Day 10. Valencia to Girona

We had a fairly relaxed schedule, with the train not due to depart until 1pm. So we had a relaxed breakfast with the others, strolled around and then checked out and took the short walk to the station.

The train to Girona was uneventful. These medium-fast trains (around 200kph) are not pressure sealed and they generate quite a bow wave in tunnels so that our ears were popping at each one. The service was good, and Keith and I headed off to the cafeteria car to get lunch for us all.

The train made only a few stops and Keith and Julie got to see this section of the Med coast for the first time. From Barcelona onwards the landscape got more hilly and a lot greener. A stark contrast to what we had been riding through inland of Valencia.

The other obvious difference is in terms of population density. No wide open vistas here... lots of towns and villages with small agricultural lots and plenty of industry.

This complex set of supports is required because one building has been
demolished and supports are needed to hold up the neighbouring ones.

When we got to Girona it was straightforward: into a big enough taxi and up the hill to Hotel Historic to sign in and be shown the way to our apartments (about 50m away) at Casa Cundaro. The old town of Girona is definitely hilly, so I am glad that we didn't even contemplate walking from the station! At the apartment there were a couple of flights of stairs but after a few trips we had all the luggage up and unpacked.

The apartment was quite comfortable. That is until the cathedral bells started almost overhead at 6am :-) Actually I didn't mind. It is a pleasant sound and I am already awake at that time.

A beer in La Rambla, which is lined with bars and restaurants

A classic Girona view in the evening

After dealing with arrival and unpacking we headed down the hill to explore. Lots of typical narrow, twisty streets, but here many of them have stairs. It reminds me somewhat of Cortona. The town is very photogenic, especially the buildings and bridges along the Onyar river, with the cathedral towering overhead. Everywhere we went there were lots of sightseers, camera at the ready but it was nver crowded unlike Barcelona!

 I made a quick visit to Girona Cycle Centre to confirm arrangements for the next day. There we met Dave and Saskia and bumped into Chloe Hosking, ex Canberra cyclist. All seemed in readiness so we agreed to return in the morning for fitting etc.

Plaça de la Independència

We had dinner of tapas at one of the many restaurants that surround Plaça de la Independència on the other side of the river. It was a comfortably warm night, quite suitable for eating outdoors and listening to the buskers - of varying quality who went from one group of tables to the next.

Then the stroll back over the bridge and back up the hill to the apartment to finish the day.

Lots of people out in the street, enjoying a drink
or just socialising.

The entrance to our apartment