Today we go to Roses, a town on the Costa Brava near the French boarder. First Ana wants to see Sant Julia de Loria, a little town close to the Spanish border.  We side track there after leaving Escaldes-Engordany to find again there are no little towns on the main roads of Andorra. It is a busy city-like place with highrises everywhere. We decide to follow a road uphill as the main streets are shopping malls. When we do, again we find the a highway to the sky. Up and up we go. Soon buildings are left behind and we are again twisting through the forest. It is truly amazing how good the roads are in Andorra. The funding must be substantial to create them and keep them in excellent shape. They serve only hikers, very infrequent tourists, and small farms; as they wind toward the summits and then head down again. We get beautiful views again and stop to shoot photos that won’t adequately capture the heights we are at and views we are experiencing. 

I am convinced Andorra is the product of some very big money interests. It is a pile of mountains with a few valleys. There are six or more ski areas rising from the valleys  in every direction. The valleys are as developed as any modern place I have been. I can’t image the crowds and traffic when ski season is at it height. We are here off season and still its pace is maddening. The roads are very well maintained and there are extensive tunnels. Money here is plentiful. Why? I’d like to read an honest history about the place. I bet 50 years ago it was a group of isolated villages made up of stone houses and little farms. That is long gone. Ana thinks this place is a mystery; I have to agree. 

Eventually we descend and find a parking lot near an Italian restaurant. We arrive a 12:50. It will not open until 1 for lunch. We wait it our\t on an outdoor table and then enjoy a very nice goat cheese salad. Ana has lasagna and I spaghetti. I have not had pasta for a month; it tastes good. 

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We are not stopped a customs and proceed back to Spain. We drive three hours. Though longer than I would like, the drive takes us through a bit more of the Pyrenees, which makes it tolerable. Later we hit foot hills and farm country. Eventually we arrive in the seacoast town of Roses. It is near the Salvador Dali museum in Figueres. Roses will be our base for trips to Barcelona by high speed train, as I do not want to drive into the city. Our condo is very high on a hill above the beach town. The lower hills are dotted with condo buildings mostly white and not too architecturally pleasing. But it is still a very pleasant view.  We have a large patio and lookout over a lovely little bay and beach. The place is quiet, as we are off season and it may be too cold to swim. I hope we get at least one dip as the beach below us is splendid. 

The condo requires many steps up to enter it from the parking. It is a tough chore to get the suitcases and bags of food up. I feel a bit worn out by the long drive and the move in. It is a cool breezy evening, but not unpleasant. The patio has big soft outdoor chairs and I encourage Ana to stop the arrival chores and sit with me as the sun drops to the west and blues and pinks fill the sky. It is a lovely sun set and we relax after a long day with some wine. Later, we head to Roses to find some dinner, but at the bottom of the hill in this little beach town, called Mimosa, we find an open eatery by the beach. It is too cool to sit outside across from the Mimosa beach, so we go in and order paella; Ana has held off long enough. There is a family gathering in the dining room to celebrating something. We watch them greet each other as their group builds. We feel like we have crashed their party. The seafood is good, but I find the rice in the paella salty. Much of the food here in Spain is salty; they especially like to salt meats like steak. Sometimes it’s good; others it is a bit much. 

We will be here six days before ending our trip. I am hoping there are some warm days left in October to swim.