"IN, IN-DE, INDEPENDENCIA!"

September 11th is Catalunya's National Day and a public holiday here. But instead of hitting the motorways and heading to hills or beach in the rain like us Brits, more than a million people took part in a "human chain" to demand independence from Spain. It stretched 400km (250 miles) from the Pyrenees down to Valencia and really was an incredible sight! I have never seen so much red and yellow and it was a great atmosphere, with drums, strange models of giants, dragons and eagles, and a few more human towers to boot! Needless to say I felt very foreign and out of place without a pro-independence t-shirt, face paint and flag, but it was great to witness the event!

We started our day off in Montbrio - the usual sleepy village square filled with people, flags, drummers and huge model "giants"

Even the dogs are pro-independence!

Into Reus... where a street has been decorated with umbrellas. Not sure it's anything to do with pro-independence movement but pretty cool nonetheless!

Floral tributes to those that died in civil war

The flag fairies had been very busy - no statue left unadorned!

More "giants" or pro-independence gnomes...

And a pro-independence giant chicken too... 

Starting them young!

More human towers! 

The chain winds around a flag in Reus's main square...

Guns firing to mark the beginning of the chain! On time too ;-)

Dolls uniting for independence...

Lots of mexican waves and chanting! "IN, IN-DE, INDEPENDENCIA!" (repeat lots)

Heading home...

The final word! Do NOT forget! 

Human Towers!

After several years in Catalunya, we finally realised an ambition this weekend to see some "Castells" or "Human Towers"! I've heard a lot from students about this Catalan tradition, and it didn't disappoint! The performance (which I was reliably informed was NOT a competition, however each team wants to be better than the other!) was held in Les Borges del Camp, with teams from Tarragona and Reus. An incredible spectacle - if a little nerve wracking at times! 

Participants wrapping up to support their backs...

The "Xiquets de Reus" team kicking off... The kids climbing to the top only looked about 7 or 8!

Almost complete!

Amazing concentration and strength in the lower tiers of the tower...

The Tarragona team signalling completion (holding 4 fingers up to resemble the Catalan flag)

A sea of hands creating the "pinya" or base of the tower. ..

A firm grip is necessary for a strong tower! 

Ouch.

My heart was in my mouth as they completed the "pilar de sis" - it didn't look as stable as the wider towers and it's a looooong way down!

Teams mixing at the end to practice some formations... ground looked a little sparse to me! 

Val de Pineta

Psyched for more time camping up high we headed to Val de Pineta - a steep and severe valley in the Central Pyrenees. It's famed for its geology, with dramatic rock cirques and harsh glacial terrain, a very different kettle of fish from its family-filled and more hospitable neighbouring valleys. 

We arrived in the rain, spending a night in a rather and dark moody valley bottom before starting the slog up the next morning. No cable cars or taxis here, just seemingly endless zig zags up the mountainside! The slog was worth it though and the hanging plateau that you eventually reach is an impressive, almost intimidating, place! 

We'd planned to do a 6 day circuit from here (and lugged food and gas up accordingly!) but the crucial col to get out of our hanging plateau turned out to be a technical looking mountaineering route up rock bands and snow slopes - not really feasible in trainers, with heavy packs and no ropes! But all was not lost as there was plenty to explore and views to admire for a couple of days before starting the steep descent back down...

Welcome to the Valley! Grey clouds and steep rock faces...

Dramatic rock formations on the North East Face of Monte Perdido.

Extreme glacial terrain...

Amazing clear skies over Monte Perdido.

Clear enough to capture the Milky Way! 

Our tent looking a little lost! The "path" runs up the rock and snow bands to the col beyond. No thanks. 

Walking round the Marbore Lake to the refuge, thistles abundant amongst the boulders - even the plants here are hardcore!

Bit chilly if you slip.

Our destination up the scree slope was the Refuge de Tuquerouye (2666m) - literally a tin shed perched on a knife-edge col!

Not bad views from the window though! France on this side...

Spain and Monte Perdido on the other!

Not a hotel for the vertiginous! 

More icebergs around the lake - bit chilly for a swim up here!

No noisy neighbours here. 

It's a long way back down! (Over 2000m in fact)

Ali again laments his lack of telephoto lens as an ibex leaped down the rock bands... he got it mid leap though!

How can something grow out of a rock? Flowers never cease to amaze me!

More milky way and moonlight reflections... Ali's getting rather good at this night photography lark!

Look mum - Edelweiss!

Perfectly still reflections...

A final glimpse of our intended "path" out of the valley...

The long road down!

Ali makes a friend!

Making hay while the sun shines in the valley bottom.