BeyondThePale: Besalu

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Besalu

It was a day with no sky. What was up above was neither blue nor grey; you couldn’t see the sun and you couldn’t see any clouds. The sky had simply disappeared. To make up for the lack of sky, there was tremendous heat reaching 33C (91F). But Besalu is always beautiful even on a day like today, so in spite of it all I drove there this morning. I had a new camera to try out.

Although it was an important town in Roman times and they have found evidence of human habitation as far back as before the iron age, what you see now when you visit Besalu is one of the most important ensembles of medieval structures in Catalonia. But narrow medieval streets were not on today’s agenda although I walked a good long stretch along a wall before I found an entrance to the town. Was this part of the medieval wall? I have been unable to find out.

Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere
Founded 977, renovated 1160

Peeking in a doorway

The new Circus museum.

Street scupture

An antique shop beckoned. I’ve been inside many times and have never found anything that inspired me to even ask the price. But you never know.... That is one of the great joys of antiquing – the hunt.

The metal plaque didn’t make for a good photo, but it did have a story. I thought it was Russian. The woman told me it was Bulgarian. It’s an old street sign and marks the block with the house numbers from 1917 - 1974. That makes more sense then the car license plate I thought it was that commemorated something to do with the revolution! I asked her where she obtained it. From the owner. Well, yes, I guess that makes sense too.

For me, Besalu isn’t Besalu without lunch at the Restaurant Pont Vell. All my friends who have come to visit know and love it. So after many pictures, I headed on over for yet another wonderful lunch – wonderful people, beautiful view, and excellent food. What more could you want? Only a good glass of wine to wash it down but alas, these days I must abstain.