Where to, captain?

[Brett-EDH]

We were then off to a sea day before returning to Barcelona.

The Balearic sea.





Back in port to disembark. What a great 9 day cruise. One of the best itineraries we’ve done to date.



Sunrise over Barcelona port



Next stop, high speed train to Gerona, Spain!





Through security awaiting our train to arrive so we could then head to the platform and board.



We sat in car 8, basically the conductor’s car, with only a few seats between the boarding doors. Best seats I ever scored. Buy your tickets in advance online from the carrier. You’ll save money and get the best seat selections.



Some countryside pics shot while going 100+ mph to Girona.





We made it to Girona. And then headed out for an early dinner.







The footings of a bridge by some guy named Gustave.



You might know his last name, Eiffel.







Dinner at Brots de Vi. All fresh, organic and very high quality ingredients. Dinner was incredible.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Last shot before i finished my steak entrecôte.



Croquets



We then walked around to work off dinner and see Girona. The next day we had a walking tour scheduled.







A shot of Eiffel’s bridge.



Plaça de la Independència



We called it a night. Big day coming up tomorrow.

 

[DanHoo]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing!

Does Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso have a name we would recognize? Asking for a friend

 

[Brett-EDH]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing!

Does Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso have a name we would recognize? Asking for a friend

Possibly. But first I want to hear you say his full name, without errors.

 

[ChuckO]

I just happened upon this thread. I haven’t been able to go through it, but I’m looking forward to. These are vacations I’ll likely never take and I enjoy your vacation posts greatly. I’ll be back

 

[Brett-EDH]

I just happened upon this thread. I haven’t been able to go through it, but I’m looking forward to. These are vacations I’ll likely never take and I enjoy your vacation posts greatly. I’ll be back

Hopefully you’ll enjoy it. Final parts to come later this week. I last left you in Girona, Spain. We headed back to Barcelona for some final spots and eats.

 

[DanHoo]

Possibly. But first I want to hear you say his full name, without errors.

Nope

 

[Darryl - swazies]

A ton more really good pics.
You have been gone a long time.......4 weeks or so already?
Laundry day is going to be a fun time.......

 

[Brett-EDH]

A ton more really good pics.
You have been gone a long time.......4 weeks or so already?
Laundry day is going to be a fun time.......

We are home. Vacay was 24 days. I’m just slow in this wrap up. And yes, laundry day was laundry 3 days.

Back at the grind trying to upset the world’s balance.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Girona, Spain



If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, then you know Girona.

Girona is also a key cultural place of Jews as Rabbi Nachmanides was born there and was a scholar and and he authored his studies of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism in Girona. Rabbi Nachman was a Jewish scholar, rabbi, philosopher, physician and biblical commentator.

My wife and I took a semi-private walking tour of Girona to learn more of its rich Jewish history and to learn more about that period of time, 1194-1270.

The destruction of the 2nd temple led a larger Jewish migration to Spain, which already had a Jewish population dating back to pre-Christianity.

Enough of the history lesson, let’s see that tour.

The stairway hading up to Basilica de Sant Feliu. The same church shown in GOT.













Pictures from outside the church of the old city.






To the right of the tower, you can see the old wall that used to ring Girona. You can still walk atop that wall to see various parts of the city.









Steps leading up to the Jewish quarter in Girona.

 

[Brett-EDH]

The Jewish History Museum in Girona is a very well preserved site of how the Jewish community lived there up until 1492 when Spain expelled the Jews, killed many and forced conversions on those that chose to remain.











This is a dedication to the men of sciences who supported the voyages of discovery.

Rabbi Abraham Zacuto, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Zacuto

Joseph Vecino, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Vizinho

Jacon Corsino, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_ben_Isaac_Corsono

The Astrolabe



This part of the museum is where the kosher butcher’s store was. Most of Girona and the Jewish quarter were in this shape/condition under it’s previous dictatorship rule.

Most of the old city has been cleaned and refreshed as the history in this region is a major tourism driver now. And thankfully so. There’s an incredible history here.





The shaded buildings represent the size and location of the Girona Jewish community in its heyday.



After our tour, we headed to a very nice lunch.

Girona had some of the best food in Spain we ate during this vacation.



We started with mixed cheeses board.



Smoked herring with eggplant. To die for.



We also had the burger with foie gras. The liver was blended into the burger. No pic but it was superb.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Later that evening we headed out for a light bite to eat.

We got hooked on Cava sangria.



Afterwards we walked around Girona as we were heading back to Barcelona the next day.



This place on the bottom right had the BEST chocolate dipped churros we’ve ever had. They’re more savory and the chocolate was of very high quality.

Xurreria | Xurreria de la Cort Reial | Girona

Benvinguts a la Xurreria de la Cort Reial, un local ple d'encant on podràs gaudir de la nostra especialitat, els xurros. Estem situats al Barri Vell de Girona al Carrer de la Cort Reial, 9.

xurreriacortreial.wixsite.com

Some delicious dairy free ice cream.









High speed trains really are high speed. On our ride back to Barcelona.









Barcelona Sants train station



Checking into our favorite Barcelona hotel, Seventy Barcelona.

 

[LMichaels]

Europe is so interesting because there is far more history there than here in the US. And it's such rich history

 

[Brett-EDH]

Dessert at 530PM? When your wife says so and you’re on vacation, YES!



You really could die here and be happy.









Dark chocolate and pistachio.



It was the richest dark chocolate I’d ever had. I struggled to finish it.

We went to the rooftop pool to kick back a little and relax.



Then the weather alert came.



With the previous thunder and lightning they have in Barcelona the day before, we didn’t last long at the pool. Some small fear of being on the 7th floor at a pool that scares me straight every time.

I did grab this pic of Sagrada Família which could be seen from our rooftop pool. More pics to follow, in another post.