From Cadaqués, Catalonia
Though Dalí ended his days in Cadaqués, the town rarely feels overrun and as local families still own nearly everything, there are no high-rise hotels. Everything shuts down in winter for people to rest and recharge. A relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle dominates.

This moment celebrates the simple pleasure of fresh food and a drink, with feet resting in the sand after a walk along the coast through the beautiful Cap de Creus.

From Girona, Catalonia
Girona wears its identity with pride, unabashed by political declarations or a need to fall quietly in line. "Self-determination is a right, not a crime" I'm told again and again, in English and Catalan.

Just two weeks later, a Spanish court sentenced nine politicians to imprisonment for their role in the 2017 failed independence bid. Many are facing over a decade behind bars. Clearly, the authorities disagree with the sentiment.

From Girona, Catalonia
We stood beneath an old olive tree, stately and grey in a shaded patio. I could have sworn we were in the garden of some old country manor. Through a crumbling stone arch and rusting iron gate we found views off to green hills where a clutch of houses nestled. There were pert cypress trees in neat rows and pink snapdragon flowers pointing up to a big blue sky.

Somewhere below, out of sight and out of earshot, was a city. A city I rather like.

From Aínsa, Spanish Pyrenees
We went in search of vultures, preferably of the Bearded kind. We hadn't yet made it to the valley where they are often seen, when we saw two circling in the sky, pointed out by a friendly Frenchman on the side of the road.

Down in the valley, we saw only Griffon, not Bearded vultures. But it didn't matter. Not one dot. Watching a dozen majestic creatures swooping across a forested canyon to within metres of our heads is something I'll never, ever forget. Nature can be so wonderful when you sit back and watch.