For Americans who are accustomed to our vast nation, where most states are larger than any country in Europe, crossing the boarders in Europe never ceases to amaze. A three hour drive, from Toulouse to Barcelona, brings one to observe a sharp transition: rolling, green, lush hills turn into dry, ferrous lands, and the languages on signs changes in the blink of an eye.
This week I took advantage of my proximity here in Europe to make a quick visit to Catalonia. Catalonia is the northeastern extremity of Spain. It extends west roughly half the length of the southern French boarder, and is home to a long costal region known as costa brava. Crossing into the Spain from Toulouse is approximately a two hour drive.
To enter Catalonia, I drove from Toulouse to the French coastal city of Perpignan, and then down the coast to Barcelona. The drive was fast and convenient, but no where near as stunning as my return drive, when I chose the route through inland Catalonia, entering France nearly at Andorra. This ride was worth every minute of the 4 hours. Immediately outside of Barcelona the dry hills jut out of the earth. At the start, they are covered in vineyards. Further along, nearing Manresa, the views become spectacular. Grey, streaky, canyon-esque peaks soared into the sky, dotted with green shrubs. The landscape was bizarre, and completely fascinating. At times the road winded close to red staggering cliffs, and gradually we climbed into the high Pyrenees. Like most mountain ranges, there is a sharp difference in climate, vegetation, and landscape from one side to the other, known as the rain shadow effect. The Spanish side is dry and stark, with coniferous trees or short shrubs, while the French side is lush and green and generally much cooler.
An excursion into this region is fantastic and diverse: with one of the biggest and most vibrant cities in the world, a long coast line, and an inland filled with vineyards growing Cava (a sparkling wine), a dry white wine, and strong, dark reds.
The city of Barcelona was truly spectacular, and tangibly bursting with all of the creative energies for which it is renown.
Below is my favorite building that I saw in Barcelona, Gaudi's The Sagrada Familia church, which was begun in 1882 and is still under construction. Yes, at times Gaudi's style is too saccharine for me and, in fact, I was not particularly thrilled to see any of his works, having never been attracted to them from the photos I had seen. Entering the Sagrada Familia is a different story. One must. It is a truly unique building, with soaring tree-like columns, colored by the reflections of vibrant multi-colored stained-glass, or the reflections of the white light streaming through clear, venetian glass. It feels remarkably light and open.
Following a long day of sightseeing in Barcelona (still with much unseen!), we spent the next day relaxing in the seaside resort town of Sitges. Sitges is a great place for families looking for a break from the bustle of Barcelona, with its long stretch of beach and manageable small town. It is also known for it's vibrant nightlight, particularly in it's gay discotechs. The beach or the town is not particularly remarkable in and of itself, having the feeling of most any resort town. We ate in one of the many restaurants lining the beach, which was fine, but did not serve anything outstanding.
Catalonia blew me away with it's stark, rugged beauty, and Barcelona's vibrant, creativity. It is a region I will be exploring more of, especially in the food department, where, sadly, I found myself rather disappointed. There's lots more meat (like the Jamon Iberico pictured below), Catalonian modern cuisine, and tapas to be eaten here!
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