On the way back

Short Spanish trips, Tue, 25 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City, Temple in Europe, Spain

On the way back to Barca, we popped in to two towns: the tiny Ripoll and the bigger Vic. Ripoll has another Romanesque monastery in it, but we arrived there at a wrong time – closed for siesta. We thought …

Volcanic

Short Spanish trips, Tue, 25 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain in Europe, Spain

Today started with something different – a volcanic park. The volcanos are naturally crazy old, so now it’s really just a piece of very fertile and densely overgrown land with an interesting topography and lots of nature walks. On the …

Back to Middle Ages

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 24 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City in Europe, Spain

From Girona, we drove back North to Besalú – a beautiful town with a fully preserved Medieval centre and an amazing bridge leading to it. It’s really small, but extremely cute. We strolled about for a couple hours, taking in …

Girona

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 24 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City in Europe, Spain

We arrived to Girona from the sexy sculpture park. We found a nice bar where I could take a work call, had some tapas, and moved on with the sightseeing. The cathedral was closed, unfortunately, but w saw really nice …

Sexy sculptures

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 24 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Park in Europe, Spain

The sculpture park turned out to be more than we expected. We didn’t wake up in the best moods, but the park certainly helped. Past the automated gate, the first sculptures seemed pretty wacky – heads in the grass, prehistoric-style …

Paid lake

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 23 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Lake in Europe, Spain

There is green in Spain! And real forests! We were quite shocked, to be honest. Actual verdant green trees and grass – didn’t think that was a thing here. But near Banyoles it is. This smallish lake is the largest …

Lighthouse at the end of the country

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 23 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

Cadaqués is not far from the end of the Cap de Creus, ande at the end there is a lighthouse. Because of course there is. The drive was super picturesque, but it seems that more people had the same idea …

Pretty but pricey

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 23 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

Our first stop to the day is Cadaqués, a beautiful seaside village that is quite touristy, but very charming. Very unlike Empuriabrava – it’s all hills and little streets, a cute small harbour, a few small beaches. We failed to …

Bedroom with a view

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 23 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain in Europe, Spain

Last night we thought we’ll drive up all the way to Cadaques to spend the night, but got distracted by what looked like an observatory on the hills on the way. We turned to drive up there, but it turned …

Nuvorish Paradise

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 22 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

After Figures, we wanted to had to the beach, but decided to visit a seaside town that looked really interesting in the map. Empuriabrava just like like a ribcage of canals. Turns out, it’s a town made up of interchangeable …

Figueres

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 22 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City, Museum in Europe, Spain

We set of from Barca on Friday evening, and slept at a parking lot in a village outside Figueres so we can go to town early next day. The night was hard – it was super hot and stuffy, and …

Working high up

Short Spanish trips, Wed, 19 Aug 20
Simon at a Castle in Europe, Spain

I set of four a couple days of work from the van. I didn’t set out until early afternoon, as I had a couple important calls in the morning. I headed South of Barcelona, but my intended destination, Coca Vermella, …

Tarraco

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 16 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City, Ruins/Excavation, Temple, UNESCO site in Europe, Spain

Cenral MarketForumForumTheatreCircusCircusAmphitheatre The Baron is just small enough to fit into the underground car parks, but sometimes it is really ‘just’. This time, poor Baron got his back scratched a little, and was not happy. Parked, we moved to town …

Random sea view

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 15 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain in Europe, Spain

Random finds are the best. We were on the road to Tarragona, looking for a place to park for the night. We drove off the road towards the hills, climbing up a windy road and considering various spots, when a …

Walled in the middle ages

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 15 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City in Europe, Spain

On our way from the Poblet Monastery to Tarragona we popped in to Montblanc, a picturesque town with largely intact medieval walls. Naturally, grown way beyond those walls since, but didn’t demolish them – they’re either free standing, or made …

A More Listed Monastery

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 15 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Temple, UNESCO site in Europe, Spain

We started the trip quite late, following a Polish drinking party the previous night. Too much alcohol we brought from Poland, needed to go. So we only really left after noon. Luckily, the Poblet Monastery only opens at 3pm for …

Colònia Güell

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 09 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a City, Temple in Europe, Spain

Sunset and Sunrise in Montserrat

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 01 Aug 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain, Temple in Europe, Spain

1 August 2020 Santa Cecilia monasteryThe Monstrosity of MontserratThe Monastery of MontserratThe miraculous figureErmita de Sant BenetSant JeroniSant JeroniSant JeroniGoat! The day didn’t start well. When we finally left Barca, it was not in the best moods. It’s good we …

Very naked

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 19 Jul 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

Tossa de Mar

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 18 Jul 20
Jemma and Simon at a City in Europe, Spain

Cala Morisca

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 18 Jul 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

Lockdown is lifted! Time for beach!

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 25 May 20
Jemma and Simon at a Sea in Europe, Spain

Lockdown is lifted! Time for soul?

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 25 May 20
Jemma and Simon at a Temple in Europe, Spain

Lockdown is lifted! Time for hills!

Short Spanish trips, Mon, 25 May 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain in Europe, Spain

Old cement works and hill

Short Spanish trips, Sat, 07 Mar 20
Jemma and Simon at a Mountain, Ruins/Excavation in Europe, Spain

Last carnival before lockdown

Short Spanish trips, Sun, 23 Feb 20
Jemma and Simon with Angela, Fabio at a City in Europe, Spain

‘Staff exchange’ in Valencia

Conference Trips, Short Spanish trips, Sun, 03 Mar 19
Simon at a City, Park, Temple, UNESCO site in Europe, Spain

Town centre and figures for the Fallas Full of street art La Lonja de la Seda Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias Park and beach

Barca visits

Conference Trips, Short Spanish trips, Wed, 11 Jan 12
Jemma and Simon at a City in Europe, Spain

11-12 January 2012, TIF Conference 3-5 November 2018, Sussing it out for the move

First time in Barca

Short Spanish trips, Wed, 31 Mar 10
Simon with Eva at a City, Museum, Park, Temple, UNESCO site in Europe, Spain

Kontrast był niesamowity. Na lotnisko w Prestwick jechaliśmy w deszczu i coraz mocniejszej wichurze. Wychodząc z samochodu musiałem się trzymać kapelusza, a na lotnisko dobiegliśmy szczękając zębami. Przejście z bramki do samolotu i stanie w kolejce do wejścia było wykańczające. …