Barcelona and the mountains and the lakes!!

Trip Start Jun 01, 2005
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Trip End May 14, 2006


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Sunday, July 3, 2005

I spent another day in Barcelona seeing the sites, taking city bus tour, and meeting up with the guys and girls at the Piccasso Art Museum. We had a few beers at the hostel and went down and watched the Live 8 concert on the bigscreens at the Hard Rock Cafe. I know that is real touristy, but the concert and food was good enough we didn't leave until 1:00 in the morning. I said my good byes and got a decent night sleep before heading off to Pamplona in the morning. I made it out of Barcelona better than I thought and hit the road, only to pull over an hour later after seeing a air show at a local airport. I pulled down a small little road, leading me by a small hog shed, giving me a whiff of the pig smell...reminding me of showing hogs at the county fair. The temperature, dead grass, sun, and people all were very similar to a Kansas summer day. The airshow, along with the gas powered remote control car race, were a great break from the Barcelona tourist traps. The roads along this strip were not as green but still pretty in their own way Another set of fraternity brothers, a small world!
Another set of fraternity brothers, a small world!
 . I then came upon the hills that kept getting steeper and steeper until I came into the mountain area and was sitting on top overlooking an absolutely gorgeous lake. The canyons below were similar to Utah style rock canyons and were filled with gleaming bright blue water. I drove the mountain roads until they turned into more leveled off but still curvy roads that followed the water. I pulled over at a canoe rental place and they were too busy with other stuff to rent so they said to go down the way. I went down the way only to find the SPANISH NATIONAL WATER SKI TOURNAMENT!! going on. I hadn't seen skiing since I left and here I'm sitting in the Pyranees mountains watching the Spanish nationals. It was amazing..only to be topped off by me slipping the guy 25 euros to pull me through the slalom course after the competition was over. It was amazing.
The water and skiing was just what I needed but I had to keep on trekking. I kept driving and came to a small little village with a campsite and just through out my sleeping bag on the ground since it was so nice of a night. I drove into this tiny village to go to the local restaurant. To make a long story short, since the lady and I didn't speak the same language, she rights down three after I ask how much. For this nice little outdoor restaurant I think that is way to cheap to be real but say ok anyway. I sit down and there is another couple there and we try to communicate a few words, both smiling and having fun with the language barrier. THEN, the food starts a flowing. They bring me a white table clothes, wine glass, china, and a special salad and bread. Then an pasta appetizer, and then two more courses of chicken. I'm guessing she had written down "3 course" meal, oops. It was an amazing day and then having a 3 course meal in a tiny little Spanish village just topped it off. The food and desert was amazing and came out to be only 12 euros. Stuffed to the rim, I drove back and crashed for the night.
I drove through the hills and valleys all the next day so I could reach Pamplona on the 4th.
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