Spain / Portugal 2016

This is the story of our Autumn tour of 2016. The primary destinations are Spain and Portugal.

9th September

Time to set of for our Autumn trip. We held our meet at Willington last weekend and have spent the week making sure everything is ready for this trip. We are booked on the 17:00 sailing from Portsmouth to Santander.

We left home at 10:00 and expected to arrive at Portsmouth at 13:00. Lo and behold we arrived on time. The ferry was due to leave, so, as there was a Hungry Horse just round the corner, we had plenty of time for a leisurely lunch.

The ferry left dead on time and we settled in for a calm crossing. We are not lovers of the long sea crossings, but they are the less tiring way to travel down to Spain when you don’t have all the time in the world.

10th September

We rose to a light swell as we crossed the Bay of Biscay. At 9:30 we had “Spanish Lessons”, a 90 minute introduction to some phrases and vocabulary, which will be forgotten immediately. it was fun and killed some time. At 2:00 we joined the observers from the Orca Fund on deck for some Whale watching. Pleased to say that we saw some Whales; they were very much in the distance, but their blows were unmistakeable. One Whale was closer and can be clearly seen on an enlarged photo

We docked at Santander on time and made our way to the Aire at the Zoo at Cabarceno.  I am ashamed to say that within 30 minutes of leaving the port I had us lost. It appears that the Spanish government have built a brand new motorway, but have forgotten to tell anyone about it. The Sat Nav was hopelessly lost, showing us as off road by a long way. We arrived at the Zoo to find that it was the wrong entrance and we were miles from where we wanted to be. Eventually we found our stop and were very glad of it. It seems that many others have had the same problem since the start of 2016 when the motorway opened. So much for latest maps!!!

Time to settle in for a good night.

11th Sptember

We woke refreshed with sunshine once it had risen. Got to get used to the fact that the sun rises an hour later than at home.

Cabarceno is a small village, which can be walked around in 10 minutes, but the Zoo is immense; the road system in the Zoo is some 20 km. Walking around the Zoo is impossible, once you enter you take the cable car for a view from overhead. There are several stopping off points where you can get off and walk around the enclosures.

From where we were parked we had a 100 yard walk to the Elephant enclosure with a herd of Elephants to greet you. in the same enclosure are Water Buffalo and Antelope. The area is massive and there is no sign of the animals being restricted for space. In the afternoon we could see two Calf Elephants frolicking in the water. Ahead of where we were, there was a large lake with a large flock of Egrets and other water fowl. The whole place was totally relaxed as families came out for the day or just a few hours for a picnic in the sun.

We had arranged to meet Mick and Mavis on Monday 12th so decided to spend another night at this wonderful location.

12th September

Another very quiet night and now time to leave to meet Mick and Mavis at Potes, but first we needed supplies. We had seen a couple of supermarkets in Santander and as we needed to go that way we decided to head for Carrefour. Not as easy as it would appear, but we found it.

The journey to Potes was spectacular as we rose in to the Picos de Europa mountain range. The road was twisty and slow. but the views made it all the more worthwhile.

The campsite at Potes (La Viora) was very welcoming, more so as the temperature had climbed to 34C  and we were in need of a rest. The pitches are terraced into a steep hillside, but were of a good size and reasonably easy to access. Mick and Mavis arrived about an hour behind us and we settled in for a lengthy catch-up.

13th September.

Time to discover Potes, but after the sweltering heat of yesterday the weather had turned to rain and would not climb above 20C. Anyway we managed to walk into Potes and immediately reminded ourselves exactly it pays to avoid motorways. Potes is a small country town that would be by-passed by any traveller heading for the costas and the sun: and that is it’s salient point. Modernity and commercialism have not encroached to spoil the uniqueness and traditional feeling of the town.

Lunch was taken in a small restaurant in the main street, found quickly as a convenience to escape the heavy rain. The lunch was excellent: three courses of first quality food with bread and wine for 11.50 Euros per person. We were very satisfied.  The afternoon saw a well deserved Siesta.

14th September.

Time to leave Potes and head for Haro (pronounced arrow), to join the group for the tour. Every Sat Nav we tried chose a different route, but all agreed that we should take a motorway of some sort. By improvisation, we managed to convince them that there was a suitable and shorter route over the mountains. We knew it would be slow but the scenery would compensate. This was going to be a cold, but mainly dry day, by the time we had driven high into the mountains the temperature had fallen to 6C (yes, this is Spain, mid September and they are experiencing exceptionally hot weather, but not here), so on went the heating.

On our way we had to make allowances for a small herd of cattle that were gently ambling along the road, unattended and with not a care in the world. After we stopped for lunch we were fortunate enough to see a family of Golden Eagle flying across the high plain.

The latter part of our journey turned back into farce as once again we felt the wrath of the Sat Nav: having set the journey it seeemed that Mrs Nav had decided to play tricks on us. We followed the directions to the letter, even around Burgos when the direction suddenly decided that the opposite direction was much better. Nothing unusual you might say but both Miss Garmin and Mrs TomTom played the same trick.

Eventually we made it to Haro and our campsite (de Haro). A lovely site close to town with some very good swimming pools and spotlessly clean facilities blocks.

This is the start of the Camping and Caravanning Club Spain and Portugal tour. We met our Tour Escorts, Robert and Pauline and received some additional information about the site and the tour.

In the evening we were taken by coach to Logrono for a welcome meal. Logrono is the Capital of the Rioja wine region and is a very grand town, very modern with an efficient road system. The centre is traditional old Spanish with narrow lanes and grand buildings. At night it is very busy, especially the Tapas bars. We had time for a stroll before our meal and were able to soak up some of the atmosphere. The restaurant was very elaborate and the meal extensive. I think I counted five courses fully accompanied with wine. The quality was excellent.

We arrived back at site at 12:15, a long hard day.

15th September

Today we visit a winery, not just any winery but that of Cuna, one of the most highly respected names in the region. The winery is just a short walk from the site and we were met by a young spanish lady who was to be the guide for our tour of the winery. The tour was very extensive and informative. We visited all of the brewing buildings and ended with a visit to the cellars. In the cellars you can find all of the wine ready to be shipped to retailers and also the special reserve wines from every year of production. Many of these special reserve wines are still available in sufficient quantities for sale, at a price! They are kept in first class condition by the fungus that grows around the bottles and helps to insulate them. Behind a gate is a very special reserve of the very first wines ever produced by Cuna, these are not for sale, although we are told that they are still perfectly drinkable.

Following our tour we had lunch in Cuna’s restaurant; a splendid affair that lasted over two hours and involved copious amounts of three types of Cuna’s wines. In fact when we sat down to lunch there were no less than four wine glasses at each place setting. The food was excellent and included items like local black pudding, suckling pig and prawn lasagne.

We finished the afternoon with a stroll around Haro, in the church you could see just how much wealth there is in the town.

16th September

Today is a grand coach tour of the Rioja region. Our guide for the tour was Xavier, a young man from Laguardia who was highly knowledgable and amazingly enthusiastic about his home town and region. We drove through some quaint small villages and towns and learned a lot about the region. Our first stop was at the monasteries of Yuso and Suso. The upper monastery is no longer used but houses the cave where Saint Milan lived as a hermit and also the tombs of early kings. This building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is only accessible by special bus, which restricts the number of visitors. The lower monastery is still in use and is a place of sanctuary. Xavier took us into all of the places usually accessible to the public and some there are not.

From the monasteries, we drove on to Laguardia, Xavier’s home town and you could see why he was so enthusiastic about it. Laguardia certainly is a beautiful town. The old fortified wall is still fully intact and entry is only through one of seven gates. Vehicles are restricted to specific areas as most streets are too narrow even for the smallest vehicle. Lunch was a light affair and was not provided as part of the package, So an opportunity for a barbeque.

17th September

We travelled today from Haro to Salamanca. This is a quick two night stop at a site just outside Salamanca used as a pause before heading to Portugal. We were due for a group meeting in the evening in order that the intricacies of the Portuguese road toll system could be explained. I had read the official website, which explained everything in plain English and was very easy to follow. By the end of the meeting everyone was totally confused, so I re-read the website.

Following the meeting, we had another excellent meal in the hotel restaurant.

18th September

A day with nothing planned, therefore an opportunity to get the bus into Salamanca and explore this city. The bus stops right outside the campsite on the hotel carpark and takes a rather circuitous route into Salamanca. It eventually terminates in Grand Via and then waits in that spot for it’s return journey.

Salamanca is a beautiful, historic city and one day cannot do it justice; in fact one day doesn’t even scratch the surface. However, that was all the time we had and so we spent most of it visiting the Cathedral. This is indeed a massive and highly sculptured building, which, when combined with the older building attached takes a good couple of hours to visit. There are many Chapels, each with their own intricately sculpted altar. At the central dome in the roof is the most highly detailed and coloured plasterwork you could ever see. In the centre of the Cathedral, the choir is surrounded by four sets of organ pipes. As is normal in Spain, there are pipes and horizontal horns.

Following the Cathedral, we wandered back towards the centre for lunch. I had been handed a flyer advertising a restaurant offering a three course lunch with wine and water for 11.50 Euros per head. We found the restaurant and again had a delicious meal. After lunch we took a leisurely stroll around the centre of Salamanca and then the bus back to the campsite.

19th September

We are travelling again today; across the border into Portugal and to the city of Porto. This is a long journey so another early start.

Portugal is another of those countries where the older road system is one of narrow roads and many twists and turns, it is necessary, when covering any distance to use the Toll Autovista system. This has been described as a very complicated system, although we found it very simple. Shortly after crossing the border you come across the toll entry barrier. As a foreigner, you are then obliged to register your credit card whilst the camera registers your number plate. This process takes less than three seconds. After that, every journey that is made on the electronic toll system is charged to you automatically. The only other consideration is that there are also manual toll motorways, which are used in exactly the same way as in any other country. There is an automatic lane on the manual tolls, but this does not apply to foreigners and therefore you avoid that lane or risk a fine. All is clearly marked even in English.

We arrived at the site just outside Porto mid afternoon, not the best site you could wish for, but it was handily situated for the tour and a few minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean. The pitches are quite small and uneven, many have large tree stumps which have to be avoided.

In the evening we were treated to a three course dinner, again with many glasses of various wines. During the evening we listened to a traditional Portuguese Fado, a type of singing which to the uninitiated grates on the senses.

On the return to our pitches, we found that a foreign motorhome had pitched on the spare space that had been reserved by our guides.

20th September

The day of our coach trip into Porto. We picked up our guide on the way into the City and from there we were dropped by the coach at one of the high points in the city. Our guide (Yolanda) provided us with a walking tour, showing us many of the main squares and sights. Some of the sights included the book shop which features in the Harry Potter books, the twin Community Churches, the magnificent Old Stock Exchange Building and the elaborate Railway Station.

At 12:30 we were picked up by our coach for the journey across the river to Taylor’s Port House. We then were given a very informative tour of the winery and a guide on how Port is made; of course a British invention. Following our tour of the winery we were provided with a delicious three course lunch accompanied by White Port, White and Red wines and ended with Tawny Port. The afternoon was rounded off by a couple of hours free time. We decided to take a trip along the Douro River on a traditionally styled boat. From the river you can view the six bridges that span it, one of which was built by Gustav Eiffel, and get to see the older grand houses that line the banks.

We arrived back at the site at about 18:30, very exhausted.

21st September

Another very full day. We were picked up by our coach at 8:30 for a tour of the Douro Valley. Again, we collected our guide, Yolanda, on the way. After about an hour of driving out of the city and into the beautiful landscape of the Douro Valley we arrived at Amarante. This is a small town deep in the valley with much history. It also has a reputation for being the home of some of the most delicious pastries in Portugal, a reputation we had to check for ourselves. The verdict: Yes, they are delicious, and in some hands, quite messy.

Back into the coach to continue our tour deeper into the Douro Valley. After about another hour we turned towards our goal for the day; a small independent family run winery. To get to the winery, we had to negotiate several miles of very narrow road with no passing places anywhere. The road was also extremely steep.

We arrived at our destination to be met by the owner of the vineyard. Our first task was to harvest the grapes; we were provided with buckets and secateurs and set off cutting the bunches. The samples collected along the way were very sweet and delicious. Between us we collected 245 kilos of grapes. We were then given a tour of the winery and told the history of this particular establishment. Following the tour came the messy bit, we were asked for volunteers to tread the grapes. The volunteers (Val included) were provided with shorts and t shirts to change into, They were then helped into the massive stone vat that contained the grapes ready for treading. The grapes were about knee deep and the treaders were asked to step in time to music played on an accordion and drum. Things got very messy, especially as the rythm picked up speed. After about 20 minutes they were considered competent and were allowed out of the vat for a scraping down to remove any excess grapes and a hosing down to clean the legs. Unfortunately, it will take longer for the purple stain to wear off the soles of their feet.

After everyone’s hard work we were rewarded with a traditional three course grape harvester’s lunch, this time served  in traditional metal bowls and cups. It was, of course accompanied by the usual generous amounts of wines and ports. We felt tempted enough to buy a few bottles of the family’s products. To complete the visit, we were privileged  in being invited to view the family’s private chapel, next to the grounds. The building was beautiful and a further indication of the love and dedication that the family have for their product and way of life. This was indeed a very special visit, of there are only five per year.

Our journey back to the site gave us view which were just as stunning as before, with steep mountain sides and gorges.

We arrived back on site at about 19:00, totally exhausted.

22nd September

A day of leisure today, a chance to catch up with some house keeping and to get some rest.

The weather was sunny and warm so we took the opportunity to explore the local village and to take a stroll along the 7km Boardwalk along the coast. We certainly had the opportunity to view the wild Atlantic coast. The beach is very rocky and the waves crash over the rocks relentlessly. This was a calm day, but it was possible to imagine the force of the sea in stormy conditions.

23rd September

A drive today to the southern part of Portugal and the ancient city of Evora. This is a long drive and only really comfortably achievable by using Motorways. That means tolls, the cost for today’s journey is over 55 Euros. For the motorist, Portugal is not cheap.

24th September

A busy day for today with another early start. Our first stop was Arraiolos, a small town dating back to the 2nd century BC. The town is famous for it’s hand stitched tapestries and carpets, which are fabulous. Many of them have religious connotations and show various symbols within the pattern. The ladies that stitch the tapestries use a type of cross stitch and sew onto a jute backing.

From here we drove to a local wine producer for a tour of their property and a chance to view their private collection of horse drawn carriages. There are nearly 40 carriages, all lovingly restored to absolutely beautiful condition. They even have a Mail Coach as often seen in the ’60s Cowboy Movies. Included in the range is a modern competition carriage complete with hydraulic disc brakes. Following the tour, we enjoyed a wine tasting followed by a splendid three course lunch, and, of course, the wine flowed.

25th September

A shorter day today with a later start (9:30, whoopee!). Our trip today was to the city of Evora. This is an important city in Portugal as it was established by the Moors and contains the oldest university in the Country. There are Roman remains, including the Temple of Diana. The church of Saint Francis (Sao Francisco) is unique in that it had a chapel of bones, inside are the remains of about 5000 human bodies that were moved into a place of safety from the cemetary hundreds of years ago. It is quite a gruesome sight, but also very interesting. Also inside is the mummified body of a man, who legend tells us was kept so by his wife as he had been cruel to her all of their married life and she deemed that in death he should never meet his peers. At the entrance to the chapel is an inscription with the words “We bones in here wait for you to join us”.

26th September

Time to move on again. Today we crossed back into Spain to the beautiful city of Seville. The journey was about 210 miles and we were able to travel without using tolls or motorways. The scenery was excellent with mountains and lush valleys, ending with the more barren lands of Andalucia.

27th September

Today was hard work, we were picked up by coach at the site at 9:00 for a tour of Seville. The sun started to beat down as we stopped for coffee. This was to be a hot day.

Our tour took us to the buildings of the 1929 Grand Exposition and also to the Moorish royal palace “El Alcazar”. The palace is a very splendid building and immense. It is a smaller version of the Alhambra at Granada. We broke for lunch and ended up at a very pretty restaurant in a square near the City Centre. The lunch was excellent as usual with plenty of beer to cool us down.

Following lunch we visited the Cathedral, possibly the biggest Cathedral we have ever visited. Everything was on a massive scale and again showed off the immense wealth of the Church. It is possible to get up the bell tower to experience the amazing views across Seville. The tower is unusual in that it does not have stairs apart from the final 17 steps. There is a series of ramps lining the four walls of the tower, 35 ramps in all taking you to the top. This makes the tower wheelchair accessible. The fact that these ramps were installed when the tower was built, over 600 years ago is even more remarkable.

28th September

This is the penultimate day of the tour; a day trip into Jerez, which everyone will know is the Capital of the Sherry producing region.

Our trip started with a coach journey into Jerez along the old national route rather than the motorway. We arrived at the city walls having passed the Bodegas of many of the old well known names; Harveys, Gonzalez Byass etc. Jerez is unusual in that it’s walls, again Moorish are erected in a square rather than a circle, they are also of a much lighter fabrication than others.

The city consists of many squares of quite elaborate design; exactly as you would expect of oldern Spain. We were certainly not to be disappointed. In the afternoon, we were taken to the older Gipsy quarter of the city, where we were treated again to a fabulous lunch accompanied by a genuine Flamenco troupe. The dancing was lively and the actions at times mesmerising.

After lunch, our plan was to visit a Bodega for some sherry tasting and a tour of the Bodega. The Bodega was that of Lustau: the sherry heart of the Caballero wine company (these are the people who make Val’s favourite tipple Ponche). Getting there was more than interesting; it would appear that since the driver had last made the journey, the one way system had changed in Jerez. Yes, we were going the wrong way down a one way street. At the end, the Police stopped us and insisted that the driver revere all the way back. That was easier said than done as the street was extremely narrow with parked cars. During reversing we managed to remove several door mirrors from parked cars. There were then several conversations between the driver and the police, which eventually culminated in a handshake  and a Police escort to our destination…..Did the “handshake” influence the police attitude?

Once into Lustau, our problems were not over. It would appear that although our tour guide had a copy of the invoice and booking for our tour, Lustau didn’t. Hasty phone calls were made including one to an alternative Bodega to see if they could take us. Suddenly we were allowed in and experienced the tour. The tour of the Bodega was great, and the sherries were excellent. More bottles to add to our collection.

The coach trip back was a very quiet affair.

29th September

This is the last full date of the tour. A free day, which is to end with a coach trip to Seville and a Farewell Dinner.

The dinner, at a Restaurant in the Flamenco quarter of Seville, was a bit of a let down. All of our meals up to now had been of the highest quality; this was not something that could be said tonight.

Following dinner, Mick, Mavis, Val and I found a lovely bar for a beer where we could sit in the refreshing breeze and view the lights of Seville at night.

30th September

The tour is over and many of our fellow tourists are leaving the site this morning for various destinations across Spain. We have arranged to stay on for a further night before setting off on the second stage of this trip. Where are we heading? you’ll have to keep watching to find out.

Unfortunately I had a stomach upset last night and am still not right today, so I have done nothing whilst Val took herself to the shops.

1st October

My stomach is still not right, in fact it is worse, so we have decided to stay put today in the hopes that I can settle down.

2nd October

Today is our 45th Wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, any celebration will have to wait as I still do not feel up to eating.

Our destination is Sanlucar de Barrameda, an aire that we have used before. It is not the best, but in the middle of a very nice town with direct access to the beach. Disaster, the aire no longer exists! We stopped for lunch along the beach and checked to find the other aire at Samlucar. It was a few miles away, but we headed to it. This place was really quite decent, with grass, the first we had seen for weeks. It is close to a small beach, but little else.

3rd October

I woke up feeling worse than I had done. It was time to get some help in terms of a doctor. Val inquired at reception, but Alfonso (yes that is his name) wasn’t too hopeful at us getting a Doctor out and then thought that language might be a problem. He suggested going to the local hospital where they would at least be able to speak English. He arranged a taxi to take us. Once at the Hospital, my treatment was very swift; I was soon diagnosed with a very serious case of Gastro Enteritis and was whisked into a treatment room. Once inside I was given injections to prevent vomiting and a very powerful pain killer. Following that I had five separate intra-venous drips. I just hoped that this would do the trick as by now I really felt extremely unwell.

Within a few hours, the drips had started to take effect and I started to feel slightly better. I was soon discharged and given a prescription for antibiotics.

4th October

I decided that I was feeling better and was fit to travel. We set our destination as the aire at Gibraltar, not necessarily to visit Gibraltar, but to at least say that we have seen it. We still needed to get my prescription. After about 10 miles I realised that I was not fit to drive and we pulled in. We decided to get the prescription and then to find a local site, Val had to drive from now. The site that we arrived at was an ACSI site at Puerto De La Santa Maria, an excellent site and by coincidence, the one that Mick and Mavis had left that morning.

The site itself is great and Val tells me that the beach is one of the best she has seen. I slept the rest of the day

The prescription by the way cost all of Euro 2.30, beat that NHS!

5th October

Another very quiet day for me spent asleep or lying down.

Val walked into town and came back to tell me what I had missed; a small very friendly and interesting town.

6th October

Again we stayed put, but I did start to feel the effect of the antibiotics.

7th October

Finally, I am starting to feel slightly better and we have been able to go for a walk into town. There are some fine old buildings and a very clean and beautiful beach. This port is the one that Christopher Columbus originally sailed from to reach The Americas. There is also a small passenger ferry to Cadiz with all of the history that that City has to offer. We must return to this area and explore properly.

8th October

It is time to move on, I am feeling much better and fit enough to travel. Our stop today, following an ammended route is Olvera, a small fortified White Town between Cadiz and Granada. White Towns achieved their name from the predominantly white exteriors of all buildings to protect them from the searing summer heat. Many of them are fortified due to the centuries of battles in Andalucia.

The site is quite a way outside Olvera on top of a hill. The views all around are outstanding and during the afternoon we were treated to the sight of a flock of Grifffon Vultures soaring over the mountains.

9th October

A trip across the mountains to one of the must visit places on our route; Granada. This is the home of the most spectacular of the Moorish monuments still standing in Europe – The Alhambra Palace.

The journey was good with some spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. This is an area of vast meteorological changes. The highest temperatures in Mainland Spain have been recorded in the plains around here, as have the coldest. In fact, in the majority of years there is snow on the highest peaks all year round.

The site is small, with typical Spanish pitches, but it has been terraced so that most pitches can get an uninterrupted view of the Sierra Nevada. Unfortunately, that means that the access roads are steep.

There is a bus directly to Granada, so our visit for tomorrow is planned.

To say that it is hot would be a serious understatement.

10th October

Our visit to Granada.

We have packed plenty of water and are prepared for the onslaught. Even in October, the forecast temperature is for 35C. The bus was ontime and cheap. 1.70 Euros each way for a long and scenic journey into Granada. This has got to have been the steepest and twistiest journey we have ever taken in a full sized single decker bus. We realise that Granada is deep in a valley below the Sierra Nevada.

We have plannned not to visit the Alhambra, largely due to cost (51 Euros) and the fact that there is no guarantee of tickets without prebooking. As there is a legal maximum of 6600 visitors per day, there is never any guarantee of tickets at the gate. Instead we took the little tourist “Train”, this is excellent value and allows you to see much more that would be possible on foot.

Very soon it becomes evident that whilst Granada has a terrific amount of history to offer, it is not the most photogenic of cities: every building is so close to the next that it is impossible to get a good view of any one. Even the Cathedral is hidden on all sides by other buildings.

Many of the streets are very narrow, this is an attempt to keep inhabitants cool by providing permanent shade. Yes, it does protect from the searing sun, but the heat is still very present.

By late afternoon, totally exhausted, we made our way to the bus stop for the equally exhilerating bus ride back to the campsite.

Unfortunately, due to its cramped nature, Granada failed to impress.

During the evening we made an unfortunate decision: that following on from my Gastro Enteritis we did not really have time to get across to Orihuela Costa to see Pat and Ray and Les and Sue. Next time we shall make it.

11th October

Moving on and a change of scenery. Following our  decision not to head for the Costa Blanca, we set off for Marbella. We found a beauutiful site at CaboPina and a good sized pitch. Late afternoon gave us a chance to walk to the beach and a stroll along the sea. It was then that we found that many of the beaches at Marbella are clothing optional, including this one.

Now there is something strange about nudism in that it seems to attract more males than females. Many of these males are either elderly or not of slim proportions. Some also seem to have attachments that were never part of their birthright. It was the sight of one of the lattter that brought pain to your mind. The poor individual had had three large piercings in his willy and was only too proud to show the fact. I could feel the pain for him and Val had to wince. The curious thing about piercings is that the person involved feels a very strong need to ensure that everyone else is fully aware of just how bizarre they look.

Eventually, after having had the chance to inspect the occupants of the beach, I was able to drag Val back to the site.

12th October

It is raining! Well not exactly raining, it is pouring! Torrents!

A quick look at the weather forecast shows that this stretch of coast is in for three days of heavy rain. Not much fun having rain in a place that is all about the beach and associated beach people.

We make a quick decision, according to the weather foreccast the rain is bound by the mountains to the North. If we headed for Seville area, there is no rain and none forecast. Just one problem, it is now 11:15 am and to avoid paying an extra day we must leave by 12:00. We hadn’t even started packing, in fact we were still drinking coffee. It’s amazing how fast you can move when you have to; by 11:50 we had driven off the site and back on the road to Seville.

Our arrival at Seville was different to say the least. There are two aires listed in the book; one that we have used before and another close by. We chose to use the second, when we arrived we were ushered into a car park and given a ticket; it was then that we found that there was no chemical toilet emptying at this location. To empty the toilet we needed to drive to another site and then return to this one. We drove to the other site only to find no emptying facility. We then decided to make our way to the aire that we had used on a previous visit. Success! all was available and it was cheaper and fully secured.

13th October

A chance to visit Seville again. This is a vast, historic city that possibly could never be fully discovered, such is the complexity of it’s construction. The only issue around Seville is it’s reputation for searing heat, it is really exhausting.

We visited places that we hadn’t had time for on our last visit and managed to find a lovely restaurant for lunch. One place that we managed to visit that I had read about was the fantastic aerial walkway built at La Setas. This was a new building totally removed from any other design in Seville and is hated by the Sevillians, but provides some of the best views of the whole city. The cost of the visit was 3 Euros, for that you get unlimited time on the walkway, a drink at the rooftop cafe and a postcard. Under the walkway is an exhibition of the old Roman town that was excavated during construction. By mid-afternoon we were exhausted and ready to return to the van.

14th October

The final full day of our visit to Seville. This time we stayed mainly south of the river to visit the lively Triana area. This is the area where the gipsies  and sailors were based in times gone by. From the gipsy families came the tradition of Flamenco dancing and music and it is in this area that real Flamenco is still performed. Of the Mariners, one Christopher Columbus was born here. It is also from the bridge across the river from the Triana that man’s first circumnavigation of the World took place.

Below the old Market Hall are the ruins of the old castle of Saint Jorge, which can be visited for free.

As we walked back to the van for lunch we came across a church, which had been closed on our earlier visit. In the church are the two most sacred icons in Seville: One of the Virgin and another of Christ. The statue of the Virgin is carried ceremoniously to the Cathedral in the early hours of Good Friday.

In the afternoon we took a stroll along the river to the Torre Del Oro (Tower of Gold). This is the place that was used to store gold from the spanish exploration of The Americas. It is possible to climb to the top for the views, which are stunning. From there we wandered into the city centre to find the bar where we had a drink in the afternoon some weeks earlier. We found it and had another 30 minutes watching the world go by as we had another cold drink. Really should have made a note of the location as there is a very good model shop close by.

15th October

Time to travel again, but as we got out this morning I noticed that there was a leak from the waste tank. On checking it I found that the plastic drain plug had split. I had some Duck Tape and that held a little, but it was never going to hold much water. A neighbour had some Super Glue and we applied that liberally to the plug, then clamped in the hopes that it would seal. I tried the plug later and found that the Super Glue had failed. Time for a new plug.

Our destination for today was Caceres, a medieval city about halfway between Seville and Salamanca. We have been here before and really appreciated the campsite; it is unique in that it has an individual shower/toilet/wetroom for each pitch. Once on site we set off to find the required plug for the waste tank. We knew there was a Carrefour Hypermarket within walking distance and normally they have a comprehensive DIY section, but not this one. Our next hope was an AKI store, the spanish equivalent of B&Q. We were in luck, one 1″ BSP plug purchased, this time in brass – that won’t break. Once back at the site, the job was done within five minutes. How strange is this life when we insist in everything being measured in Metric except plumbing fittings, which are still measured worldwide in Imperial.

16th/17th October

Caceres is a wonderful town, just a short bus ride from the site. The fare is the best Euro you could spend. In the town you have some excellent shopping facilities with all of the high class boutiques, but the best part is the hidden gem: down a hill and slightly outside the hustle of the main town is the Medieval old town. There are buildings here dating back to Roman, through Moorish and onto Christian. All are in great condition and almost totally unspoilt through the ages. There is a massive square lined with restaurants where you can sit and soak up the history whilst enjoying their fares.

This is a town we could never tire of.

21st October

The final stop of our trip, a small town off the beaten track called Aguilar de Campoo. We stumbled across it a few years ago and loved it, there is a free CampingCar Aire just beside the junior school and a 10 minute walk into town. The old town is separated by an archway and from there, once again, you are met by a vista almost unchanged in 100s of years.

22nd October

Back to Santander and the ferry back to the UK.

It has been a great trip, especially the tour with the Camping and Caravanning Club. Spoilt by the Gastro Enteritis, which curtailed part of our plans, but in all we have discovered many new places, all of which have enthralled and educated us.