Tue, May 17 - After blogging until 1 AM, I slept in once again, meeting Hilary and Bob for breakfast at nine. The plan was to drive into the medium-size city of Tarragona, about 20 miles north of us, to see the Roman ruins there. Hilary drove once again with Bob navigating. When we reached the shore we got onto the N340, the non-toll smaller highway, and drove though several very nice towns. Practically every town and city we have traveled through has been sparkling clean, devoid of trash, and unlike much of Latin America, with no packs of sad feral dogs. Every dog is obviously adored and well taken care of which is a pleasure to see.
We passed through Cambrils, a particularly trim small city of lovely plantings (check this out for future stays!) and entered the outskirts of Tarragona. We reached the huge central traffic rotary and Hil managed to get us onto the Rambla Nova, the wide boulevard that runs down to the ocean. It was bustling with activity as there was an open air market along the wide center strip. We were wondering where to park when we came upon an opening in the center strip and decended into an large multi-level parking garage. Very smart hiding all those autos away!
We emerged and found ourselves on the Balcó del Mediterrani, the wide plaza on top of a 200‘ high cliff overlooking the beach and ships. We walked a short way toward Casa Vieja, the old walled city, and looked down on the one remaining wall of the Roman amphitheatre which once held 14,000 people. We entered the old city were at once in a maze of winding narrow streets with colorful three-story old apartment buildings festuned with geraniums and laundry.
We walked over to the 12th century Cathedral of Santa Tecla which is undergoing a major restoration so we had to enter by a side door into a lovely central cloister garden full of roses. The covered walkway that surrounds the garden is full of wonderful carvings that one has to strain to see, but well worth it: camels, little men making rude faces, flowers, fruits, pigs! We missed the famous cat playing dead to lure the rats over to it. We could enter the main cathedral although much was covered with huge plastic sheets while men high up on scaffolding worked on the restoration. The two rose windows were visible, though, and very beautiful.
It was getting on towards 2 PM so we wandered back to the Rambla and found a sidewalk café and had pork and cheese bocadillos and beer. We found our car and wound around until we located the exit and then had to figure our where we were! With various maps we worked our way back to the rotary and headed west into the mountains for the long way home. We drove past small villages, all with beautiful churches and vineyards and olive groves, returning to Mas Mariassa about 5.
There is an extensive system of hiking trails in Spain and one runs right by the hotel, so Hilary and I took a short hike past hazelnut groves, hillsides with ancient terracing and up to an old ruined farmhouse. Lovely countryside with huge limestone outcroppings.
After wine and G&Ts, we settled down for another 4-course Market menu. Tonight we started out with the marvelous toasts olive oil and salts, followed by onion soup, pureed with w small swirl of cheese. The fish course was round slice of hake with roasted garlic cloves and tiny clams…really great! The meat was duck with local cherries and poached pears. We finished with a sponge cake soaked in whiskey with whipped cream and shavings of whiskey ice!
We watched the full moon just cresting over the mountains and then went to bed.
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