The challenge this morning was to get our car out of where it was parked since it was mostly blocked by someone who parked sideways in the aisle behind us and was nowhere to be seen. Bruce did an admirable job extricating the car. Drove from Girona to Montserrat arriving around noon. Last 10 miles were on twisting turning mountain roads as we climbed way above the valley to the Abbey and Basilica of Montserrat. Many arrive from the valley on a tram or bus. First hurdle was to find a parking spot with the huge number of buses and cars already there. Parked in almost the lowest lot and walked about 1km to where all the building are.

The mountains that surround all this are high and beautiful. Long views into the valley below. And Montserrat is big enough with lots of things there and could handle all the people. Even though there is a world-class museum and other exhibits to see, we opted to just spend time in the basilica itself and it was well-worth doing that. Tough to try to encapsulate the scope of what is up there. Hotels, restaurants, winery, museum, exhibitions, basilica. And there is the tram from the valley, a gondola from another part of the valley, and a cog-wheel railroad going almost straight up a mountain from where we were.

Drove back another route (the one the buses use) to the valley and then back to Barcelona and picked up Bruce’s bag, camera, passport. Taxi to hotel. Got there about 5:00 and met downstairs for wine at 6:00 and had tapas and more wine on the terrace at 7:00 getting to our rooms about 9:00.

Tomorrow is a free day and we’re not sure where we’re going at this point. Been a long two days, but every part of it was wonderful.