Blogs from La Vella, Andorra, Europe - page 5

Europe » Andorra » La Vella March 21st 2007

I hope youve been practicing your Catalan. Yes, the only country in the whole wide world where the official language is Catalan. But its OK, French, Spanish or English will get you around - no worries!! Another interesting thing is, that out of the population of around 80,000, Spanish make up 37%, Andorran 34% and French, around 15% - the Andorran population is outnumbered by the Spanish. **** Yes, nestled neatly between Spain and France - two of Europes' biggest countries- is one of Europes smallest. Many Europeans like it here because of the shopping. This is because there is no tax on alcohol, cigarettes, and most electrical goods. In fact its like a big duty-free one shop stop. Andorra La Vella (the capital city) is packed out most days as tourists drop in for ... read more

Sono un Illetterato dello Shopping

Europe » Andorra » La Vella February 5th 2007

Villaggio nei Pirenei

Marcolitaliano

Due sono i motivi che spingono un forestiero a viaggiare ad Andorra: sciare o fare shopping. Io sono un cesso sugli sci e odio fare shopping. Eppure… Andorra è un Paese di dimensioni lillipuziane, 40 chilometri in tutto dal confine sud (quello con la Spagna) a quello di Pas de la Casa che la separa dalla Francia. Quest’ultimo si trova oltre i 2000 metri d’altitudine e, contrariamente a quanto accade per quello spagnolo, rappresenta una vera barriera fisica. I collegamenti da e per Andorra sono conseguentemente buoni con la Spagna ma quasi inesistenti con il vicino d’oltrepireneo. Partendo da Carcassone e non disponendo di auto privata bisognerebbe viaggiare prima fino a Tolosa, 100 chilometri a nord-ovest, per poi sperare nello sporadico servizio bus e coprire così altri 200 chilometri in direzione sud. Poco pratico. E così ... read more

I'm a Shopping Illiterate

Europe » Andorra » La Vella February 5th 2007

Village in the Pyrenees

Marcoelitaliano

There are two reasons why foreigners travel to Andorra: skiing or shopping. Now, I’m crap at skiing and I hate shopping. Nevertheless… Andorra is a Country of Lilliputian size, only 40 kms from the south border (the one with Spain) to the Pas de the House one which separates the Country from France. The latter sits at over 2000 meters a.s.l. and, contrarily to what happens with the Spanish one, it represents a true physical barrier. The connections to and from Andorra are consequently good with Spain but nearly nonexistent with its overpyrenees neighbour. Starting from Carcassone with no private car would mean to be forced to travel to Toulouse first, 100 kms north-west, then hope to catch the sporadic bus service to cover further 200 kms south. Not very practical. Hence the idea to rent ... read more

The Little Tiny One

Europe » Andorra » La Vella June 3rd 1997

celind

It may be the weather, the time of the year, and the relative lack of a crowd. But, Andorra la Vella just seems like the most peaceful place imaginable. Beautifully squeezed into the valley, the little town just seems to live its own life. Despite the tourists. Summertime doesn't really offer a whole lot of activities, except for duty-free (cheap!) shopping. But it's the perfect place for the backpacker wanting to take a rest from the big cities and the regular trail of overseas and domestic youngsters. It's affordable, it's nice and clean, it's slow and calm, almost on the verge of being boring. The woman in a red and blue uniform standing in the middle of the road directing the traffic may very well possess the most exciting job in the country...In any event, I'm ... read more

Tot: 0.07s; Tpl: 0.004s; cc: 6; qc: 39; dbt: 0.0316s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb