Back in Sunny Spain.

[spigot]

Arrived Weds in a hot & crowded Malaga, one of my favourite cities, but not in Holy Week.

Saw the biggest cruise ship in the world “Symphony of the Seas” in the harbour, amazing!.

Made a big ricket, didn’t realise the shops were shut on Thurs & Fri for Semana Santa , so didn’t have any food or drink for 2days.

Might get out of here for the rest of Holy Week, thinking of going to one of the villages in the hills, where the celebrations are still outrageous, but on a smaller scale & more intimate, somewhere like Archidona or Antiquera.

 

[Pauljenny]

Antiquera is nice.

Osuna is nicer.

We've got a big celebration in Sao Bras. It's on national television.
They lay a 2km Pathway made up of a carpet of flowers and herbs.. All very decorative. The womenfolk are up at dawn, arranging 1 metre collages on the streets

The procession starts at midday...Nobody, but Nobody, ever disturbs it.. The black grannies would flay them alive.

The workers guilds all follow the Bishop and his attendant God botherers, Town VIPs and the town band, as they walk over the carpet. Each man carries a 5 foot, flower bedecked broomstick .. Made by their womenfolk.
There's a strong aroma of herbs and flowers, tinged with the whiff of moth balls from the, rarely used, men's best suits.

They stop every 10 metres to chant/ bellow 6 , " HALLELUJAH s ", .The neighbours come out with tots of Brandy, Port, or the homemade firewater.

You can imagine the state of these pious chaps, when they finish the circuit... Some 3 hours later!

 

[Linda]

Sounds amazing Paul.! Wouldn't mind seeing that.....

 

[Pauljenny]

Sounds amazing Paul.! Wouldn't mind seeing that.....

You'll have to book flights, Linda.. not even Lee, the Stirling Moss of Wildcamping, could drive you down in time.

Bring your Pacamacs , Storm Irene is just tip toeing in... Lovely warm, gentle rain.


Our Son, Wife and Grandkids , arrive tomorrow . After their foul winter, they are desperate for a hot beach.

Daughter in law has decided that we are going up on Sunday... Come rain or shine .

We've booked a table for a traditional Easter lunch, after the parade.

 

[Linda]

Not listening.........

Lee flies back to faro next weekend to go walking with friends for a week......

 

[spigot]

Since arriving in Spain from Morocco, we’ve managed to go to sleep at night to the sound of the sea.

First night at Torreguadiaro, then 9 nights in various sea-front spots in Malaga, then 2 nights on the dunes at El Morche, had to leave this one due to V high winds causing sand-storms.

We then went to Calahonda where we were sheltered from the wind by the high cliffs behind the town, had 2 nights here.

.

We then drove further up the coast, saw a few vans on the beach at Villaricos by a bar, noticed it was on *************, think it’s also on the POIs. There’s a sheltered beach by the small port with showers where we had a swim, water temp was 16deg. Might stay here for a few days.

. .

 

[phillybarbour]

All sounds great, very envious.

 

[Moonraker 2]

I am envious too. I was in northern spain a week and have been in mid and north Portugal week and have had ONE day without rain.

 

[Pauljenny]

I am envious too. I was in northern spain a week and have been in mid and north Portugal week and have had ONE day without rain.

Come further south.
The locals tell us there's 4 hours of heavy rain and then nothing much til next Autumn.
Trouble is we're heading north, next week. Hoping to follow the Douro river through From Porto to Burgos.

 

[spigot]

I am envious too. I was in northern spain a week and have been in mid and north Portugal week and have had ONE day without rain.

Come down to the Spanish Costa’s, they seem to have missed out on the rain. We’ve had just a few spots.

In La Azohia now, brilliant sunshine & the high winds have gone. Looks like a hot one.

 

[spigot]

Another hot day here in La Azohía, if it wasn’t for a slight breeze, it would be uncomfortable.

Some of the vans can be seen mid right 2nd pic.

.

 

[harrow]

Another hot day here in La Azohía, if it wasn’t for a slight breeze, it would be uncomfortable.

Some of the vans can be seen mid right 2nd pic.

View attachment 62650. View attachment 62651

It's sunny and warm in London today 19c and the forecast promises 23c by Thursday.

I don't need it any warmer but it is nice that it is not raining !

 

[spigot]

After La Azohía we pitched up at one of our favourite spots on the Mar Menor, keep away from the La Manga strip & you’ll find plenty of places to stay on the opposite side of the Lagoon, Los Alcázares or Los Nietos.

We went for a nose round the nearby (newish) aire at Los Narejos, it’s not bad if you like looking at other vans. The toilets, showers & facilities are excellent. It costs €11.90 per night for 1st 3 days, thereafter €7.90 per night, but however long you stay, the 1st 3 nights have to be paid at full whack.

One disadvantage with the site, it’s underneath the flight path to San Javier airport. When we called in the Spanish equivalent of the Red Arrows were practising, quite exciting!

This place could be of use to us wilders, they charge €2 to empty cassettes.

Tried to send pics, but they wouldn’t go!

 

[BKen2]

After La Azohía we pitched up at one of our favourite spots on the Mar Menor, keep away from the La Manga strip & you’ll find plenty of places to stay on the opposite side of the Lagoon, Los Alcázares or Los Nietos.

We went for a nose round the nearby (newish) aire at Los Narejos, it’s not bad if you like looking at other vans. The toilets, showers & facilities are excellent. It costs €11.90 per night for 1st 3 days, thereafter €7.90 per night, but however long you stay, the 1st 3 nights have to be paid at full whack.

One disadvantage with the site, it’s underneath the flight path to San Javier airport. When we called in the Spanish equivalent of the Red Arrows were practising, quite exciting!

This place could be of use to us wilders, they charge €2 to empty cassettes.

Tried to send pics, but they wouldn’t go!

Was there last week for 3 day to check out the van and being a plane geek was great for pics as well.Nice cycle ride from there to Lo Pagan mud baths mostly on cycle paths or the Prom..the beauty is you can leave the van as its very secure and the gates close in the evening with a short stroll to the beach

 

[spigot]

Pulled in to a small resort on Costa Blanca, best spot was on end of promenade but it was beneath a posh villa, noticed a guy on balcony, called up to him & asked if OK to stay?

He replied ‘you’re welcome, do you want electricity?’, not been asked this before.

I was a bit taken aback. I assured him I was self-sufficient.

But I keep saying this, stay away from large groupings & motorhome ghettoes, there’s a whole different attitude out there.

 

[spigot]

This is the sea front villa where the guy offered us electricity, crazy huh!

Just spent 3 hours on beach, 26 degrees here, had a swim, water 19deg.

 

[spigot]

Car Park at Albir (ex POI)



The large sea front car park at Albir, has got Height Barriers installed, as Paul (Wanderlust) rightly pointed out. It was removed from the POIs.



But naughty spigot has found a way in, Policia & Guardia have driven past, seems OK. But it only takes a snivelling expat to make a complaint!

 

[spigot]

Revised our position, the car park was beginning to resemble an overcrowded aire, now in quiet side street just back from beach next to a dry river bed.

The hut mid pic on right houses excellent toilets, nearby is a drinking water tap.

Might get attached to this place, what’s not to like?, broke a few wildcamping rules at the last place by staying a fortnight.

 

[Byronic]

Timewise there are no really set rules, 1 overnight stop in some places
might be 1 night too many. 2 weeks in another location where it
doesn't annoy the locals & natives(to the best of your knowledge)
may be perfectly ok. I love stating the bleeding obvious!

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Timewise there are no really set rules, 1 overnight stop in some places
might be 1 night too many. 2 weeks in another location where it
doesn't annoy the locals & natives(to the best of your knowledge)
may be perfectly ok. I love stating the bleeding obvious!

Really?! Never!

:lol-049::yeahthat: