Ramble
Quest - Montserrat Mountains
Looking to maximize my tourist dollar, especially when faced with these brutal euro exchange rates, I decide to compare the value of the "Tot Montserrat" card, which is a combo tourist ticket that includes transportation to Montserrat, entry to the museum and use of the incline trains. However, I need to wait in a long line at the train station ticket window to do this. I've already tried the automatic ticket vending machines, but they have no information about this ticket, other than listing it as an option for purchase, without actually allowing you to buy it. Thinking I have plenty of time before my train, I get into the line for the single open window.
The woman at the ticket window has exactly two ways of dealing with customers. If the customer is Spanish, she gives them forms to fill out. The customers argue, wave handfuls of already filled-out forms in front of her, get into long, drawn-out discussions about the situation, and ultimately go away disappointed with the new forms. If the customer is a foreigner, she tells them that they must use the automatic ticket vending machine, regardless of their problem. So, I am not terribly surprised when the only information I can get out of her about the "Tot Montserrat" card is that I must use the automatic ticket vending machine, even though, as I've said, it is impossible to purchase one there. I'm tempted to ask her where a washroom is, just to hear her tell me that I must use the automatic ticket vending machine, but by now I have to hussle just to catch the train.
On board, an obnoxious British couple are messily eating and the woman has her feet up on the seat in front of her. The man sitting next to me is bothered by this and politely tells her (in Spanish of course, but even to me it is obvious what he's saying) that people have to sit on these seats and they're going to get their pants dirty after she puts her shoes on there. The couple is a bit confused and offended, but she complies. I silently root for this modern-day Don Quixote. Polite behavior in public places is practically dead throughout the world, but I'm happy to see someone's still trying.
The British couple are reading about Montserrat in their guidebook, so I know that is their destination. I make the huge mistake of following them off the train when they exit. Almost immediately I can tell that this must be the wrong stop but I can't get the train door to reopen in time. Actually, I'm guessing that during certain parts of the year a ski lift might climb the mountain from this stop, but it's clearly not running now and there's absolutely nothing around. It's pretty though, so I decide to hike around for an hour rather than sit around at the station with the couple waiting for the next train. While walking around I discover that it's only 2-3k until the funicular rail station, so the mishap didn't turn out to be a problem.
Despite the famous name and long history (the Montserrat virgin was supposedly found in a cave during the 800's), Montserrat monastery was completely destroyed during the Napoleonic wars, so it isn't very old. The primarily 19th century reconstruction is extremely nice though, and the Basilica is impressive. Montserrat's most famous icon, a 12th century wooden sculpture depicting a black Vigin Mary, known as "La Moreneta", was hidden during the wars and now sits high above the alter at the back of the cathedral. The cool thing is that there are steps leading up to it and you can get right next to the Black Madonna and can in fact, actually touch the ball she holds in her right hand!
Nice as the benedictine monastery is, the surrounding mountains are far better. You can see why this area was the site of a shrine from such an early period because these "sawed mountains" drastically stick out from all of the other mountains in the area, because of the fantastic shapes of the sedimentary limestone rock. Amazingly, this area was once the bottom of a huge lake that was later, cataclysmically pushed up into a high mountain range. The resulting rock formations are stunning, the best I've seen since Cappadocia.
I spent the entire day trekking around these wonderful hills on a beautiful sunny day, enjoying the marvelous views at every turn. I came across many interesting little caves, churches, statues, and ruins, including some extensive modern ruins that were probably a hotel. The high point of the area is reached by following signs to the St. Jeroni shrine, and then turning left! I put the ! in because it will seem much more obvious to go right as you can see a tower over there and would erroneously guess this to be the highest point. Not long after turning left I came to a stair trail that leads to the highest platforms. I didn't need to use the two funicular trains near the top, so the "Tot Montserrat" card would certainly have been a bust.
Montserrat was an exceptionally memorable hiking spot. I found it to be practically empty outside of the monastery, which is one of the area's most visited attractions. I spent two more nights in Barcelona and loved it as much as my first time through. At this point I was a bit more than halfway into my Spanish excursion and decided to continue north.