Home early

It rained heavily overnight, the sort of rain on the van roof that keeps you awake. The forecast did not sound much better so we came home early for once. Its only just over an hour, so we were back by just after mid day. Plenty of time to gut the trout and the end of a nice birthday weekend.

Return via Evesham

The day started very wet so we hung around at Cricklehowell until after 11am and then called at the local Waitrose to shop on the way home.

The weather forecast called for clearing weather, so we decided to go home via Evesham and stop at Lenches Lakes if it turned fine. It did, so I had a few hours fishing while Rosemary foraged for blackberries and pears. Although I did not catch anything again, Rosemary was given some trout by the regular fisherman she chatted up! He had been fishing all day - but did not like trout! We stopped overnight at the Lakes CL. What a strange day.

Birthday at Abergavenny

Another year older, another food festival. After breakfast and opening of cards and presents, we prepared to take the van into Abergavenny. Before we left we showed the  neighbours our van and vice versa. They have a older Rio model with a novel modification to take a bike rack.
We parked on the 'park and walk' and found the information tent to claim our stroller wristbands for the day. It's a very good event and we enjoyed lots of samples and bought a few birthday treats too. It was a rather grey day but stayed dry and we returned to site about 6pm. The only disappointment was that Rosemary did not get her Mail on Sunday.

Cricklehowell Wales

A rather slow drive down, GPS was forecasting random delays of up to 3 hours for some reason! Actually took about 3 hours all together. Had to drive through Abergavenny which had diversions and road closures for the festival. Pitched next to another Nuventure van from Pontypridd at the Riverside site. The other side were two motorbike campers from Leicester.
Walked into the nice village of Cricklehowell which has more (3) butchers than any other shops. There is a ten arched bridge over the river Usk close to the site with an old pub by the bridge. It has been a really nice warm autumn day.
We had grilled lamb steaks from a local butcher with a bottle of Rioja we bought back from Spain.

Another food festival

Just bought two day passes to the Abergaveny FF on Sunday and booked two nights at the Riverside caravan site at Cricklehowell, a few miles down the main road, over the weekend. If the weather is kind we will stop at Lenches Lakes CL on the way home on Monday for some fishing, but not booked it yet.

Abergaveny trip

Just booked a site at Cricklehowell and tickets to the Abergaveny food festival at the weekend.

Dudmaston Hall

We had a lazy start to Sunday and decided to go to a local NT property on the way home. Called first at the Bridgnorth station of the Severn Vintage Railway for a quick look and take a few photos of the steam loco that was waiting to depart.

Dudmaston Hall at nearby Quatt, is a popular local attraction judging by the car park. Spent a couple of hours wandering around the grounds and gardens and a light lunch, until the house opened. It is still lived in by a 'working couple' and has been in the same family for 875 years. Nothing spectacular but a very noble country house, if your are an ex guards family, with sweeping Shropshire hills views. 

Bridgnorth

Spent most of the day in Historic town of Bridgnorth once the morning showers had moved away. Parked the van in low town them walked over the river Severn bridge and took the old cliff railway up to high town.

Its a quaint town with a ruined castle, Telford designed church, market and charity shops. We walked around castle view to admire the scenery and had coffee in the church to help the restoration fund. We did the market and lunched in a nice tapas bar before returning the way we came, pausing for coffee by the river and popping in to MS food hall.

The Stanmore site peacocks were resting by the lake in the afternoon sun when we returned, so we did the same. I grilled some steak on the Jamie as the sun was setting but ate inside as it was quite cool by now. Watched the Last night of the Proms on TV.

Ludlow Food Festival

We had a good drive over the Clent Hills to Ludlow on a sunny morning and took the compulsory park and ride bus into the centre of town. We have been to this food festival before in 2012. It takes place in the castle ruins and surrounding streets. Lots of samples and nice foods to try from local suppliers from tempura soft shell crab to crocodile burgers.



The curry cooking demo by Indian chef Cyrus Todiwala was one of the most informative and entertaining we have seen. Howard from last year's 'bake off' and Boycie from Only Fools and Horses were promoting their books. We left at closing time, 5:00pm, and travelled up to Stanmore Hall CC site near Bridgnorth for a 2 night stop. It's a very wet night, hopefully clearing up by the morning.

Evesham fishing

On our way to Ludlow via a CL at Lenches Lakes near Evesham. Very nice location which is just being restocked with trout after the closed season. Had a few hours fishing but I did not catch any. It's a very convenient location for a stopover travelling from Wales and the south West, so maybe next time.

Last day in Norfolk

Although there was one more day of activities at the meet, we had previously decided to leave on Sunday to avoid the bank holiday Monday traffic. We both finished packing then walked up to the food court at the arena and had a very nice freshly made pizza for lunch followed by cappuccinos from the real espresso coffee van.

There was only a little shower during the night but rain was forecast for later and sure enough it just started as we were leaving the site. Libby and J were heading straight home so we wished them 'bon voyage' and we drove to the north coast for a glimpse of the sea on the way home. We arrived in Hunstanton as the rain turned heavy so we jumped back in the van (there is a nice MH parking area in Hunstanton). We stopped instead at Norfolk Lavendar in time for a cream tea. Rosemary bought a dressed crab to make a sandwiched for supper and a gammon joint from the farm shop.

We arrived back at about 7:00pm after a wet drive home.

Mardi Gras and Illuminations

The Lancs DA roller coaster

This is the day when the district associations and enthusiastic individuals parade around the site in carnival procession and are judged by the NFOL committee in the main arena. The theme was to represent your county, so Essex was a parody on TOWIE and Lancashire had an outstanding walking Blackpool roller coaster, which should have won the district prize, IMHO.

Our joint pitch illuminations

We had some lunch back on the pitch and  installed our lights for the big illumination switch on.  Many people really go to town with flag poles and strings of LEDS. We managed a token display with a selection of Christmas lights and garden centre lanterns.

We had salmon and quiche for dinner in Libby and J's van and then walked around the illuminated street scenes in the display area, where you need to go to enter the illuminations contest. Essex DA were again prominent with discos and Stansted airport featuring heavily. There were some nice individual displays and even a laser show. 

 Rain was forecast overnight and the next day, so I dismantled the lights and the wind break and put most of the outdoor stuff away before we retired.     

NFOL second day

After a dry but cool night we had a nice sunny dry day. We had a wander around the trade stands and bought a few bits we did not know we needed as usual. We had a hog roast and drinks in the quiet beer tent, the club band was playing in the big marquee. The event was officially opened after a rather drawn out ceremony with  ex-presidents, official visitors and sponsors making an appearance on stage. Jerry bought Libby a new re-laxer chair and I found a neat folding aluminium table which will be handy when we do not need the dining table or
to use for the BBQ or Jamie grill.

We went back to our pitch and the "Jamie" was fired up again, on the new table, to do a grill as we did not have enough time to light the charcoal BBQ before it became too chilly. There was a nice sunset and we managed to eat in our van by using the table from Libby's caravan.

I walked up after dinner to try and see the outdoor James Turrell light display at Houghton Hall but somehow, with the help of a confused warden, managed to arrive between the static display and the animated display and saw nothing at all!

NFOL at Houghton Hall, Norfolk

The National Feast of Lanterns, NFOL, is an annual event organised by a local C&CC region in different parts of the country and was traditionally the last club meet of the year. As its name suggests it has a lighting theme with illuminated vans and street scenes, a torch light parade and a Mardi Gras parade. In the early days it was mostly tents and a decorated lantern. Now an arena hosts a fun dog show and various displays, whilst the lanterns are replaced with LEDS and lasers.  A number of marquees provide venues for bars and musical entertainment. The whole event was staged in the grounds of Houghton Hall, an 18th century house and estate built by first prime minister Sir Robert Walpole.

We arrived around 1:00pm and were directed to our pitches in row C5. There had been a lot of rain a few days earlier and by now the tracks around the site were getting pretty muddy. We both lost traction getting on to the field, but just made it. Libby went off to register and there was a heavy downpour which later caused problems with motor homes trying to get on the field.

We went up to the arena area once the rain had stopped to find Libby and register for ourselves. Thursday is basically an arrivals day so there were no events other than tombola and raffles in the admin tent where Rosemary won a portable magnetic darts game on the tombola.

I put up our windbreak, on our pitch, to make it more cosy, the evening was sunny but breezy and we made chicken fajitas on the Jamie grill and ate them outside.  The club brass band played in the evening and at various times throughout the event. They were pretty good and the conductor very entertaining.  

Sandringham rendezvous

We are on our way to the Camping and Caravan Club NFOL 2015 rally in Norfolk. We will rendezvous with Libby and J at Sandringham so that we can all go to the rally site at the same time and are able to pitch together.  Libby has only just come out of hospital after a week of treatment and antibiotics, so we nearly did not go at all.

J and Libby set out on Tuesday with their caravan and are at the C&CC site, but we are stopping on CC site next door. We arrived about 4:00 pm and found our pitch, one of only four grass pitches near to reception. We walked over the track between the sites to find them and then we all walked back for a fish and chip supper from the mobile van which was visiting our site that evening.

As we were leaving the site the next morning I noticed a bit of flurry in the low hedge at the side of us. It was a pigeons nest with two youngsters waiting to be fed!

Home sheep home

sheep with bridge

Headed home after two nights at Baltic Wharfe and immediately got caught up in the traffic coming to Bristol for the balloon fiesta at the weekend. It was partly my own fault taking the minor roads to the Clifton Suspension bridge. There were cars queuing to get into the various balloon carparks around the Clifton area. We found somewhere to park and walked over the bridge, for the first time in years, spotting a couple of Shauns nearby of course.

the last one outside the Mall

Then we drove back through the university area where Mark was at Uni studying maths for his degree. Passed another couple of sheep in the outskirts, but could not stop, until we arrived at the enormous Mall shopping centre by the M5.  We found the last 3 Shauns around the mall, had a KFC and bought a poster from the Shaun the Sheep shop. The Mall has a permanent Shaun shop and sells a lot of merchandise. The city trail in London and Bristol raised over £4m last year for childrens charities and Bristol certainly enters into the spirit of the event.

We stopped one more time at the new Gloucester services on the M5. This is a privately built and operated service station unlike any of the others. No McD, KFC or BK (or sheep!), but a big farm shop and crafts using local produce and suppliers. Not cheap - but good quality produce and services supporting the local economy.
     
We spotted 24 of the 70 Shauns around Bristol and the Sheep Spotter Apps tells me that we spent 6.7 hours using it and covered 11 kilometers on our trail. An unusual and most enjoyable little break in Bristol.

Shaun on Baltic Wharfe

Sgt Shepherd - just outside our back gate

Another day in Bristol

A knitted Shaun in St Nicholas market out of the rain

We had the opportunity to stay on the site another night which we took so that we could visit the ss Great Britain just down the harbour. Very interesting exhibition both on and off the old ship. It was built in the same dock over 160 years ago where it is now preserves by the trust. There were a few sheep nearby and Aardman office's and studios are just behind exhibition. We had a cheese platter and coffee for lunch on the harbour and then walked into the centre again and spotted a few more Shauns on the way including this knitted one in the old market.

We took the water bus back from the city centre right to the back door of the caravan site and had pasta for dinner. A few heavy showers later but we were fortunate not to have had any rain until now.

Shaun the Ferry

An unofficial Shaun on the water ferry

Away day to Bristol

A shaun by visitor information in town

We are having a quick trip to Bristol where Aardman have set up a Shaun the Sheep trail of life-size Shaun sculptures all over the city and beyond. We are staying at the Caravan Club site on Baltic Wharfe which is right by the floating harbour near the sea lock about a mile and a half from the centre.

The Shauns have been designed by various artists are all sponsored by local businesses. Lots of children, tourists and a few geriatrics were wandering around with apps and maps counting sheep. We walked into town on the harbour-side trail doing some sheep spotting, had a nice dinner in a tapas restaurant near the cathedral and then walked back again. We arrived back just before dark and have found 7 sheep so far, so only 63 to go!

Trout and Chatsworth

Fishing again before breakfast and this time I did manage to catch just one trout. We had to leave site before lunch and called at the Chatsworth farm shop and then went to see Clare and Jack in Derby on the way home.

Fishing in Derbyshire

We had a night away in Barlow, Derbyshire at a site with both trout and coarse fishing lakes. Fished for the evening on one of the trout lakes without catching anything.

We are back home

We are back in Croft after a 2150 miles round trip of Spain including a diversion to have a KFC on the M42 before we got home. Only about 1000 photos to sort out this trip.

A few more facts - the best exchange rate on the credit card was €1.41 = £1, diesel only cost about 90p per litre. We stayed in 17 locations/sites/cabins during the 46 days we were away, from the 'all singing and dancing' Playa Bara on the Costa Dorado to the car park at the Monastery of Montserrat.

The cheapest site we stayed at (and also the best facilities) was Park Playa Bara  where we stayed 6 nights for just £65. The most expensive was El Escorial near Madrid where we paid £96 for 3 nights at  peak rate for the Mayday long weekend (but £13 for one additional day which wasn't a holiday). We used ACSI sites quite a lot paying £12 per night on average.

Coffee with milk was typically €2 - €2.5 (about £1.50) and a 3 course Menu del Dia, with wine, was typically  £8 - £10, a bit more in the tourist hot spots around Madrid.

Rosemary's hair wash, cut and blow dry in Roda de Bara was €18 and she was very pleased with it!  

There were 1200 photos on the three cameras, which have been slimmed down to 129 for Picasa Album - Spain15.

My Fitbug recorded 372,000 paces during the holiday so we walked approximately 150 miles.
  

Malvern journey break

We called in to see my cousin Barbara at Oakhampton on the way home. We left just before lunch but the M5 was stop/go and by mid afternoon we were still only a few miles north of Bristol.

It looked like it may be a nice afternoon so we decided to break the journey and have stopped at Malvern Hills CC site for the night. It's a big site with a CC&C site next door and every other van seemed to have 3 or 4 dogs. One motorhome by us just discharged 5 greyhounds. It appears there us a dog show at Malvern showground.

It is a nice evening but quite breezy and it's getting a bit cool now at 7pm. Will be watching first English TV for 45 days after the burgers and salad.

Ouessant channel off Brittany

Home again - nearly

Arrived back in UK this afternoon after a bumpy crossing overnight from Santander. The Pont Aven was late arriving due to storms in UK earlier in the week so if was full speed overnight. However it was dry and sunny and we came back through the Ouessant channel, which also saved some time, so we were in the UK on time. Spent the last of the Euros in the on-board shop and we are now overnighting in a pub car park (a Britstop) on the edge of Dartmoor with the wind howling. It's good to be back!

Comillas and Sant Vincent

We spent the last day en route to the ferry following part of the Camino de Santiago trail. At Sant Vincent we walked up to the old church and ruined hostel that is in on trail. There were quite a few pilgrims around town on both occasions we were in the town. Then in Comillas we went and looked round El Capricio which is a house designed by Gaudi in his typically elaborate style. Also in Comillas there is a Hermitage on the hill overlooking the beach and on the Camino. Nearby is another less grand Gaudi enhanced residence. This one has an entrance, to the grounds, with three gates. A wide gate for carriages, a narrow gate for people and a round hole for birds to fly through.

We finally stopped at a Carrefour to stock up with more wine before joining the queue at the ferry terminal in Santander. It was late arriving.

Car deck Pont Aven

Why were we squeezed in between a huge bus and a massive truck?

Last day in Spain

It was a sunny warm day today and now there is a salmon pink sunset in the west and a full moon in the east. The mountains are just reappearing out of the heat haze.

We walked down the track past the golf course to the sandy beach at Oyambre. The tide was out and the beach is huge. We paddled along the shore for a while looking for shells and then had a coffee at the beach bar.

Walked back up the hill and spent the afternoon chilling out before going to the pool later.

Did a bit of organising to make room for some more wine tomorrow on the way to Santander. Had dinner in  the excellent site restaurant again.

That's it - last full day of our holiday, but there will be time tomorrow to revisit Sant Vincent before we head for the evening ferry home.

Drizzle, murk and cool

We are really suffering today:-) No sign of the sun or the mountains, it's actually raining a bit and only 15 degs. So we took the van out and went to Sant Vincent to buy provisions.

That's the estuary with the tide out. It was coming in just as we left so Rosemary fed the big fish (bass I think) with bread.

Then we went back past the site to Comillas which was heaving on Sunday when we drove through, but it was almost deserted today. Had a look around the old part of town which is heavily influenced by Gaudi and his contemporaries and took lots of photos. We will be cooking and eating in the van tonight for the first time in ages.

Update - Actually griddled the prawns and steak outside on the plank with the Jamie, but ate inside. However It is drying up now so maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Coast to Coast

We decided to leave Haro, having been in to town three times, to spend the last 3 days of the holiday back on the north coast where we started. I purchased a little of the local vino joven before setting off for a150 mile Sunday drive. We chose a site 30 miles from  Santander between the interesting villages of Comillas and Sant Vincent de la Barquera. A handy bus between the two passes the site entrance 3 times a day.

The Playa de Oyambre is a terraced ACSI site and we are on a balcony overlooking the Picos mountains. We could see snow on the peaks when we arrived but there is low cloud now. The beach is a bracing 600 yards downhill, so we may do that if we have time. Very friendly site owner, excellent facilities with a pool and a good menu at the restaurant, but I think we will still get the boat on Wednesday.

Update: We ate at the restaurant which was excellent quality, presentation and value. TripAdvisor is quite right.

Wine cellar

Strolling players in Haro town Square

Carnival time

There was a carnival atmosphere in Haro today as it cup final day here (as in UK) with local team Athletico Bilbao playing Barcelona. (They were well beaten BTW.)

We walked into town this morning to do site seeing and get some milk. Rosemary got dragged into a bar full of old men (actually she just went in) and was dancing to music played by 3 piece band also in the bar. Then we were given a personal tour of the restored church by a very old but enthusiastic church  warden type chap who spoke very little English - but a lot of Spanish. We bought a book about the restoration to get out and went and sat in the square with a glass of vino blanco.

Walked back into town, for the third time, in the evening for a meal, glad it's downhill coming back. The main square was heaving with people waiting for football kick off which was not until 9:30. Tijuana brass band strolling the streets playing and people dancing and drinking in the narrow side street bars. Plenty of atmosphere and photos. It was hard to find anywhere serving dinner at 8:30 but we eventually ate in a tapas bar also serving racions of tuna, sword fish and a half bottle of Muga Rioja.

Fireworks just going off, match must have finished! Arsenal beat Aston Villa 4:0.

Rioja regions wine capital

After moving sideways for the last few days we have finally made a big leap (160 miles) north - and it shows.

Spotted snow on the nearby Sierra de Urbion as we crossed over the Piques Pass, or more accurately went through the 1.5 mile tunnel under the highest part, into La Rioja. It was a steady climb up the mountains but coming down was a very scenic drive down a river valley/gorge with towering sandstone cliffs.

Unfortunately the weather changed too from hot and sunny, to cloudy and cool(er). We checked in to the site at Haro, which is walking distance to the old town centre and bodegas, for the weekend. There are far fewer storks nests on the buildings around the old square - wonder why? Rosemary whipped up a Thai chicken curry which was also quite a nice change.

There is some flamenco dancing in one of the bars tomorrow night so that should be interesting. Goes on till 3am apparently!

Not another monastery

Yes, we have detoured to a small town on a big reservoir which has a monastery with a difference. It's Monastair de Piedro, a combination of nature park with waterfalls, a smart hotel and a part ruined monastery. The monastery was built with stones from a dismantled castle gifted to an abbot in 1200. It was built by volunteers from Valencia, Navarra and Catalonia in only 24 years.

We had lunch here with some nuns first and then walked the waterfall trail which was pretty exhausting in the 30+ temperatures. The waterfalls are really impressive but require a lot of climbing up and down to see them as they cascade over the sides of a shallow canyon. Yes I did take lots of photos.

After a cooling break and an ice cream we then looked round the monastery which is very old but was partly destroyed in 1800's and abandoned. It is now in private hands and part has been rebuilt and turned into a hotel.

One of its claims to fame is that it was the first place in Europe to make chocolate. Monks also made wine and there is a wine museum with a lot of really old wine making equipment.

We are staying overnight at a steeply terraced campsite with views over the reservoir. There are eagles circling overhead. It's very peaceful here but we are off tomorrow to the Rioja region to find some wine.

Montserrat again

Had a very good night's sleep on the precipice and woke to brilliant morning sunshine. I lept out of bed to catch the morning sun on the monastery buildings, didn't leap quite quick enough, but got some better photos before the tourists arrived.

We both went back and did the museum and the audio visual experience. Had a muffin and doughnut and two cappuccinos in the monastery bar!

Finally we went to listenen to the Escoliar Boys choir singing in the basilica, which was very nice. I take back what I said about peace and quiet in the basilica. It was heaving with about 1000 tourists brandishing 1000 ipads, iPhones and selfie sticks.

Bought a few souveniry bits from the huge shop before we left. It was 2:40pm after paying the car parking, not nearly as cheap as expected, as we set off to the municipal site at Taragoza for the night. It was 167 miles so used the AP2 peage for most of it, only €13, to save time. Arrived in Taragoza at 8:00 after 3 stops on route. It's still warm and sunny and so is the forecast.

Monastery of Montserrat

After leaving Playa de Bara twice (that's another story - but it's on camera) we set off for Montserrat near Barcelona. The monastery is nearly at the top of a ridge of mountains and is access by 5 miles of winding road, a cog railway or cable car.

We did the latter to start with and to have a good look around during the afternoon. Then we went down on the cable car and drove back up to the car park, which is just outside the monastery entrance where we are staying for the night (hopefully!). It's certainly a pitch with a view, the photo was taken out of the back of the van.

We will be walking back in tomorrow to visit the museum and to hear the choir singing in the basilica. It appears to be very touristy now with Americans, Japanese/Chinese plus the usual European tourists and associated infrastructure (but no McD yet). However it is a 'working' monastic site with a retreat/hostal and has services all day. The impressive basilica manages to maintain a devout atmosphere.

Wedding Anniversary

It's our 47th, yes 47, wedding anniversary today and it's also 5 years since we were here last. We took the local bus down the coast to Altafulla, where Rosemary's hair dresser lives and recommended we visit.

A place of two halves. North of the railway it's a typical old Spanish village but with Roman remains, 10th century castle and a Hermitage of course. We walked up to the castle which is now a hotel. The Roman town interpretation centre was closed for siesta! On the way down to the beach we stopped for lunch of beer and bread and cheese (that's living!) in a locals tapas bar.

South of the railway is a very pretty sea front with fine sandy beach and fisherman's style cottages many of which are now bars,  cafes and ice-cream parlours. We had coffee and an ice cream and returned in time to cook dinner.

I went for a swim in the pool while Rosemary sourced the ingredients for a paella which we cooked on the Jamie and was every bit as good as the restaurant. Opened another couple of bottles (small ones) of cava to celebrate the 47 years of happy marriage.

Sunday Lie In

Sunday morning  lie in after a fairly noise night of Spanish locals weekending. We had a jet wash in the showers again (they are powerful), then Rosemary had her hair cut and I downloaded the Sunday paper. We walked down the other promenade (below) to Crexeill where, instead of finding somewhere for coffee, we found a New Zealand couple in a GB motorhome touring Europe looking for a country to settle down in. England's become a rat race and it's 10 degrees too cold they claimed.

We had dinner in the site restaurant, which was very good, to start the wedding anniversary week.

It's been a bit cloudy today but pleasant temperature. After the afternoon walk and various local 'nips out' to take photos etc I managed to clock up a personal best 15000 paces of which 7500 were aerobic.

Arc de Bara

The floodlit Roman arch by the site entrance.

Radio Museum

Rosemary decided we should have a trial separation, so I went back to the radio museum while she did girlie things like making a hair dresser appointment.

The museum was partly dedicated to recognising the achievements of Luis del Olmo, who is a kind of Spanish Jimmy Young, having  presented the same radio programme 'Protagonistas' for 40 years. The museum had over 250 vintage radios, gramophones and components from all over the world. Unfortunately there was no English guide but it was very interesting non the less. When I got back we went down to the beach and had some tapas for lunch. While we were eating, a freak gust of wind blew, wrecking several beach umbrellas and scattering clothes all over the beach.

When we returned we found that we had two motorhomes in our little area complete with children and bikes. They were friendly enough and we synchronised with the Spanish weekend by barbecuing at 10 o'clock. It was Eurovision Song Contest tonite but could not receive it on local TV channels. Non stop Barca football they were presented with cup today.

Roc de Galeita and Marina

Mark rang from our house, that's a long story, he was on his way to Nottingham. Cooked English breakfast outside, the wind has dropped again.

We walked back to the designer fishing village of Roc de Galieta again via the cliff walk and on to Marina de Bara adjacent. The marina was opened in 2008, most unfortunate timing as most of the retail units around the perimeter are still empty and the marina basin is only about 20% occupied. We had a coffee and wandered back to the village where we watched a music video being filmed.

The village is very like Port Merion in North Wales and obviously full of weekend apartments and holiday lets, but very pretty. We had some tapas for lunch in the nice Los Pinos restaurant overlooking the sandy beach and marina.

There is currently a radio museum in the civic centre which was closed for siesta, so I will probably go back and see it while Rosemary does something else. Speaking of siestas we managed to fit another one into our busy schedule!

The photo below is not from the village but the entrance to the ladies showers on our camping site.

Quiet day around the site

Had a quiet day today. Rosemary did a bit of hand washing and I watched it dry. Tried to have a walk down the prom but the strong wind over the beach was sand blasting our legs, so retired to one of the pools instead. Spent the afternoon sun bathing.

We did walk the other way round the rock before dinner but did not get to the marina, that's for tomorrow. Had to get back to cook chicken before we lost the sun from our pitch. Lots of trees mean we have about 2 hours between 5 and 7 for cooking and eating outside.

Prawns and Rice al Rosemary

Roda de Bara

Moved again after another windy night to a site we have stayed on before, it's called Playa de Bara. This is a site with everything, from 500 seat amphitheatre for nightly entertainment to supermarket and gift shop. The owner is a pensioner and does a very cheap package for over 65's, pitch and electricity for €13.75 and additional 25% off for 3 weeks or more. The site has a nice restaurant too and that gives us 10% off as well!

Needless to say there are lots of people of a certain age and there are also  several tour operators here including Eurocamp. However it's a big site in a botanical garden/wood  so it does not feel crowded. Eurocamp still have the same type of tents that we camped in with the children 35 or more years ago in France. Happy memories!

Roda de Bara has many old Roman remains including the impressive 1BC arch which stands in the central reservation on the main road past the site. There is a good walk along the cliffs to a marina and restaurants to keep us occupied over the weekend

What a grey day at the Nautic site

The morning started grey and cold then just went downhill. We decided to start the day with a full English cooked breakfast except that the bacon was Spanish and the eggs turned out to be already boiled, so thats what cocidas are! 

We waited until the afternoon, I fixed Nexus or it fixed itself, then we walked to the harbour. We saw an even bigger fish auction than last Friday, there were lots of small working boats selling their catches and several large trawlers in the yard being repaired. Its supposed to the oldest harbour on Spanish med coast.  Certainly very active, everything from lobsters to anchovies were being auctioned. Very interesting and very efficient, a bit like price drop on TV!

We did a bit of shopping on the way back through town and just got back before the rain started in earnest at 6 o'clock. Rosemary cooked some prawns and rice and we decided to have a wine free day. Opened a bottle of Cava instead, well half a bottle actually and it cost €1.60. 

Camping Nautic

The beach and restaurant at L'Ametlla del Mar site.

Monday, monday....

Left the peace and quiet of the excellent Easyjet site and travelled a bit further north to L'Ametlla del Mar. Took the minor roads up the coast and got a bit lost in the Olive groves.

Found our intended site, reception not open so went in to a temporary pitch.  Decided we didn't like it that much so left after lunch and we are now on a smaller beach site in the village itself. There are some strange people around us! Dogs the size if small horses.

It's another working fishing town/village with a nice promenade from the site to the harbour. We will do that tomorrow all being well. The main railway line is very close I hope the trains stop overnight.

We are only here a couple of days, but there are a lots of Brits here, one couple been here 5 weeks, goodness knows why. We grilled sardines while our neighbours powered up their microwave!

Heard from almost everybody today, Katie, Mark, Jennifer and Wendy. Even had a cold call from Oxfam! Expecting a bit a rain tomorrow, first for a couple of weeks.

Sunday at Easyjet

Day started by downloading the Sunday paper followed by croissants and bacon from the site shop. We walked into the village again and selected a bar to have tapas and a beer for lunch. The sea food restaurants looked tempting but we were having a bbq later. 

Wandered back to site in time for a siesta then had our first bbq of the holiday as the sun set. Did not light the bbq early enough as usual! Cooked pork chops, green beans and baked banana.

Read that Leicester City FC have escaped relegation from premier league, yippee. Barcelona FC secured first place in La Liga so lots of fireworks and late night traffic. 

USB connector seems to be broke on my tablet so something to fix later.

Walking to Valencia

We are actually just inside the Catalonia region, which is trying to become independant like Scotland. The border between Catalonia and neighbouring Valencia is the river Sol del Riu just down the road. So this morning we walked to Valencia much to the amusement of the very friendly site owner. It's a mile away and not much there except a river.

We have booked in to the restaurant for dinner tonite. It's supposed to be good and we are looking forward to honey roast lamb after all the fish and prawns we have been eating recently.

It was another disturbed night of high wind again last night but it has since dropped and been a lovely warm/hot day. Now we can just hear the waves on the pebble beach and see  the orange trees.

Camping Estanyet - aka Easyjet

Following a night of gale force winds, with everyone winding in awnings and battening down hatches, we have left Bonterra Park and moved 50 miles North to the coast near Alcanar.

What a nice site, completely different to the regimented hedged pitches crammed full of big motorhomes and caravans with camping accessories of every description.

This is open plan, palm trees and flowers arranged around a single loop with a few cabins in the centre. The bar, pool and restaurant are excellent and it's a €16 ACSI site with free WiFi - and there is hardly anyone here. OK, there's no Mercadona by the entrance but there is a great promenade all the way down to the working fishing village a mile away.

We walked down to the village just as the days catch was being auctioned. Very interesting experience, Rosemary took all the photos. Why do we never see this in England anymore. Uh The local restaurants, of which there were many, were buying the fish and taking them straight back to be cooked this weekend. Cannot get much fresher than that. I think we may have to give one a try.

Hottest day

We were on amber alert for 40degs temperatures today. It only got to 33 but was humid with it so it felt like a really hot day. Needless to say we did not do much except go to the Mercadona super market for essentials and ate the 11€ dish of the day in the restaurant in the evening. I have just packed up the outside chairs etc to go tomorrow, its 10:30pm and still 28deg.

Benicassim shopping

Walked into centre for Rosemary to have some retail therapy. She found some clothes to buy and I was allowed to have a vest.

Stopped for coffee and tapas on way back which did not quite work out as planned. Bought some proper fish, sardines and hake to grill for supper.

The c&cc rally have been having a sing song tonight. great!

Valencia coach trip

The site arranges a weekly trip into Valencia for a mere 11 euros so we joined a full bus of trippers at 10am and off we went to revisit Valencia. We were dropped by the Torre del Sarranos city gate around 11:30 and walked down to the centre where the cathedral is located stopping for coffee and Spanish breakfast snack en route. There was a big "craft" market in the square but Rosemary did not buy anything ("too tacky")! We wandered into a church where we thought there was a choir practice going on and sat down. It wasn't a practice it was the start of another mass - more hail Marys needed!

We really only went into Valencia to have a genuine Paella and sat down at a table at the restaurant where we ate with Mike and Margaret when we were all in Valencia a few years ago. The overall meal was OK and filled in over an hour of the heat of the day, but the paella was bit a disappointing.

Returned to the coach via the back streets getting a bit lost. The coach had us back at Bonterra Park before 6:00pm and we had a light supper of prawns left over from the previous day.

A day at Benicassim

 9 ish Get up and shower
10 Breakfast outside in the sun
11 Supermarket for fish, white wine, cheese ...
12 Retreat to the shade of the awning
 2 Lite lunch of cheese, tomato, ham
 3 Siesta its 31degs

 5 Walk down the prom for coffee and ice cream
 8 Fish and prawns for dinner with salad
 9 Washing up
10 Update Blog
11 Exhausted - Lights out

View from cafe/bar

Bonterra Park - Benicassim

Just over a hundred miles and we are now on the Mediterranean coast. Been for my first paddle in the sea, beer at a beach bar and a long stroll down the promenade. Back in time to grill the last of the meat before sunset and we start on the fish tomorrow.

The site at Benicassim is just as we remember it from our first trip here about 10 years ago except that there is a rally of about 80 camping and caravan club members. Managed to avoid them so far.

Last night at Kiko Park there were lots of Spanish starting to cook their evening meal at 11:00pm and parting till 2:00am. Here, tonight everyone is tucked up at 10:00 pm - it's like being on a caravan club site.

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