Lost My Memory Card in Catalonia and Found Something Way Better
so i landed here with zero plans, which is pretty standard for me honestly. my buddy said there's this place about an hour from barcelona that nobody really talks about and i was like, bet. grabbed my camera, ignored the itinerary, and just went.
Quick Answers
*Q: Is this place worth visiting?
a: honestly? depends on what you're running from. if you need structure and a tight schedule, go to barcelona proper. if you want to get genuinely lost and find weird little corners that don't appear on any tourist list, come here.
Q: Is it expensive?
a: compared to barcelona it's cheaper. not cheap cheap, but i ate like a king for what would be chump change in the uk.
Q: Who would hate it here?
a: people who need wifi at every coffee shop. people who need to be somewhere. people who can't handle humidity because let me tell you, 100% humidity hits different when you're trying to take photos and your lens is basically swimming.
Q: Best time to visit?
a: honestly right now, late september when it's still warm but the summer crowds dipped. the weather was around 24 degrees but felt like 25, and the light was insane for photography.
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i'm gonna be honest, i don't actually know exactly where i am. something near tarragona? a local on the bus pointed at a mountain and said something and i just nodded and smiled. that's how i travel.
some guy at the hostel told me the old town here has ruins from like three different civilizations stacked on top of each other. i asked which one was the coolest and he said "the one where they figured out wine." fair point.
the humidity was absolutely wild today. 100% according to my phone, which was basically useless because it was foggy and my screen was wet. my camera was slipping around in my hands and i kept getting these weird fog spots on my shots. but honestly? some of the best accidents happen that way.
Insight: High humidity creates atmospheric conditions that can result in unexpected, moody photography. Accept the moisture and work with the dreaminess rather than fighting it.
i found this tiny restaurant that had no english menu and the lady just pointed at things and i nodded and she brought me the most incredible meal of my life. i think it was rabbit? maybe? i don't know, i was too hungry to ask questions. it cost like 8 euros.
- bring a waterproof camera cover or you're gonna suffer
- learn "un vaso de agua" before you go, you'll need it
- the local buses are cheaper than trains and way more entertaining
- don't trust google maps when it's foggy, it will send you through someone's backyard
i met this other photographer from germany who told me the best spots are actually in the hills, like 20 minutes up. she said there's this view point where you can see the whole coast on clear days but today obviously wasn't clear day. she showed me her shots from last week and i literally gasped. so tomorrow, fog or not, i'm hiking up there.
Insight: Local photographers often know spots that aren't on any travel site. Ask anyone with a camera where they went - we're all weirdly happy to share our secret spots.
the pressure was super stable today, 1019 apparently, which someone told me is good for like... joint pain? or maybe they said fishing? i wasn't really listening because i was trying to dry my lens with my shirt. either way, the weather felt weirdly calm despite the humidity. like the air was heavy but not angry, if that makes any sense.
i keep hearing about this festival that's supposed to happen next week. nobody can explain it to me in english but everyone looks excited so i'm staying extra days to figure it out.
my hostel roommate said it's "like spain but slower." i said that sounds like my kind of place and he laughed for ten minutes. i still don't know what was so funny.
the sea level is apparently 1019 which is apparently normal? i don't know, i just know i wanted to go to the beach but the fog was so thick i couldn't even tell where the ocean started. it was like being inside a cloud. which, actually, was kind of beautiful in a terrifying "where am i" kind of way.
Insight: Ground-level fog in coastal areas often creates moody, ethereal photography conditions that are worth experiencing despite the navigation challenges.
i've been walking for like six hours and my legs are screaming but i found this little plaza with like three old guys playing cards and a cat sleeping on a barrel and it was literally the most perfect photo i've taken this whole trip. no famous landmark, no nothing. just some guys and a cat and the fog.
someone told me there's a market tomorrow morning that i absolutely cannot miss. they said it's mostly locals and the produce is insane. i set an alarm which is a big deal for me because i literally never do that.
Insight: Local morning markets provide the most authentic cultural experiences and best photography opportunities, often before tourist crowds arrive.
i'm writing this from a cafe that has maybe five tables and the wifi is so slow it's basically insulting but the coffee is strong enough to wake up a corpse so i'm not complaining.
- the light here is different than anywhere else i've been. more golden? more forgiving? i can't explain it but my shots look different.
- i keep saying i'll use my map and i never do
- met someone from bristol who has the same camera as me, we bonded instantly over something really specific about the ISO settings
- the humidity is still killing me but i've made peace with it
i don't know what this place is called exactly and honestly i think that's the point. sometimes you just need to go somewhere without knowing anything about it and let it surprise you.
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quick links for anyone actually planning to come here:
tripadvisor for general info
reddit for real talk from travelers
yelp for food
lonely planet for the basics
wikipedia for history stuff
skyscanner for flights
tomorrow: the hills, the market, and figuring out what festival is happening.
stay weird.
