The Stars Are Out Tonight

IMG_0375, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

The Michelin stars, that is. We visited a Michelin-starred restaurant, Els Casals, which included a tour of the farm where they grew their own pigs, hens and vegetables and made their own sausages. After Cava and nibbles on the terrace, we sat down to a seven (I think) course meal. The kids had their own menu and thoroughly enjoyed it, but were more than willing to try our dishes too. They also got to drink Coca-Cola and stay up *really* late!

Down At The Reservoir

DSC_0542, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

All week long - and on Google Maps beforehand - we'd seen this huge reservoir, the Pantà de la Baells. It was an astonishing shade of turquoise, and just begged to be jumped into, but we couldn't find a way to get to it, until we found a wee place among the trees that hired out boats of various shapes and sizes. We promptly took out a wee motor boat and - suitably emboldened - a pedalo. The water, it transpired, was much warmer than the river, but still cool and clear and a joy to swim in. Splashing around in deep, fresh water surrounded by mountains and overlooked by a hot sun in a blue sky has to qualify as one of my favourite things. So we went back the next day too.

We Walk The Highwire

IMG_0326, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

Up the mountains, there's a wee town called Saldes which is loomed over by the mighty twin peaks of Pedraforca. Across the valley, high up in the trees, there's Parc Aventura, a Go-Ape style wire-walking place. We headed up there on a series of alarmingly steep and narrow roads (me taking the scenic route again), got harnessed up, and set about it. Louis was a little on the short side, but Spanish health & safety pragmatism kicked in, and he was allowed to do it anyway. Afterwards, we returned to a café in Saldes for tapas and beer, delightfully served in frozen glasses. Mmmmmm.

Kids' Klub

DSC_0506, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

As the oldest kiddie in the group, and ably assisted by Leo, Holly decided to run a "kids' club" for the youngies. It was based in her bedroom (she lucked out and had one to herself) but the highlight of the week's activities was the "disco" on the terrace. There was dancing, bambinoccino, pin the tail on the giraffe (because it was too hard to draw a donkey) and pass the parcel, all planned and executed by Holly and Leo. To cap it all, the whole affair was bathed in pre-bedtime "golden hour" light.

Wade In The Water Children

DSC_0418, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

After all that culture, we returned to the usual routine of jumping into water. And what a spot we found! Another medieval bridge, this time leading to the chapel of Sant Quirze de Pedret, crossing a narrow and fast-flowing channel which fed a deep and inviting pool. Jumping and swimming opportunities abounded, but we didn't bargain on the water temperature. It was, not to put to fine a point on it, bl***y freezing. Which was fine by me, but a bit much for the wee ones. Luckily there was a ford a few metres downstream where they could splash and frolic in relative comfort. There aren't too many pictures of actual jumping because I did most of it...

Tren Del Ciment

DSC_0292, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

Yes, you translated that right - it's the cement train! Bizarre as it may sound, it seems that "back in the day" noted Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (he of the Sagrada Familia and other Barcelonian gems) visited with some cement magnate or other, and thanked him for his hospitality by designing a wee garden up in the mountains near the cement factory. So this became our "cultural" visit for the week, relying on the wee train that still runs up to the factory/museum/garden to pique the interest of the kiddies. And it was a lovely day out, ending as ever with ice cream and beer. The garden is contemporaneous with Park Güell, and indeed shares some of that park's feel, if somewhat smaller and more rustic.

Settling In, Part II

DSC_0263, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

Our first full day in Casa Barbats was marked mostly by splashing around in the pool, as if we hadn't spent most of the previous week devising new and exciting ways to get into a body of water. We also firmly established the principle of barbecuing our food and eating outdoors on the patio, from which (during the day at least) glorious views were to be had.

Midnight Swim

Midnight Swim a video by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

After a long and sweaty day travelling across Catalonia (via the "scenic" route) to Gironella in the Berguedà region, we took a dip in the pool of our "week two" house. Much later, after the others had arrived and the wee ones had gone to bed, Holly took a dip by herself and did a wee water dance.

Goodbye Capmany

IMG_0284, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

All too soon, the week was over and it was time to say goodbye to Capmany. We elected to spend the day chilling by the town's municipal pool (where they thoughtfully provide cerveza, helados and bocadillos) where Louis and Holly spent some not inconsiderable time perfecting their flips into the water. Excitingly, we were asked to leave the water as an electrical storm threatened to rumble overhead. And then we were allowed back in again. Then we ate out in our local restaurant, which was authentically Spanish and family run, and also empty.

Roses

DSC_0178, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

We visited Roses, another wee town on the Costa Brava, this time to visit the Aqua Brava water park. It had slides, a wave pool, a pirate ship, a 4m jumping pool, a leisurely stream for drifting on an inner tube, and much more besides. But I didn't take any pictures of that. Instead, we had beer and ice cream on the seafront, and I took pictures of that instead.

En Bicicleta

IMG_0256, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

In an attempt to stay in some kind of fitness in the face of daily ice cream and beer, I tried running but managed to pull a muscle on my first outing. Luckily, the house had a collection of clunky old mountain bikes, from which I managed to cobble together a steed upon which to explore the locale. I found a dolmen (but not a menhir, sorry Obelix), bike (and walking) paths criss-crossing the area, and tempting dirt trails heading off into the distance in every direction...

Banyoles

DSC_0136, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

We returned to the lovely lakeside town of Banyoles, only to discover that - for some unknown reason - the lovely cafe where you could simultaneously drink beer and swim (or supervise swimming children) was closed for refurbishment. We lunched at the Club de Natacio (or something) and then took ourselves to the public swimming spot for a splash in the lake. I refer you to my previous comments on mountains and bodies of cool water. Ahhhh...

Llança

DSC_0081, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

We had a day out in Llança, a pretty little former fishing town on the Costa Brava. The beer and ice cream routine was duly initiated, and the costa was indeed brava - I'm a sucker for a the ol' mountains and water combo. The sheltered little beach allowed us to do a little bit of pseudo-snorkelling with our goggles on, and we spotted fish of various shapes and sizes, sea urchins, anemones and a starfish.

Settling In

IMG_0238, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

We arrived at Can Llobet in Capmany - a small and decidedly Spanish village near the French border - late on Friday night, and spent our first full day doing first-day stuff - food shopping, checking out the spa, the local cafe and swimming pool, beheading a chicken and sampling the local wine. You know the kind of thing. Highlight of the day - at least as far as the kids were concerned - was undoubtedly the chicken, and the hands-on dissection thereof. Holly especially enjoyed poking her finger up its windpipe and out its beak, to peals of laughter from Louis.

Just Open Up And Sing

IMG_0221, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

The BT Scotland Choir and I had our first "proper" gig at the BT AGM this week, we sang our entire repertoire (admittedly only half a dozen songs or so) about three times to modest numbers of shareholders. Applause was sporadic at best, but we got glowing reviews and were mentioned in BT dispatches afterwards.

Zoo Freebies

IMG_0200, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

While Helen was visiting the Queen with Grandma Pat, the kids and I popped up Corstorphine hill, there to climb trees, slide down muddy banks and spot zoo animals for free. The latter was an unexpected success, and we spotted zebras, antelopes, ostriches, monkeys and even some entry-fee-paying hominids. The kids walked miles without even realising it, and got completely filthy along the way (but in a good way).

Dunbar The Bay

IMG_0179, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

My turn to have a day off work (woo hoo!) and entertain four children (help!) while they're off school. As it turned out, we were down to three as Eloise was poorly, and the weather was kind so we were able to be outdoors. We took ourselves to Dunbar (officially the sunniest place in Scotland) and did some rock-pooling, went swimming in their lovely pool (waves, flumes and all) and reminisced about the old outdoor pool. That might have been just me. We popped along to the John Muir Country Park for a picnic lunch, only to discover that they have a splendid new adventure playground where we set up our now-inevitable slackline, and Holly did some amazing pole-shimmying and ropework while the boys gave it a bit of Star Wars action on the rolling mounds. After a short stroll through the salt marsh to the stunning Belhaven Bay, we concluded the day with an ice cream at Luca's. A fab day out, and a vast improvement on working for a living.

Extended Birthday

IMG_0143, a photo by Fraser Millar on Flickr.

Phew! What a busy weekend! We had a gym party for Holly on the Saturday, a family barbecue for Holly and Grandma on Sunday (complete with more slacklining), presents on Monday morning for Holly's birthday (can she really be nine?) and Pizza Express for dinner on Monday evening. No further explanation necessary, I think, but Scott has more pictures of the family thing here.