Over the Border to Andorra

OVER THE BORDER TO ANDORRA
October 5, 2007

Last week snow capped the Pyrenees so we postponed this trip. Today is a bit overcast and looks like rain but there are breaks in the clouds so Judy and Pat are headed for the border.. Winn is not ready for another wild ride through the mountains. Again, the views are spectacular and ever changing. There may be two mountain peaks ahead, one with beautiful blue sky and fluffy clouds and the one next to it looking threatening and angry.

In the far distance, you sight a cow or other livestock clinging to the mountain side for a few nibbles of whatever is growing. Does not look like much. The cold weather has turned the mountain side to brilliant oranges, yellows and reds with ample evergreens sprinkled in the higher slopes just below the tree line. The tops are barren and appear to be lifeless . This is another one of those mountain roads with many switch backs and steep inclines as you climb. At points you can see as many as seven layers of road.. The clouds settle down upon us, the temperature has dropped 25-30 degrees and the rain begins. Border Patrol waves us through with no stop to check our papers. I am certainly glad because did not bring her passport and I hated to think about bailing her out of jail or wherever they take you. They did stop some cars for inspection but our run for the border was successful.

Pat had prepared me for what to expect when we arrived in Andorra, a huge multi-level, up the mountain side shopping, hotel, eatery complex. The multl-levels were 3 – 4 stories high with shops back to back. The attraction here is duty free shopping but the only “bargains” I saw were tobacco and alcohol products. My main observation is that I have never seen so much liquor, of such a variety, in such large containers in such such a small area. There were probably 4-5 levels of shops up the mountain side in an area about the size of Pierre Bossier Mall. There were even wines and liqouries in what appeared to be oak barrels. They are sold by the liter and you must take in you own container. Can you imagine the bubbas from the Louisiana oil patch coming in with their 55 gallon drums for fill-up of Crown Royale? There were even 5 gallon bottles of Chivas Regal. The tobacco departments reminded me of the roadside stands located in Virginia and North Carolina in the 1960’s for less than 5.00 per carton. After working at summer camps in the Lake Junaluska area of North Carolina, I used to bring or shipped homes cases of cigarettes…..yes, Meredith Anne, like my trips to Trader Joe’s now.

We wandered around for about an hour, brought a sandwich and soft drinks to share on the drive down the mountain and headed for home. We were able to clear Border Patrol again though they were stopping more cars coming in and going out.


Judy