Montserrat

Thanks to a great travel recommended by Julie Koch (Thanks Julie!) I took a trip outside the city to gorgeous Montserrat (serrated mountain).  Located northwest of Barcelona, the largest peak rises to 4,055ft and is home to Catalonia’s holiest place, the Monastery of Montserrat.   While there are a number ways to reach Montserrat, I decided to train from Barcelona and then take a cremallera (rack railway) to the monastery, the journey lasting approximately 1.5 hours (not too shabby).  

Waiting for train in Barcelona.  I do hope that's water being "spritzed" from the fans.

Views from the train to transfer station (to Montserrat).  The train to transfer station is much like commuter trains in North Jersey or Chicago to the northern suburbs.  The views at times were nice but industrial as well. 

Below:  the cremallera hugging the side of the mountain, bringing us all to the monastery on Montserrat.

Interestingly the monastery was first mentioned in the 9th century, enlarged in the 11th century and became independent of Rome in 1409.  When the French attacked Catalonia in 1811 (the war of Independence) the monastery was destroyed and all the monks killed.  In 1844 the monetary was rebuilt and repopulated.  It is now home to Benedictine monks.   

Below:  the silver line running up the mountain (center of the picture) is the funicular which brings tourists from where the monastery sits to a part of the mountain where various hikes start.   

Lunch, which was included in the ticket I bought to Monserrat.  Recommendation, buy your own lunch... this was not very good at all. 

Placa de Santa Maria leading to the monastery

Above:  maybe monks don't have to give up all their worldly possessions?  Regardless, I'm not sure the foyer to the basilica is the best place to park a car?

Below:  corridor leading to the Virgin of Montserrat

Below:  The Virgin of Montserrat is a small wooden statue of La Moreneta (the dark one) and is the "soul" of Montserrat.  In 1881, this became the patroness of Catalonia.

Below: separate room for mass down the stairs from the Virgin of Monserrat and off from the Basilica

Below: Basilica foyer looking from the basilica toward the courtyard.  

Below:  one of only two monk sightings while at Montserrat.  (4th from left)

Below:  a sign in the courtyard to the Basilica.  I get most but if you look at the bottom left, what is this?  The map I received upon arriving at Montserrat says this means "You are in a religious site and a public space.  We request you to behave and dress appropriately.  Remember to keep an eye on your property at all times".  Did you get all that from this picture?  I thought it meant maintain at least 3 feet between members of the opposite sex at all times.... guess I got that wrong.

A map of the Natural Park of Montserrat.  In the US I have a hiking partner who likes to hike with me (uhummm... Jenn) but she refuses to come to Spain so I barely saw a fraction of all this.  Maybe one day she'll change here mind : (

Below: Funicular de Sant Joan.  This is the ride to a part of the mountain so you can hike around.

Below:  As you can see - the mountain is steep and this funicular is hugging the side of the mountain.  While the mental image of this system breaking off and us shooting over the monastery in a luge fashion made me laugh, I figured we'd die and that would suck.   

Below:  I am my father's daughter.  I, in addition to the metal image explained above, stared out the window and wondered how the hell this thing was working.  So, here's the explanation.  Way too technical for me (and brilliant!).  I'm happy it continues to work day after day... and especially the day I decided to take it.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE...... WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Below:  I stopped and took a picture of this giant rock because it had the coolest nooks and had I not been in tennis shoes and a dress, I probably would have started climbing it.

Below:  seems my instinct to climb this rock was spot on; can you see the climbing hook.  You can mountain climb on Montserrat!  Who's in?????

Below: information on how to climb the mountain... I'm not kidding; I want in and need a climbing partner!  

Following are more views from the mountain.  Breathtaking aren't they?

Jenn - the trees here are just a tad bigger than the top of Mount Washington, aren't they?

Below: While the funicular was a hoot on the way up, I decided to take the 40 minute walk back down the mountain to the monastery.  Along the way I spotted the following sites (sorry to say, I'm not sure what they are really but they were cool enough to take pictures of).