Blogs from Cadaqués, Catalonia, Spain, Europe

Issy's cold‘s no better. I leave her to sleep while I wander north along the seafront path that runs in front of the apartment. I'm joined by a small throng of people who look like they’ve probably retired here, out for their early morning strolls. It seems we’re not too far from Canyelles Cove, with its nice sandy beach, and a good supply of restaurants. We’ve spent a long time making the long trek into Roses and back for dinner the last two nights, and whilst I'm sure this is very good for our health, I think I'd rather follow a large plate of patatas bravas and a few cervezas with a short stroll than a trek halfway across Spain. I think I know where we'll be eating tonight, and probably the night after as well. ... read more

Had a really lovely day today. Kisbee was raring to go up the through the rocky hills above the coast and through the Cap de Creus national park. The road was windy, the views pretty spectacular though there are not too many places to stop to admire them as there are quite a lot of almost hairpin bends and most are on a steep incline. This is wild countryside, very rocky and mainly uncultivated though nearer to Cadaques we found vineyards and olive groves which had been carved and terraced out of the rocky terrain. Kisbee did us proud and didn’t issue a word of complaint all 11 miles it took to get us up to the top of the peninsula and then dropping down to the coast at the sensational white seaside town of Cadaques. ... read more

Driving the too-narrow winding road as if in the mirror Sea mist rolling over rooftops Dark roast almonds and juicy fat raisins from a market stall A midnight pasteing braying donkey waking the dogs The laughter of bronze bellied children playing in boats The heat of the tiles in Dalí and Gala's garden Fast noisy motorscooters in narrow white lanes Colour so intense you could taste it Sea-fresh sardines and mussels and deep red tomato salad Billowing proud Catalan flags The slap of sandalled dancing feet in the Platje Swimming bouyed in the floataceous Mediterranean Surrealistic rock formations at Cap de Creus Surprise icy Cerveza sin Gluten on the little beach A whitewashed room whose walls need no pictures This is Dave and Lou's Cadaques dreaming.... read more

spain '05... read more

I think I will begin my blogging about Europe with a warning: It could be FAR more boring than Africa! Consider yourselves warned! We got into Barcelona really late one night but still managed to rent ourselves a car and find our hotel without asking anyone for help! Of course there were not very many people to ask on a Barcelona highway at 1 am! We had not eaten anything since our wonderful pizza lunch in Marrakech but of course nothing was open at that hour. The hotel desk clerk suggested we go to the truck stop next to the hotel! This is where I got to try out my great Spanish for the first time. We would like some "Pringles verde" please! That's right, we had sour cream and onion Pringles, peanut M&M's and leftover ... read more