• Chasing Palomas
• Chasing the Meow Meows
• Reading to the Meow Meow
• Water Corrie and Jason’s Plants

We couldn’t find a way to be able to play the videos directly on the blog, so when you click the link you are downloading the video file.

Not only were the riders in Barcelona, but were due to ride up Gran de Gracia through the barrio, Gracia, our neighborhood. I had not ventured out on Thursday to watch their arrival and climb up to Montjuic, it was raining terribly. But this morning, Jason and I settled at a favorite cafe not too far away to meet some friends and give our voices to the collective cheer for the riders on their 225 km haul.

It was over very fast. One hundred eighty riders clumped very close together climbing the gentle incline of the main street in Gracia on their way out of BCN. Their longest stage to Andorra through the nasty climbs of the Pyrenees. Somewhere amongst the clump, Lance Armstrong, Levis Leipheimer, and Alberto Contador. Vaya, vaya, vaya comrades! We wish you “Buena Suerte”.

Jason got a great time elapsed series as the peloton passed us by.

Many thanks to Susan Arnst for standing on a barricade with her fantastic camera to take some of these fotos.

We wandered the Christmas markets and had fun sampling the food and drink.

We really enjoyed drinking the wine…we had to stay warm.

After our long winter’s nap, we awoke Christmas morning to a quiet city and wonderful breakfast in bed!

With our bellies full, we traveled around the Ringstrasse that circles the very heart of Vienna.

We walked the grounds of The Belvedere and saw the famous Klimt exhibit.

And also the famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Last but certainly not least we toured the Naschmarkt. Which on Sundays is a food market and flea market rolled into one.

We saw many great sites that unfortunately we didn’t get good pictures of…The Albertina, MAK, Schloss Schönbrunn, and many others. Vienna is a beautiful and romantic city, but most of all magical at Weinacht.

This lovely post got lost in the “Drafts” file. Originally written (and should have been posted) in August ’08.

Time for another Catalunya adventure, this trip brought to you by: Corrie’s Birthday. A beautiful escapade discovering the small coves of the Costa Brava. Guests stayed at the Odina Hostal and saw such lovely beaches as Fornella, Aiguablava, and Sa Tuna. Get ready readers…here’s….La Costa Brava!

Enjoy getting sand in the toes and lounging on some breathtaking beaches.

Having a lot of fun goofing around, maybe it was the sea air.

The winner of ‘favorite town’, Begur.

It was a wonderful day to walk through the old part of the city and see the decorations.

The churches made picturesque backdrops for many of the installations.

Our favorite site was the old Roman bath house.

Even the architecture provide beauty in its own form of flowers.

A successful outing that provided an amazing mixture of old world charm and unique design.

We headed out from Barcelona to San Felíu de Guixols.

Next stop was Empuries. A 575 BC Greek and then Roman town on the Mediterranean coast. This is where we were introduced to the famous “tramuntana” wind. It was so windy that it was difficult to stand at times, and I now understand why the wind is rumored to make men crazy. Despite our fight to stay vertical, the ruins of the town were amazingly beautiful.

Ok…maybe a few of us were affected by the wind.

Now off to Cadaques a beautiful fishing village that has amazingly held on to its charm despite being inundated by more tourists than residents every summer. The streets are narrow, steep and paved with pieces of slate stone placed in a vertical position. The town has also had some notable residents and visitors, over the years it has become a bit of a mecca for artists…Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miró, Man Ray (just to name a few), and Salvador Dalí who had a house built in near by Port Lligat.

We had arrived in the town before the height of tourist season, so it was still “quiet” (only in lack of people) so it was just us and the “tramuntana”. La Sirena was a wonderful little restaurant set in a tiny alley off one of the narrow streets. We ate the best local anchovies and other fish. After settling into bed with a full belly, the hotel creaked and rattled as if we were out on the open sea in an old wooden ship. I thought the wind would keep me up, but it actually lulled me into slumber, sleeping of pirates and mermaids…

The next morning we wandered around the town in search of the local anchovies. Maybe the cats will lead us to the stash? We couldn’t find any local catch, but did buy some from near by Roses. I don’t like anchovies, but Jason and Galya said they were amazing. I will take their word for it. It was an amazing road trip.

We ate like kings! Isabel made two wonderful paellas. The boys barbequed. We feasted.

We celebrated three birthdays…Joel, Adam, and Isabel. Rebecca baked some fantastic desserts.

We partied til the wee hours of the morning.

We drank ourselves silly. Does that bottle really have Joel’s name on it?

And then we rested.

El Roquer had everything one needed in a weekend getaway. We should go back….

More photos

I must apologize for the tardiness on this posting as this took place back in February. Bad blogger.

All of these photos came out looking really hazy. I am not sure if it was the camera or maybe just the night….

…and sorry for the delay on posting. February is as hazy as the photos.

The first…just outside the town of El Pont d’Armentera (where we soon would be returning for our feast of calçots). The ruins of the tiny village and castle of Selmella.

Next on to the region of Querol which is a hilly area near the river of Gaià. The castle of Saburella sits high on a hill looking over its once domain.

Along with the beautiful landscapes, we encountered a few unusual landmarks.

And now….for the food! We went to a great restaurant called – La Sort, and tried to get our fill of the calçots and the heaping plates of artichokes, beans, and grilled meat.

Add in drinking wine out of a communal porro and funny bibs for keeping romesco sauce off the clothes and you have the recipe for a good time. The use of a porro is an acquired talent, but lifts the act of drinking wine out of the hands of the snobbish and into those not afraid to wear their wine (at least for the amateur).

An excellent way to spend a Saturday!