The Village Life

The Cathedral tower in Ripoll.

Crossing Pont Nou in Camprodon.

Camprodon.

Not travelling by plane this Easter gave me the chance to see more around where I'm living. Some places I'd been to before, and others were new, even though they were just around the corner from me for years - Caldes for example. Sometimes it's the places closest to you that you miss, opting for the further away, harder to get to, more exotic places first. There's nothing wrong with that, but I'm a firm believer in seeing your own backyard a little first before you start checking out the neighbour's. I've done a bit of travelling myself, both in my own country and abroad, but never truly explored Australia like I should - something that I aim to fix one day. I've always made fun of English people who've never visited their capital city, saying that they hate it even before they've seen it, or people from the South of England never going to Scotland or even Wales, only a few hours drive away on their little island. While I'm here though, I feel I need to get out and explore my second home some more. I'd enjoyed my day trips to San Miquel del Fai and Vic - the former was a first time visit and latter was more of a revisit, as I'd been to Vic before but never truly explored it in depth. Next on my list was also a revisit, but one that I would never say no to visiting - it will always be very special in my heart and my camera will always be ready to capture a new angle of a favourite place.

Pont Nou (New Bridge) in Camprodon - a truly spectacular bridge.

View from the New Bridge.

'Pont Nou.'

The stone archway into the city.

The town of Camprodon, way up north near Ripoll and the Pyrenees, will always be a magical place for me. I've been here in Winter, when it is absolutely freezing, and also Spring and Autumn when the countryside is full of colour, but I love it every time. Located 120kms from Barcelona and 75 from Girona, it isn't really close to the big cities and takes a while to get there - but it's worth it. The town started with just a monastery, the monastery of Sant Pere de Camprodon, a 10th century church, but was granted market rights in 1118. In 1252, Camprodon was granted the title of royal city and left the jurisdiction of the abbot of Sant Pere and became it's own boss. While still small to this day, with only 2,500 people living there, the town is very popular with tourists and gets very busy. The thing that stands out in this town, and is the biggest tourist attraction, is the bridge. Built in the 13th Century, most likely around the time the town was granted the title of a 'Royal City,' it's an impressive, stone arch bridge that spans the river that runs past the town, the River Ter. The bridge is a typical style from this time in Catalonia, you can see many around, including one not far from here in San Joan de les Abadeses, and they are typically called "ponts del diables," or Devil's Bridges. They aren't flat - both ends reach up at quite a sharp angle for a bridge and meet at the peak of the bridge, right in the middle. The bridge here in Camprodon is called 'Pont Nou,' or 'New Bridge,' even thought it's nearly 700 years old - it's had a difficult history too. Even though it's called the 'Roman Bridge,' construction started in 1315 - it was restored in 1362 only to be damaged in 1428 by an earthquake, and nearly completely destroyed in Catalonian Civil War. The bridge you see today is a reconstruction of the original, but still impressive.

The colourful houses on the canal - Girona in miniature.

The Església de Santa Maria de Camprodon.

Santa Maria de Camprodon.

Camprodon's streets.

Apart from the bridge, the town is lovely, small cobbled streets, cute little shops, cafes and bars and a canal running through the centre too. Walking along this canal, you get to see some very colourful houses hanging over the water, much like Girona but on a smaller scale. It was getting around lunch time, and although I'd packed my lunch, I was feeling like a beer by the river with a view of the bridge. Sadly, today was Sunday, and so the supermarkets were all closed - I had to resort to an expensive take-away from a bar to take back. While searching for the elusive beer, I got a chance to enjoy the town again. The Església de Santa Maria de Camprodon is a beautiful stone church, built in around 1013 and further enlarged in 1096, is is now part of the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia. I walked in and was greeting by silence - the way a church should be. The inside was not heavily decorated, instead it was stark stone with arches on the ceiling which were plastered white. Simple, yet polished, wooden benches sat in the church, facing the altar which had a large, gold 'crown' hanging over it - the only gold in the place. Although small in size, it was lovely. I found a bar which would let me get a takeaway and headed back to the river, along the way passing by some grand old houses on the edge of town. I sat down under the road bridge, on the river, had my lunch and chilled out with the view of one of my favourite bridges. It's hard to choose my favourite, you have the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Millau Viaduct in France (the tallest bridge in The World - wow!), Tower Bridge in London, The Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome, Charles's Bridge in Prague and so many more, but I really enjoy this simple stone archway. After lunch it was time to head home, but head home happy - I just love this place, it's worth the drive every time!

A beautiful bridge - I love Camprodon.

The fields around Cardedeu - just beautiful!

Sant Esteve d'Alcoll.

Cardedeu's church.

This year marks a very special anniversary for me too - apart from being back for 1 year now, it's actually 10 years since I first came to Catalonia! I've moved in and out, between Australia, here and a few other places over the years, but I've lived here for 5 years and I've loved it. I truly feel at home here, with the people, weather, food and the very relaxed outlook on life. When I first moved here, I didn't go straight to Barcelona, didn't live in a city - I moved to Cardedeu. It was circumstances, I didn't choose Cardedeu (at first), but that's often the best way. Now I have come to love this village, for it's people and traditions, it's architectural and natural beauty - I will always feel at home here. I had some time off over Easter so decided to visit and do some walking around the fields like I used to when I lived here. Every time the train pulls up at the station my heart skips a beat and a tear comes to my eye - "I'm home," my heart tells me, my eyes backing up that feeling. The village has just over 18,000 people, so maybe I shouldn't call it a village, maybe more like a small town, but it will always be a village to me - I know the people, the buildings, the streets, and they know me. The name 'Cardedeu' was first mentioned in the 10th Century, and became popular during the 20th for residents of Barcelona escaping the city for the weekend. In fact, a lot of Barcelonians still have houses here and come for the weekend, although in my opinion these are not the true gen del poplar (people of the village), just visitors with money and big cars. A good thing about this though are their houses - beautiful, Modernist mansions that can be found all around Cardedeu, adding that something extra to it's already cute charm.

Cardedeu!

The Torre del Moro.

The thistle is the symbol of Cardedeu.

Today I wasn't walking around the centre looking at the buildings, I was more here to walk in the countryside that surrounds the village. Cardedeu is wedged between the mountains that sit just off the coast, the Montnegre Corredor mountains, and Montseny. The Montseny National Park is over 31,000 heactares and is Catalonia's oldest as well most important, as it has 3 biomes (or bioclimactic lansdcapes) the Mediterranean, the Euro-Siberian and Boreoalpino. It's here that you can pick Castanyas (chestnuts) in Autumn for the Castanyada festival (Halloween) and also find Cork Oaks, the tree that wine bottle corks are made from. But today I was walking up to the Torre del Moro to get a view of the area. I've climbed it before, it's fun and is usually quite busy with walkers and mountain bikers too. The tower base dates from the 2nd Century BC and has been modified over the centuries - the top was built in the 20th Century and the tower completely restored for visitors in the last 10 years. Today, being a working day, it happened to be closed, so I couldn't ascend and get my view - but I wasn't too disheartened and walked back down - a different way to the path I followed up, by accident, but it's always more interesting that way! I was happy with the view of Cardedeu and Montseny from Sant Esteve d'Alcoll, a little church on the hill above the village - a clear sunny day, how could you not? I walked around the fields that surround Cardedeu, taking in the sights and smells of the countryside - I find this place, with the fields, farms and hills, extremely relaxing and refreshing - like a 'reset' button, where my mind is at peace and my soul at rest.

The green fields of Cardedeu.

Cardedeu and it's green fields - with Montseny always in view.

Cardedeu - green and lush.

Cardedeu

When I lived here I would often just go for a walk - 5 minutes and I'd be away from the houses and streets and into the fields and forests, maybe on a Sunday afternoon, to refresh, relax and prepare mentally for work on Monday. I miss the view of Montseny from my living room, I miss the people sitting in the square talking and drinking, so many things - but missing them is a good thing as that means they are special to you. Today was a casual walk up to and around the old church of Sant Hilari, a place where the village gather in February to have a huge communal barbecue, in Winter mind you, but it's always sunny and a great day. There are a few farm houses in the area, some people are actually farmers, others just have a house in the country, maybe with a few horses, but always dogs. The seasons here are very distinct - I love seeing the crops grow, the wheat growing ever taller and taller, the trees and grass becoming almost so green you wouldn't believe it, and then harvest time, autumn, colours change, temperature cools and then it all starts again - and always a good season for a walk. I saw a few people I knew, also having a Sunday stroll in the hills, and it's always nice to see them and have a quick chat - it's like I'd never left the village really. As much as I was enjoying my walk, I could see the clouds moving in over the ever present Montseny mountain, thunder rumbling, so it was time to head back to the village for a beer. My weather sense and timing was spot on - the storm rumbled in just as I was sitting down to a beer. With a quick downpour to cool off the barmy April afternoon, the rain moved on and the village came back to life. Sundays are 'dead days' anywhere in this country, especially in a village where everything is usually closed, but here at around 5pm bars open and people come out into the centre, children are left to run free with other kids while their parents eat, drink and smoke (which I call 'Spanish babysitting'), and a village turns from a ghost town to a hive of activity. I love the village life.

Crops growing under the sun.

Cardedeu from Sant Esteve d'Alcoll.

Sunday streets in Sant Antoni.

A village church.

Sant Antoni is a village not far from Cardedeu, and a pretty little place too. I have a friend living there at the moment, so I decided to visit. We had lunch at a bar in town, one that is always busy - it has pernil (Iberic ham) hanging up from the ceiling, a hub-bub of conversation and laughter, the service is quick and friendly and it's far too easy to just stay and have more tapas and Estrella (Barcelona's beer). Chocos are always great to have, fried cuttlefish in batter, bravas are always a favourite and you have to have 'pa amb tomaquet,' which is a Catalan tradition. Bread with garlic and tomato rubbed on it, then drizzled with oil and sprinkled with salt, it's devine if done right. It used to be a peasant's dish, used to soften old bread, but now it's very trendy, and often served in a paper bag and a bowl of your own tomato, so you can do your own. I don't like the fancy part of it, it's a simple dish that should remain that way, but I like being able to slop on as much tomato as you want (and I usually add Tobasco if they have it!). Walking around St Antoni is much like Cardedeu - fields and farms, open spaces and fresh air. On Sunday they have a local market, and that can get quite busy, as it's one of the biggest in the area - they sell clothes, electronics, shoes, delicious food, including pollo a'last (rotisserie chicken), as well as fresh fruit and veg from the local farmers. We left town and heading out into the green fields - many people go for small walks here, some families ride their bikes together, but it's always peaceful and good for you. Living in a city has it's benefits - infrastructure, amenities, bars and pubs, the cinema and theatre, but I think the benefits of the village life far out way what some people called 'negatives.' I don't need a shopping centre next to my house, parking problems, noise and parties, bars open till 3am and tourists blocking the streets - those I can go and get that anytime I want in Barcelona. I want where I live to be the opposite. Horses for courses, but I know where I enjoy living.

The green fields and mountains of Sant Antoni de Villamajor.

Montseny seen from Sant Antoni.