Montserrat to Andorra

ON THE ROAD TO MONTSERRAT AND ANDORRA.

So Julie and I are back into tour group mode.

 Our first stop was the main monastery up in a mountain town called Monserrat (Serrated Mountain because of the mountain's shape and profile). The monastery has a proper Saint's name in Spanish. However for me, it's proper name in English should be "Saint Exit Through The Gift Shop.” Thousands of tourists, screaming kids, and endless merchandising. It reminded me of the scene in the Fellini film “Roma” where the Cardinal's are wearing the latest in clerical fashions which light up like a Christmas tree. However, some good things came from it. The scenery was stunning. I got to cross another thing off my bucket list which was to play some of the music, of Pere (Father) Antonio Soler whilst up at Monserrat. Father Soler was a priest who lived in the monastery and who composed some of my favourite Spanish classical music. Finally, Julie bought some miniture bottles of the wine and spirits which the monastery produces. 

Watching the sun go down over The Pyrenees in the small country of Andorra, It was hard to imagine that in about a month these mountains will be covered in snow and skiers. 

 The afternoon was spent walking around the only town in Andorra. 

We were buying some clothes when we had a few language problems. The sales lady's English was O. K but not so good if you were in a hurry. Our Spanish still is more or less none existent. Then the two sales ladies started to discuss our problem in French. (France is just “over the hill” from Andorra.). Once I heard them chatting the three of us soon sorted out the problem. After checking in I had a problem with the key, and could explain it to the receptionist. Although Spanish is my favourite language, it's so nice to speak French again and be understood. 

 P.S. One of the tour guides asked me the other day if I was Italian because I spoke Spanish with an Italian accent, to be able to do that? ….. takes talent!!!! …. Or really lousy Spanish pronounciation! 

 P.P.S. One of the things I have noticed since travelling across The Pyrenees, are the number of plane vapour trails in the sky.  I can now see three. Not sure what that means except that the sky around here must be pretty crowded. I definitely wouldn't want to be on that dodgy British Airways plane I wrote about earlier!