Bad weather, bad tempers and bad luck!

We've not had a great week really - after the snow came gales, after the gales came sub zero temperatures and after that ... well then things started to get really bad!  But we've still had some fun in between all that so first here's the good bits.... 

Barcelona - more of Gaudi's work

A day in Barcelona was a definite highlight.  We've been before a couple of years ago, but as we were staying at Sitges which was only half an hour away by train we couldn't not go really!  It only cost 10 euros (about £7) return for the two of us on the train and we had a really good day soaking up the atmosphere - even Alfie enjoyed himself, seemed to like a bit of Gaudi!  Another good day was a trip to Montserrat where we took the cable car up to visit the Benedictine monastery perched high up in the mountains with fantastic views and surrounded by really weird rock formations - the pictures describe it better than I can so I won't even try.  Unfortunately the funicular which takes you right up to the top of the mountain was out of order due to annual maintenance which was really disappointing.  We then read about a small two-carriage train which uses a cog to wind its way high up the mountains from Ribes de Freser (which is very close to the French Pyrenees) which sounded very dramatic so we thought we'd head there next (we enjoy a bit of drama now and again if you hadn't noticed!).  It takes you to an altitude of 6,000ft and, although it was dramatic, it wasn't the views that were breathtaking it was the severe cold!  We spent the night before in the train station car park (we know how to live!) with teeth chattering and only Alfie to keep us warm and woke to a completely ice bound campervan, inside and out, even the water in Alfie's bowl was frozen solid!  And what do we do to thaw ourselves out? We get on the train at 7.30 in the morning in the pitch darkness to travel another 3,000ft up into the mountains where the temperature was bound to be very tropical, wasn't it?!!! 

Barcelona - Parc Guell

And the bad bits?  well the day after the snow, we drove another 200 miles or so in gale force winds and disaster almost struck when the big plastic tub we carry on Daisy's roof full of Alfie's food (no wonder Daisy is so slow up hills!) worked it's way loose and almost came swinging through the rear window!  Then sometime during our day in Barcelona we lost a credit card and had to spend the next morning contacting the bank to get it stopped and reporting it to the local police in Sitges.  BUT, worst of all, our mountain bikes were nicked off the back of the campervan yesterday while we were parked up in Figueres, despite being tied on with not one, but 3, locks and being parked in a really busy area in the middle of town with loads of people passing by!  So it was another trip to the police station where we spent 2 hours (nothing happens quick in Spain) reporting it, only to be told by the police lady that "the laws on this sort of thing are very small in Spain" which was followed by a big shrug of her shoulders which we took to mean that they wouldn't be trying their hardest to find them!!  So now Rob and Alfie are out busking trying to raise money for new ones (we'll be lucky if we get a couple of Halford specials then)!  To top it all off they even took our bucket which was tied to the back!  Still, at least they didn't touch Daisy.

Barcelona - Parc Guell 2

P.S.  A note to all our friends - next time we say we are going travelling at least try talking some sense into us please!!!!

Barcelona - Port Vell

Barcelona - Sagrada Familia

Montserrat 1

Montserrat 2

Montserrat 3

Montserrat 4