Leisurely Rest Daysssss...............

Day 1: Sipping coffee, sipping more coffee ......

Andrew, Christian and Andrea chilling out by the River, its a long walk from the Coffee Shop to the Campsite you know!!

Day 2: Chilling out, reading, checking email, having lunch, watching the campsite empty, feeling tired (one rest day wasn't enough but this was meant to be a climbing day), when I thought - let's go kayaking instead.  Much less energy involved there... great day but even more tired now, new muscles involved.... but still fun fun fun and another beautiful way to see the valley.

I thought kayaking was a safe sport (ha ha not with Andrew)!!

Day 3: Deserted the ghost town of Le Rozier!!  Sunday was a usual quiet Sunday in Le Rozier.  Places / shops open late and close early. Nothing strange here.  But on Monday things were clearer, the place had shut down quite literally over night.  The local shop (a spar) was now only open on Saturdays.  All / most of the gift shops etc were closed.  The local pottery shop (:( i'd picked some pottery ) was closed until next season... it was like a ghost town.

We left.

Drove to Barcelona.   Well we have a car full of gear, so parking / staying is an issue so we are staying in El Masnou a quiet (season must be over here too - strange its still high 20's) little beach town about 15KM on the train-line into Barcelona.

On the beach in El Masnou

Day 4: Barcelona in Brief  - First stop had to be the Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia.   What a magnificant feat of engineering, or at least one day it will be when it is finished!

Sagrada Familia (Gaudi Cathedral)

A little bit of history:  It was designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. The cathedral was started in 1883 and Gaudi became the official  architect.  Unfortunately, Gaudi died in an accident in 1926 and at this point the cathedral remained unfinished, construction ceased and did not start again in 1979, much of the current work is based on Gaudi's original plans.  The cathedral is unlike anything else from European architecture.  It is said to be a mix of neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau influenced as well by Cubism and Surrealism.

From there we got the metro back into Gothic quarter and wandered the small narrow streets and browsed in trinket shops. We reached the harbour and gazed in awe at the gigantic boats, both sail and motor, of what could only be the prized possessions of the rich and famous.

Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter

On our way back through the harbour and over the city's new "Rambla Del Mar", a brand new wooden pedestrian bridge, we were surprised to see what looked like from behind a "naked" man with his friend the "almost naked" man wearing only a pair of underpants... no wait a minute that would be two "naked" men, one with a tattoo of underpants, two completely and utterly, all hanging lose for the world to see.  Naked men on the bridge, having a chit chat, chin wag (or what ever the Spanish equivalent would be).   What was even funnier, once we'd passed them, watching the faces of people walking in the opposite direction: the look of confusion, is that? no it couldn't be, really? to almost embarrassment, nervous laughter and averted gaze.

Rambla Del Mar (sorry not the naked men)

We ended our day with dinner in one of Barcelona central plazas.... and home to our little tent (big tent got the night off) in El Masnou.

Day 5: Swim to start the day off as all good days should start. Then the long drive east to Rodellar  ready for 3 more weeks of climbing (: (: (: (:  :) :) :) :)