THIS IS THE START!
- Distance travelled 1202km
- Travelling time 20hr 21min
- Average fuel consumption 9.87 litres/100km (28.6mpg)
- Amount of fuel used 118.68 litres
- Cost of fuel used €150.62
- Nights away 11
- Nights in campsites 6 at a cost of €143
- Nights in paid aires 2 at a cost of €14.63
- Nights in free aires 3 at no cost
Monday 05/05/2014 Home to San Clemente
275km in 3hr 21min
Well, here we are in the small pueblo of San Clemente. A lovely little town just 60km north of Albacete. In 2013 the ayuntamiento (town hall) generously made a free motorhome park with full facilities in this just out of town car park (take note you can't stay here from Aug 16th to Aug 24th due to the annual feria being held on the car park). It is next to a small canal full of frogs and ducks, and reached by crossing said canal by a stone bridge wide enough for just one car (or motorhome). If you closed your eyes to squint you could almost be on an idyllic aire in France.
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| Good to see Spain is opening new aires all the time |
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| Good, new, working facilities |
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| Only us here |
Spain is really beginning to get its act together to provide motorhome aires in small towns. They seem to be springing up by the week. The best and most up to date web site to follow the new openings is La P.A.C.A.
We got here today via the A31 where we passed a broken down tank transporter in lane one which needed avoiding. We then passed another 2 armoured vehicles broken down on the hard shoulder further on. We caught up with the original convoy and took 15 mins to pass all of them - the longest convoy I have ever seen. There must have been 80+ vehicles, most of them 6 wheel armoured vehicles. They were all belching black smoke and chugging along at 50kph - goodness knows what they were using for fuel. Another broken down on the next slip road suggested that maybe these vehicles were not yet ready for a war situation!
The fridge is now fixed, running on propane not butane, and is currently at 6deg, whilst the freezer is at -8deg.
The town of San Clemente has a wonderful Plaza Major (town square), full of old, historic buildings - the old town hall, the church and the Torre Vieja (old tower) dating from 1426.
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| San Clemente coat of arms |
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| Town Hall |
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| Cultural centre |
El Camino de la Santa Cruz starts from the church, and the square is also on the route of the Camino de Santiago de Levante. The whole town is a site of architectural and historical importance and is a real eye-opener - we had no idea about its heritage when we parked on the aire.
See today's full photo gallery here
Tuesday 06/05/2014 San Clemente to Pinto
224km in 3hr 1min
An early start at 9.00am this morning after a quiet, peaceful night in this very pleasant aire - a credit to San Clemente.
Destination today is the aire at Pinto which is another new one - this time opened in Jan 2014.
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| Another new aire - fantastic |
It has security fencing all the way round, a barrier at the gate (only opens when you've inserted the ticket and paid by credit card), and a security box manned by a guard who works from 2pm to 8.30pm every day. He is always patrolling and questioning who he thinks shouldn't be there - very reassuring. This is a bargain at only €8 per night. (We were charged €7.23 because we didn't stay the full 24 hours). It is only a 30min train ride to the centre of Madrid, so this must be the cheapest way to stay in Madrid - what a bargain!
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| Security on site |
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| You can only get in or out with a ticket |
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| Full facilities - love the toilet seats on the quimico |
On the way here on the A3 motorway we saw a magnificent structure on the skyline. As we had set off early (for us!) we decided to investigate what was the huge building in Uclés. It turned out to be a former monastery which was a fantastic building. All original with bedrooms, refectory and chapel built of fabulous honey-coloured stone.
The sunny south side was inhabited by martins and their young in precarious looking nests, whilst the darker north side was full of screaming swifts.
The stone carvings on the south side were exquisite - some people must have taken all their working life to complete this. The Knights of Santiago were prominent in the history of this building - it must rate as one of the best of its kind in Spain, if not the world - super impressive.
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| Cervantes outside the monastery |
The aire we are on is 50 metres away from a huge shopping centre with an E. LeClerc hypermarket, and two other floors of various fashion, food, cosmetics etc which is right up the street of a certain Glynis of my aquaintance. (and it had the cheapest fuel in Madrid at €1.239 per litre!)
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| Cervantes in Pinto aire |
The roads to get here today were quiet, super smooth and fast, as they are every day - UK eat your heart out! - how different is that from the M60?
See today's full photo gallery here
Wednesday 07/05/2014 Pinto to Getafe
10km in 18min
Our daughter Hannah is flying out to meet us today, so we have booked in for 5 nights at Camping Alpha - the nearest site to the centre of Madrid.
First impressions were good, but on closer inspection the site is very tired and in need of a total refurbishment and upgrade. The toilets and showers are a disgrace (very dirty with dead cockroaches), the cafe is shabby and customer service left a lot to be desired. It will serve the purpose we need it for, but we won't be back until the services and facilities are up to at least the minimum standard. I don't recommend anyone to stay here unless they really have to. Glyn said it's the only site we've seen where the toilet brushes are chained to the wall!!
We spent the day figuring out the bus and trying to buy the correct bono ticket for our zone/mode of transport.
To get to the centre from here there is a bus (€2 whether you go one stop or all the way to the terminus at Legazpi)
Then it's a tube journey to wherever you want. At the tube station we got a bono ticket (10 trips for €12.20) in zone A, which is a circular, central zone which extends right down to the campsite - but the nearest tube station is 3kms away from the campsite up a motorway - hence the bus.
We went to Atocha train station to make sure we knew where Hannah would be arriving on the bus from the airport (€5 per journey on an express bus running 24 hours every 15 mins)
An explore of the inside of this fantastic railway station was fascinating - what a place.
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| Atocha station - very unexpected |
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| A great place to wait for a train |
Just behind Atocha is a massive park called Parque del Buen Retiro in which we spent a pleasant couple of hours - a haven for walkers, cyclists (no traffic), joggers and people just keeping cool.
In the centre, next to a big lake, is a small version of Crystal Palace - a metal framed glass structure with an art exhibition inside (a pair of boots on a square of carpet!). A very nice building, but it must be roasting in summer.
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| The Crystal Palace |
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| Art? |
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| Cool, shady, Buen Retiro Park |
See today's full photo gallery here
Thursday 08/05/2014
We finally managed to get a bono ticket (10 trips for €12.20) for the bus that goes from outside the campsite. After much asking it turns out they are only available from an estanco - special shops which are the only ones allowed to sell cigarettes.
The weather was glorious so we decided to get the open-top bus sightseeing tour around the centre of Madrid. The commentary was in many languages via personal earphones you are given as you get on. There are 2 different routes taking in different sites and buildings. At 1.5 hours for each tour, this was a trip well worth taking, and gave us an idea of what we wanted to go back to take a closer look at.
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| An impressive building in Madrid - more below |
An example of this was the market area where we got off the bus and had a meal in the market square. You can get on and off the bus wherever and whenever you want. They are every 15 mins from 8.00am to 10pm, and the cost is €21 for one day or €25 for 2 consecutive days.
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| A nice place for lunch |
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| The indoor marketplace was buzzing |
In the evening we went to the Prado museum (free entry between 6pm and 8pm on weekdays) where they are serious about security - they took my rucksack off me on entry and gave it me back when we left, so not able to take any pictures.
It was a very impressive museum, but so many pictures in so many small rooms meant we only got a snapshot of what was really there. We saw some great masterpieces though - very impressed.
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| An art-lovers dream inside this door |
After a walk in the park again (another art gallery in another palace) we went home to bed.
See today's full photo gallery here
Friday 09/05/2014
Tennis today - the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid has the top 10 players in the world competing, so the odds of seeing someone famous in the quarter finals (today) were quite strong. We got there early for an 11.00am start, but were not allowed in until 10.30am.
There are very definite rules on the internet and on big signboards outside the stadium - no food or drink to be taken inside. We stuck to the rules (we'd been to Disneyland where there are similar rules and had our bags locked in a locker at the entrance for collection when we left) and had only a half - finished 1.5 litre bottle of water with us. At "security" we declared the bottle, only to be told we could decant it into 0.5 litre bottles and take it in!!!! We didn't have any 0.5 litre bottles so threw it in the bin. After a cursory search of our rucksacks we got in and throughout the day were amazed to see people making their own sandwiches with bread, ham, cheese etc they had obviously brought in. I fully expected to pay €25 for 3 small sandwiches and 3 small bottles of water (which we did), but was a bit frustrated at the mis-information.
What really annoyed me was the well-publicised rule of no cameras allowed in the stadium, only to see people going through "security" with cameras around their necks, no attempt to hide them, and being allowed through without a second glance. Due to their non-enforced rule I did not bring my camera and thus missed out on some potentially excellent photographs - unlike most of the people sat around me!! I dislike moaners and complainers as much as the next person, but really, you can't make the rules up as you go along. There either is a rule or there isn't, and if there isn't, please tell everyone so they can enjoy the day to the full.
In spite of the pathetic double standards the day was excellent. The view from our seats was brilliant and the matches we saw were great.
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| Nobody here |
The run-up to our visit was not great. Djokovic withdrew due to injury. Federer withdrew due to his wife having a baby. Murray got knocked out in the first round, as did Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. Wawrinka withdrew before we got there, so it was a depleted field by our visit today to see the quarter finals.
The first match we were due to see was Serena Williams, but she withdrew as we got there, so no watching her either.
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| Missing Serena already |
Second up was Maria Sharapova (the screamer) versus Li - a great match which Li should have won, but Sharapova came back from the dead to win in the third set.
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| Sharapova about to scream |
Next was Rafa Nadal versus Tomas Berdych which was all set to be a classic, and they didn't disappoint. What a spectacle - unbelievable shots from impossible angles at a speed you would not think possible. Totally different from watching on TV - you get a much bigger, overall picture watching live. The crowd was obviously very partisan which helped Rafa cruise through in 2 sets.
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| Rapt attention from two big fans |
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| Rafa off the ground |
The last game we saw was Giraldo (Columbia) versus Bautista (Spain) which was again an easy win for Spain.
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| A really nice setting |
All in all a great day in a very impressive stadium - I think we will be back here.
See today's full photo gallery here
Saturday 10/05/2014
Last day today with Hannah so decided to see more of Madrid. We had seen some things on the bus tour that we thought were worth a closer look.
First was the cable car ride over the biggest park in Madrid - it covers a third of the area of Madrid. Great views of the Royal Palace and the Cathedral from the cable cars.
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| Great view of Madrid over the park |
Next was the Plaza Espana where there is a monument to Miguel de Cervantes in the form of a bronze statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. This was a must see statue for us due to the name of our motorhome - it didn't disappoint.
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| Tribute to Cervantes |
Next a closer look at the Royal Palace and the Cathedral - we didn't go in due to renovation work and horrendous queues, although they looked super impressive from the outside.
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| The Royal Palace |
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| Madrid cathedral |
Time for lunch now so we went to the old market hall which yesterday was full of business people and lunch-break workers, and today was full of tourists so prices had hiked appropriately. Still a great atmosphere and a great variety of tapas on offer.
At a small bar round the corner we watched some segways congregating for a tour. We had seen the signs for hire yesterday and had said how it seemed great value at €29 for an hour - much cheaper than I've ever seen it for before. We decided to have a go (me and Hannah) whilst Glyn was happy browsing and shopping.
What an experience - it was fantastic. Once you had mastered the balance thing (lean forward to go, lean back to stop) it was all systems go. Hannah picked it up in a flash and I tagged along behind. We only had 2 minutes instruction and a couple of minutes practice and then we were off. Just us two and a French couple with a guide (Davide) who took us through the city then down to the river. It was brilliant to whizz past everyone, most of who stopped and stared in awe at the sight of us.
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| Balance! |
Lots of historical and architectural information on the way from Davide made this an excellent trip.
We had no mishaps until 1km from home when the French guy ran into a small parking bollard with an awful crunch. Davide didn't seem too bothered and soon had him going again.
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| That was brilliant!! |
If you get a chance do try a segway - you will be grinning from ear to ear all day.
See today's full photo gallery here
Sunday 11/05/2014 Getafe to Pinto
72km in 1hr 28min
We had planned to stay another night on this site but have had enough of it by now. (€107 for 4 nights)
We packed up and drove to the airport to check out how easy it was to drop Hannah off at Terminal 1 departures. The road at the drop-off point was chaotic - cars abandoned everywhere and the road totally blocked for 5 minutes. Eventually the road cleared and we could drive through. We thought of going to a nearby site to park and then getting the tube in to the airport with Hannah. Once outside the site we found a lovely park opposite where there was plenty of room to park. We parked up for the afternoon and had a picnic in the park along with many other madrileñas.
On closer inspection the tube we were going to get didn't actually go to the airport - it stopped about 3kms short. The line that did go to the airport was only about 1.5kms away, but entailed crossing a motorway and a river to get to it, so that idea was abandoned.
We decided to bite the bullet and drive to the drop-off point. Thankfully this time it was a bit quieter and we could see Hannah off in relative peace.
We headed for Pinto aire again where we were the sole residents. The shopping centre was open till 9pm so we stocked up on essentials and had an hour in the sun and managed to watch the men's tennis final on TV.
There is a nice park opposite the aire so spent a pleasant hour there - what a great place full of people taking the air and the sun.
It seems all the green areas of Madrid, of which there are many, are very well used. It must be something to do with living in apartment blocks and having no garden.
Monday 12/05/2014 Pinto to Aranjuez
30km in 36min
We set off earlyish this morning after breakfast and internet in the shopping centre. This time it cost us €7.40 and we are now on our way to Aranjuez, only 30kms south of Madrid.
This is where the past Kings of Spain came in summer to escape the heat of Madrid. There is a Royal Palace (closed on Mondays) and acres of gardens to explore.
We booked in at Camping Aranjuez which is part of the ACSI scheme so only €18 per night for full facilities. This is an excellent, clean, quiet, well-run site next to the River Tajo which is about as far removed from Camping Alfa as you could possibly get.
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| A lovely pitch on a lovely site |
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| Geese of all ages on the River Tajo |
As the Palace is closed on Mondays we spent the afternoon walking around the Jardin del Principe - a huge area of 150 hectares, with a perimeter of 7km.
It was full of statues, fountains, trees and residences for the royal family to enjoy and cool down in.
It is kept immaculately, and looks now exactly as it would have done in 1763, when it was built. All this is irrigated by a fascinating combination of sluices and channels fed from the nearby river.
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| Casa del Labrador - a summer residence |
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| An impressive entrance |
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| The lovely Jardin del Principe |
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| Water temples |
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| Fountains.... |
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| .....everywhere |
I have never seen so much pollen in the air whilst walking through the woods- you could see and feel it everywhere. Both of us had streaming eyes and noses when we got back to Cervantes. I guess that's a consequence of the time of year and so many trees.
Once back at the quiet, sunny site we had a Remoska meal and a quiet night - excellent.
See today's full photo gallery here
Tuesday 13/05/2014
After a very, very quiet night - possibly the quietest one ever, we had a leisurely breakfast in the sun then walked into Aranjuez to see the Royal Palace.
Pollen was not quite as bad today but was still pretty terrible - it's not like me at all to be affected by pollen.
The Royal Palace was a striking building set in its own gardens. Unfortunately the setting was somewhat diluted by the council digging up the road outside the palace for 2 kms with lots of earthworks and diversion signs causing general traffic chaos.
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| Which way do we go? |
However, once inside, everything was very serene and tranquil, with many rooms full of splendour and grandeur and general over the top decoration. The workmanship and man-hours required to produce some of the rooms was astonishing. No photography was allowed but I managed to sneak some undercover photos of some rooms.
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| A very ornate ceiling |
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| Drawing room |
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| The incredible Moorish room |
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| What detail! |
This was a very good tour with informative boards giving a good overview of the history of each room.
Aranjuez itself has some wonderful buildings - most of which are related to the presence of the Royal Palace, and all very well preserved - a town well worth a visit.
After a walk around the Jardin de la Isla next to the palace, we had a menu del dia in a restaurant along the main street and had a great 3 course meal for €10.
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| Naughty boy! |
Late afternoon now so back to Cervantes for some sun, a good book and a nap.
See today's full photo gallery here
Wednesday 14/05/2014 Aranjuez to Uclés
92km in 1hr 41min
Time to head for home, so an early start saw us headed south to stop off at Chinchón - a small hill village 20kms away. The attraction of this village is the central cobbled square overlooked by 2 churches up on the hill. The square is lined around the outside with cafes and restaurants above which are balconies of hotels, pensions and hostals.
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| The quaint village of Chinchón |
All painted green with red tiled roofs they are a picture. If it wasn't for the cars and delivery trucks in the central square it could be Switzerland.
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| Green balconies and red roofs |
From there we headed for Uclés, where we had seen the monastery on the way up to Madrid. We hadn't realised that there was an aire here.
Just off the motorway, on the road to Uclés, we saw an organic shop selling local produce. We pulled in and were made very welcome by the very enthusiastic owner who insisted on opening 5 bottles of wine for us to try. (Uclés has a DO for wine) He also brought out some unbelievably strong local cheese and some chorizo. Bear in mind I still had to drive to Uclés aire, so was only having a sip of each wine - I did think about asking him if we could camp in the car park. A case of 6 bottles and a cheese later and we were on our way to Uclés.
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| The shop on the hill |
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| We only came in for some bread! |
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| And another one |
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| An extraordinary shop full of all-local produce |
The free aire was up a quiet lane from the sleepy village of Uclés. The book said you could park on any of the 4 sides of the barn, so we found a level spot in the sun and settled in. We assumed the barn was part of the adjoining farm, and were contemplating what the barn was used for - animals? storage? machinery? All was revealed when 2 cars pulled up outside and 6 people went in - it was a 5-a-side football pitch!
They were dropping off equipment and materials for a birthday celebration party tomorrow night - whew - missed it by a day.
The scenery around the farm was very reminiscent of Yorkshire with its limestone pavements, crags and stunted trees - it could easily have been Stainforth where we have walked many times.
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| Yorkshire or Spain? |
A stroll to the village of Uclés in the warm evening sunshine revealed a quaint maze of narrow streets and very old houses, some magnificently restored, some still waiting. Every view was dominated by the huge monastery on the hill above, always silently watching.
We spent a very quiet night in this really quite remote aire - just right for us.
See today's full photo gallery here
Thursday 15/05/2014 Uclés to San Clemente
197km in 2hr 53min
After a truly quiet nights sleep - only the birds to hear, we breakfasted in the van prior to a tour around the monastry.
The entrance price of €4 included a phone-type handset in your own language which was used as a mobile guide as you went round the monastery. This provided 90min of history and facts which made this an interesting tour and excellent value.
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| The central courtyard |
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| A very detailed wooden carved ceiling |
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| Cloisters |
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| The altar |
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| The order of Santiago |
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| Very ornate stone carvings |
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| The detail is stunning |
We thought we would give St Juan aire a try on the way home, but once there something didn't feel right. Nothing tangible - just a gut feeling, so on we went to San Clemente where we had stopped on the way up to Madrid.
Again a walk around this charming town full of history and architecture. Tennis on TV, this time Rafa was in Rome, trying to get to the quarter finals against a very good Russian. He came good in the third set and won with ease.
Today's full photo gallery here
Friday 16/05/2014 San Clemente to Home
276km in 3hr 25min
A lovely suprise when we got home was the welcome from Luis and Maria (who are from Madrid) in the house opposite. They invited us in to have a beer and some tapas and tell them all about our trip. A nice gesture by them, and a good chance for us to practice our Spanish.
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