What a storm! 

Some would imagine a really enjoyable experience, others would savour every drop but the reality is that tasting so many wines is hard work for the palate, and you come out with teeth looking like you have been to dinner with Dracula.

Lleida is on the westernmost edge of Catalonia and on the main roads to Zaragoza and Madrid from Barcelona. The plains around here produce many kinds of soft fruit like pears, peaches, cherries and apples as well as grapes from the D.O.Costers del Segre. The key to the agriculture is having the river Segre as a source for irrigation as without it only olive trees, almonds and vines can survive the extreme conditions.

The three museums in Sitges are all close together and worth visiting, displaying some impressive collections of art, glassware, ironwork and antique dolls in buildings that are also architectural treasures.

For the first weekend in may Falset becomes the wine capital of Catalonia when it celebrated their 14th wine fair. Priorato and Montasant are the remote and arid areas which became one of the poorest parts of Spain after the lead mining industry closed down in the 1970's and agriculture was always marginal at best.
Until a few brave and visionary souls decided to recover the old vines and plant new ones in the 1980's and 90's there was very little reason to come here other than for the mountain scenery and general tranquility of the villages.
Now it is recognised as producing some of the most exciting wines in Spain, with prices, in some cases, to match. Like most luxury goods, the last ten years has seen some real booms and these fashionable wines were leading the pack. Now comes the reality that from a dozen wineries to 82 registered with the regulatory body there is bound to be a pretty brutal shakeout process.
None of this seemed to worry the crowds who poured into this sleepy farming town for the festival to try the wonderful olive oils, varied local foods and of course the wines.The weather was truly summery and added to the festive spirit. Salud as they say here!

The 23rd of April is not an official holiday here in Catalonia but it sure seems like it! Many balconies and buildings are draped in Catalan flags and many shop windows try to incorporate one of the two main symbols of the day.
The tradition is for men to give women a rose (or two!) and in return they are given a book. The centre of Girona around the Rambla is full of stalls selling books and flowers and I have never seen the streets so busy, possibly because it has been a splendid, warm (hot even) day, with a clear blue sky after what seems like weeks of rain.
This is one of the few times that people seem to raise money for "good" causes; children raise money for their school play or boy scouts for a summer camp.
So beware as you walk the streets, either buy a rose or use a book to defend yourself !
 

The MNAC (Museu National d'Art de Catalunya) sits in a priviledged position at the top of Montjüic with views over Barcelona. The building itself is massive and impressive but is currently under scaffolding for renovation but the collections it houses are the most spectacular part.
There are permanent collections that range from what could be salvaged from the Romanesque through the Gothic, Baroque to the Modern period. All have their own wing in this light and airy building as well as space for a concert hall, several restaurants and bookshops.
This is a must for all visitors who want to get a feel for the cultural richness of Catalonia as well as some of the best views of Barcelona and enjoying strolling through the tranquil and cool gardens all around.

This extremely interesting and well put together exhibition at the CCCB in Barcelona (next to the MNAC) is a must to get the sense of the creativity which has made modern Catalonia famous.
It unites the main thinking and trends of architecture, music, image and literature since the end of the 19th century. We see for example some of the original sketches and scale models that Gaudi used to test his designs, right down to individual pieces and how they were created using all sorts of materials.
The creative genius of Salvador Dalí and the poet/surrealist Joan Brossa also feature as multifaceted and deeply interested in science and how they incorporated these theories into their work is captured on film and in their art.
Ideas for city planning are shown evolving over the last 100 years with influences from some of the main local architects as well as  Le Corbusier and others, and right up to date projects which are still evolving like the 22@ district and the Forum.
An altogether fascinating way to spend a few hours and come out with a greater sense of the ways in which Catalonia has evolved into what it is today.

Some countries have kept family reunions separate from the present-giving commercial part of Christmas. Here in Catalonia the 25th and 26th of December are family days with nice meals and maybe a visit to church, but presents come on Three Kings day, or to be more precise on the night of the 5th and morning of the 6th of January.
Throughout Spain the Three Kings arrive from the Orient on horses, camels and boats and parade through the streets of towns and cities distributing the presents which all good children have asked them for in letters posted in the days before. The procession takes different forms but always involves music, dancing, singing, candles or firecrackers and lots of sweets distributed by the various Kings and their helpers, usually seated on grand carriages.
Here in Girona the Kings set up camp outside town on the 5th where children can go to post their letters and see their exotic entourage before the procession starts in late afternoon, once it is dark. The streets are lined with excited children all singing and shouting and parents vying for the best spots to film and catch sweets.
No public celebration is complete without a traditional food, in this case a "Coca de Reis" which is a round sweet doughnut shaped cake with different fillings of cream or marzipan. The person that bites on the small ceramic figure hidden in their slice has good luck for the year ahead and usually encourages multiple slices until it has been discovered.
Children have a few days to play with their new toys before school begins on the 8th and parents have to face the sad reality of extra kilos and empty bank accounts!