Hello to the mountains

It's been a while. Well, S has visited the Pyrenees much more recently, but this is my first visit since exactly a year ago.

A six and a half hour drive, but we know the way now ... it was a little slower than usual due to slow-moving traffic between Carcassonne and Toulouse, but there were no major hold-ups. A brief lunch stop, and later an impromptu stop for a non-alcoholic beer at a rather delightful roadside bar on the way down from the Col de Bonaigua, which reminded me of an English pub.

We reached Bordes de Graus just before five; a sunny albeit windy afternoon. We had originally intended to be here last week, but a look at the predicted 34C temperatures persuaded us to postpone it to this week, as being here is all about the walking and the maximum temperature is now a more modest 27 or so.

Friends G and A were already installed in the apartment on the farm that they've rented every August for the last five years. Chat, tea, unpacking, more chat, G&T in the bar, pre-prepared dinner brought from home by us along with an ample supply of wine. It's lovely to be back in Spain after so long. Although I may regret it after tomorrow's proposed hike ...