The City Life

The view of Cardona - an impressive fortress in Catalonia.

A statue with the emblem of the town.

The back streets of Cardona.

Although I now feel that I'm more of a 'country person,' I still enjoy cities and what they have to offer. I love any city with medieval walls, a castle or cathedral - some wonderful cities come to mind, such as York and Chester in England, and Carcassonne in France. Spain and Catalonia have their fair share of castles and walls too, and the next place on my list to visit has a very impressive castle. The Medieval town of Cardona, located 90kms away from Barcelona and abut 20kms from Manresa, isn't exactly on top of the list for most foreign tourists, but it's quite a popular spot for domestic tourists. How do I find these places? Some are recommendations by friends, others I get taken there, but some I actually find completely by accident. Cardona was a somewhere a friend had told me I needed to go - I'm a fan of castles and city walls, history, and taking photos, so she said it was a must. I'd been wanting to come here for some time and now - with Easter holidays, now was the time. Coming off the highway and up the small road into town, I got the view of the castle - I was so impressed that I stopped right there in the middle of the road and pulled out my camera for a quick snap. Driving right past the castle to my left, the town on my right, I found a parking spot and headed in. The town, although not as beautiful as some Catalan towns, like Camprodon, has it's own charm - steep, cobbled alleys leading to cute houses with gardens that had views of the surrounding countryside and castle. I wandered these little streets, enjoying the peace of them, some houses were in disrepair and looked ready to fall, but I knew that they'd been standing for decades if not centuries, and weren't going anywhere.  I got my uninterrupted view of the castle and some photos, then headed back down through the main parts of the city.

Inside the Església de Sant Miquel.

The view of the town from the castle.

The imposing fortress that is Cardona.

Not quite historically accurate.

With only a population of 5,000 it can't really be called a city, but then it doesn't have a village feel about it either. The actual town isn't that big, sitting on the side of a hill, a huge salt mine close by (that has been mined since Roman times), but the thing that changes this place is the imposing castle. I walked up the steep path which zig-zagged it's way up, past huge the huge stone walls of the keep, more corners going around the defence system and finally up to the main entrance - quite a walk, but imagine trying to take the castle by force while being fired upon?  On the steep climb up I came across a couple dressed up in time-appropriate clothing, but clearly on a break as both were walking along eyes glued to their smartphones. I decided to go on a tour, as this is the only way of getting to see inside the Church of Sant Vicenç, the Romaneque church inside the castle itself. I don't normally do these tours, especially not in another language, but I figured 'what the hell.' If I'm here I might as well see the most that I can - you never know if you'll have the chance to come back to a place or not, no matter how close it is.

The Torre de Minyona.

A Cardona Duke.

The crypt.

Inside the Church of Sant Vicenç.

The tour guide talked far too much and bored me immensely, but it served it's purpose and I got in. In the entryway, just before walking though the large wooden doors, are paintings dating from the mid-12th Century, showing the image of Christ in Majesty, surrounded byt smaller depictions of various religious scenes including The Assumption, The Glorfication of Mary and the Flagellation of Christ. There are more paintings, from the 14th Century, showing the defence of Girona, a siege during the French Crusade against the Crown of Aragon in 1285. Once inside, the ceiling lifts up to an almost impossible height, columns reaching for the sky and light seeping in, making me lift my head and open my mouth in wonder. Although not heavily decorated, in fact the walls are basically bare apart from two tombs of marble at the far end as well as a large crucifix hanging over the altar. Staying a step ahead of the pack of tourists listening to the guide waffle on, I managed to appreciate everything in peace, taking photos when I wanted (without people in the way), and I was able to go where I wanted when I wanted, not shuffling around like a sheep. I saw the crypt (without being squeezed in with the rest), and was able to read the inscriptions on the two tombs without the guide chattering on. Once outside, we went up to the Torre de Minyona, the round defensive tower in the castle. This tower was built when the castle was first built by Wilfred the Hairy in the 12th Century, as was later upgraded to support cannons, a second wall being added to absorb shock and protect the explosive within. During the War of Succession (1702 - 1715), the battle which tore through Europe after the death of Charles II, the castle was one of the last Spanish positions to surrender, and only did so after the defeat of Barcelona in 1705.

The impressive Cardona Castle.

A painted scene showing the siege of Girona.

Kiss it's bum for good luck!

The Xics de Granollers in Girona.

Next on my list of cities to visit was Girona. This is a city that I've visited many times and every single time I've thoroughly enjoyed it. This time was a little different however, as there were two special events happening. Castells are a great Catalan tradition and cultural event, and I'm sure I've mentioned them before, but today the teams were performing in Girona - a great city and a great event! One thing I like about this city is the ease of access - the train stops just across the river from the centre, and there is also free parking 2 minutes walk away from the first bridge that lets you into the city - and it's free (if you can find a space!). Starting from the North of the city and the car park, you cross a wooden-planked bridge over the Onyar River and you get a great view of Basílica de Sant Feliu standing tall over the city, white and beautiful bell tower reaching for the sky. You may be mistaken and this that this is the cathedral, but that is around the corner, not immediately visible from the river. In this square there is the La Lleona, The Lioness, sometimes called the Cul de la Lleona, the bum of the lioness. It's a little bronze sculpture of a lion-like creature, the face looking a little like a man's, holding on to a stone pillar. Dating from the 12th Century, it has a little story and mystery about it - the plaque next to it says that if you kiss the bum of the lioness, you will get the 'compliance and respect of the city.' It's now a stop on the tourist trail and people line up to kiss it's arse, posing for a photo at the same time. I've kissed it before and once is enough thank you - no need to push my luck with hygiene!

The doorway to Girona Cathedral.

Chilling at the Cathedral, waiting for the rain to stop.

Let's get out heads in the way of the beautiful background!

This was THE sport for selfies today.

As I mentioned before, I'd been to Girona on several occasions, but never had I walked along the city walls. Today was the day. I watched the Castellers do their thing (and what a thing it is!), had a quick snack while a light shower washed over the city, then hit the streets in search of the entrance to the wall walk. The second special thing that was happening in the city today was the 'Temps de Flors,' the local Girona Flower Festival. During this time the city is covered in colourful flowers and other decorations, but all related to colour and life. The city was full of people, enjoying the festival, but also enjoying themselves and taking selfies everywhere, that fake smile while you try and get the framing right and touch the screen for the picture. It was a little difficult to avoid this photo-fest of faces, but I managed to get away from the main pedestrian ways and find the way up to the wall, something most people were less inclined to do as it involved stairs and walking. From these huge walls, more than 15m tall in some parts I would reckon, you are able to get a great view of the city. Girona was lived in by the Iberians until the Romans came over and built a citadel here in the first century, along with the first walls. The city has since been besieged 25 times and was captured 7 times. The French did most of that it seems - the city was attacked in 1653, 1684, and twice in 1694. In 1809 is was again surrounded and besieged by Napoleonic forces for 7 months and only surrendered due to disease and famine, and remained under French control until 1813. There is a memorial in Plaça de la Independència dedicated to all of the defenders in the siege of 1809, the square is encircled by beautiful neo-classical buildings with bars and restaurants supplying the city and it's visitors with local treats. The city now boasts nearly 100,000 residents and is the capital city of the Province of Girona - a wonderful city, full of restaurants, history, culture - I've always said that I could easily live here!

The back of Girona Cathedral.

The view of the Old Town of Girona from the walls.

Chimneys are visible all around the city.

Sabadell's chimneys - a reminder of it's past.

Now to mention the last city on my list - this one I have been living in for the past 9 months though. Sabadell is the second largest city in the 'Comarca' of the Valles Oxidental, just 20kms from Barcelona. A comarca is a group of cities forming an area for local Government and law, much like a County in England - in fact, in the Spanish translation of J.R.R Tolkien's books, 'The Shire' (where  Frodo and Bilbo lived) was called 'La Comarca.' A small Roman settlement called Arragone was built just on the river where the La Salud church now stands, but by the Middle Ages another town sprung up on the other side of the river Ripoll, this one called Sabadell. By the mid 14th Century it had 600 people, and by the 16th Century it had outgrown it's city wall, some of which you can still see today around the centre of the city, including some very interesting remains inside the Bank Sabadell office in the main square. What really got this city on the map was the wool and textile industry in the 18th and 19th Century, aided by the first railroad in 1856, and was dubbed a city in 1877 with around 23,000 people. Alongside it's arch nemesis Terrassa, a city just a few kilometres away, Sabadell grew to be a textile powerhouse, producing the best fabric in Spain and shipping them worldwide. By the early 1900s, Sabadell's population had multiplied by eight, and the 'Modernisme' movement had it's effect here too, not just in Barcelona. I've always though of Sabadell as a little Barcelona - less people, not as big or busy, but still with touches Gaudi-style buildings, stone churches and remains from a time far gone. The "West Side Story" rivalry between the Sabadell and Terrassa still exists, even though the textile and metal industries are pretty much dead - there are some popular sayings by the locals which I find quite funny: "Sabadell mala pell" (Sabadell bad skin) and "Terrassa mala raça" (Terrassa bad race).

Rooftops.

The church and city hall in Sabadell.

Look up and be surprised.

The 'Modernist' Water Tower

Today Sabadell is still a busy business city, being close to Barcelona by motorway and train link, but it's industrial past is still visible in the numerous chimneys sticking up around the city. In fact, it's so close to the Catalan capital that if it weren't for the hills on the bigger cities outskirts, Sabadell would have been swallowed up by urban sprawl long ago. It's a handy location, close to many things, not just Barcelona. La Mola is a mountain in the Sant Llorenç del Munt National Park, visible from both Terrassa and Sabadell, and a popular spot for some light hiking - families walk up here on Sunday to the 11th Century Monastery to enjoy the view and sometimes even have lunch at the (very expensive) restaurant. The Torre de l'Aigua (Water Tower) is a famous landmark in the city - built in the 20s to bring water to Sabadell, it was in use between 1922 and 1967, and it is considered one of the 100 "Elements of the Industrial Heritage of Catalonia," due to it's Modernist construction. The main reason for construction was the shortage of water at the time due to the booming textile industry, and something to note is that it was one of the first buildings in the area to use reinforced concrete. There are a few Modernist building scattered around the city too, but you have to hunt a little to find them - Sabadell has many little secrets. I still enjoy walking the streets and looking up - most people don't bother as they live here and don't think Sabadell is much compared to Barcelona, but I like it. You have to enjoy what you have, appreciate the small things, and stop complaining - things are brighter and better than you think most of the time, there is usually a silver lining to things if you really look.

Sabadell on a beautiful day.

Sunset of the rooftops of Sabadell.

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.