PHOTOS OF LA VALL D'ARAN

APRIL 2006 - LA VALL D'ARAN

In april 2006 we went to La Vall d’Aran, which is in the North of Catalonia. We needed to breath fresh air of the mountains. We had the hotel in Barruera, a little mountain village with cobbled streets, stones houses and sloping roofs. It’s only to 4 km from Boí, another village and 8 from Boí-Taull, an ski floor. The name of our hotel was Farré D’Avall and is managed by a family: the mother, the father and the daughter. I recommend it because is very cozy, the meal is home made and very good and they go to treat you brilliantly. Is small. Only has 16 rooms but is very fine. Our room looked like a little apartment but without kitchen: at the entry you found the sofa, a little table, the furniture with a TV, a table and four chairs. On the right there was a door wich was the sleeping room and the bathroom and had shape of garret. We choose the half pension, so we had the breakfast and the dinner and we paid only a little more of 200 € for four nights. The breakfast was very good: toast bread, juices, butter, mermelade, sausages, milk, chocolate, coffe, tea,...At night there was always a menu, but if you didn’t like the meal, they cooked for you a hamburger, an omelette, etc.

FIRST DAY: We were to  have a walk by the village, we see some villages in the nearest, like Boí and Taüll and we had lunch here in a restaurant with a very good price and good meal. In fact all the restaurants in the area are goods. In the evening we went to Andorra because is very close. Andorra is a little country in the Pirineos wich I recommend you visit when you can.

SECOND DAY: We went from a port mountain to Baqueira, another ski floor which is famous because there goes to skiing the king of Spain. There was a few snow. We were in more villages like Salardú, Bossòst and Vielha, the biggest village in La Vall d’Aran.

 

THIRD DAY: There is a Natural Park in the area called Parc Nacional d’Aigües Tortes with two big lakes called the Saint Mourice Lakes. We wanted to go to see them, but our car it doesn’t work very well, so we did a diferent itinerary: we parked the car in a parking and we made a hike of two hours by the mountain that was very good. There were a few lakes, like Rabbit’s lake and some waterfalls, a very nice place. The path was well indicated and there was two information points, where you could find all kind of information you needed. At the end of the trip there was a lookout with impressive views. You could go by jeep but you must to pay 8 € by person. We prefered to go by feet. Once we arrived I thought the Saint Mourice Lakes were not very far, so I asked in a information point, but they told me it was more than 6 hours and it was a path for expert people. We needed special equipment, so we leave it alone. With two hours by feet was enough.

We ate the sandwitches that prepared for us the women who managed our hotel in the morning, sat in the shore of the pond and we rest for a time, but we had to come back early because a thunderstorm was forming. We were so tired, so we were all the rest of the day resting.

FOURTH DAY: We come back home!

PHOTOS CUENCA

OCTOBER 2005-CUENCA

 In october 2005 Javi and me decided to spend a weekend in Cuenca, a precious town in Spain you can not forget to visit. You don’t need too much time to visit the city. With one day is enough and if you don’t want to visit any museum or monument, with a half day you have enough time. In the tourist office they will give you a map of the city with an itinerary walking by the old town. Is the best way to see it. Also exist guides tours, but you must to pay andi s necessary to be a group over 10 people. We prefered do it all alone and we loved it, is a very interesting and nice city.

The most famous in Cuenca are the Hanging House, wich is a house that is in the edge of an abyss and it looks like is going to fall. Is impressive. A long time ago lived people but now there is a restaurant and a contemporary art museum. Ist impressive and I'm sure you have a very good view from there. We didn't went inside, we only saw it outside. Closser to the Hanging House there is the San Anton's bridge, a hanging bridge wich pass above the abyss. From there you have the best views from the house, the photo is made from the bridge. This is not recommended for people who is afraid to the heights, because it gives dizziness, but is so beautiful and I recommend you try it and forget your fears. In the other side of the bridge there is an ancient convent that now is a very nice rural hotel.

Also the church and the old town are beatifuls. The next day we went to the Pleased City, wich is out of the city, but very close. It's question of a scenery replete with rocks that the time, the weather, the rain and the wind has eroded forming different courious shapes. There is one in the shape of a man's face, another wich looks like a mushroom, a tree, an elephant, ...There are some that you have to use your imagination to see the shapes but there are some others that you can see clearly. In addition to be a nice place, the sunny day with the blue sky made it was perfect.

After to see the Pleasant City, we went to see the Barth of the Crown River, which also is closer. There are not good indications and was hard to find it. Is also a very nice place and we saw the river but we didn’t be able to find its birthplace. Is a good place with a lot of forests. Then, we go to having lunch in ainn. In this kind of places you can have a very good meal, with a high quality and economic price. The specialties are the hounting meats, but you can also taste a traditional dish of the region, like ajoarriero, morteruelo, migas or trouts of the rivers in the closeness. Now, is time to come back home. Javi was driving through the road, lost between the forests and suddenly, at the moment with no were expecting, we found two deers in the middle of the road. They looked us and went running. It was only a second and we didn't have enough time to do a photo, but is a moment we always remember. There are such nice, in the wildness...Less evil that Javi wasn't driving very fast, because we could have an accident.

We had a very good weekend in Cuenca. You can see more photos in the next entry

TENERIFE

In august in 2005 we travelled to Tenerife. Is a very beautiful islands with a lot of contrasts. There isn't beaches with white and thin sand and blue water, because maybe you'll not find them. The grand part of the beaches have black sand and some places, with pebbles. But precisely that's why, because they are different, it makes them nice.

We travelled with four people more and we organized it by travels agency because it was easyer and we find a very good price. This is the last of this kind because the rest we have already organizated it on our own. We choose the hotel in Costa Adeje, in de South of the island. Usually, the people book their hotels in the North but they recommend to us to go on the south because the weather is better; this was true, because when we went to the North was cloudy and it was a little cool.

Tenerife is an island of contrasts. Can be that the day is sunny and suddenly becomes cloudy and starts to rain. Or maybe becomes windy, so I recommend to you to bring a jacket just in case. Anyway the most differencies in weather is between South and North. 

FIRST DAY. We were resting in the hotel's swimmingpool. It was so nice. Its name is Costa Adeje Palace. In the afternoon we took a bus that departured from the hotel every thirty minutes and that leaves you in the town free. We were walking along the seafront and looking for rent a car. We had a lot of problems to find an agency which wants to rent a car to us, because they ask for a minimal age of 26 years old and three years of drive license. Of the 6 people we were, only three had license and nobody was older than 20. We called to the hotel's guide and we explain her the problemand she achieve someone who rent us two cars. 

SECOND DAY. We went down to have breakfast in the hotel. The breakfast was only a buffet and was striking. You could eat everything you can imagine. We aet a lot always so much that later, we were not wanting to having lunch. We were in the swimmingpool and then, we went to the hall, where we met to the people who rent the car to us. The truth is that these people seemed very suspicious to us, we seemed like gangster, hahahaha... We made some paperwork, documents and we gave 400 € by deposit per car, that would be returned when we were delivering the cars. They gave us the keys. Hand hug and bye, bye. When we saw the cars, we die of the laught: renault clio very olds and not in perfect state. The ours one, to open the codriver's door, first had to enter the driver and kick the door to open the bolt and the codriver coulds get into. It no had rear salver and radio. So, it had four wheels and a frill because it was essential, that if not,... We went to de Teide's National Park and we visit the area. It was funny to travel by car, because if you drive to 100 km/h te entire car was trembling and when there was a slope, almost it was necessary to go down to push. At the end we arrived to the Teide and we were walking along the area. Is a very nice and diferent place, with rocks with curious shapes due to the erosion of the wind. The view is also great. We were lucky to have a sunny day, and is such high you're over the clouds. The rest of the day we visited the Orotava's valley, Icod de los Vinos, where is the most famouse tree in the island: The milennial dragon, a tree wich is almost 1,000 years old, and more beautifuls villages, like Garachico.

THIRD DAY. The second day in the evening, Javi and I thought we'd like to go to La Gomera, but the other were not longing for them. They wanted to go to Loroparque, that is a park with dolphins, aquariums, seals, etc. So, the next day we made to groups: Javi and me were to La Gomera and the others went to the Loroparque. The bus came at 6:45 in the morning and at the 8:15 we were embarking course towards the island. It was a big ship, like the Transmediterranean. The guide tell us as, it was a very quietly day, it was possible we could see some dolphins and whales, althoug this was not for sure. And we saw a lot. It was a very nice experience to see the dolphins, playing and swimming, totaly frees in the ocean. They was close to the ship and were jumping. The whales are more difficult to see, because they are shyer and they don't aproach to the ships. We saw two groups. In fact there are trips to go to see the whiles. At 10:00 o'clock we arrived to the San Sebastian's port, the main town and the bus was already ready to take us to do an itinerary trough La Gomera. This island has a lot of contrasts too. At the coast line is a little arid and at the same way you are rising, the place is greener and greener until that you arrive to the Garajonay's National Park, that looks like a jungle. Is very nice. The travel by bus scares a little because it goes for a very  narrow highway and with a big abyss, but the view is impressive and you see the beach smaller and smaller. There are areas that looks like steps in the mountain. That way the peasants plant things and was invented because it would be impossible other one, since the island is so arbrupt, that scarcely there is flat area.

In the park you can see a lot of roads to doing trekking, but also is so protected. Also there are some signs with information about flora and the animals of the area. After then, the bus took as to a restaurant. We taste a typical soup made with the trunk of a tree wich was very tasty. The main course was meat with spices and of dessert fried bannana.  After the meal, they did a demonstration to us of the Silbo Gomero. Is a hiss that the inhabitants were using to communicate from one cliff to other. Is very old and only is used by the older people, but they are teaching it to the young people to preserve it and who doesn't dissapear.

Then, the bus took us the San Sebastian and we had one free our to visit it. At 5 o'clock in the evening we had to take the ship to come back to Tenerife. This time we didn't any dolphin and any whale. We arrive to the hotel a little late, at the 8:00 in the evening and tired but very happy after the trip.




CUARTO DÍA. This day we went to the North. It was cloudy and it was not hot. We visited the city and we ate in a restaurant some typical foods, like papas arrugas, mojo picon and others. In the afternoon we went shopping and saw the Matianez lakes. They are some natural swimmingpools, very nice, but we didn't enter because there were a lot of people, we made to pay and the weather wasn't good to have a bath.











FIFTH DAY. That day we were almost the entire day at the hotel, at the swimmingpool and the beach. In the evening Javi and me decided to go to La Candelaria, where there is a church and a seafront full of statues. At the end of this seafront you'll find a little cave where brake the waves. Also we go to La Orotava. Is a very interesting village with houses with wooded balconys and some museums. Is very touristic but fortunately there wasn't too many people. We walked for a while and we came back to the hotel.

SIXTH DAY: This day we went to the America's beach and were the rest of the day in the hotel. It was the last day and we had to make the baggage. Of course we must to delivery our "luxurious" cars.  Iglesia de La Candelaria.

About the night-live i can't no say too much. We went out a pair of nights to America's beach, a place with a lot of pubs. It wasn't bad. I think the night live in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is much better, but we prefered stay at the hotel with the drinks we bought and playing some game.En cuanto a vida nocturna no os puedo decir mucho.

So, that is our travel to Tenerife.

JULY 2005 AFRICAN RESERVE AND CARCASSONE

The first travel we made together was a weekend to the African reserve in Sigean (20 km away from Perpignan) and Carcassone, a very beautiful and romantic city in the South of France. As we live in Barcelona, is not a long travel. We went with our own car.

 

The first stop was in the african reserve. Really it is a worth while,especially to the people, that like as, love the animals. You have the possibility of being able to see to African standing out cheerfully his wide ones and this is not anything that every day one could see. It is since it is very well stated. The trip is done enetirely by car. You can't go faster than 10 km/h y you can only stop in the places which are marked for it. It's forbiden go down the car and to go down the windows, although there are areas in which you can do it because there is no danger. When you arrive you'll see a box office and you must to pay there the ticket (in 2005 the price was of 21 € every one), they will give you a map of the reserve with the pronounced itinerary and the rules. The adventure begins!!

 

The first thing we found where the ostriches. They are very curious, they approach the cars, look for the windows,... They are so graceful, but be careful because also they are very naughty!!! Several times met to us on his peak in the rear-view mirror and in the crystal. In the same area you also can see all kinds of impalas, antelopes and things for the style, gnus and girafas. We were not lucky to see giraffes. Maybe they would be walking along another place. Next you will able to see are zebras, rhinos and dromedaries. We saw  the rhinos of background but  other animals were very close. We had to do some stop that some animal could pass or because they were in the way of the road, but it turns out to be very entertaining and this way also you have time to do photos.

 

 

 

Almost at the end of the trip there is the dangerous area where the bears and the lions are. Here is forbiden to have the window lowered, if you don't want to remain without an arm, therefore you must to do the photos across the crystal. The bears are American black bears and we saw two pups playing and splashing about in a pond. They were so beautiful. We didn't see the mother for any side. A bit further were the lions. We did't see any pup, only a few adult females and males. They were inmobile in the shade of the trees. It didn't surprised me, it was very hot. Sincerely it was impresive because they were only a few meters of us and it a little scares because you think: "if it gets angry, I don't know what it can do to me". Fortunately, they were so calm and nothing happened.

 

 

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After this you'll find a place to park the car and you have to do on foot the rest of the itinerary. The rest is a normal zoo. You'll can see the same animals that you have seen at large and others: crocodiles, chimpanzees, koalas, cheetahs, hyenas and an enormous lake with a lot of flamings and all kinds of birds. There are some bars and restaurants, but there is also a picnic area, if you prefer to bring your own meal.

 

We saw the African reserve in 4 hours more or less.

We were lodged in Narbonne, so after visiting the centre, we went to the hotel to rest for a while and in the evening we went to walk along the town. In two hours you have more then of scraps. It is nice, but it's small and it has few things to see: the old town with a small channel and little more.

 

On the next day, we went to Carcassonne. Is a very nice medieval citywith walls. Inside it is full of little shops, bars, restaurants and paved streets.  He is worth while visiting it, however in summer can  be a little oppressive because there are many people. To talk each other of France, whith the expensive thing that is quite, is not badly to eating. You have several options, but we preferred to ate a pizza. We paid 15 € aproximately for head counting the drinks. We spent 3 hours visiting the Cité, as they call it, and later we visited some villages in the area.

 

In Fitou, for example, there is a castle that you can visit, in wich they do terror performances. Of course it's necessary to pay to enter. We only saw it on the outside, but for the people who likes this kind of experiences I believe that it can be very entertaining.

 

And well, here it finishes our weekend on the part of the Cathar countries.