09/11-12/19 – Trip Hop
Staying in Barcelona for the next few months, I will have enough time to go about.
Therefore, taking advantage of days off, and despite warnings of thunderstorms, I hopped on a speed train to Girona to explore this medieval town.
I was considering bringing my Brompton but luckily common sense prevailed: the cobblestones and stairs of the old town do not make it suitable for biking.
Although it was gloomy most of the day it wasn’t raining, just a few sprinkles here and there.
In seven hours I crisscrossed the town, walked on the remnants of its wall and had lunch at cycling themed cafe. I ate ice cream at Gelateria Rocambolesc, the offspring of the famous El Celler de Can Roca restaurant, where I couldn’t get a table because the next available reservation was for August of next year. I enjoyed this day trip as it was but if it would have been sunny it could’ve been even more pleasant.
I arrived and stepped out of the train into a light drizzle that quickly cleared out. It was sunny and warm for the rest of the day.
The old part seemed smaller and more disheveled than Girona’s: I saw several buildings with standing facades only. The main attractions are from the Roman era. I visited a few of them but I saw bigger and better ancient ruins elsewhere so I wasn’t smitten by them. That being said, I had a good time wandering around Part Alta, or old city.
If I had gone to Tarragona a few days later, I would have caught the festivities of the Santa Tecla festival but alas, not this time.
There were so many Russians tourists in both Girona and Tarragona, as if a half of the country came vacationing here; I guess their economy is not that bad after all.
This week in numbers:
0 km – distance cycled
2 – times El Celler de Can Roca was named the best restaurant in the world
25 – times Girona was sieged and 7 times captured
200 km/h – Renfe train speed
5th – century BC Tarragona was founded
1321 – year since Santa Tecla festival is officially celebrated