Andorra la Vella, Andorra (with a little Lleida, Spain)

6-7 October 2007
*WARNING: Sorry, this blog turned out to be really long for some reason, just many amusing-frustrating anecdotes to share ;)

I left early Saturday morning to get a bus into the center of Alcalá to get a train to Madrid to get a train to Lleida to catch a shuttle bus to Andorra (altogether taking 7 hours). When I got to Madrid, at about 8:15am I was told that I could either take the 8:30 train and pay for a first class ticket, or I could wait until 11:30 and get a cheaper price. I am a huge tight wad, and it killed me to pay for a luxury I did not need or desire, but I only had a day to be in Andorra, so I paid the extra and got on my way to Lleida, Spain.

Once in Lleida, I went up to a tourist office and asked a woman how to get to the bus station to catch a shuttle to Andorra (I had read this was how to get there as one cannot take the train into Andorra). She said that I actually could just catch the shuttle from the train station. I had an hour to kill so I walked a little around Lledia. There didn’t seem to be too much there, a few shops and cafes, it appeared to be an industrial sector. I got some fresh fruit from a local market and then got the “Viatges Montmantell” Shuttle to Andorra la Vella (32 Euros round trip).

It was a 3 hour bus ride, but the scenery was gorgeous and I was reading a very good book so I didn’t mind the journey at all. I was disappointed that there was not passport stamp when I crossed the border, but still giddy to be in a new country, and one that many won’t take the time to see as it is rather difficult and complicated to get there by public transportation.

The shuttle dropped me off near my hotel around 3:15pm: Hotel Viena. After I checked in and dropped off some of my stuff, I went out to explore Andorra la Vella. Andorra la Vella (the capital of Andorra) is known for its duty free shopping, called “Europe’s Shopping Mall” for this reason. I didn’t come to shop, but as it was the easiest city to get to and the journey was already complicated enough, I just decided to stay there for my Andorran experience. There were a ton of Europeans on the streets with all sorts of shopping bags. There were many stores for electronics, alcohol, chocolate, tobacco, jewelry, perfume…you name it they had it. It has the glitz of Vegas, only with shopping instead of casinos.

However, I was on a quest. I had researched into what was good to eat in Andorra and had discovered they had Creperies. So, I set out in search of a Crepe. I didn’t realize it would be such a challenge, and an hour and half later I was still looking. However, I was having fun exploring the random streets and taking in the chaotic juxtaposition of beautiful Pyrenees mountains (I hope to come back to this area someday to do hiking in them) and glitzy shopping. Finally, I found a place to get a crepe. However, to my great embarrassment, after traveling alone all day when the patron approached me all my Spanish speaking skills (the limited ones I possess) left me and I stumbled over my words to ask the simple question in Spanish “can I sit at any table”. I believe it was the combination at the joy of finally finding my crepe mixed with 8 hours of not speaking that much that made me incapable of communication, however the owner of the café was very kind and have me a look of pity mixed with mild amusement and was very attentive to me thereafter (I think he felt sorry for the poor girl who could not communicate). Still, the delicious crepe was well worth the embarrassment, I even contemplated ordering a second ;)

After my crepe, I set out on my second quest (which took another hour of exploring up and down the streets) to find gelato. I finally found a place in a department store of sorts. It was very good and looked pretty authentic (gelato-wise). However, as I was wondering back to my room I happened upon a legitimate geladeria (aka: all they sold was gelato). Although I had literally just finished two large scoops of gelato, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to try this place out too. So, lacking all self-control I got two more scoops and walked back to my hotel. It was starting to grow dark, and a food coma had set it, so I went to sleep ridiculously early but with a very happy stomach.

I woke up early Sunday, intending to catch the 8am shuttle back to Lleida. I had seen that the train left from Lleida at 12:22 or 15:05. Taking the 8am shuttle would get me there by 10:30ish but the next shuttle (9:30) wouldn’t get me there until 12:30 meaning I would miss the 12:30 train, have to wait until 3pm to catch the next train, and not get back to Madrid until 6pm instead of 3pm.

I had asked the shuttle driver when he dropped me off (in Spanish) where I could pick it up the next morning. He told me (in Spanish) something that sounded like “the other side” and seemed to point to another street. When I asked the owner of my hotel, he pointed on a map to a bus stop across the way, but when I went to this bus stop there was no sign indicating that this is where the shuttle stopped. I went to another (more upscale) hotel and asked where I could find the shuttle and he said I had to go to the bus station: 15 minutes walk away, but I had only 5 minutes until the 8am shuttle left. So I ran to the bus station only to have them tell me the shuttle did not leave from there, and that they weren’t sure where I could get it but it was likely at the street I just came from. Knowing I had missed the 8am for sure by now, I walked back to that street stopping to ask a bus driver if he knew where I could find it. He answered in Catalan (dialect of Spanish that I don’t speak) how to find it, and I nodded politely and thanked him without understanding what he was trying to relate. It was approaching 8:45 and if I didn’t figure it out soon I would have to wait for the 12:30 shuttle, so I went into a café and asked. The lady inside asked me in French if I spoke French, and I answered in Spanish that I spoke Spanish (Andorra’s official language is Catalan, but they also speak Castellan Spanish and French). She then kindly informed me that I could get the shuttle at ANY bus stop as it would go past them ALL, and I merely had to flag them down. The gist of this all being I could have caught the 8am shuttle no problem if I just would have gone to the bus stop 20 yards from my hotel and waited ;) God has a good sense of humor.

When I got to Lleida I found out that the train actually left at 1:15pm (again, God has a good sense of humor), so I had an hour to kill again. I walked out to explore and discovered that there was a flea market going on. There were locals selling everything from used books/records, old postcards, military stuff (hats, pins, gas masks), to trinkets, nuts and bolts, and a used car radio. It was fun to walk around and explore and then God blessed me after all my frustration of the morning by providing me with a stand that sold European coins. Since most of Europe is on the Euro now they no longer use their individual currencies of the past. Since I was little, I have been collecting foreign coins; hence, this discovery was rather exciting for me. I bought currency from Portugal (before it was on the Euro), Spain (before it was the Euro), and Yugoslavia (no longer a country).

I got back to Madrid around 4pm and went to get some amazing gelato at a place I had been to before (I know I am ridiculous: eating gelato three times in a 30 hour time span)☺. If any of you ever go to Madrid, make a stop at this place FOR SURE. I provided the street name and name of the store (they have a web site too) below.

Over all, Andorra was wonderful, despite all the chaos of getting in and out of there. I would love to go back to the Pyrenees someday to hike, much more of my interest then shopping. Driving past the Pyrenees was simply breathtaking, I could feel God’s majesty at work, it was emotionally moving and inspirational (all of you who encounter God through nature as I do will understand what I mean). It was a blessing to go to a country many do not know about or will ever see, and I am so thankful for the experience.

HIGHLIGHT OF ANDORRA: Driving past the gorgeous Pyrenees Mountains, eating gelato 3 times, and having a wonderful crepe made by a kind man.

1. Crossing the border into Andorra!


2. Glitzy Shopping strip of Andorra la Vella

3. Church in Andorra la Vella

4. River running through Andorra la Vella

5. Cheese Restaurant I saw (Literally served Cheese to you in an artistic fashion), would have gone but was too expensive

6. My Crepe!

7. River on the Road from Andorra-Lleida Spain

8. Splendor of God's Artistic hand in the Pyrenees

9. Some added fog for dramatic effect ;)

10. Main street in Lleida (on Saturday, before the flea market)

11. Booth on the main street in Lledia (on Sunday during the flea market)

12. Street for the best gelato in Madrid


13. The name of the joint

14. Exhibit A of delicious gelato-ness ;)