SPAIN - Costa Brava & Barcelona, 27 May

SPAIN - Costa Brava & Barcelona, 27 May - 6 June 2022

Lits Temmuz 31, 2022

This was a eating & drinking holiday with a little bit of sight-seeing.....

In Begur next to Cap Sa Sal restaurant - taking in the panoramic view.

El Cellar de Can Roca, Girona City

Located in Girona, El Cellar de Can Roca has been listed in The World's 50 Best Restaurants by Restaurants Magazine since 2006. In 2009 it was ranked fifth and was awarded the prize for being the highest climbing restaurant on the list. So it ranks above the highly respected Michelin starred restaurants. Three brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi run this chic bistro known for inventive variations on traditional Catalan recipes.

The early birds.

All seated and ready to makan....

Martin was our maitre'D .

Sturgeon caviar (from Italy), seafood broth with squid jelly.

Oysters.

Oysters (from Northern Bordeaux), apple cucumber and black garlic and sweet wine (from Pedro Ximenez).

The Roca brothers - eldest Joan is the chef, 2nd Josep is the sommelier, and the youngest Jordi is the pastry chef.

This was first of the 17 appetizers (above).

Breads selections.

Prawns rice vinegar, olive juices, veg and flowers.

Start of the 2nd main course.

Martin prepares to "cook" our peas.

The "cooking" was with wine.

The white used for cooking.

The wines we had.

"Green colourology."

White asparagus in in season - top restaurants uses the best of the seasonal produce.

Checking out the extensive wine list.

Celeriac and pear caramelized.

Potato paste with artichoke.

Spring onions and garlic.

Grilled langostin with butter oil.

Charcoal grilled turbot fin.

Sucking lamb & poularde (chicken).

Preparing to serve the brioche.

Brioche.

Dessert in air-light form.

The dessert floats in...

Tour of Roca wine cellars

Roca brothers have upwards of 50,000 bottles in their cellars - from all regions of the world with predominance of Spanish and French juice.

The cellars have wines stored based on regions.

Meeting Josep Roca

Josep with admirers.

Trying to book an appointment for Dane in Nov 2022.

This life-lie mannequin of the third brother Jordi Roca was found at La Rambla in Barcelona.

Limited seating capacity

The restaurant has very limited seating - one common area seating space and two private rooms, of which we were in the one next to the cellars.

Finishing up with tea and petit four at the terrace

Unwinding for tea and petit four....

Can't wait to try the teas.

Making teas are an art in itself.

Mission done - Roca Brothers, thank you!

Ca l'Enric, L'Hostalnou de Bianya, Girona

The Michelin-starred restaurant is located in the La Gorrotxa volcanic region. The setting of the restaurant building in a very woody landscape, reminds us of Etxebarri Asador restaurant located in the Axondo Hills of Basque countryside. Like Roca brothers, Ca l"Enric focuses on local produce of the season - so there is an abundant serving of greens etc. The chef is Jordi Junca Monteis, and Juan was the owner/sommelier and our maitre D'.

The setting feels like Axondo Hills in Basque.

Excited diners raising arms in anticipation.

The garden is surrounded by lush greenery.

Beautifully crafted to look like it was plug from trees...

Pre-appetizers.

It began like a garden party.

Indoors again:

This vintage bicycle adorns an inner room.

We found the Matassa refreshingly light.

Juan is the sommelier/owner of Ca l'entric.

Thumbs up for the Sumbukina natural red.

Tasty morsels fed by hand.

Nina is the resident dog gifted to Juan by his son. She's in charge of sniffing out truffles.

The clear broth completes the "wanton".

This mocked to look like sushi!

The kitchen

Portrait of a slimmer & younger Nina.

Sumbukina red - not enough bts for sale?

We had coffee & teas served in the bar lounge.

With Juan, pastry chef Jordi (son) and his girlfriend Julie who served us.

Estimar restaurant, Barcelona

Estima restaurant is located in the old city area, near the Barcelona harbour. Reputedly the restaurant is founded by the Gotanegra family dating back to 1895, and now the fifth generation of the family continues to manage the business. Apparently they still source their fishes from the Port of Roses. (Roses was the home of El Bulli, with 3-Michelin stars, was one of the world's best and most famous restaurants, from 1961 until its closure in July 2011.)

Because of its location in the winding alleys of the old city (which may reflect the origins of the restaurant), but diners do well to be extra careful with their security, when leaving the area after dinner. Our after-dinner group bears witness to such a real-life snatch-run attack.

We ate two of the 3 turbots, and most of the prawns, on display here.

A closer look....

Pre-appetizers Andalusian tomatoes and potatoes.

First course is this fresh anchovies bathe in olive oil.

Juan is our maitre D'.

Tomato brushetta.

Skewers of clams, anchovies, pickle, peppers, & sun-dried tomatoes.

Cray-fish carpaccio.

Tempura fish fritters.

Tempura fish dip.

Sauteed clams in white wine sauce.

Razor clams in broth.

Sea cucumber stomach.

Juan carving out the two turbots.

Turbot in olive oil.

Turbot.

May not be pretty but the delicious tastes makes up for it...

The two desserts we had.

The dessert wine is from Emporda, where Juan calls home.

Mont Bar, Barcelona

Mont Bar is at corner of Eixample Esquerra. Its Michelin starred, and is one of the most popular bars among Barcelona's finest (tapas) restaurants - our reservation was mysteriously "cancelled" when Cotton House concierge enquired, but resuscitated when we turned up at the door! The menu is artfully presented and on a friday evening when we were there, the bar/restaurant was more than full.

We wisely opted for a tasting menu - and so not sure what we had, but it was the best presentation Mont Bar has to offer....

Almond tempura.

Raw fish on bisquit.

The sommelier recommending our 2 cavas.

A touch of Mexican...

Cockles on crackers.

Chicken skin and squid canape.

Savoury mochi.

Merangue froth with egg white inside.

Tuna belly presented under smoky hood.

Tuna belly marinated with pine nut sauce.

Best table in the house & the wine-store backdrop.

Seasonal mushrooms with red prawns.

Roasted prawn heads.

Mushroom morsels in creamy broth.

Fish with caviar.

Iberian suckling pig with cantonese sauce.

Dessert of the evening.

The sommelier did well with us.

Desserts

Media Manga (less formal setting) is situated next door, but under same owners.

Divinum, Girona

Divinum is a Michelin-starred restaurant offering exciting Catalan food in the heart of old Girona town.

Smoked broth (to drink).

"Peanut chocolate" pre-appetizer.

Raw fish marinated.

Look-alike chocolate pre-appetizer.

Croissant.

This sphere was a "surprise" place holder - but there preparation is on-going in the kitchen.

With chef and sommelier/maitre D'.

Celeriac broth.

Sweet "pow".

Roasted quail.

Braised goat meat.

Red prawns.

Fish in broth.

Meticulous preparation for the "surprise".

Cauliflower and egg yolk.

White asparagas, citrics and coriander.

Petit fore.

Restaurant Casa Nun, Cadaques, Girona

Casa Nun ("Noon") serves delicious home-cooked food served on a pretty terrace facing the port area in Cadaques. Its simple and rustic setting for a restaurant but parking has to be some distanced away due to the very narrow streets running next to the beach. The sea food was hopping fresh!!

Anchovies on baguette.

Tuna on toasted bread.

Grilled squid.

Seafood tempura.

Red prawns in broth.

Spanish salad.

Potato in egg.

Seafood soup.

Turbot.

Lobster paella.

Happy birthday!

On the Cadaques shoreline.

Cap Sa Sal, Begur, Girona

Cap Sa Sal restaurant is perched on a cliff over looking the sea. The restaurant stunning location is itself its most valuable selling preposition. There is a hotel with the same name next door.

Seafood salad.

Burrata with tomatoes.

Turbot.

Seafood paella.

Seafood paella served.

Overlooking the cliffs of Begur.

Restaurant Ter Mar, Terroella de Montgri, Girona

Ter Mar is a restaurant near our rented villa at Emporda Golf course. Its located at the mouth of the River Ter, surrounding by natural sand dunes protecting the beaches. We had no lunch reservations, and on Mondays most lunch restaurants are closed. We found Ter Mar.....

Deep fried frog legs.

White bait.

Butter.

Red prawns.

Grilled squid.

Salad.

Calamari.

Monk fish.

Sting ray.

Turbot fish.

Ice cream

Creme brulee.

Emporda dessert wine.

Old well looking out of the restroom.

Vinitus, Barcelona

Vinitus is a popular tapas bar and restaurant - we were early for lunch - and got seated. 15 minutes later, a queue was formed and people had to wait to be seated. Vinitus was recommended to us by friend Ginna. Saw many younger patrons and many Asians at the restaurant...

Sangria.

Fried squid tentacles.

Fried small fish.

White asparagas.

Grilled red prawns.

Steak sandwich.

Steak only.

Churros.

Casa Alfonso, Barcelona

Casa Alfonso was founded in 1934, 2 years before the start of the Spanish Civil War. This is my 4-5th time here, and compared to previously when I thought it was a sleepy place, this time, it was crowded and bustling with activity. The food is earthy and unpretentious, unlike the fine dining and Michelin restaurants. The service is sketchy at best but the food is value for money. The restaurant is just round the corner from Cotton House.

Marinated anchovies.

Prawns in olive oil.

Crocquets.

Calamari.

Buratta with salad.

Iberico ham.

Octopus.

Mushrooms with egg.

Memorabilia from Alfonso's long history.

La Rambla

The La Rambla is a pedestrian's paradise lined with shady trees. flower shops and tourists knick-knack shops. The La Boqueria market opens off the Rambla and is where we go for our iberico hams and all forms of tapas.

Bar Central tapas:

Crocquets.

Grilled sardines.

Grilled red prawns.

Grilled squids with fries.

The Bar Central is our all-time favorite tapas stall. La Quim was recommended to us but its relatively more expensive, and a lot more touristy!

We also lunched at La Quim a day earlier:

Grilled prawns.

Eggplant.

Small squid with eggs.

Sauteed razor clams.

Meat-balls.

White wine and Sangria.

Escriba Cafe

Escriba is a historic landmark cafe in La Rambla.

Coffees with meringue.

Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum, Figueres, Girona

This is a museum dedicate to the artist Salvador Dali in his home town of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain. Dali wanted his museum to be "a single block, a great surrealist object. It will be a theatrical museum. The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation of having had a theatrical dream." It was an old theater refurbished into theatre-museum, and totally conceived and designed by Salvador Dali (1904-1989) himself. It was inaugurated in 1974 and was considered as the last great work of Salvador Dali.

With the windy lady...

Artful (play) door into Dali's world.

The main foyer with wall of surrealistic paintings - not sure if they depict human form or landscapes.

Waiting for our group in the church next door to square.

Dali in whimsical mood pose.

Map showing how Dali redefined the space his museum acquired in heart of Figueres.

Entrance sculpture - in surrealism in life.

Salvador Dali.

Either see Lincoln's face or naked butt - or more?

Profile of medieval churchman.

Neptune statue with menacing octopus on top.

Poble Espanyol de Montjuic, Barcelona

Poble Espanyol is architecture, art, tradition, etc for activities and exhibitions in Barcelona. It was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, and contains replicas of many historical buildings in Spain. It reminds me of Universal Studios - but clearly this is more of a exhibition-style entertainment.

This tower is replica of the original in Utebo in Zaragoza. Its decorated in Mudejar art.

Gate of Avila replica - serving as Poble entrance.

Exhibits.

Cutout of a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago trail.

Leaning on a cutout of Don Quixote.

Don Quixote de la Mancha is the most universal of Spanish works, and considered its first novel. It was written by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) and published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, and is a parody of tales of chivalry and a criticism of Spanish society of that time. Cervantes served in Spanish Navy and was badly wounded in the Battle of Lepanto (1571) against the Ottoman Turks. (We found Cervantes statue in Lepanto when we visited Greece in June 2018. )

Cervantes statue in Lepanto, Greece (June 2018).

Don Quixote is an intelligent play between what is real and what is unreal, a literally masterpiece that is an inevitable part of the essence of Spanish culture.

The colorful overhanging umbrellas are a beautiful sight.

The town square.

History Museum of Catalunya

The Romans invaded Spain because of Hannibal's offensive against Rome during the 2nd Punic War. In 218 BC, a strong Roman army disembarked at Empuries (Emporda) to cut of the Pyrenes passes and Hannibal's communication lines to his bases in the Iberian Peninsula. The Romans triumphed over the Carthaginians and their allies - defeated in 207BC. Once they established themselves, a long period of Romanisation began that lasted 2 centuries.

In 711AD, small armies of Arabs and Berbers arrived in Hispania. The Visigothic kingdoms weakened by internal fighting collapsed and the Iberian peninsula came under the control of the Omayyad caliphate in Damascus. In 929 AD, the Islamic territory of al-Andalus broke away from their masters in Damascus, and proclaimed Cordoba to be the capital of the new caliphate, which ruled for many centuries, and created a Catalonia that was a powerful opposition to the Andalusian rulers.

With the formation of the Carolingian Empire in France, it gave shelter to the Catalonians who existed on the rim of the Islamic World. Charlemagne of the Franks defeated a large Islamic invasion in 700-800s, and consolidated his legacy as the first Holy Roman Emperor.

Gradually, the center weakened, and the young dynastic counts that emerged from the bondage of the vassalage, eg Guifre (Wilfred the Hairy) count of Cerdany and Urgell, came into their own by adding counties of Girona, Barcelona and Osona, laying the foundations of the House of Barcelona. At end of 10th century, the Franks links were severed and the political independence commenced for the counts of Barcelona.

Legend of the coat of arms of Catalonia. The Count of Barcelona ruled over vassals in Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia and Majorca. French king Louis the Pious ran his fingers in the blood of the dying Count Guifre's (Wilfred the Hairy's)) wounds creating the 4 red pales (bars) over the gold field shield.

Count Guifre was a vassal of the Franks, and fell in battle against Ismail ibn Musa ibn Qasawi at Lleida Catalonia in 897. Guifre's son inherited the Catalan counties.

A history recap from our previous blog about Andalucia: "is an autonomous community in the south of Spain. Spain is now largely Roman Catholic, had been under Moorish rule for over 700 years. In 711, the Christian Visigoth kings collapsed under attack from the Umayyad Caliphate. The Umayyad dynasty, founded in Syria (661 - 750), was defeated at home in 750 by the Abbasids (750 - 1517), and was "re-born" in Spain as the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba (756 - 1031)."

See the 4 bars of the Catalan flag (above)!

This migration map shows how the northern Vikings eventually migrated into Spain, Burgundy, Slavic lands etc.

The War of the Spanish Succession 1701-1714 was the first "World War" in human history. When the childless last Habsburg King of Spain Charles II (died 1700) was succeeded by his nephew Philip of Anjou (1683-1746) as the first Bourbon King of Spain, it created conflict between the great European powers France and Spain on one side, and Austria, Great Britain, Dutch Republic, etc on the other (collectively called the Grand Alliance). While Philip was installed as King of Spain, a relative/cousin Archduke Charles of Austria (1685-1740) entered & ruled over Catalonia (start of territorial split between the Bourbons and Habsburgs!)

The object of the Grand Alliance was to prevent Spain & France be united under one king. The tables turned in 711, when Archduke Charles became the Holy Roman Emperor and the ruler of Austrian Habsburgs (and the prospect of Spain & Austria under one king?). The British quickly became amenable to enter into Peace (treaties) of Utrecht, between Spain and Britain, and between Britain and France.

Philip was recognized as the first Bourbon King of Spain but had to permanently renounce his claim to the French throne, and part of the extensive Spanish Empire was split up and distributed and other territorial exchanges, preserving the "balance of power" in Europe. Britain benefited greatly by being ceded Gibraltar & Menorca, acquired significant trade concessions in Spanish Americas, and demanded Spain to preserve Catalan historical rights in return for their support. The Royal Navy was able to built on this advantage into a major naval power since the late-1700s.

The current King Felipe VI of Spain (b.1968) is from the House of Bourbon, and the present-day Catalans are still fiercely independent. The Catalan flags fluttering everywhere in Girona and Barcelona. The missing Spanish flag has the House of Bourbon-Anjou arms embedded in it.

Spanish flag (top) and Catalan flag (bottom).

La Gorrotxa (Montsacopa volcanoes)

Montagut i Oix

Cross and Catalan flag at the St Francis Chapel, Olot.

Assembly point.

The ascent up the Montsacopa volcano.

The endless ascent.

Refreshments on the summit.

Dressed up for climbing.

Fluttering Catalan flag.

St Francis' Chapel built in 1817. It is located in the south edge of the Montsacopa volcano crater.

Some descent faster than others..

Precarious walk down the Montsaacopa volcano.

San Salvador Church with its bell tower, perched on tip of lava basalt ridge. In the town of Castellfollit de la Roca.

The church & town was scene of major battles fought between the French and the Catalan troops.

Fluvia river.

By the Fluvia river bridge.

Viewing point from Castellfollit de la Roca.

Castellfollit de la Roca town..

The tower landmark on top of Castellfollit de la Roca.

It is one of the smallest towns in Catalonia, less than a square km.

Old Girona walls

Girona is an old medieval city, was the site of many location scenes in the Games of Thrones series. We missed the Games walking tour. Girona lies between the majestic peaks of the Pyrenees and the rugged Costa Brava coast, and the town sits on the confluence of 4 rivers.