The parador, a newbuild in Northeastern Catalonia, is a dozen or so miles outside of the town of Vic, in an isolated location overlooking an embalse (reservoir) in the middle of which the spire of a church rises up, reminding one of the village which was drowned to create the reservoir. These embalses, at least a hundred of which are spread over the length and breadth of Spain, brought the country back from the edge of economic ruin, both by enabling large areas of near fatally overgrazed land to be restored to agriculture or to be planted with olive trees. Most of them were built in the time of Franco. I am no admirer of dictators, whether on the right or on the left of the political spectrum, but what this demonstrates is that if one of them associates himself with a good idea he can mobilize resources and energy behind it to an amazing degree. The parador conveys an atmosphere of lightness and freshness, the rooms are spacious, the bathrooms elaborate, there is a great quiet that reigns. There is an outdoor swimming pool, and nearby Vic is well worth a visit. There are winding medieval streets, a beautifully proportioned plaza mayor with eighteenth century arcades (the reason the square itself is sanded rather than paved is that its used for bullfights during the town's fiera) and surprisingly sophisticated shops -- Catalonia is a rich province -- including one on the square that dispenses the most marvelous tasting ice cream. The diocesan museum in the cathedral has a very interesting display of medieval religious artifacts and jewels. We use the parador as a convenient stopover on our last night in Spain before departing from Barcelona either by air or by ship. It's a little over an hour's drive and, if you want to visit the big city without having to stay there, there's a very convenient train service. About $130 for the night, which is half of what a comparable hotel in Barcelona would cost.
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