Advertisement
Published: January 10th 2010
Buenos dias,
Are you ready for a bit of history? We booked a trip to go to Montserrat today and were up bright and early... and went to where we had to catch the bus to head up there...... well after much waiting and toing and froing it appeared that we weren't going to get there by our booked tour bus. It's after Christmas and the low season here so numbers were so down - we, apparently, were it for the tour so it was cancelled.
Well after John's new found romance with the Metro he decided to find out how to get there using that and also the train to get there so that's what we did. It was a great and breathtaking trip up to Montserrat and so very easy to get there - about an hour away up into the mountains with their snow tops and icy slopes.
Montserrat - the history lesson- the dramatic mount of Montserrat with its remote Benedictine monastery dating from 1025 - is a religious symbol and a place of pilgrimage for the Catalian people. The amazing Basicilica a statue of Catalonia's patron virgin, La Moreneta - also known as
the Black Virgin. Some legends date the statue back to AD50 but research suggests it was carved in the 12th century. The monastery itself was largely destroyed in 1811 during the War of Independence and rebuilt some 30 years later. Montserrat forms part of a ridge of mountains that rise suddenly from the plains. Take the funicular to the unspoilt peaks , where paths run alongside the spectacular gorges to numerous hermitages. End of history lesson.
We thought we would go to a section - Funicular Saint Joan Cova - where it was suggested that we would get some totally awesome photos - so we decided to go there and thought it might take us about 10 minutes up a very steep track - which turned out to be very icy, slippery, freezing - hard to negotiate and the altitude made it a bit difficult to breath - took us about 45 minutes to get to a point - after many stops on the way to get our breath back - to get to the point where you looked out over the most magnificent scenery no matter which way you looked - one of the most fantastic scenery we
have ever seen - totally incredible to even be there - hope the photos do it justice - bear in mind the train wound its way up the sides of the mountains to get there and it was a very, very steep ride up all the way so walking anywhere around Montserrat was still all uphill - much more fun coming down apart from the ice and snow ... which made it quite treacherous - going up and down. It was certainly one hell of a hike!!!!! I didn't think I would make it as many had turned back and am just so proud of myself for doing it!!!!!
It was one of the highlights of our trip and no matter what descriptions we could use in here - you would have to see it yourself to fully appreciate it - put it on your 'Bucket List!'
We had lunch there, visited the Basicilica and saw the Black Madonna and then headed back around 4.15 to head back down the mountain. Incidentally there are gondolas, cable tram plus the rachet train we took from Montserrat town to get up the mountain - as well as the normal train
to Montserrat town where you then catch the ratchet train. All trains are heated - thank God - even the Metro is so you take your heavy gear off while in there and then put it all back on to get out of them.
Coming back down - we stopped at what we thought was Montserrat town - trust us - followed a crowd just like the sheep we are, and were at the wrong stop - we started running back to where the train was - up 2 lots of stairs through a ticket barrier - John could leg it over - too high for me so I jumped over it!!!! Neither of us could believe that I had done it..... particulary without some sort of injury... anyway made it back to the train just in time so we could get to the next station to catch our train back at the next junction.
We finally got back into town and stopped at our station and because there are so many exits.... of course we took the wrong one - by this time it was dark and the temperature had dropped - we saw the Irish Pub
and headed for there - we were cold, tired and hungry and ended up having schnitzels, beer for John and brandy and coke for me - and then headed home. It has been yet another fantastic day, exhausting - an understatement, and John is already asleep and it's not yet 9.30pm!!! Poor old chap can't keep up the pace!! However we both dozed off on the train coming down the mountain and the hour ride back into Barcelona.....
Tomorrow - 11th January is our last full day here and we will be leaving on Tuesday 12th around lunchtime and should be back in Briz around the 14th - all being well given the plane and weather situation.
Time for this old chick to hit the sack and wish you all buenos noches - or buenos dias - depending on what time you read this.
Bye for now - watch this space for our last day in Barcelona tomorrow!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.324s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 5; qc: 45; dbt: 0.105s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Noveen
non-member comment
Are your clothes getting too tight?
Hi Lyn & John, after all the eating and drinking you have been doing I hope you have walked millions of miles to work off your restaurant food!! The restaurant in the Hotel looked absolutely beautiful!! Monsterrat looks great did you expect snow? We have been watching the weather in Europe particularly England which is completely snowed in and wondering how this would affect you. I would imagine Frankfurt is going to have plenty of snow as well hope all goes well. Ken says we will have a good rabbit stew waiting for you on your return! Stay safe. Love Noveen and Ken