Another milestone coming up today, exiting France and crossing Pyranees into
world’s smallest country, Andorra! GirlRob could not get out of her head the words
of a poem learned in primary school for an Esteddfod. The singsong words and
phrases recreate the feel of the old lively Italian folk dance, the Tarantella:
Tarantella (Hilaire Belloc)
Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
And the tedding and the spreading
Of the straw for a bedding,
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
(Under the vine of the dark verandah)?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda,
Do you remember an Inn?
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
And the tedding and the spreading
Of the straw for a bedding,
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
(Under the vine of the dark verandah)?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda,
Do you remember an Inn?
Passed buildings with rustic-artistic rounded roof tiles. Had to back off small bridge for turning log truck – locals rule OK!
Climbing higher into the Catalan Pyrenees, sticks protruding along sides of road to show edges during snow. Saw first ice patches on mountains, waterfalls, running creeks.
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| Snow sticks |
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| Snow fences |
Turned off at Canillo to explore a snaky high road but didn't even get half-way to Ordino; drove through weight restrictions, but just past some totem poles thought it prudent to turn back due to height restrictions ahead.
On to capital Andorra la Vella, what a squeeze to fit city into such a narrow valley. Not a hope of parking camper trucks, so couldn't stop for Salvadore Dali statue as planned. Space at such a premium even crypts in cemetery were stacked and terraced, sharing walls.
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| Andorra la Vella in ribbon valley far below |
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| Growing tobacco on valley walls |
Looking for a campsite, turned to do wriggly mountain loop-road out of Sant Julia de Loria. Goats on road, high country terraced agriculture. At higher altitude more obvious longitudinal cracks in road. Our hoped-for quiet mountain outlook for night turned out to be a Nature Park - horse riding, go-carts, mini-golf, wild animals, tyre luge, and a bobsled run!! We moved on, finishing loop back in Sant Julia.
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