Aparthotel Els Meners Canillo

... having a beer and watching a man try to dig his van out of the snow. To my knowledge his van is to this moment where it was when I left the bar.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to post some pictures of Canillo when it's snowy and the sun comes out. Don't have too many, but figured it was worth a post.

After a long night on a surprisingly jam packed night train, I arrived at a train station about 1km from the Andorra border. I was slightly worried about my transportation from the train station at l'Hospitalet to my destination 26km into Andorra. The cryptic information information I was able to find on the web about buses told me that there were 2 per day, one leaving at 7:30am and the other 7:30pm. This was a bit disconcerting as my train arrived ...

... village et quand on est arrivé, il avait le marché du matin. On a acheter du vin à environ 1 euro le litre (vin de pays) et du bon fromage bleu pour le déjeuner.

On avait pas le droit de prendre des photos dans la grotte pour pas faire de la pollution lumineuse (il y avait déja des ptites pousses de plante pres des lanternes...ils veulent pas en rajouté non plus). Aussi il faut pas déranger les chauve souris...pauve cocottes...

Found out today that the 90 day tourist visa that I thought we were granted for each country is actually for the combined Senchgen countries. Since we'll be at least 60 days in France alone, it means we won't be doing the France, Italy, Greece and then Turkey route we had planned on in the length of time we'd ...

... the martin to enter, then the chickens could be moved back to their real home. Of course, that meant catching all 10 chickens and moving them back up the hill.

Brian was the best a catching them. He’d corner them in the barn and lunge, but no one wanted to touch that damn rooster. Last to be caught, Justin was lucky enough to grab hold of a leg mid air as he tried to fly over a partition. Once neatly inside the cat carrier I was ...

... the weekend and they’re ready for pickup and processing. Brian had always been interested in butchering meat, so here was an opportunity to learn a bit.

The drive back from the abattoir was more difficult than I’d expected. Sitting beside 4, ½ pig carcasses was less than comfortable. +6 degree weather outside we still drove with the windows down and the A/C on trying to get the temperature down to 2 or 3 ...

... than anything else. However, for a first time climber this is often the most difficult. The death grip mush come off the rock and weight comes off your feet. Floating on air! You push aside thoughts of whether or not the rope will hold and begin to descend.

Actually, I found the job of belaying much more difficult than that of climbing. Not only ******* the arms hauling the rope around and holding it securely, was the knowledge that ...

... between France, Spain and Andorra with 3000m peaks rising up all around. Up past charming little villages where all the little homes are made of stone stacked upon one another with only the slate rooves peeking through.

We drove the truck as far up the road as possible, and then even a little farther than we should have. Feels like complete mountain wilderness, but there are ...

... Europe). Yet evidence has found that these were not the animals that they consumed. What were they trying to say?

Walking along the uneven ground avoiding the stalagmites that pop up to perfect tripping height. Everyone with his own flashlight to guide the way. Further and further into the cave as daylight recedes and eyes adjust to the new light, wonderful images are revealed. Wide expanses of huge underground rooms - like a palace. Richly ...

... couch still snoring. I find the kids can speak basic English so help teach them how to count and colours in English. They are bright kids. Today is the best day. Snow day, and what better way to start a snow day than a trip sledging. I keenly invite the kids to come along too and we find ourselves climbing a 100 metre long hill just behind their house. Perfect. I step forward first offering to take one of the kids down with me. A sledge with a ...