Category: Europe and Africa Spring 2023

Barcelona to Madrid

Roger and Gayle ordered a taxi for 7:30am this morning to take them to the Barcelona airport. We had a wonderful time traveling with them and we’re sorry to see them go.

Roger and Gayle leaving.

We ordered a taxi for 8:30 to take us to the train station for our 10am train to Madrid. When we got into the taxi the driver said getting to Sants train station could be very difficult because today was the Barcelona marathon. We made it to less than a mile from the station but then there was no way to get to the station. We told the driver we would walk, got out and walked the last .7 of a mile. Along the way the marathon leaders ran by us.

The leaders in the Barcelona marathon.

When we got to the station I wasn’t sure how we would get across the course and the runners. But an old guy suggested we use the metro station and it worked!

The metro station we used to cross the marathon course.

We caught our high speed train to Madrid with no problem. And then walked to our Madrid hotel.

Walking to our hotel in Madrid
After resting a bit we enjoyed our complimentary welcome drinks.

For dinner we went out for tapas.

First tapas stop
Second tapas spot.

Aiguablava to Barcelona

Today we drove to Barcelona and turned in our rental car. After breakfast, but before we left the Parador of Aiguablava, Duke and I recorded his car review video. Aiguablava was so nice that we all agreed we would be very happy to go there again.

Getting to Barcelona was relatively easy but finding the car return place was a bit of a challenge because it had been moved since we were last in Barcelona. We had to drive around Sants train station a couple of times but eventually we completed the challenge.

We took a taxi to our hotel and then went for a walk along Las Ramblas and through the Gothic Quarter.

Bookstore we checked out
Prawns in La Boqueria market
Candy in the market
Walking along Las Ramblas

For dinner we went to Loura restaurant. We had a fabulous meal at Loura last time we were in Barcelona and our meal tonight was equally as good.

Roasted peppers and sangria to start
Duke’s octopus
My cheesecake. It is a house speciality

Roses to Parador de Aiguablava

This morning we had breakfast at our hotel and then drove to Salvatore Dali’s house and museum on the coast in Port Lligat.

First we visited the Garden.
The house is in a beautiful peaceful fishing village.

Next we toured the inside of the house. Originally it was a tiny fishing cottage but eventually Dali expanded it extensively.

Dali’s studio

From Port Lligat we drove to Aiguablava where we are staying.

That’s the Parador d’Aiguablava in the distance.

We have never stayed at this parador. It was closed for several years while they completely renovated it. It just reopened. we had a great dinner at the parador.

Duke’s rockfish
My strawberries flambé with vanilla ice cream.

Collioure, France to Roses, Spain

The place we stayed at in Collioure is one of my favorite places we have stayed on the trip. Hotel La Casa Pairal is right across the street from the harbor so after breakfast we went for a lovely walk along the water out past the castle.

This is Collioure harbor.

We drove the slower scenic route from Collioure, our last stop in France to Roses in Spain, where we are now.

The coast near the French Spanish border.

When we arrived at our hotel in Roses we had a picnic lunch. We still had a bottle of wine that we bought about a week ago. Roger quoted the proverb “Wine before beer never fear, beer before wine is fine.” Duke said “That’s from the Bible!” I about died laughing. In any case we drank the wine with lunch.

Picnic lunch
Mas Palou hotel Roses

About 6:30 we drove into Roses and walked along the waterfront. It was very windy. Although the temp was in the high fifties it felt cold.

Duke and Roger make friends wherever they go.

The restaurant we wanted to go to, Rom, opened at 7:45. We had a fabulous dinner

Amuse bouche – anchovy oreos and sangria bubbles.
Razor clam starter
Duke’s Hake

Lacabraede to Collioure

It was still raining when we woke up this morning. We found a boulangerie near our hotel and had coffee and pastries.

The Boulanger where we ate breakfast

We drove south almost to the Spanish border to the lovely seaside town of Collioure. Duke and I have been here before and loved it. Before we checked into the hotel we browsed in the bustling market next to the hotel. We bought and shared some brioche. The apple brioche was wonderful. It was full of crispy tasty apples

The breads looked fantastic.
Duke eating his apple brioche.

I’ve got the cold that Duke had a few days ago. So after we checked in I took a nap and Duke, Roger and Gayle explored Collioure. Then they played cards in the courtyard outside our room.

This is the courtyard at Hotel La Casa Pairal where we are staying.

We had dinner in a small little restaurant near our hotel, El Capillo. We talked to the chef and his wife who waited on us. There was great music in the background and it was a wonderful meal.

El Capillo where we ate dinner
At dinner. That’s the chef in the background.
My lamb
Really refreshing and tasty amuse bouche. A mixture of Rrspberry juice, beet juice, milk and lemon juice