Collioure

 Hello!

 Collioure was recommended to me as somewhere I must visit when in Perpignan. The seaside commune didn't disappoint. It's easily accessible by train from Perpignan and I spent a happy, lazy Sunday there.

 I really like the beautiful painted tiling on the walls - you see this pretty regularly around the Pyrénées-Orientales but those of Collioure are especially lovely. Colourful houses and photogenic balconies are among the other hallmarks of the town.

 My favourite thing by far about Collioure isn't the stunning bay or the dainty streets, but something I hadn't even known existed before coming: the amazing artisan pottery. Ornaments, crockery, clocks, animals... The animals are the best of all. I could spend days gazing upon them all.

The egg box is one of my favourites!

The counter of one of the shops

 I trawled the seafront looking for a restaurant and eventually chose one further into town. I chose a set menu where you choose each dish from two or three options. I like how that encouraged me to try new things - my meal was very seafood-y which it wouldn't normally be. And I enjoyed it.

 For a starter I had mussels and serrano ham with butter. I liked the mussels but the ham stole the show; it was sumptuous.

 My main was king prawns, octopus and chips with two sauces, neither of which I can confidently identify but one was creamy and the other was spicy. 

 The chips were the best thing - they and the sauces were great together. The prawns I had trouble getting into and then when I did, I didn't really like them. The octopus was too strong for me. Ah well, at least I tried something new.

 For dessert I just had to have crème catalane - again! It was as lovely as ever. I recommend it wholeheartedly if you ever visit Catalonia.

The restaurant

Interesting how the signs differ. François Arago Street (French) versus Street of the Dead (Catalan)...

Lizards basking in the sun

 The afternoon drew on and the light began to fade.

An art installation: Views of Collioure

One of the best of the pottery shops

 With about an hour to go before my train arrived I bought some churros with Nutella and ate them as I wandered leisurely back to the station. I reflected on a really lovely day and decided I just had to visit Collioure again. That I did, but that's another story...

Hilarious.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x