Archive

Getting to the Nuria Valley There are only two ways to get to the heart of the Nuria Valley, high in the Spanish Pyrenees and isolated from much of the region. The first is to walk. The second is on an antiquated train, along the ridges above valleys and through mountain tunnels. Coming out of ...

Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park All too often the road seems more like a highway. As I travel across countries, trying to see as much as possible, sometimes it’s the detail that gets lost. On trains, you see the landscapes blur past. On buses, it’s always the quickest way between cities – not necessarily the ...

La Boqueria markets, Barcelona When it comes to Spain, there seems to be nothing more important than food. Every meal becomes a feast – a long rambling expedition down a path of courses, helped along with many a glass of wine. But it’s not just the quantity which is important… quality is a vital factor ...

Catalonian independence Legend has it the flag of Catalonia was born from blood. The blood of a man called Wilfred the Hairy, who stories (but not necessarily any historical evidence) claim is the founder of Catalonia. He was injured in war in August of the year 897 and would die there on the battlefield. But ...

Barcelona, Spain Barcelona, it was the first time that we met. Barcelona, how can I forget? It’s the mix of the classic with the modern that gives Barcelona its flavour. The same way the operatic melodies of Montserrat Caballe combine with the stylised pop of Freddie Mercury’s voice in their song ‘Barcelona’. I don’t know ...

miBa museum, Barcelona You know what they say: ‘necessity is the mother of all invention’. I guess that explains the cushion that has been made into a television remote control so you can never lose it. In Barcelona, the miBa Museum is the ultimate collection of the strangest and coolest inventions ever created. They’re the ...

Mushroom-hunting in the Spanish Pyrenees Basket in hand, I begin my hunt. This is a well-trodden path but new treasures are growing every day. At the base of trees, under bushes and poking out of the grass are the mushrooms – our targets for today. With me is Michelin-rated chef Francesc Rovira. Just a fifteen ...

Hot air balloon in the Pyrenees, Spain Deflated. That’s how I felt. That’s how we all felt. But sometimes these things are out of your control. Not everything on your travels goes well. It’s important to learn that and to still try to find the good in the experiences. Still, we were pissed off. The ...

Gin and tonic recipe I call it a ‘gin and tonic’. The Spanish call it a ‘gin tonic’. Who needs conjunctions when they taste so good? In the north east of the country, deep into Catalonia, gin tonics have become the fashionable drink. People sit outside on the street tables drinking them. Some bars serve ...

Cap de Creus Natural Park, Spain Sometimes there are minds you can’t even imagine comprehending, imaginations seemingly too warped to understand, things that seem to be but exist only when you’re imagining them. Imagination – it comes from somewhere. Perhaps it comes from inspiration. That makes sense, doesn’t it? There needs to be a spark ...