North-East Spanish Cities Tour Oct 2014

We had a dilemma for this trip in that we had two things we really wanted to see which were happening on the same day - a good position to be in for sure, but still a choice to be made.
One choice was to see the departure of the Volvo round the world ocean race which left from Alicante on Saturday 11/10/2014.
This would be a spectacular event and was to be preceded by a race around the harbour prior to departure.
The other choice was an International Air Show in Madrid to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Spanish air force. There were display teams from Italy, Switzerland, Poland, America, England, and of course the Spanish "Patrulla Aguila" or Eagle Patrol, who regularly practice their display moves over the Mar Menor which we watch from our house. There were also static displays on the tarmac and generally lots to do.
So - decisions, decisions!
Our final choice was made easier by the fact that we had visited the Volvo in Alicante the week previously and had seen the boats race and visited all the stalls and preparation areas - so Madrid it is.
We got Cervantes out of his 10 week storage home and prepared him for the journey on Friday 09/10/2014.
The first display in the air was at 10:00am on Saturday morning, so our plan was to drive as far as we could towards Torrejon airbase in Madrid on the Friday evening.
My brother Peter and his wife Alison were staying with us and flew back to UK on Friday evening so that fitted into our plan nicely. They very generously suggested we drop them off at the airport an hour earlier than normal to give us a headstart, which we did, and it made all the difference - thanks Pete and Ali for that lovely gesture.
We also planned to visit Zaragoza and Barcelona on this trip, so walking clothes and shoes were the order of the day.

TOTAL TOUR STATISTICS

• Distance travelled   1937km
• Travelling time   26hrs 9min
• Amount of fuel used   201.65litres
• Cost of fuel used   €258.94
• Average fuel consumption   10.41litres/100km (27.13mpg)
• Nights away   14
• Nights in free aires   4 at no cost
• Nights in campsites   6 at a cost of €110.88
• Nights in paid aires   1 at no cost (no money collected)
• Nights wildcamping   1 at no cost
• Nights in Discovery España   2 at no cost

Friday 10/10/2014   Home to Ucles

377km in 4hr 10min

We set off for Madrid at 7:00pm (thanks again Pete and Ali) and made good time on the motorway to arrive in Ucles at 11:00pm, only 90km away from the airbase at Torrejon.
We had stayed in Ucles before and knew it well, having visited the fabulous monastary so had no trouble driving the unlit narrow roads to the aire by the sports hall.

It was of course pitch black when we arrived, but after manoeuvering to get level without ramps we spent a peaceful, quiet night with a view of the illuminated monastary visible out of our window.


Saturday 11/10/2014   Ucles to Siguenza
209km in 2hr 45min

The alarm went off at 6:30am, and I thought for a moment I was back at work!! After the shock had passed we set off (in the dark once more) for the airbase at Torrejon.
As dawn broke the day looked set for good weather, so fingers crossed that it would stay that way for the air displays.
After paying a minor toll (€2.70) to get there as quickly as possible, there was a small queue on the motorway exit slip road to the airbase, but the airforce personnel were out in force and did a great job of  keeping everyone moving before we parked on the taxiways of the huge airbase at 8:30am.
This gave us 11/2 hours to look around the static displays of aircraft and helicopters on the ground, and also all the stalls selling hats, T-shirts and badges for the many display teams and aircraft there.

The awesome Eurofighter Typhoon

Because of our size (Cervantes, not us!) we were directed to the end of a parking row and ended up right next to the runway with a ringside seat from inside Cervantes - we thought this might be very useful if the weather changed for the worse - rightly so as it turned out.
The car park was massive, and the displays were over a very large area, so although there were many thousands of people and cars there, it didn't seem crowded at all.
The entrance was free, the parking was free and the displays were free -  what a fantastic gesture by the Spanish authorities, and perfectly organised and executed by the Air Force.
The flying displays were fantastic, with precision, inch-perfect formation flying, dare-devil aerobatics and the fighter jets. Most notable were the Harrier, the Eurofighter and the F16, all capable of going vertically straight up in the air, and making such a noise that all the car alarms were going off in the car park - great stuff, which made for a perfect day out.

The very loud Harrier Jump Jet

Harrier hovering

Mid air re-fuelling

The Italian display team - Frecce Tricolori

The Italians sticking together

The French are here

The home team didn't disappoint

Flying the flag in Madrid

The Swiss display team in very fast jets

Don't try this at home

The view from our window

There seemed to be queues to get out from 3:00pm onwards but we stayed to the end because we wanted to se the F16 fighter jet (having bought the T-shirt), so leaving at 6:00pm  was straight-forward and quick.

Lightning quick - the F16

Smokin'

So fast it needs a parachute to slow down

We had looked at our Campercontact app offline on our Nexus 7 and had identified a parking area in Siguenza as a good place for an overnight stop.
The car parking area was at the top of a hill through the village along some very narrow streets (thank you sat nav!), some of which were over-ruled by Glyn who had the Nexus 7 on (offline) and was following our route on MAPS.ME Pro which is a fabulous mapping app we have been using ever since we got Cervantes. Glyn, being the excellent navigator that she is, has saved us from some very narrow streets and single track roads on more than one occasion, and is an essential part of us getting to our destination in one piece.
Glyn found us a wider road, and we levelled without ramps on the car park at 7:15pm with a great view of the castle out of our window. Youtube video of the approach can be seen here
We have long since got out of the habit of getting up for work at silly o'clock, so we were a bit tired, and after a meal and a check on the TV weather we were soon fast asleep.
Much more to see in today's full photo gallery here


Sunday 12/10/2014
Our position here is very exposed on top of the hill, and the wind got steadily stronger and stronger throughout the night until it eventually woke us up by rocking the van and howling through the roof air vents of which we have 2 - 1 above the fridge and 1 above the shower. We've had worse than this on Mt Ventoux though, so I was confident that Cervantes would stay on all 4 wheels.

The view from our window

The castle has been turned into a Parador to a very high standard, and when we went into reception for a look around, saw a notice offering a room for one night for €60 - this must be the bargain of the century!
Today is constitution day in Spain to celebrate its emergence from Franco's dictatorship into a free contitutional state in 1975. We thought that because of this maybe the car park we are on would be full to overflowing today (we are taking up 3 spaces) but no - it is just the opposite. Last night there were 3 cars here and today there is just 1.
After our morning cup of tea we set off to explore the town of Siguenza, and what a town it turned out to be. The archetypal Spanish town with a castle on a hill, steep, narrow, cobbled streets, quaint houses all very well kept, lots of "Casa Rural" accomodation all very tastefully done, a Plaza Mayor (Town Hall square) to be proud of, a massive, opulent, very old cathederal, and many restaurants in the Michelin Guide. Back this up with artisan butchers, bakers and craft shops, and stylish, quirky, browsing shops full of things you've never seen before (isn't everyone a sucker for these?) and you have a successful town (all due to the Parador?)

The altar in Siguenza cathedral with alternating black and red marble columns

It also has numerous other churches and a university building (although whether this is still used or not I don't know)
We spent the morning and most of the afternoon exploring the streets, and decided that to do it justice we would spend the night here, seeing as our car park is so quiet and we are now acclimatised to the wind.

The steep narrow streets of Siguenza

The rain drove us into the van for the late afternoon, so when it finally stopped we again explored the streets and shops of Siguenza.
See today's full photo gallery here


Monday 13/10/2014   Siguenza to Calatayud
165km in 3hr 16min

A quiet night with a moderate wind this time and 2 other vans for company.
We had formulated a plan to stop halfway to Zaragoza, but first we needed some services to empty the grey and black water.
Having been caught out in the past we had 3 options along our route, confident in the knowledge that at least one of them (as it turned out, two of them) would not be as described.
Our first was the hilltop village of Medinaceli. A beautiful place with great views, a wealth of history and narrow, twisty roads to access it, (Youtube video of the ascent can be seen here, and the descent can be seen here) but unfortunately no services to be seen anywhere. We have up to date POI's on our Garmin Nuvi sat-nav from most of the major contributors (campingcars infos, archies camping, bordatlas, campercontacts, icampingcars) and a couple of aires books, and the 4 contributors gave the exact same co-ordinates so we knew we were in the correct place - just no services.
So it was off to our second option at Santa Maria de la Huerta which turned out to be a winner with full services on a flat concrete surface, and was right next to the railway station. It cost €3 payable to the nearest shop or bar, but the 4 bars and 3 shops we saw were all closed, so feeling a tad guilty we left without paying, vowing to return in the future and pay them double.
A drive through some picturesque countryside next to an embalse and through some rock-blasted tunnels saw us arrive at Monastario de Piedra where we intended going round the monastary and staying overnight.
This was a very, very busy place with a full car park and 10 full size buses opposite us.
The monastary was shut until 5:00pm, we couldn't find any services, and there was a notice saying no parking after 9:00pm.
After confirming that this was the case (it was) we moved on.
There was an ACSI campsite in Nuévalos which was due to close for winter on the 15th, so we decided - enough running about - we would spend a night there.
All gates were locked when we got there and a notice said they had already closed.
We then decided to stay at a bodega which was in Discovery Espana in Ibdes (page 34) so off we duly trotted to find the yard full of plant machinery. We had a word with the owner who said he was re-developing and we could not stay there, but said we were welcome to stay in the polideportivo car park opposite. The car park was a level down from us, and taking a walk down I saw that the turn at the bottom would be too close for comfort in Cervantes, so off we went again, this time to Calatayud to a motorhome park in the centre of town.
This one turned out to be a winner - dedicated space for 6 motorhomes  (5 of them taken - we bagged the 6th) with full services.
Just time now for a walk around the town to get a feel for the place and identify what we want to see tomorrow.

Another magnificent church - this time in Calatayud

Of course the moral of this tale is always to have a plan B,C,D,E and F (or have access to how to find one) and never to rely on one place being as described (unless you've been there before). We could have wild-camped somewhere - there were plenty of places suitable, but some unknown feeling steered us towards something "legal" and safe for tonight.


Tuesday 14/10/2014   Calatayud to Zaragoza
96km in 1hr 36min

Calatayud is a strange place with some stunning, beautiful buildings right next to some derelict, seemingly bomb-damaged wrecks of buildings.
It was the same with the general areas with some smart, well-kept places and some run-down shanty towns.
One street was pristine, whilst the next one was so run down it looked unsafe to live in.
However when the buildings were good they were very good - maybe the religious opulence had drawn all the money from the town?

The old and the new in Calatayud

Toast and coffee and we were on the motorway by 10:00am. We hopped off the motorway to go to a nearby Mercadona supermarket (Glyn searched for it on the Nexus on MAPS.ME Pro offline) to stock up on essentials, then back on the motorway and soon in the aire at Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza in the outskirts of Zaragoza.
Reports and reviews recommend not to leave your van here unattended, so our plan was to stay here tonight, then drive to the local campsite tomorrow and leave the van there whilst we explore Zaragoza. However, the car park didn't look too inviting and the area had an unwelcoming feel to it. We have learnt to go by gut instinct so we turned round and headed direct to the municipal campsite
The charge was a very reasonable €17.34 per night (with no electric), so we are here for 2 nights and intend to spend all day tomorrow making a dent in the many things to see in Zaragoza.
The number 41 bus-stop is two streets away and takes us into the heart of the city and runs every 15 mins, last one at 11:30pm for only €1.35 each - perfect.
See today's full photo gallery here


Wednesday 15/10/2014
On the bus to Zaragoza by 10:00am and soon on our way to the river and the Basilica. A quick coffee and croissant before we went in gave us the energy to absorb the splendour of it all.

A hugely imposing building

There was no tack or tourism - this was a purely religious event. Zaragoza Basilica is the number 2 destination in Spain to come if you are a devout Catholic and wish to cement your faith (Santiago de la Compostela is number 1)
Thus the massive floor space was full of able-bodied and non able-bodied people all straining for a look at the 18" statue of Mary, and queuing up to kiss her feet.

Inside the Basilica

Added to that was the fact that Sunday was Constitution day, and on that day the people of Zaragoza dress in their finest and bring flowers to the Basillica to praise Mary. These flowers are, over the course of a day and night, threaded into a frame to make a huge floral tribute with Mary at its peak. The flowers were still there outside the Basilica, but I guess most people had by now gone back to work.

Flowers in front of the Basilica

We also took the lift (no stairs) to the top of one of the 4 towers of the Basilica and enjoyed (!!) the view from a very, very long way up.

Our VERY high vantage point

The opulence and grandeur of the Basilica could not be beaten we thought, but a visit to the Cathederal soon changed our minds - what a stunning place with many, many side altars which, on their own, would have made a spectacular centrepiece in any church in Spain.

Zaragoza Cathedral - unassuming from the outside.......

........but absolutely stunning inside

A high vaulted ceiling and church hymnal music playing added to the atmosphere, until around the last corner we came to the altar itself - what do you think?

Soaring pilars to arched ceilings

How's that for an altar!

The level of intricate detail here is astounding

As a bonus upstairs was a display of tapestries from the 13th and 14th century - the skill of these people is beyond words - photography banned I'm afraid.
Next it was lunchtime and a menu del dia beckoned. €11.75 each for 3 courses plus wine and water in a very busy restaurant full of locals (always a good sign) was more than enough for us.
There were so many other things to see we decided in the end on the Palacio de lka Aljaferia, which has kept its Moorish architecture intact and has some of the best carved and painted ceilings you will ever see.

What a ceiling!

and again

and again

It has kept its Moorish architecture

The palace is still used on a regular basis by the Regional Assembly of Aragon to debate and pass laws.
We both said what a fantastic Parador part of this palace would make - perfect for bringing the tourists in to spend some money in Zaragoza.
After a long day our feet were aching so on the bus and home by 7:00pm after a wonderful day in Zaragoza - so much to see and do in such a welcoming atmosphere. If you get a chance to come here I recommend you take it - you will not be disappointed.
Much more to see in today's full photo gallery here


Thursday 16/10/2014   Zaragoza to Arbeca
182km in 2hr 36min

We are heading for Barcelona ultimately, so halfway would be our destination today.
Discovery España have an entry on Page 60 that describes itself as "Winery and Motorhome" - so that's both requirements ticked off. It also makes and sells Cava so that's another reason for going (according to Glyn's list)
We were off by 10:00am and on the motorway out of Zaragoza. Fuel and breakfast at a motorway rest area (aire), but I passed on the wine and beer that most of the other patrons were drinking - I hope they were all passengers!
We were in no hurry so elected to drive the N11 instead of the parallel E90 toll motorway. The road surface and route were fine, but all the HGV truckers had elected to drive on this road as well, so we were nose to tail with HGV's all the way. I try to leave enough room to stop in an emergency, but this seemed to act like a red rag to a bull for the HGV driver behind me who got as close to the cycle carrier as he could in the hope of making me drive 5kph faster and thus drive 1 metre from the HGV in front of me. It actually works in reverse, because I then have to leave my stopping distance and add some on for the idiot behing who hasn't a hope in hell of stopping in an emergency without running into me.
Still, each to their own - as long as they don't put me or my family at risk they can do what they want.
We arrived after paying a €4.10 toll on the motorway for 17km (which saved us a 35km slow trawl through Lleida) at an idyllic bodega next to the very small, sleepy town of Arbeca.
There was a huge gravel area to park on so getting level was no problem, plus we had a great view of the hilltop village of Puiggros in the distance.

Great spot

The sign on the door of the tasting room (very hi-tech with glass and wood) said the hours were 9-1 and 4-7.

Very modern great-looking building

It was 2:00pm so we decided to head for town to see what was what. 5 huge silos in a factory yard catered for Arbiquena olive oil which is produced here from the local olives.
We did spot a trailer-full of sweetcorn going into the hopper for the silo, so maybe they make blended oils as well.

Unloading what looked like sweetcorn

Back at the van for 4:00pm to soak up some much needed sunshine, then over to the tasting room after 5:00pm, anticipating a tasting and buying of cava, but still no-one there.
There were a couple of contact numbers to ring on the notice, but as time was getting on, we decided just to park here and come back for a tasting on another day.
The facilities here are great - room for at least 20 vans if needed, olive groves to wander through, a barbeque to use with free wood and charcoal, fresh water, and a feeling of peace and tranquility as you watch the sun go down behind the hilltop village of Puiggros.

The view from our window

No lights here and no dogs that we can hear, so a quiet, dark night is in prospect.
See today's full photo gallery here


Friday 17/10/2014   Arbeca to Mataro
171km in 2hr 44min

We woke to a large golden labrador staring at us through the window. After getting dressed and having a quick cup of tea we followed the dog and headed for the tasting room.

The hilltop village of Puiggros in the distance

Inside was a young, enthusiastic, friendly girl who apologised for the fact that there was no-one here yesterday (no need!) and gave us a very thorough overview of how the bodega worked, where the grapes came from for the various wines and how the business was started. The 3 year old dog was called Syrah (after the grape variety) and was a real star.

Syrah paying us a visit

We got a bottle of red and a bottle of cava, thanked our new young friend and headed for the motorway and Barcelona.
The sat-nav took us off the motorway to avoid the tolls (as it was set for) but unfortunately landed us in a very long 40 min traffic queue. When we eventually got to the front a broken down lorry was blocking one of the two lanes, and was just getting hooked up to a heavy wrecker - should be gone in 10 mins max.
We felt the need for some progress so headed back onto the AP7 and paid the toll (which was only 80c from where we eventually got on to the AP7) to get to Mataro and Camping Barcelona 
We had phoned yesterday to see if we could book a pitch, but apparently you could only book online, and we had no internet connection. The receptionist was none too hopeful about us getting in due to the impending sunny weather. However, we got a place no problem and had a good 2 hours in the sun - a welcome change from the wind and rain.

A lovely spot in Camping Barcelona

The campsite provides free coach transport to Barcelona city centre (booking required the day before) and back - what a brilliant service to provide.
We booked to go on the 9:15am coach tomorrow, and return on the 6:00pm one.
We have booked in for 4 nights here so have plenty of time to see everything we want in Barcelona.
A walk to the sea had us walking barefoot in the surf in glorious sunshine followed by a beer in a beach-front bar - what more could you want?

Repairing the sea wall

See today's full photo gallery here


Saturday 18/10/2014
On the free shuttle bus at 9:15am, and in Plaza Catalunya at 10:00am.
We weren't really sure of the poor tourist map we had, and decided to walk to the Sagrada Familia, 10 blocks of streets away.
It was a lot further than we anticipated after factoring in pedestrian crossings at every junction and the volume of traffic and people, and it took us just over an hour.

A Gaudi-inspired building frontage

Just an ordinary building frontage (in Barcelona)

First though, just up the street from the Plaza Catalunya we decided on some breakfast from a small bar with tables outside. Toast and coffee was ordered - no toast available so I went inside and chose a small, round cheese roll. When we came to pay the bill was €15.50. I made the second mistake of the day (the first was going into this bar) by giving hin a €20 note before I looked at the bill. Of course we argued but they already had our money - they ignored us and sneered - we had no choice but to walk. We were obviously being ripped off because we were tourists. The tables outside were half full of Spanish. The table next to us had 3 young girls on who had 3 coffees and 2 rolls each - would they be paying €48 for them? (going by our prices of €4 per coffe and €6 per roll) - I think not.
Welcome to Barcelona!!
This wasn't typical of course - we just chose the wrong one and got ripped off. For future reference, when in "tourist hotspots",  firstly we will check the menu, then we will pay when when we get the food and drink, and if they try to rip us off we will walk away and leave the untouched goods on the table.
So another lesson learnt, and afterwards we saw many, many excellent bars and restaurants and tried one or two - we just picked the wrong one. Don't let it put you off, but do be aware that some of them are sharks waiting to bite.
The queues for the Sagrada Familia were around the block so we just got some photos of the outside, and will return on Monday with a ticket from the campsite reception and hopefully less people. Instead we walked the streets looking at some of the stunning exteriors of many, many buildings, then decided to go to the sea.
We caught the Metro tube to the port and took a 1.5 hour boat trip along the coast to see Barcelona from the sea - fantastic weather and a great view of all the iconic landmarks.

High rise reflected in the hotel windows

We walked up some of the Rambla but it was really quite intimidating with groups of youths looking as if they were going to pounce at any minute. We took the street parallel and were in a different world of street theatre, art markets, proper shops and stalls with some fine old buildings thrown in - much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Just off Las Ramblas and it was another (better) world

The bus was on-time at 6:00pm and had us back in Cervantes by 7:00pm - a great service which must attract a lot of people to this campsite - it certainly worked with us.
See today's full photo gallery here


Sunday 19/10/2014
Into reception today to book the coach to Barcelona for tomorrow, and also to book tickets for the Sagrada Familia to save us queuing for tickets. We had a good chat with the Dutch couple next door yesterday, and they gave us some great info about an entrance on the opposite side to the main entrance. It is much quieter, but you must have a ticket. They went again today and when they got back gave us a bono Metro ticket with some travel left on it - what a lovely couple.
We got the shuttle bus to Mataro today to check out the town, the port and the beaches. Nice little town with a thriving port area.
Glorious sun for most of the day again here (only 140km from the Pyrenees and the French border) but it should be much colder than this - it really is an indian summer at the moment.
Back at the campsite a lazy afternoon of eating, drinking, reading,writing and sleeping made a welcome change.
Glyn bought some internet access at reception so is now happily surfing the net and e-mailing all and sundry to let them know we are still alive!


Monday 20/10/2014
On the 9:15am free shuttle bus again in good time for our 11:15am entrance time to the Sagrada Familia.
Are we glad we bought some tickets in advance. The queue to buy them at the Sagrada Familia was around 3 sides of the building at 10:30am. We waltzed in at 11:15am with no queues - brilliant.

An awesome structure

The new structure continuing from the old

Still working on the stonework - and will be for some decades yet

Detail - it's all about the detail

What can I say about the Sagrada Familia - if you have already been you will know how much it astounds you as you walk through the door, if you haven't been and you get a chance to do it - please do - it's stunning. The high ceiling is very, very high and the amount of detail is almost too much to take in.
At first viewing it looks like a random pile of columns and balconies and arches, but the more you sit and wonder, the more you realise that everything is in perfect symmetry - the columns, the windows, the entrances, the arches - everything.

A random set of pilars? - not really - the symmetry is hidden

The ceiling!

The altar!

A feel for how high the ceiling is

Now the symmetry is revealed

Layer upon layer upon layer

We sat and stared for a long time then went to the exhibition in the crypt of how it was planned and built from the very beginning to the present day.The architecture and complex structures are amazing. There is even a workshop in the basement still making a scale model of it on a 3D printer. Very interesting and far too technical for me, but a builder or stonemason would be in his element down here.

Still making the scale model

This is a stone carving outside the entrance......

.....which we later found was linked to this....

.....which is explained by this - straight out of a Dan Brown novel!

An explanation of just one of the architectural forms - mindblowing!

Then onto Park Guell where we had a good view of the city from some height, and a good look at some excellent mosaics by Gaudi.
We used the Metro tickets kindly given to us by next door, then bought a bono ticket of 10 for €10.30 at the tube station, so off now to a restaurant we saw yesterday that did a very interesting veggie menu del dia for €10.50. 3 courses and a bottle of very good wine for €21 - what a bargain.
Then on to the cathederal which lived up to its reputation and contained some stunning detail (entrance fee of €6) and even had a lift to the roof for some aerial photo opportunities.

Superb building

A very impressive Catherdral

On the roof with great views

Time was pressing now so a quick visit to the Arc d'Triumph - very impressive, and then the bus back to camp.
A very busy day but very rewarding with some images that will stay with us for a long time.
Much more to see in today's full photo gallery here


Tuesday 21/10/2014   Mataro to Tarragona
140km in 1hr 54min

A short drive today to a place we have never been before - Tarragona. There was a wild camping spot on the beach at Platja Llarga (No 14220) which was only 10 metres from the sand and sea. There were already 6 Germans, 2 Swedish, 2 French and 1 UK van there, but no problem with room - plenty for everyone.
A walk along the almost deserted beach was very relaxing and a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.

The view from our window

Tarragona is a very busy freight terminal port and ships were queuing offshore to load or unload all day, hence the railway line next to us was very busy with freight and also some passenger trains during the day.If the proximity of these trains would disturb your stay, please think carefully before staying here. We were fine with it and slept through the night.


Wednesday 22/10/2014   Tarragona to El Muntells
111km in 1hr 52min

On the road by 9:15am for the short journey to the Ebro Delta where we have stayed before and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The toll-free A7 motorway was our road of choice, but as we progressed south the offshore winds ratcheted up until it became too dangerous to drive.
I used to work on the motorway and have seen the results of high winds on flat-sided vehicles, and the wind today was in that category.
We pulled off the motorway at the first opportunity and parked up in the lee of a hill to minimise the wind effect.
Looking on the internet there was a red warning in this area for gusts up to 100kph (65mph) which is more than enough to turn a van or a lorry over. Barton Bridge and Rakewood Viaduct would be shut by now!! (by me in a former job!)
It turned out the wind was the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo from across the Atlantic - goodness knows what it must have been like there.
We headed for some shelter on the coast and stumbled upon a great campsite called Nautic with a stunning beach. Granted, when we were there we could hardly stand up, but in normal circumstances this would be a great place to stay (and it's in ACSI!) We will be back.

Fierce wind on a lovely beach

The wind eventually abated enough for us to set off, so we arrived at Els Muntells at 2:00pm - a purpose-built motorhome park with fresh water, grey and black emptying for the princely sum of €6 - but unfortunately we never saw anyone to pay the money to, so will have to return and pay our debts.

The view from our window

An impression of the flat wetlands, and the many birds that live on them, can be seen on a Youtube video here
The flat, quiet wetlands are ideal for cycling so we unloaded the bikes and went to the coast for an hour's walk up and down a deserted Mediterranean beach - fantastic.

We had the beach to ourselves

Cervantes in the distance on our ride back

The motorhone park doubled as a car park for the local college, so 4 times a day was full of cars collecting or dropping off children for 15mins - no hardship to anyone.

Specially adapted tractor with the ever-present egrets and herons

We were joined by a French van for the night which was very peaceful.
The sleepy village of Els Muntell has 2 bars and a bread shop - we will have to return to go into the other bar.
See today's full photo gallery here


Thursday 23/10/2014   Els Muntells to Cullera
260km in 3hr 26min

The sleepy village of Els Muntells and our exit from it can be seen here
We are now on our way home and just need a stopping off point for the night, so the entry on Page 80 of Discovery España sounded just up our street. A restaurant on the beach sounded fantastic - and it was.
We parked 2 metres from the sea which had huge breakers coming in - taken advantage of by the many surfers we saw on our 2 hour walk on the beach.

The restaurant turned out to be huge and the owner was happy for us to stay in the car park where we were - no problem.
We had some beers and tapas as a thank you, then took advantage of their WiFi to keep in touch with friends and family.

The view from our window

Later, back in the van, the sun was still shining and the surf was still breaking when we spotted someone in a staged pose balancing on a rock at the waters edge. On closer inspection someone was taking photos of her and giving her instructions of how and where to stand. We realised that this was some sort of fashion photo shoot, probably pretending to be in the Carribean warmth, rather than in the Mediterranean at dusk in October. She certainly looked cold when minutes later she was fully immersed and dunking her head under the water, before flicking her long hair in an arc from front to back. She must have done this 50 times - I just hope she was being well paid for it.

Very cold work

Even colder!

It turned out they were parked next to us in the car park, and when they had finished (in the dark) they asked for a bin-bag to put all their wet clothes in, which we duly provided. (No, in case you were thinking, I didn't watch!!)
I was hoping for a DVD of the photo shoot in exchange, but nothing was offered so I'll just have to keep the pictures I took as a reminder.

It was a brilliant sunset

This is the closest to the sea we have ever camped, and now I'm sat in bed writing this with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks not 2 metres from us - now where else could you say that?
See today's full photo gallery here


Friday 24/10/2014   Cullera to Home
226km in 2hr 57min

We set the alarm for the sunrise at 8:00am and we were not disappointed - it was magical.
The boat from sunset last night who was putting out his lines and pots was now picking them up and hauling them in.

Dawn fishermen hauling in the catch

We saw the sky change from black to red to the sun coming over the horizon - it never fails to impress - especially when you have just slept 2 metres from the sea - this is what motorhomes were made for!

Here comes the sun!

An uneventful journey home on the fantastic, newly-opened A7 motorway over Alcoi saw us home at 1:00pm - plenty of time to get Cervantes emptied and cleaned.
All in all a fantastic trip with some unforgettable sights to remember - this motorhoming just keeps getting better and better. Roll on the next trip.
See today's full photo gallery here