We got off to a slightly rough start because Anna temporarily does not have a phone and we missed each other on the train initially, but all was well in the end and we found each other. We then took the cable car up the mountain (it´s 7 euros one way or 10 euros for round trip, so not too bad). It was a five minute ride, and very smooth... although if you are afraid of heights I would not recommend it.
We proceeded to walk around a nicely groomed village, with flowers and attractive architecture, and of course a good amount of tourists. We found the monastery, but I do not have photographic evidence of its magnificence because you could not use your camera inside. We also stood in line to see the Mare de Déu de Montserrat, aka the Black Virgin of Montserrat. I´m not a particularly religious person so I do not know a whole lot about it, but it seemed to be a really big deal.
Below: I´m posing for a photo with the mountain behind me and the Monastery in front of me. I thought the views were breathtaking.
After that, we grabbed dinner and decided to take a nice leisurely walk down the mountain. I heard there were trails back to the main train station and that it would take a solid hour an a half. Instead of researching it ahead of time, I thought we would just follow the signs. Thing is, there were no signs that pointed toward a train station. So we took a random trail. At first, our spirits were high! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, a cool breeze was keeping us energized. But after about 45 minutes of trekking in no particular direction and noticing that the decline had suddenly become an incline, we started worrying that maybe this was not the route to the bottom. I tried using the GPS on my phone, and it only showed roads, not trails. We asked a kind looking jogger (the only person we saw in the span of about an hour) for directions, and he said something in Catalan and pointed in 4 different directions.... so that unfortunately did not help.
At this point, we were worried that it might get dark before we could reach the bottom. We did not want to fall off the mountain or be eaten by any exotic Spanish animals, so we back tracked, and mannnn was it steep going back. I have been eating so much bread and olive oil and not really exercising, so the fact that I was gasping for air after that mini hike was a clear indication that I need to get back at it.
We went to the information desk, but it was closed. In fact, the whole place had suddenly become a ghost town. We just wanted to know how to get to the bottom, whether it was on foot, by bus, or any other means of transportation. Finally, I saw a family wearing rock climbing gear approaching. The last time I asked for directions in Spanish, it did not go well (the jogger on the mountain). This time I screamed, ¨HABLAS INGLES!?!?¨to the girl. She said no, but her dad spoke a little. After a very confusing conversation in Spengalan (Spanish/English/Catalan), Anna and I realized he was offering us a ride to the train station. My heart was racing. On the one hand, I was thrilled to have a quick, effortless option to get down that massive mountain. On the other hand, I had never in my life accepted a ride from a stranger. I was nervous, but I figured since it was a family, I would go for it and put my trust in them.
It ended up going amazingly well! The kids were so nice, asking us where we were from and trying to speak English with us. They offered us cherries and walnuts, and when we arrived at the station they waited to make sure we got on the train. It´s always a huge risk getting a ride from someone you don´t know, but I have to say that most of the people I have met in Spain have been really kind to me, and these people are no exception. I will probably never see them again, but I hope they realized how much we appreciated them taking a few moments out of their day to help us out!
No comments:
Post a Comment