Granollers

Hot Evenings

~ Kate Wilson ~ 4 Comments

One of the major differences between the UK and Catalunya is the number of people on the street in the evening. Not just shopping or walking but just hanging out. Like in the square near our house, Apel-les Mestres. Children playing, friends chatting, dogs sniffing around, old people sitting with their carers, people drinking in the cafes.

As the festival of Saint Joan is approaching there is also the constant threat of bangers going off to make you jump.  This picture was taken at 8.30pm and it was very noisy out there.
At this time of year there is a tree which smells incredible – sweet and heady. It’s called the Tila – I am still trying to decide if this is a lime blossom or a linden blossom

Things to Worry about Walking your Dog

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment
  • Is it too hot to go out for a walk?
  • How much shade can we find on the way to the park?
  • Is the water in the pond/stream/puddle dirty?
  • Now that it’s cool enough to go out, won’t there be increased danger of sandflies?
  • Will there be petardos on the street as we pass?

Today was very hot and as I didn’t get up till 11am the sun was too strong for the first walk to be comfortable.
There was shade but even just crossing the open spaces in the park made Bonnie pant.
Many of the water fountains aren’t working – a money saving decision perhaps? So it is tempting to use the ponds but who knows what that water is like. The Congost is definitely polluted from the factories so I try to keep Bonnie out of there.
It got cooler around 8pm. Sunrise and sunset are supposed to be the worse time for sandflies. These are little biting insects which can carry the dreaded leichmaniosis.
Duna wears a Scalibor collar, Bonnie is part protected by Advantix and neither of them have had the vaccine because every time I read about it I see so many concerns about side-effects. The decision is still in the balance.
It is Saturday night and as the celebration of Sant Joan approaches  there are more and more petardos going off in the streets. These are sort of bangers – some large and some small. It is best to avoid small groups of young boys at this time of year. At times this evening it felt like a war zone with gunshots all around – but they are only fireworks and Bonnie actually ignored them most of the time.
We survived the walk.
There were swallows and swifts and bats all flying around together as we turned for home.
The frogs were croaking loudly by the river and the banger boys had gone home to prepare for a night out.

Last Thursday in the Market……

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

………… it was more relaxed than usual – or perhaps it was me!
I wandered around for a couple of hours, not worrying about vegetables or fruit.
It was warm but not too hot. It was busy but not impossible to move. 
In this dreamy mood I…….
– bought a Blue dress from this stall for 26 euros which was too much but the dress is lovely

– did not buy these extra long mops

– followed this woman to get a photo of her as I loved her very un-Granollers glasses. There seem to be a lot of USA pants around as well as some with the Union Jack!

  – braved the olive man again and this time he smiled

– laughed at some leggings and felt glad that women here with large bottoms really do wear them with pride rather than hide themselves in baggy sacks

– relaxed on these ‘put your feet up’ seats on the Plaça dels Porcs while Pep bought the vegetables and fruit. Are these the whitest legs in Granollers?

Blueness

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

This morning’s walk with Bonnie was lovely. Sunny with a little breeze so we could walk without getting too hot.
The blueness of the sky

was even bluer with the wires

and the pylons

The blueness of the wild flowers

and the field of barley –  I think it is barley – only five minutes from the busy streets

Sometimes Granollers is beautiful

Fountains for Dogs

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

There are always lots of drinking fountains around towns in Catalunya.
For a while earlier this year the water was switched off in Granollers and we were thinking it was a money saving decision but now everything is back to normal.
I use them mostly for the dogs and in emergencies when I haven’t taken enough in my bottle.
Almost all the squares have one and walking along the river side you pass several.
It’s one of those things you just don’t see in the UK.

We found this one near the railway line in Granollers – it seems to be specially designed for dogs. The water drains away down the open channel which is good for tongues at all levels.
Duna is good at drinking from any design of fountain but this one was especially easy.