11/4 - Besalu

We gather in the little courtyard just off the bridge to Besalu for an orientation. The city was founded in 9th C and called Besalu, an old Catalan word meaning between 2 rivers. Built upon the rock existing in the location, the fortess walls and access bridge curve oddly around the rock foundations. It's actually quite picturesque and probably quite defendable since it provides odd sightlines all around.

 Oh yeah, that's the separtists' flag and slogan on the entry gate tower. The further into the country we get, the more separitist banners we see. 

Wandering through Besalu is lovely and uncrowded. You'd never guess 2400 people live here. It's so empty, which is so nice compared to so many places we've been! It's a lovely little medieval town, with narrow windy cobblestone lanes, a huge cathedral and lots of great architecture.

We learn that arched columns on porticos indicate a market was held here, and that they were built for each marketer to stand under in inclement weather. Now it all makes sense, those arched porticoes everywhere!

We meander through the town, stopping at the remains of the Jewish synagogue which is now nothing more than a viewpoint. 

Moving on, we hit the main square with the church, then are set loose to explore, which we do, covering the small village in minutes, enjoying the emptiness, the churches, the architecture. 

Lovely! We've still got tons of time before the meeting time, so we retrace our steps to try to find the 1 Euro beer place on the main square. Turns out it's a hotel that the restaurant doesn't seem to be open, so we head back to the meeting point, stopping at a food place offering samples. We end up buying 2 awesome sausages and tasting Ratafia, which is this surprisingly excellent apertif. Almost like fortified wine?  I don't know, but it's great.

Walking back across the bridge, we reach the meeting point and still have time for beer and wine at the cafe there on the parking lot square, have the opportunity to use a regular bathroom (thank heavens!) and then head back to the van for Rupit and time for lunch.