Sant Gothard Hotel La Massana

Today was my last full day in Andorra. There wasn't a huge amount to do. It wasn't snowing, but the wind was so fierce that it seemed like a sand storm made out of snow. I had a great time watching a group of cows grazing in snow up to their stomachs. Other than that I had a walk around town and spent about an hour at a ...

... top of the first mountain, he took a little nap while the bus waited for whoever might want to get on before the departure time. As we praddled along towards Canillo I mused about our heroic bus driver, and what he might be like. I supposed his salsa music puts him in the zone in the same was as listening to “Highway to the Danger Zone” made the guys from Top Gun fly well. Maybe when he got done with his route there were women in bikinis with ...

... 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.<br><br>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...<br>

... What it does mean, we're not quite sure of yet. Still dealing with the shock and going over a few different options. All while kicking myself for not realizing this sooner. Only one thing is for certain - I'm not going to let this spoil our trip, and we're going to have to get cycling! (o.k., two things). <br>

... could at least be outside and get some air. There she was sitting up top, with him below looking up at her longingly. A doggy version of Romeo and Juliet except she didn&#8217;t want anything to do with him. <br><br>Jelly in the Bowl<br><br>While at Las Laous I&#8217;ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen working to make meals and preserve some of the fall bounty for winter. One day Justin comes back from the cows with 5 buckets ...

... by us on cast away sausage meat revealed how skilled he really was. Spare rib roasts, rolled belly, chump steaks, rack of ribs, pork chops, and hams were all neatly packaged and labeled. Bones went into the stock pile, fat went into the rendering pile, and other bits went into the sausage pile. <br><br>After all the good cuts were stored away in the freezer it came time to process the rest of it. Brian started up the meat ...

Time to attempt something I&#8217;ve always been itching to do: rock climbing. And not the kind done on indoor walls with padded flooring. Real out-in-the-open, unforgiving stone ROCK CLIMBING!<br><br>Out in the Pyrenees in the Ariege region with it&#8217;s beautiful slopes lie a multitude of rock faces covered in climbers pretending to be Spiderman. <br><br>Even though it&#8217;s something I&#8217;ve always wanted to try, there were a few ...

... br><br>Despite the dogs and the cold and wind, we did manage a little hike up past a waterfall up to a beautiful plateau area with mountains all around. Huddled behind a rock to provide some resistance from the wind, we scarfed down a bit of picnic lunch before running back to the truck for warmth. Then it was down into the town of Ax to soak our cold feet into some hot springs. <br>

... with cathedral ceilings, arched entryways, dangling chandeliers, and stone sculptures filling in the corners. Walking through this grandeur with tips of toes and hushed whispers watching as the scenery continually changes. One moment there&#8217;s a wide expanse to the right, then it opens all around, then it&#8216;s a tight passageway with new sights only coming into view just as you arrive there. Catching glimpses from different flashlights ...

... made from chevre. There have even been sheep&#8217;s milk cheese for sale in some of the stores. Tomme des Pyrenees is a very mild tasting cheese, firm, but with holes in it. <br><br>Seeing all the work involved I still can&#8217;t believe how cheap the cheese here. This lady is selling hers for 13 Euro a Kilogram - a KILOGRAM!!! I&#8217;m used to Canadian prices of $4-6 for 100 GRAMS! Many ...