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Montserrat, Spain

Despite the forecast we woke to the sun beaming through our window. Whoopee there is sun in Barcelona. Getting ready as quickly as possible before things changed we went to the markets for brunch and to buy a picnic lunch for our trip up the mountains. Brunch was sorted with very tasty frankfurters in crusty rolls with dried fried onion and Heinz tomato sauce for €2.50 each, washed down with fresh squeezed large OJ for €2. For lunch we bought some crusty rolls €1.50 each, Jamon and cheese. Jamon starts at €49 per kilo upwards. Which is about 5 NZD for 100gr.

I enjoy markets for the range of lovely fresh food and today I saw some other weird barnacles that look like claws yet feel softish like a green bean, and the most amazing dark red raw prawns from Caribbean – would love to sample them. Along side them was fresh lobster still twitching from the USA and the biggest pork trotters I have ever seen, they were as large as a big bulls feet, then again maybe they were beef hoofs! Strawberries are in season but not as flavoursome as at home and not as soft, sweet or juicy, likewise the paw paw we sampled.

Ready with supplies we got a regional train to Montserrat (meaning serrated mountains) which is an hours trip north west of Barcelona. Of note there is a Catalan monastery dating back to around 1000. The original monastery was partially destroyed a couple of times and the current version was rebuilt in 1850. The main train stops as the base of the mountain range which towers majestically in front of you. You then change train for a “rack rail” up the mountain which was great fun and scenic (or you can drive if you have a vehicle).

At the top the sun was still shining and it was a pleasant 18 degrees, so we bought a coffee and had our picnic enjoying a fantastic vista over the valley where in the far distance you can see the Mediterranean Sea. Catering for tourists at Monserrat were some local farmers market stalls and we sampled goat cheese, bought some lovely sugared almonds and a pottle of fresh curd cheese with rich amber runny honey – big NOM NOM award for that one. The curd cheese was like a creamy greek yoghurt that you could stand a knife up in with no acidity – like a divine delicate cheesecake.

Our combo train ticket from Barcelona included a ride up the funicular of which they have two lines one rising 800m above the monastery to 2400 ft where you can connect with all sorts of walks. Along the walks are significant caves and places of meditation marked by crosses or small churches on the cliff faces. If you look closely at one photo of the valley I have put up on the right hand side of the cliff you can see these tiny places.

Regrettably we did not have time for a big walk, but we went up the St Joan ride and had a peak around the corner before having to head back down to catch our connector. It was really lovely at the top and given the opportunity it would be worth factoring in time do one of the walks. At the top looking in the opposite direction of the valley the view extends to snow topped French mountains. On top of the great scenery the funicular was an experience in itself with at least a 60 degree incline.

There is a gondola or cable car you can take down to the valley instead of the rack rail, and we thought our ticket covered it. We found out in fact that it did not, after we had waited 20 minutes in line and presented our tickets. We would have bought one, but they would not wait for us to buy one, so we had to do an altitude dash up a small slope (huff huff) to the rack rail making it just in time to connect to the last train of the day all the way back to Barcelona – a might stressful that was.

It was a definite plus visit, tickets €26 each for a great day out and if one was considering it I would recommend going earlier in morning and leave time for a walk and monastery viewing (we didn’t leave the city until 1.30pm). We didn’t get to go inside where pilgrims go and see a ‘black madonna” preferring to do the funicular. Certainly a lovely peaceful and reflective environment, food and drinks reasonably priced too.

For dinner we decided to go treat night at a upmarket restaurant in the Ramblas district. Vern is still feeling a bit delicate about fat consumption after the pig ear evening resulting in him waking in the middle of the night feeling queazy (happens if he eats too much fatty food). Poor man, needs to develop some stamina LOL. Just joking as its my fault for feeding him so healthy at home. I had monk fish with grilled squid ragout, potatoes, saffron, and paprika and he had a flash grilled burger style beef. Dessert was yum, a special yoghurt (like a homemade curd set) with a sweet yet slightly acidic finish with Black Maria (like an Oreo) biscuit and chocolate shavings, Vern had a cheesecake with ginger ice cream. Yep it was low fat night. Bahahaha .

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