Escape to Spain...

Christmas sunset 

After our cold Christmas, Yannick le technicien came on Monday and fixed the bruleur on the furnace... but we'd already decided to go to Spain for our last two days. The saints in aran sweaters are in the mountains just south of the border; the sunset is Roses, where we spent the night looking over the sea. We ate at La Gallega de Roses, a seashell encrusted Galician restaurant where - at last! - I had seiche à la planxa (my usual last-night-of-the-holidays meal in Prades). 

St Pierre de Rodes

Shell encrusted Galician restaurant

Tango lessons

On our way back to the hotel we heard the strains of exotic music, and snuck a look into the tango lesson!
There's something a bit more lively about northern Spain at Christmas, compared with that southern bit of France. A lovely peaceful & quiet time can be had in the PO, the Muscat de Noel is made especially in September and the local food is great. People spend time on family visits, we do sunny walks up gently hillsides (because Canigo is not really open to climbers in winter). It's very quiet, few restaurants are open even at the seaside - one year we nipped over to Spain just for a cup of coffee, and realised the difference in ambiance! 

Empuries

Greek sandals!

   Now, flying to Girona means there's an excuse for visiting Figueras (the Dali museum), Cadaquès (Dali again & Picasso), mountain villages, and even as far as Barcelona! And the hot chocolate is fantastic! (Food's good in Girona airport departure lounge as well.) This time we ticked the Greek and Roman archeological sites at Empuriès off the list too.

Greek bird

Mosaic pavement from Roman city