Barcelona—April 20, 2016

Caught the #5 train to Montserrat today. It’s an hour to Montserrat Central where you walk over to the cog rail and ride another 20 minutes up to the Abbey, elevation 4000’. The transportation coordination is perfect of course.

The stop before ours was for
folks who wanted to ride
the gondola up to the Abbey.

Train station at the top of the mountain.

Montserrat Basilica.

Atrium to Basilica.

Start 'em early.

Votive candles lit and prayers sent.

Check out the line at the far end of the Atrium.

Here's a close up. These are the faithful queuing up to touch
the Black Madonna's orb.

We headed up a path that led up hill in the opposite direction.

The Abbey in the distance. Doesn't take long to break away
from the madding crowd.

Francis of Assisi and Rick of Seattle.

The cross at the top of the cliff we did NOT walk to.

From our vista we noticed a stream of people, like
ants following a sugar trail, marching toward the Apostles
Cafe. I am not kidding. Okay, they were also walking to
a spectacular view point or maybe their bus.

All kinds of people make a pilgrimage to Montserrat.
This Austrian choral group, dressed in traditional
costume performed at the outdoor patio in front of
the Basilica.

There were 10 busses parked at the top
of Montserrat and another 13 in the
car park in the valley below. And then
there are those who drove themselves
and folks like us who filled half a
dozen train cars, arriving every hour.

Mind you, Montserrat IS a major
Catalonian pilgrimage destination.

Vendors selling the same cheese, honey, nuts, and
specialty breads. This guy is wearing a cap that looks
like a rolled up napkin. I'm sure it has some kind of
traditional meaning.

The Benedictions were serious about getting away and
devoting themselves to work and prayer.

Montserrat means serrated mountain and this shot shows why.

Cog rail back down to valley floor.

View from main plaza.

For a Benedicton Abbey that’s 1000
years old (founded sometime between the 9^th/10^th century or 1042 even), it’s a bit of a madhouse, but moments of quiet and even solitude can be had if you're willing to step away from the central plaza or Basilica.


                   

What none of the literature or video tours show is the wave upon wave of tourists and how every little point of interest in Barcelona, and even here at Monserrat, has a fee. 

Marina and Olympic Village promenade.

La Rambla, the pedestrian promenade that extends
1.2 miles from Place Catalunya (center of city)
to the harbor.

Walked next door to Schillings where we had a fabulous tapas dinner. Best meal so far. Tapas plates were generous and our waiter offered three to start with: toast with garlic and tomato, potatoes with red and white dipping sauces (we had these once before and they are delicious), and a full plate of the shaved Iberian ham.

Schillings—Best tapas ever!

Bigger, and more famous market,
adjacent to the Rambla, but the
locals just ignore the tourists,
winding their way to vendors for
their groceries.

We still liked Santa Canterina Market best, because there wasn't one tourist, and that may have been why the vendors seemed puzzled to see us. They were probably thinking, "Are these two lost; the touristy market is about eight blocks away."