Epic Summer Part II: The Pyrenees

After saying goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa in Greece and heading home, we rejoined them two days later in Spain. They had plans to see Barcelona and the Pyrenees before heading home and invited us to join them. So we made it home just long enough to do some laundry before heading back to the airport. Did I mention how much I’m loving this summer?

We arrived in Barcelona in the early evening. M&M picked us up and we went in to Barcelona for dinner. We splurged and ate at the 4 Cats. This is a restaurant that Picasso used to frequent during his years in Barcelona. The food was excellent. Isn’t it interesting that the better the food at a restaurant, the smaller the portions they serve? The staff was fawning over S all evening. The hostess asked to keep her and our waiter made sure to touch her hair every time he walked past.

E's sausage and cheese with truffle sauce.

The next morning we headed north to the mountains. As we left Barcelona we drove past Montserrat, which means serrated mountain in Catalan.

 

Montserrat

We stopped in La Pobla de Lillet, where there is a little train that takes you up to a cement museum and old factory. It was somewhat interesting, and a nice break in the day of driving.

 

At the old cement factory.

Then we headed into Andorra. Andorra is this tiny little country that sits on the border of Spain and France in the Pyrenees. Aaron really wanted to add this little country to our list, and his parents were happy to oblige. The country obviously caters to tourists—especially during the ski season. There are ski areas everywhere (if we ever go back here I have a feeling it will be in the winter). Everything is very picturesque and it feels a lot like the Alps. The country is itty-bitty, less than 470 square kilometers (that’s less than half the size of the Sandy school district!). We spent the night in Soldeu and did a short alpine hike the next morning to some beautiful views.

 

Beautiful bridge at the trail head. 

He misses tree climbing, so was eager to try a few along the trail.  

Horses grazing in the mountains. Love their bells!

Several little ones. 

These guys have a real name, but I'm renaming them goatdeer.

We were so thankful to M&M for planning the whole trip!

Same tree, heading down. 

Rhodie in the wild! (R. ferrugineum)

Next we headed west out of Andorra toward Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, a national park. We spent a couple of hours hiking up past San Mauricio Lake to a waterfall. We walked along boardwalk, and then through a field to the lake, and then up through the trees to the waterfall. It was beautiful. And then it got interesting. We had a few sprinkles as we neared the waterfall. When we made it there the rain started falling in earnest. After huddling under a tree for a few minutes we determined that this was not just a passing shower. So we decided to play the role of true Oregonians and hiked the return trip through the pouring rain. The kids kept pretty good attitudes about the whole thing and I had a blast! I only wish I’d had more than one pair of shoes on the trip so I could do some serious puddle jumping. Not many pics due to the rain, unfortunately, but it sure was a memorable hike!

San Mauricio Lake

At the waterfall

Ominous clouds... 

Love the rain! 

We stayed the night in Vielha and then it was on to Parc Nacionale Ordesa y Monte Perdido. We started on the east side of the park. We hiked a trail that runs along the river at the bottom of a canyon. The terrain reminded us a bit of Zion. We didn’t go too far once the path started heading up. It was a pretty hot afternoon, and you need to go quite a way to get up above the trees. So we enjoyed the views along the river and then headed back.

Looking down into the canyon at the start of the hike. 

The old bridge. 

Heading down to the river. 

 A sanctuary (I think) built into the side of the canyon. 

Down at the water. Amazing color!

  

We turned around just past this bridge.

That night we stayed in Torla, at the west end of the park near the Valle de Ordesa. What a beautiful little stone village.

Torla, Spain

The next morning we woke early so that we could fit in one more hike. A and his parents found a nice hike that would give us some views and still allow plenty of time to make the drive back to Barcelona for our flight. We hiked through the trees up to a waterfall. The scale of the views was massive. Think Canadian Rockies. A and his parents hiked up past the waterfall a bit and I stayed with the kids so they could play their ambush game. They had stick guns and chased each other through the trees and over the rocks. Then they hid and waited for their grandparents to return so they could jump out and catch them. E and S did this repeatedly the whole way down the trail.

Caught'cha!

A great place to play.

Early morning sun.

Waterfall

The waterfall at the end of our hike.

I think the kids really enjoyed the hiking on this trip. It was nice for them to be able to run around outdoors again and have the freedom to yell. We didn’t have to shush them or tell them to keep their hands off the walls, or glass, or exhibits. And of course we all enjoyed spending time with M&M. Without them I’m not sure we would have made it to this part of Europe. They planned a great trip for us and we are grateful to them for the experience.