Overnight visit to Cornudella Monsant, near Tarragona November 28-29, 2009

About 1 1/2 hours to the south-west by car, lies the little mountain village of Cornudella Monsant, where a Coty colleague of Pat's spends weekends and some holidays. We have now visited them there three times, enjoying wonderful Catalan specialty dishes each time and getting to know their family and friends. The first time we went late last fall was to pick olives and watch the first pressing of the oil at the village co-op. We had our grilled lunch by the open fireplace, in the room below which opens up in summer to the back yard and pool.















The old wine cellar around the corner boasts many rare and old bottles, not to mention a healthy layer of dust!



















The view of the village from the house.















Joan's vineyards with some grapes protected from the birds with paper covers. They would be picked later to allow the highest sugar content to develop. We found them might sweet then!




















A brand new baby olive tree!




















Joan with his two young sons showing Pat how to pick olives using a "rake" powered by air pressure.















A mountain water reservoir nearby, full at that time.















Persimmons on the tree!















The village olive co-op ready to press the new crop.














The press ready to produce olive oil.




















Olives being dumped into the press.















Day 2: a visit to the mountain village of Siurana, where we would spend Pat's 55th birthday after Christmas with Steph and Lou (see later blog).















The village of Siurana, all in stone, has a population of about 50 residents!















The outer "street" of the village.














Pat and Kathie in front of the Romanesque Church.















Here is the hotel we stayed at in December-great views and a wonderful restaurant!















The village Church with the reservoir below.