The privileged environment of Tabús
On a sunny day, a panoramic view of Sant Pere Pescador with the sea in the background. The village buildings are surrounded by fields of different shades of green and yellow. On the right, the Fluvià river continues its course until it flows into the sea. Image by the Sant Pere Pescador Town Hall.
Mas Llausàs, an accessible Indian house only 5 minutes from the beach of Sant Pere Pescador and the Aiguamolls of l’Empordà, has hosted the 34 protagonists of the TV3 programme Tabús, a production that was premiered in full confinement and has given visibility to different groups (people with blindness, functional diversity or mental disorders, among others). The host, actor David Verdaguer, spoke to all of them about the stereotypes surrounding their condition and how they believe society looks at them and treats them. And all of this, with a touch of humour and in the privileged surroundings of the Costa Brava and the Girona Pyrenees. Would you like to know which Girona areas Tabús has visited? We make a review.
Alt Empordà in its pure state
Beach, nature, well-being, enogastronomy, heritage, fun and creative activities. This is how one could summarize Tabús’ passage through the Alt Empordà. First of all, people with blindness or low vision experimented with clay and pottery, using the potter’s wheel thanks to the indications of the team of the Taller-Escola de Cerámica Ramon Fort (Ramon Fort Pottery Workshop-School), in Llers. They also walked through the vineyards of the winery La Vinyeta, in Mollet de Peralada, where they lived a sensory experience with a wine tasting. La Vinyeta is also a member of the DO Empordà Wine Route club of the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board.
In front of a sunny vineyard, the manager of La Vinyeta talks about the work of the winery to a family that rests on some chairs in the shade of a tree. One of them is in a wheelchair. Image by MultiSignes.
In L’Escala, the participants of the chapter dedicated to functional diversity experienced an adrenaline rush with a race in Karting L’Escala. Later, they toasted to victory at Ocean’s Portofino Irish Pub, in Empuriabrava, which was also the venue for the chapter dedicated to people suffering from mental health problems. In this case, they played bowling in one of the eight lanes of the Bowling Empuriabrava and sailed along the channels of this residential marina with the boats of Los Barkitos. In addition, they walked around the parade ground, the porch and the hall of the arches of the Cortal Gran, a medieval castle for events, in Sant Pere Pescador. And they lived one of the most unpredictable and surprising natural experiences of the Alt Empordà: when the cold weather arrives, at sunset, large flocks of starlings fly in sync and perform hypnotic and spectacular choreographies. Although they can surprise us in any part of the territory, their favourite area is usually the plain of the Aiguamolls of l’Empordà.
At sunset, in a sky tinged with orange and violet tones, a group of starlings fly in synchrony. Image by MultiSignes.
People with terminal or incurable diseases rested on the beach of Empuriabrava, an accessible beach with an access ramp, footbridge, amphibious chair and other adapted services. They also visited the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de l’Om, in Ventalló, a 12th century Romanesque chapel surrounded by fields and groves. The protagonists of the chapter dedicated to the obesity enjoyed the thermal swimming pool of the Hotel & Spa La Central, in Maçanet de Cabrenys. Finally, the Empúries promenade, next to a rough sea, starred another of the chapters of the program.
Gastronomy, culture y nature in the Baix Empordà
Tabús also visited the Baix Empordà. They visited the Mas Pi restaurant, in Verges, a 16th century country house dedicated to traditional Catalan cuisine that has two star dishes: onion soup and lamb shoulder. The establishment also organises cultural activities, such as temporary exhibitions and live music. The programme also included a walk among the planes of the Aeroclub Empordà, which offers initiation flights and air routes to contemplate the natural parks of the Costa Brava from the air. They also discovered the Medes Islands with one of the Nautilus boats, which proposes different routes to discover the beauty of the seabed of this Natural Reserve. Nautilus is also a member of the Nature and Active Tourism club of the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board, as well as the Montgrí, the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter Natural Park.
At the port, a couple and a boy in a wheelchair wait to board the Nautilus, a sea cruise in the Medes Islands. Image by Àlex Gosteli.
Finally, to discover the human dimension of the Montgrí massif, the protagonists of the chapter dedicated to poverty visited the Museu de la Mediterrània, in Torroella de Montgrí, a journey through the sounds, rhythms and aromas of the Mediterranean Sea that bring us closer to history, natural environment and people. The Museu de la Mediterrània is a member of the Culture and Identity club of the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board.
Games in Lloret de Mar, volcanoes in La Garrotxa and gastronomy in Girona
In La Garrotxa, people with functional diversity took a carriage ride through the Fageda d’en Jordà and enjoyed the peace of this emblematic forest. In another chapter, the program covered the surroundings of the Croscat, El Torn, Pomareda and Martinya volcanoes in a reproduction of the ancient train that covered the route from Olot to Girona. Both activities were good opportunities to discover The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, a member of the Nature and Active Tourism club.
The representatives of the LGTBI collective were entertained in the arcade of the Magic Park in Lloret de Mar, where, in addition to playing bumper cars, they enjoyed some music and dancing on the floor of the Disco Privé party room. They also had the opportunity to practice their culinary skills at the Local Market, a gastronomic space in the heart of Girona’s old town, adapted for people with reduced mobility and a member of the Enogastronomy club of the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board.
The nine chapters of Tabús, with subtitles in several languages and audio description in Catalan, can be watched here.