Return To Barcelona, Again, 2017

So we were last in Barcelona, very briefly, in June, after storing Le Duc at the Caravan Center in Figueres and en route back to the States. This time, October 3-4, we were again passing through, en route to from Capetown/Dubai to Figueres, to pick up Le Duc and begin a seven week re-positioning drive to Rome. We arrived in the evening of the 3rd, spent the night at a mediocre little hostelen on Disputacion, but then the balance of the next day walking various sights in the great city before catching the train to Figueres. Even a few hours in Barcelona warrant bit of a tour.

The tapasization of the city continues apace;
pretty soon visitors will be able to buy them
from vending machines

Gaudi is still there

But also spreading

Line to get into Casa Battlo

We opted for second breakfast at the cafe at
Casa Amatlla

The election had just occurred and there were signs everywhere;
almost emerging disappointment and bitterness...

After rambling on La Rambla and stopping in at the mercado,
we thought we'd go for another jamon lesson at the Jamon
Experience

All sold out for the day...to cruise ships...the Cruisifixion of
Barcelona continues...

A second Amorino's has opened in Barcelona, perhaps two
blocks from the other one; after a sub-optimal experience in
California, we had to give it a try; what a difference a continent
makes!

Roman necroplis we'd missed before

The city pretty well covered, not only with Catalan flags, as
always, but with political banners...the dust and debris are still
in the air as I write

Fortunately, some things don't change too much or too quickly

Entrance to our hostelen 

Andorra To Figureres

The route to Spain and Figueres took us across another pass--not so steep as the previous one, and with a breath of cool air at the top--and then through scenic valleys, past Girona, and ultimately to Quart, where we would spend the night before proceeding on to Figueres. Storing Le Duc in Figueres would require another couple days of sorting, packing, and cleaning before the bus to Barcelona and the plane to San Francisco. We wound up in Quart because we had failed to appreciate the need for reservations at the campgrounds near Figueres. It was a national (Catalonia) holiday and a 4-day weekend, and very hot, and everything was completo. We paid the price.

Leaving Andorra; big-time ski resorts nearby

Another hill climb

Another beautiful Roman bridge

Down the road, another bridge and young people beating the
heat

And another big Medieval bridge

Gothic, no less

At Quart, the fireworks started at about dark and lasted until 3 in
the morning

Next morning view of the remains

En Route To Andorra

Andorra is a small nation situated in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Its history as such is an interesting curiosity, a monument to international agreement when nothing much is at stake. So far as we could tell, it consists of a mountain valley with steep sides, picturesque, if isolated. It stood between us and Figueres, and, most importantly for all concerned, it charges no sales tax. On anything. Gordon had said, if you're interested in cheap booze, not to mention other things, go to Andorra. So we did. There's only one road in from Spain, and only one road out, to France. Mountains either way. But worth the trip.

Again, for us, it's like the American southwest, except without
the open carry and the assholes

Top of the pass; only 2500 feet or so, but the grades were such we
had to stop three times to let our poor 1.7L turdo-diesel cool down

So we thought from the pass we would see Andorra and took a
whole  roll of pix of this town, which turned out to be in Spain

Andorra is off to the left, 20 miles or so

Romanesque Churches Of The Boi Valley, 2

Continuing our visit to the Boi Valley and its Romanesque churches and their murals...

Down the valley a bit, the third church, Sant Joan de Boi

Pretty touched up but the murals were very colorful and
interesting to look at

A lot of Revelations stuff here as well as the usual bestiary

Seven-headed bad guy(s)...

And, most interesting...the mural surrounding
the door...churches of this vintage would have
been painted on the outside as well as within

Environs

The fourth church, Santa Eulalia D'Erill da Vall, apparently had
no murals, so we moved on