Girona in the rain

    Girona, which is about two hours from Reus by car, is a city with a history dating back to pre-Roman times and much of that history involves enough blood and gore to make any Hollywood producer swoon with delight.
    In short, the city has been in and out of war for more than 2,000 years.
    That's changed in the last few decades, however, and these days it's known as one of the major centers of Catalunya's on-again-off-again independence movement as well as a city of remarkable architecture. It also has one of the best- preserved ancient Jewish quarters in Europe. The Call de Girona, in fact, attracts scholars from all over the world to study this ancient seat of Jewish learning because it dates back more than a thousand years. Spain expelled the Jews in 1492 but the quarter was not destroyed, as were so many across Europe during its periodic forays into violent intolerance. Girona, which is built at a point where four rivers come together, is also known for its bridges, including one designed by Gustave Eiffel... yeah, the same guy who built that big tower in Paris. It's pretty gaudy... if you go, you won't be able to miss it and, in truth, you probably won't want to because it makes for great photos.
    These days Girona is also known for its annual flower festival, a week-long event that floods the city with visitors from all over Spain and throughout the rest of Europe. I went there with friends on the festival's last day and despite the fact that it was pouring rain (I've since learned that's not all that unusual in Girona) there were literally thousands of people crowding the narrow streets of the city's oldest sections to see the more than 50 displays of floral designs. Catalans are, apparently, unfazed by a little wet weather and, it turns out, the same holds true for people who really like flowers.
    The streets were so crowded that when it came time to eat the waitress at the small restaurant where we decided to have lunch told us that ordering something as simple as a plate of spaghetti meant a wait of between 40 minutes and an hour. The reason: "We are so overwhelmed with people for the festival and, of course, the owner is too cheap to put on extra help for the day..."
    I'm pretty sure I've heard that lament before...
    In the end we settled for tapas, which came almost immediately, instead of ordering. Turned out to be an excellent choice.