by being in the city at the stroke of midnight, it would make fate transfer me to Barcelona. No such luck. I digress. This is Girona’s time to shine. I spent a few days in the capital city and making day trips to explore the beautiful province. I arrived via the night train from Madrid going on little sleep. Excitement and café amb llet (café con leche in Catalán) kept me going as I found the hostal in the city centre and began to explore the beautiful city.

The capital city of Girona has some amazing views. It’s located at the heart of four rivers with a ton of bridges (with a lot of locks on the bridges from young couples wanting to demonstrate their forever love, it’s a thing) and you can see the mountains in the distance. I remember walking along the walls and watching the sunset from high upon the old town near the cathedral.

The next day I did the typical trip to Cadaques and Figueres. The Dalí museums were a bit expensive for my budget, but that doesn’t change the fact these places are incredibly beautiful. No wonder they attract so many tourists year round. I walked along the coast for a while before having lunch and catching a bus to Figueres. I’ll be honest, for Dalí’s home town, there is not much else beside his museum. It is well worth checking out, especially for fans of him. (He is the only artist I can truly say I admire. I’m a book, music and film guy, and art goes over my head. However, Dalí seems to have experienced the same weird nightmares I do, so I can at least appreciate him.)

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The last day of my Girona experience, I went to see one of the most beautiful bridges in the Greatest Peninsula in the World. I am a great aficionado of bridges, perhaps because I love being around water so much. The bridge in Besalú is one of the coolest bridges, and the city has a medieval flare.

I have yet to return to Girona, but I am dying for an opportunity. The capital has a distinct northern European vibe going for it, and the sheer beauty of the area makes it a popular vacation destination. With so many interesting places, it’s easy to get off the beaten path. There are a lot more than just seven meravelles, but these are the ones that are sticking with me this morning.

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Girona

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Girona, the capital city of the province with nearly 100,000 habitants, is one of the coolest (as in American English for superchulo and not cold) cities in Spain. Located 99 km or 62 miles from Barcelona, Girona is well worth a visit. There are several churches, including a Gothic cathedral and old Roman walls. The city wall walkway is one of my fave things about the city. Any word of Catalán is more than well-appreciate here, as it is probably the most Catalán of the four provinces of Catalunya.

Cadaqués

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Cadaqués has a population of about 2000 people, but in the summers, the population can be up to 10 more than that. Its location on the Costa Brava and proximity to Barcelona make it a popular tourist destination, and it’s no stranger to tourists. Salvador Dalí visited often as a child, and Pablo Picasso also spent time there. You can visit the Salvador Dalí House and Museum today and walk along the coast. Fun trivia fact: the Catalán spoken here is more similar to the variant found in the Balearic Islands than the rest of Catalunya.

Figueres

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Figueres, home of 45,000 folks, is also the home and birthplace of Salvador Dalí. 40 km or 25 miles from Girona capital, the small city is popular with fans of the surrealist artist. In addition to the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dalí, the city houses a castle and a Gothic church. It is also home to Spanish and Catalán gay icon Mónica Naranjo.

Besalú

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Besalú may only have 2000 habitants, but it is an awesome place to visit. It’s located 31 km (18 miles) from Girona capital, and its main attraction is the bridge. It is a beautiful medieval pueblo and a step back in time. It could easily be on my own top ten list of beautiful pueblos (villages) in the peninsula.

Puigcerda (to be discovered)

Puigcerdà has been at the top of my bucket lists of villages to visit for quite some time. It’s a three-hour train ride from Barcelona, so I keep saying “próxima vez, próxima vez, propera vegada” (next time, next time, Catalán next time). It’s a village of around 10,000 people located at the very north of Girona, high in the Pyrenees, almost in France. I saw the turn off on my whirlwind trip to Andorra and vowed once again to visit there. It’s supposed to have some of the most beautiful views of the Pyranees. It’s 144 KM (86 miles) from Girona capital.

Olot (to be discovered)

Olot, home of 34,000 people, is one of the rainiest places in Catalunya, so much that there is a saying in Catalán: Si no plou a Olot, no plou enlloc. (If it’s not raining in Olot, it’s not raining anywhere). Perhaps the reason for this is because it’s located in the middle of not one but four volcanos. The last eruption was about 11,000 years ago, so chances are, it’s not going to erupt any time soon. We think.

Costa Brava

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The Wild Coast is one of the most popular tourist places in the Peninsula due to its good weather and natural beauty. Although the North Coast is probably more beautiful, it also rains 379 days a year here. Not an opportune time to swim or sunbathe, eh? Blanes, Tossa del Mar and Llobregat del Mar are just some of the many villages and cities along the spectacular Mediterranean coast.