Author: Kate Wilson

Lunch in Borassà

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

Before arriving in Sant Nicolau I usually go to get some shopping in Borassà.  It is the nearest village with a friendly supermarket. So friendly that this time, although we arrived late and they were closed, when they saw me trying to open the door, they let me in and waited while I did a speed shop – butter, milk, wine, dog food, chocolate.

Then we went for lunch in the village restaurant, Mas Pla,  which has a menu for 14 euros. As I usually come here alone I hadn’t been there yet so it was good to give it a try.
It’s a very traditional Catalan restaurant – what do I mean by that?

Well it is partly the decor which is old world country cosy and comfortable. It is also the relaxed atmosphere that I have usually found in these places – they let us bring Bonnie inside to lie under the table and later when families started to arrive for lunch, their children came over to talk with us and to try to talk with Bonnie. If you know Bonnie you also know this isn’t a great idea. She’s not very child friendly until after half an hour of playing ball with them.
But she was quite patient, so long as they didn’t get too close she confined herself to lifting her lip.

Back to the restaurant. The other characteristic of traditional Catalan cooking is that it doesn’t include anything vegetarian. It’s not that they don’t care about their vegetarian clients, it’s more that they aren’t aware of their existence. And I don’t help – now that I eat some meat and also fish, I never ask for vegetarian food so I am another invisible statistic.  I could have had ensaladilla russa for the first course but then what?  I really must try one day so see if they would make me an omelette to have with chips, or perhaps give me a selection of vegetables with rice.  But would this be charged at a separate price or allowed as part of the menu?  I will do research and get back to you.

So, at last, here is what we ate.
Kate
Tarta de verdures i gambas (of course there had to be something to stop it being vegetarian!)

Bonitol amb samfaina ( Catalan ratatouille)

Pep
Amenida d’advocat amb gambas

Orada al forn amb patates

Puddings -which we were so busy eating I only took one – pre-nibbled – photo

Pastis de xocolata
Pastis de Matò i poma

Bread and a large carafe of red wine included in the price, of course!
We were wondering if British diners would be happy to be presented with a whole fish like the Orada?  Personally I prefer my fish headless and when possible without bones but I am sure I am not typical.  Any thoughts?

Driftwood

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

There is a beach near Sant Pere Pescador which I have been trying to find for a while.
This time armed with a detailed map and accompanied by man and dog to help me stay focussed, I finally found it.  Actually I have been very close once before but in the summer you can’t go hereas it is part of the protection area for breeding birds.
Bleached driftwood is lying everywhere.
It is a beachcombers paradise. Something I only dreamed of in Cornwall

The wood is almost all branches from trees so there are not the kind of planks you sometimes find brought in on Atlantic waves, but still it is very impressive for a bay on the Mediterranean, surrounded as it is by towns and villages and within a gentle stroll from a man-made monstrosity called Empuriabrava.
I brought back some pieces to carve

and had to leave some that were too heavy to move

And there was a dog wondering ‘with all this wood around why don’t you throw a stick for me?’

Two annoying things

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

For ages I’ve been meaning to get these two things off my chest.
They are not so important but niggle at me most days.

1. Little dogs on extending leads
Most people here have little dogs. They also have them on extending leads. They also like to gather in groups in the middle of the pavement, chatting.
When walking along the main street Bonnie and I have to pass a lot of small pooches with big attitudes. They wait till we are parallel and then go berserk, barking and running towards us with their leashes unwinding like fishing lines. Because their owners hardly ever have them under control. 
Bonnie is pretty good, I tell her, ‘Deja’ ‘Leave it’ and her ears go back but she doesn’t retaliate. But since I read that one of the tasks of Pack Leader is to protect her pack, I now have to be alert for little dogs in the street and I expect I am now known for my unfriendly attitude as I shoe them away.

2. Pedestrian rights on crossing the road


Basically the rule is that even when there is a green man giving people the right to cross over the road, cars turning right can still come round the corner so long as they go slowly and give any pedestrians priority.
What often happens is that cars try to get past before the humans have started crossing over.  Or they nose up to you when you are in the middle of the road. Everyone here seems to feel cars are more important than people so it is far from unusual to see cars speed up as they approach traffic lights which are changing. At least it keeps you awake!

Border collie on the train to Barcelona

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment

Yesterday I finally made it up to Barcelona to meet a friend in Ciutadella Park.  I even managed to fit in a tango or 6 in the open air La Glorietta. I haven’t danced for months – it was lovely!
Bonnie came too and we travelled from Granollers Nord Canovelles to Arc de Triumf. It still surprises me that Granollers has three railway stations. From Canovelles you can go in the other direction to the mountains, to Vic and Puigcerda, something we’re planning to do soon.

This was Bonnies second time in Barcelona and only her third and forth journeys on a train. She wears the muzzle only when we are sitting in the carriage, to protect her really as most people don’t try to pat or touch dogs wearing restraints. She doesn’t like to be bothered by strangers.
As before, she was very good, very patient, very quiet and even snuggled up to a man on the next seat, letting him pat her and stroke her ears.
Here she is trying to get comfy and find the best position on a very wobbly and slow train to Barcelona

Caldes de Montbui – Part Two

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment

The third performance was within an ancient water pool – another safareig but this time more private. We had to walk along an old passageway with a high stone wall on one side. Then there was a gate in the wall, leading into a small low ceilinged room with a large pool of water.

The audience were invited to chose from different ‘menus’ to provide the dancer with a emotional theme, some music, and  a type of movement. There would be two dances – one by a crazy woman and the other by a woman in a suit.
I wrote down my choices – I wanted the crazy woman to dance fear, with continuous movements accompanied by a waltz.  The pieces of paper were put in a hat and a young girl picked one  – it was mine!  Such a great feeling to be chosen, almost as if it was a gift specially for me

Watching her dance was incredible. It reminded me of a recurrent dream I have of a madwoman, with wild hair and desperate eyes. Some of my dreams take place in an underground water cave and this performance was like a presentation of a part of my inner world.
At the end she threw herself back into the water, her arms now thankfully free and moving, and she emerged smiling and very wet!