While getting my hair cut and much-needed colored this morning, I read back over my Camino entries and decided that writing and reflecting for me is more cathartic than I realized. So, if no one ever read my blog again, would it really matter? ( a little like if a tree fell in the forest when no one is around, would it make a sound?). My usual pattern is to write when on big trips or going through significant change, but just maybe there are things I’d like to document that happen in the normal course of living now that will be good to look back on and hopefully laugh…or cry…whichever is more appropriate. If others enjoy vicarious consumption, cool by me.
Andrew decided last night that we were overdue for one of our “adventures”. These are usually day trips where we just pick a destination, pack a daypack, and go. And whatever happens, happens. These aren’t the big trips that require preplanning like our trip next week to see Ruth in South Africa. This is a spontaneous “Let’s mix up our routine and get out of town” play. They are always fun, usually include some unexpected discovery, a good meal, and enough physical exercise to fall in bed at night in about two seconds. Eitan is spending his few days until he heads to LA and San Francisco with buddies he may not see much of at all once he is in school next year in Connecticut. Big change for him and us, but he is excited and we are proud of his getting his act together and readying for this change. So he sent us off on our little trip with his blessing and with extra spending money in his pocket. Win-win.
We headed to Tarragona, south of Barcelona about an hour by regional train. We both love that the public transit here is so accessible and can get us so many place comfortably, dispensing with the need for a car. It will be very hard if we move back to a spot where we have to have a car to get anywhere. We have been spoiled by the metro, bus, and trains systems in Spain that just plain work. Now buying tickets for the train can be a bit daunting as there are various systems or lines running – there are the Rodalies that are like commuter trains but they do go some decent distances. And there are the AVE trains that go much longer distances and are high speed. And there are slower long distance trains and a variety of other types thrown in…sorting it out stakes some patience but its worth it. All these trains are clean, reasonably comfortable, and have big picture windows so you get to sightsee always. And cost wise only the AVE is a bit pricey – but that is the best way to get to, say Madrid, as it is way less painful than doing the airport thing.
The route to Tarragona goes right along the coast and it’s amazing how many beach communities filled with apartment complexes there are. One runs right into the next and from what we know this is where Barcelona families go on the weekends in the summer to get out of the city. It looks like all the beaches are public so you don’t have the issue of the best beaches being held hostage by a fancy hotel.
It is very, very hot now – 36 degrees C (90’s) so it was a little daunting to consider the touring by foot we discussed for the day as Tarragona is chock full of Roman ruins – and one of the most amazing is an aqueduct that is a few km outside the city center that we really wanted to check out. However, unfazed, we arrived in city center and spent a few hours seeing some incredible excavations literally embedded in the fabric of the city. There is a major Roman amphitheater being used for events now; a huge cathedral that supposedly is the largest in Spain; remains of Roman arches mingled among cafes in bustling plazas; and we even ate dinner in a restaurant that weaves it’s dining areas through levels of excavated Roman rooms. It was very special and we were very pleasantly surprised.
The aqueduct :: Castellers statue :: Dinner amidst the ruins
Despite the heat we decided to take a bus out to where the aqueduct we’d heard so much about was. It was well worth the trip! This structure was incredibly tall and well preserved – we were dwarfed by the shear height of the thing, and the construction was humbling. We were able to actually walk along the top of the arched construct – a narrow passage that was where the water flowed when it was in use (we think). The parkland surrounding the aqueduct was quiet and green – lovely for picnicking if we’d have thought about it ahead of time.
We decided to walk back into town from the aqueduct area – along a river bed that crossed under some major highways – quite a juxtaposition. Hot as it was we headed for a pub for brews before finally ending up at the restaurant built into the ruins. A full, fun day.
Living La Vida Loca 