Exploring Catalonia

Nothing says "Hello Catalonia!" like Montserrat.

The Monastery of Saint Miquel.

A large waterfall, just near the monastery.

So Winter has come and gone for another year. Christmas in Switzerland was an amazing time, but I was also happy to return to Catalonia. The snow in the mountains had melted, and Spring was starting to make promises that you just know will be kept. There was a hope in the air - I'd survived the 2nd Term at school and it was Easter holidays! Hallelujah! December to April is always the hardest part for teachers - no public holidays to give you a long weekend (or 'puente' here, meaning 'bridge'), the kids know it's long and the weather is getting better too, so they just want to be outside. It's hard, really hard, but the weather also helps - your afternoon classes don't need the lights on, from the window of your evening classes you can see the sun setting and are no longer going home in the dark. The weather can also be a real downer - walking to work in the sun, feeling the warmth on your skin and your smile gets bigger, until you see people sitting in the square enjoying beer and tapas, and you have just started your day teaching kids. Sometimes I think people in this country do nothing but eat, drink, smoke and be merry - nobody seems to be working! So, anyway, it's Easter holiday time and time to decide where to go for holidays!

Sant Miquel del Fai - tucked into the cliffside.

The beautiful countryside of Catalonia.

The cross of San Miquel.

An ancient bell.

I'd been looking months before for flights, tossing up the idea of Rome, Prague or even somewhere in Morocco for a week, but flights at this time are quite expensive. Even though I have friends in cities all around Europe, the flights were too much, so I decided to stay local and see more of Catalonia. This year marks 10 years since I first moved here - time flies. Although I've left and come back, in total it's nearly 5 years here, and there is still so much I haven't seen, or want to see again. So I made a list, worked out how to get there, and off I went! The first place I visited was the Monastery of Sant Miquel del Fai. Situated near Manressa, a city not far from Sabadell and Terrassa, and the wonderful 'Magic Mountain' of Montserrat, it was a pleasant drive to get there, windy roads, views of the red countryside that is the Valles Oxidental. The monastery is a 11th Century Benedictine built in the Romanic style, and was declared a 'Spanish Property of Interest' in 1988. You can see it hanging right on the edge of the cliff as you follow the road, which also offers wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. Leaving your car, you cross a small stone bridge and then follow the granite canals which bring water into the monastery along the walls. The chapel is quite impressive - it's built in the rock itself, it's a little dark but refreshingly cool. This is the oldest part of the site, 11th century, and is the Chapel of Sant Miquel. Here there is very little decoration, but the architecture is beautiful with it's stone arches over the alter. You can also find a very valuable artefact, the 'Cross of the Fai,' a large silver cross with the Saint himself on it. Walking past the 15th Century priory house, you go under a small waterfall and past the pond that it fills, and going under another, much larger waterfall, you eventually come to the small Marti Chapel, also from the 11th Century.

Inside the monastery.

The 11th century chapel of Marti.

The walls that remain around Caldes.

The Lion Fountain - constant 74c water.

Although all this isn't terribly exciting, it was a lovely half-day trip and nice and relaxing too - sun, fresh air, beautiful scenery and no children - so much better than working! On the way home, I decided to stop in a place called Caldes de Montbui. It's nothing special - a typical Spanish mid-sized town, apartment buildings, cafes and bars - but one thing sets it apart and makes it special. The fact that the Romans were here is what changes this place from an unimportant name on the map to a place worth visiting. I parked just outside the city by the river and walked along the path between the river and the remains of the Medieval walls towards the centre. The town is famous now for it's thermal baths, built by the Romans, which also used to be part of an ancient hospital. Although they were closed when I visited, for repairs it seemed, I could still see a part of the bathhouse and even though there were no tiles or mosaics left, it was easy to imagine people coming here to soak in the waters under the large vaulted ceiling. Across from the baths there is the "Lion" fountain - a 15th Century construction (later remodelled in 1822) which pours out thermal water at a steady 74c. In the 1920s it was found that the water had medicinal properties, due to the high concentration of chlorine, sodium, lithium, bromine and iodine. I stuck my hand in the water (unfortunately before reading the sign where it stated how hot the water is) and got a bit of a shock at the temperature - apart from the heat you can clearly smell the minerals, something like a rotten egg, but supposedly able to cure several diseases, including some skin, bone and respiratory ails. Apart from these two attractions, the town doesn't have very much else to offer, even though it is a nice little place.

No mosaics, but still very well preserved for being more than 1800 years old.

2nd Century Roman baths in Caldes.

They are very independent here.

Vic and it's Catalan traditions.

The next day took me up North to the city of Vic - the capital of the Osona Comarca. The city is a very important city, being smack back between Girona and Barcelona - 60kms and 69kms away respectively. It was called 'Ausa' by the Romans, 'Ausona' by the Visigoths and sewage caps around the city read 'Vich,' but the 'h' has been dropped and is pronounced 'Bic.' The city has grown a lot since it's founding - it had 9,500 in the early 20th Century but now boasts 40,000. It also hosted the Roller-Hockey competition in the '92 Barcelona Olympics. It may have changed and grown, but it's Roman roots are still here. In the centre of the old town, a 2nd Century Roman temple still stands - it was only found in 1882 by construction workers who were tearing down the old 11th Century castle of els Montcada. Although the portico has been rebuilt (from the ruins that were found), the rest is original - something I find absolutely amazing. Spain is a wonderful place for finding Roman remains in well- preserved conditions, more so than Italy I've found. Why you ask, when Italy is the home of the Romans. This could be the reason actually - the fact that the whole country lies on top of another civilisation from 2 millennia ago, ruins sticking up from the ground, marble and stone taken for buildings 500 years ago, I think Italy is just so full of ruins that their importance is made slightly less. Spain on the other hand doesn't have as much and so treasure them as part of it's colourful history and culture - not just for tourist dollars. If you want to see Roman buildings and ruins in Spain, Tarragona is a great place to visit - and only just over an hour south of Barcelona too.

Vic and one of it's many chimneys - not used now but they stand as a symbol of the city's past.

Inside Vic Cathedral.

Vic is known for it's "fuet."

One of many interesting doorways in Vic.

Vic has had a difficult past, being conquered and re-conquered a few times. In 826 the city fell into the hands of the Moors but was finally recaptured by the Count of Barcelona, Wilfred the Hairy. Wilfred, Guifré el Pilós in Catalan, was a very busy man, possibly too busy to shave (hence the name?), as he was the Count of Urgell (from 870), Cerdanya (from 870), Barcelona (from 878), Girona (from 878, as Wilfred II), Besalú (from 878) and Ausona (from 886). Before his death in 897, he was responsible for the re-population of the 'no-man's land' around Vic with the refugees from the mountains, people who had fled the Visigoths. He also founded the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, a beautiful Benedictine church, built in the Romanesque style, in the city of Ripoll (where he now rests). Apart from the Cathedral in Vic, a church that is a mixture of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassic styles, the main square is a must to see. Normally filled with the famous Vic markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the huge Plaça Major has been in used for this purpose since the late 9th Century and really is something to see - a large, open space ringed by gorgeous houses, cafes and restaurants. This square shows the quintessential Catalan life - a beer and some 'pa amb tomaquet' in the sun, talking with friends, kids running around and playing, just relaxing and chilling - no worries in the World. Come Saturday though, it's hectic! The square is filled with the markets, people selling things from hippie tie-dye clothes, shoes and underwear to pots and pans, food and fresh vegetables - and whatever else you can think of - it's a great experience.

The 2nd Century Roman Temple in Vic.

Vic Cathedral.

A map of old Vic.

The old building in Vic are everywhere.

All of these places are very close to each other and Barcelona - Catalonia is a very handy little country for travelling. It's a shame that a lot of the roads have tolls on them, but there are some that don't, and those are far more interesting to drive on, albeit a little slower. There are cities, beaches, mountains, small towns and hidden valleys everywhere. May actually marks my 10th anniversary since I arrived here for the first time way back in 2007. I've only lived here for 5 years of those 10 (compared to 1.5 in Australia), but I've tried to see and do as much as I can - cities, nature as well as food and drink. I've been privileged to have lived in Cardedeu, a wonderful village that will always remain close to my heart. This year I've been living in Sabadell, Catalonia's 3rd most populous city and only 25 mins away from Barcelona, close to dear friends and from here we've hiked many a mountain and climbed several too. I've done my fair share of travelling here too, and using Barcelona as a base of operations, getting the chance to see Spain, Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, The Czech Republic and quite a few more places, all within a quick flight or a handful of hours driving. There is so much to see in Europe that I've missed so far, apart from the small places, there are big places to see such as Croatia and Greece, which will remain on my wish list. For now, however, I'm here and trying to soak up as much of this wonderful country as I can - for who knows what the future holds and where I'll be next! The future is always bright when there are wondrous opportunities just around the corner - whether you can see them or not! Don't look back - just keep swimming!

The beautiful buildings and cute cafe's of Plaça Major.

Plaça Major on a non-market day.