Voyage to Andorra. Part 2.
It was plus 11 overboard. Sunny. The bus was half empty, the wi-fi was decent, and the scenery outside the window wasn't that great. Therefore, I managed to chat with my friends on the forum.
Some kind of mountain range became visible on the right side. Apparently, it was the famous Montserrat. Pretty interesting. Something between Demerdzhi and Cappadocia.
When we drove into a narrow gorge, I finally became interested. I love wild landscapes. But there is no snow and close! Where are we going?
The Spain-Andorra border was crossed without delay. And here is the capital! Remember the movie Crew? A small town in the mountains, which was washed away by mudflow? When I first saw Andorra la Vella, surrounded by overhanging rocky mountains, I had a feeling of anxiety. All these houses are so dangerously located... Nets stretched on the rocks will save only from very small pebbles. I was not worried about myself, everything will be hockey with me. I have arrived and will leave. And the residents live here. In general, I began to worry about THEM. As if she was sitting in a movie.
At the bus station, the bus driver handed me the change and our tickets. They indicated the name of our hotel and the time at which we were supposed to be picked up - 6.45. After that, we, with all the belongings, were transferred to a smaller bus and taken to the hotel. He looked festive and smart, both outside and inside.
The manager at the reception gave me a payment order, which indicated the amount to be paid 704 euros, but for some reason minus 92. Thus, I paid 612. I could not understand what those 92 free euros were. Booking gift? Or have we canceled breakfast? When I booked the hotel, they cost 6 euros, and when I went to their website before leaving, the price was already 8. Okay, we'll figure it out later!
We got into the elevator. Oleg, who was abroad only once in his deep youth, says: “You probably won’t see a single familiar face here! ” The elevator door opened, and Masha and her husband appeared before our eyes. Here you are, I say, as many as two faces! Oh, such a surprise failed! It was necessary for them to appear so inopportunely! Oleg was a little surprised, but did not yet understand that everything was set up. He thought it was a coincidence.
They dragged all the junk into the room. Well, nothing like that number. For three of us there were 4 beds - two separate plus a bunk. And a huge bathroom with a window.
The skis were stuffed under the bed. The hotel had ski storage, but we decided not to use it for now. In some review, I read the info that you can’t enter the bus carrying skiers to the ski area in ski boots !!! ! Therefore, I saw only one way out - on the first day, put on sneakers and carry all the equipment in cases, and rent a storage locker on the mountain. But it will be tomorrow. In the meantime, run outside! Well, not exactly on the street. Nearby, a few meters away, as I knew, there was a small grocery store. That's where we went. After the viskarik on the plane with the meat carefully prepared for us by Verka, we really wanted beer.
On the way we looked into Nastya's room. Since the surprise didn't work anymore, we didn't hide their presence here from Oleg.
Nast's room was smaller, and the bathroom, accordingly, was small and without a window. But they had a balcony!
After chatting with them for about 5 minutes, we left. There was little time left before the break. We have to get up early tomorrow. If Oleg suits us in terms of the rhythm of life, then we have absolute incompatibility with Nastya's family. They go to bed after midnight, well, they get up, respectively.
Having grabbed a package of Estrella and a pack of fried corn in the store, with difficulty dragging Vadka, who was hovering over a shelf with porters, we went back to the room. Having quickly quenched our thirst, we went out to explore local attractions.
Let's go. From the room. Did the key stay in the ignition, or whatever it's called? Well, you understand. I had to go to reception. I would have somehow coped with this task myself, but I decided to involve Nastya, who graduated from an English special school in her time. We were unquestioningly given the key, and after thanking our friend, the boys and I went for a walk.
It's getting dark. The town was beautifully illuminated.
It was still January 7th, our Christmas. I don't know if anyone here cared before, but it was quite festive.
Suddenly, "Show Mast Go On" began to play very loudly from somewhere. I sat down in surprise. Well, very festive! And the street is a solid dutik! The prices were pleasing to the eye. Well, at least
This product, for example, we took in May at the Borispol dutik for 35 euros. In Antalya, however, it already cost 30. Something like that.
But today we did not plan to shop much - we need to look around. Therefore, we bought in the supermarket only a bottle of Portuguese port wine and brie with bergadere. Why don't we have a drink today?
In the morning we went to breakfast. It was 8:00, but it was dark outside. At home, therefore, it is already 9. But at this time it is already quite light for us. I was not completely sure that breakfast was free for us. But, having shown the employee (or maybe the owner) of the restaurant my room number, I didn’t sign anywhere. So, probably included in the price.
There were a lot of different jamon sausages and crispy buns.
Fruit-yogurt. Cereal with milk. Juice coffee machine. Well, perhaps that's all. Initially, there was an unhealthy, or, conversely, healthy for our mentality, urge to stick sausages for boutiques on the slope. But, at first, it was difficult to do this. We were almost alone in the hall, and there were two whole canteen employees roaming back and forth. And secondly, we haven't eaten the cuts we've taken from home yet. In general, they decided not to disgrace themselves, but to behave in a civilized manner, like fucking bourgeois.
Having eaten sausages, they returned to the room, each took their own harness and set off to get acquainted with the local snow, which, however, was not observed anywhere. But we knew exactly what it was! Friends have been riding for two days. By the way, they were already awake by this time. But Nastya and her husband did not plan to ride today, and the youngsters were going to go later in a rented car, in which, according to them, there was no place for us. Well, think about it, we'll get there ourselves.
In Andorra, as you know, there are two ski areas - Grandvalira and Vallnord. The first, they say, abruptly. Well, we are cool! We crossed the road and walked 100 meters to the left. There was a ski bus stop there. A bus came to Vallnord - we skip it. The next one is ours. We put skis and backpacks with boots in luggage. At the entrance we pay 1.85. The driver's seat is equipped with a cash register and a stand with coins of various denominations. The conductors were left without work.
Come in, sit down. Look, people are rushing calmly in ski boots! Oh, those reviews on the Internet! Would have been! No one can be trusted in this life. By the way, in one of the reviews on Booking, I read that the hotel (maybe even ours) is located next to the metro station, and it is very convenient to get to Barcelona from here. What's it like?
Okay, we screwed up with the shoes! Some at the entrance put some cards to something there. Kind of like ski passes on lifts. As it turned out, these are travel cards. Where they get them, I don't know. Those who came from travel agencies were given them for free. Only now, they are red and green. Apparently, from different bus companies. One couple applied theirs, applied, but they don’t roll! I had to pay.
We arrived at Encamp, where the funicamp station is located - the lift to the ski area.
There were several checkout windows, above which hung an electronic scoreboard with tariffs.
Only the information on it changed so quickly that we didn't have time to figure it out. Yes, okay. We decided to take aboniki for 2 days. And we'll see. It turned out to be 47 euros per day. Now it was necessary to rent a cell for storing equipment. I asked the Russian-speaking people how this can be done? They explained to me that I needed to go to a sports shop nearby. Only now there are no small cells for 9 euros, but there are only large ones for 18! Dap-dap? And is it a day? Capeeee!
But there is nothing to do. Do not carry your running shoes with you. Although... But the boys did not want to. The oligarchs are unfinished! Went to the shop. A very kind girl asked how many people and for how many days? I said one on one. And, oh miracle! I got a cell for 9 euros. To open it, it was necessary to do several manipulations - enter the code and attach your ski pass to a special scanner at the end of the rack with cells. The girl tried to explain to me how to open it later, but I, of course, did not understand anything and said that tomorrow I would turn to her for help. By the way, the cell at our disposal will not be a day, but a little more - from this morning until tomorrow evening. We stuffed backpacks and sneakers into it.
The cabin of the funicamp differed significantly from what we saw in the Caucasus. There, the skis had to be inserted into special holes outside the cabin, but here they were brought inside and hung from the ceiling. And it accommodated twice as many people.
Let's rise. And you can't see the normal snow! The landscape is rather dull.
Here is the station. We almost left, but it was not the final one. There was no snow either. And we drove on.
It was more fun at the very top. There was snow. On the tracks. The surrounding mountains looked just as dull. After the natural beauties of Dombai, somehow it was not impressive. The hand did not even reach for the pocket for some device with which to photograph this disgrace.
By the way, in the last story about SHL, I wrote that my camera batteries were dead. Buy new, I did not buy. But I still had batteries bought in Lanochka. I took them. But my God! They had some strange feature - they categorically refused to work in the cold. Even a small one. When you press the power button, the wings of the fotik closed as soon as they opened. Apparently, they were designed exclusively for warm climates. And I don’t like to take pictures on the phone at all, and even more so on the mountain. Until you take off the glove, until this and that, and the hand will freeze. So, for the quality and quantity of photos, I beg your pardon.
Well, let's not be distracted by landscapes, but focus on skiing. There seems to be a lot of trails. Like the pebbles on them. But after passing three or four queues, we were already in Pas de la Casa, where I originally planned to live.
Yes! I guess it's good that I changed the hotel. Three houses, two yards. After skiing, there seems to be absolutely nothing to do here.
Honestly, we were just wasting time on these crossings, so choosing a couple of tracks with a minimum of stones, we rode stupidly.
We arranged a snack, consisting of our own boutiques, whiskey and tea with chocolate, at a street table in one of the cafes. It (the table) had a rather tattered “but a picnic” sticker on it. At first I did not pay attention to it, but then I realized that it was, like, a ban on eating my own food. However, no one drove us away. I was not very interested in prices in cafes, knowing from experience that they are sky-high on the mountain. An experienced eye pulled out only the price of a jar of 0.33 Estrella - 3.3 euros, which cost 50 cents in the city. Drink yourself!
After lunch, clear before that, the sky began to tighten. At 3:30 we thought that was enough. Greedy youth somehow passed imperceptibly, and I no longer wanted to stay until the cable car closed. Let's go down. With difficulty, we stuffed three pairs of skis and boots into a box, and went home lightly.
In the evening we again drank delicious port wine, snacking on moldy cheese and olives. At home, we allow ourselves this only on Fridays, but here - walk Vasya! By the way, there is no fridge in the rooms. But there is a wide window sill where we kept everything. But on the first day, having not yet studied the local specifics, leaving the hotel, all the products were hidden in a cupboard. In the evening, when I opened the closet, I could not understand, and what stinks? Who was so sweaty the day before? Then only the smell was identified. Ambre was published by one of the paper packages of brie (we took several different types). And the taste - very even nothing!
Let's go for a walk. This time we went further than yesterday and saw the door to a supermarket. Entered. Looking around, I thought that I had died and ended up in a paradise for drunks! What goodies were there! And in any packaging! And the prices are just rubbish! Yesterday at the local duty free - it was very expensive!
Pay attention to the packaging - 4.5 liters.
Next was the chocolate section. Big Tobleronka there cost 3.7 euros. And we bought it on a dutik, either Sharjah, or Colombo for as much as 12 bucks! Awesome! This is what we did well! The hypermarket was called "E. Leclerc".
Having bought something for a snack (overdrink), we returned to the hotel, where we told our friends about our find. And they, as it turned out, are buying up there all the time. Well, don't you bastards? And it was weak for us to tell about him?
By the way, Masha and her husband rode Grandvalira today, but we never met them.
Before going to bed, Vadik looked at the forecast. He was kind of weird. Well, lowering the temperature, of course. And what is the wind 5-35 m/s? Weather forecasters are driving, as usual, apparently.
