Food & Travel
-
Palau de Miravet: A House of Art and Music
Not far from the coast, in the Tarragona region of northwestern Spain, sits the idyllic town of Miravet. And here, overlooking the Ebro river, lies a most wonderful vacation home, the fantastical Palau de Miravet. I had the great joy of spending two nights here in the spring of 2019 while adventure rowing down the Ebro. And from the river is the best way to first approach this charming house. For its pale blue facade shines out amongst its sand-coloured neighbours like a beacon welcoming you home.After docking our sculls at the embarcadero, my fellow rowers and I made our way along the narrow, stone-paved street to Palau de Miravet.…
-
Gandesa and The Pilgrimage to Fontcalda
In May last year, I was on an amazing rowing tour down Spain’s incredible Ebro river. My tour group had just spent our first night at the lovely Port Massaluca Campground. High winds prevented us from heading back out on the water that sunny morning so we made alternate plans for the day. We decided to do some local exploring by car instead. And that’s how we ended up on a visit to the town of Gandesa and the Pilgrimage to Fontcalda. Cathedrals of Wine We decided to begin with a visit to the Centre d’Estudis de la Batalla de l’Ebre – Battle of the Ebro Study Centre. This museum…
-
The Sweetest Little Shop in Paris: La Maison Méert
I was strolling through the streets of le Marais district in search of le Musée Cognacq-Jay one fine day last September when I chanced upon a little jewel. For there on the corner of Rue Elzévir and Rue de Parc Royal, its glossy black façade gleaming in the autumn sun, stood the sweetest little shop in Paris, La Maison Méert. Enticing Confections Located a few short blocks from the regal Place des Vosges, I was soon to discover that it offered more than just a romantic storefront. For as I approached its welcoming window, a wonderful selection of freshly-baked sweets greeted me. And if these delicacies weren’t enough to entice…
-
Adventure Rowing Down the Ebro: Mequinenza – Massaluca
Our second day on the water of this amazing rowing tour through Spain dawned overcast and drizzly. This was quite a contrast from the heat and sun of the previous day. Despite this, we bundled up and headed out. We were determined to keep to our schedule. We were also looking forward to a visit to the sunken village of Fayón the following day. The weather continued to worsen as we traversed the Caspe-Mequinenza Reservoir. However, the sight of an abandoned monastery majestically mounted on the cliffs of the Ebro brought us a ray of sunshine that chilly morning. Battling the Mighty Ebro Shortly after though, our greatest challenge of…
-
The Sunken Village of Fayón and the Road to Nowhere
In the heart of northern Spain, on the shores of the mighty Ebro river, sit two of the most fascinating sights I have ever seen. The first is the sunken village of Fayón and the second is, what I fondly refer to as, the ‘Road to Nowhere’. I had the privilege to discover both while adventure rowing down the Ebro last spring. The Sunken Village of Fayón My fellow rowers and I had made our way downriver from Mequinenza. And about an hour and a half into our row we came upon the most intriguing sight. It was the top half of a bell tower sitting in the river, several…
