A Coruna!!

Weather: Running from Scorchio

Valdovino, near A Coruna

As the temperature reached over 35C we sadly said farewell to our lovely beachside pitch and nice neighbours and turning our backs on an invitation to a party at the campsite we ran round the corner of Spain to the slightly cooler and much much windier North coast.  We even splashed out on a toll road to get away from scorchio further and faster.  We're getting the hang of toll roads now.  At the first toll booth we stopped and wound down the window and smiled at the guy in the little hut who smiled back at us.  After a minute he cracked first and said "money" so we realised we weren't going to be given a ticket to record our starting point and paid up and moved on.

So we don't have the same fabulous sea view here but if you squint over the top of the beautiful hydrangea bushes you can still see a glint of blue Atlantic.

The wind makes this coast a surfers' paradise and we're at a sufer dude campsite.  They seem to have colonised the pitches at the top of the site where we haven't dared to go yet but we enjoy watching the parade of wetsuits and surf boards up and down past our pitch and I think the waves wear them out so much that they crash out at night rather than party.  Or if they are partying it's very quiet partying.

 But the wind makes it a bit confusing for the rest of us deciding what to wear when out.  I do try and wear my hat to conform to the smart pedestrian code here, but it keeps getting blown off my head.

We have a new BFF at the tourist info hut who waves at us as we walk past.  I think we're the only people who go in and she seemed very happy to take on some homework and translate the descriptions of some walks from Spanish to English for us.  We did our version of one of them today which included a stunning stretch of coastline with a very stylish lighthouse and the return along our local beach took us past a hotly contested Sunday football match.

So we might walk the next bit of coastline tomorrow.  All depends on whether the wind keeps us awake again tonight and we decide to move on.  But in the site's favour the wifi has suddenly started working so we don't have to do the walk uphill past our BFF to a bench on the high street, where someone has very kindly left their very fast network unprotected, to pick up email etc.  Mind you last time we went there the bench was in the sun so we used the cafe near it and enjoyed a coffee, tea and 2 croissants for the grand sum of €2 while using the free wiffy.

To be a pilgrim, you need a pilgrim’s passport

Weather:  even the Atlantic has warmed up enough for me to do more than 4 strokes.  Mind you David hasn’t been in at all yet!

Muros

What do you think these things are?  My guess was hen houses and David thought they were for interring the family.  Actually they were used to store food pre-fridges!  Excitment is mounting, we're planning a bike ride out to the biggest one on the world tomorrow, if it's not too hot

and we love these upside down trees:

Loving this campsite.  We are right next to the beach and can hear the waves as we drift off to sleep, and all for the grand price of €14 a night for the pitch including electricity.  And the food in the restaurant isn’t bad either.

That was just the starter!

We’ve not done a lot because it’s so relaxing here but today we cycled into town for the bus to Santiago to see what everyone has been walking to.  We decided it must be a bit of an anti-climax after all that walking.  It seems like you queue up at the Pilgrims Office when you get into town and they check you have enough stamps from churches, town halls or Police along the way and then you get a certificate and that’s it.  But we did our bit and went into the cathedral and the crypt then found a nice restaurant for a long lunch and some top quality people watching before catching the bus home.  To be clear, that's top quality people-watching, the people were of very variable qaulity.

Don't rouse the codger

Weather: Scorchio!
Rias Baixas

Before we waved bye bye to the magnificent Monicaaaaaa, we thought we should try and reach the local nature reserve.  We plotted a route that involved "caminos tradicionales" especially covering the last part of the route between the village at the end of the road and the lake we were aiming for.  Slightly worrying in that neither Google maps nor Viewranger (which plots walks and bike rides) showed the last part but it was on the tourist info map.  We reached the last outpost and a very friendly lady advised us not to use the camino tradicionale from her village as it would be too steep with the bikes and sent us back via more villages and cam ts.  At each village a happy local would nod as we asked for the next part of the c.t. and wave us straight on.  As we plunged through  fly infested forests and carried the bikes up and down rocky mountain tracks it became clear that the locals were more than happy that someone other than them was keeping it tradicional!  So 3 hours to get to this lake and we were too tired to find a proper beach or do more than flop on the rocks and eat our lunch.  Only took 45 mins back by normal roads!!

Exhausted and unimpressed

So, glad to spend time sitting down, the next day we set off for our next stop on the NW coast of Spain.  We needed supermarket essentials like British tea and cheddar so were happy to spot a Planet Carrefore en route.  This is always good as it means langoustines with our gin and tonics, asparagus with our fish supper and strawberries for pud.  But we paid the price as the van was too high for the car park barrier and we had to park up a hill.  Carrying the bags back to the van felt like we were contestants hauling ton weights in the World's Strongest Man competition.  (David gave me a guest entry to the event as a one off!)

When we arrived at our campsite we seemed to be in the middle of a go cart race and the site was heaving.  But we found a quiet spot and settled in commenting on how much there was going on for the kids.  Despite the fact that the site prided itself on being run on eco friendly principles this involved having the radio on in the block at full volume night and day, shipping in ponies for pony rides and running a scrambling session (as in motor bikes) which unfortunately ran on a track just behind us as we settled down for our tea at around 9pm.

As it cooled down we turned in but at around 12.15 heard children's voices.  It seemed like the kids club included a night time activity for 10 year old that involved walking round our part of the site with torches.  I drifted off but David was awake until well after they finished just before 1.  Then at about 3.30 a couple of teenagers decided on a game of hide and seek and football!!  By 6am I had had enough and switching on David's mobile to take photos with as evidence (clear thinking heh?) I put on my dressing gown and stalked off to reception to try and find a security guard.  There was no one there but I did have a long, one sided, conversation with a Spanish lady who was as cross as me (I think it was about the boys but it might have been because of the loud music in the toilet block).  So I walked up to the cabins to confront the boys.  When I spotted them I gathered my dressing gown firmly round me and drew on my extensive global vocabulary saying firmly "Por favour, shhh".  As this didn't have the hoped for effect I took out the mobile to take a photo.  After several moments I realised that I'd switched on David's mobile but picked up my switched off mobile.  So I just had to pretend to take a photo whilst the boys watched me totally bemused.  The noise carried on til 8.30am.

The worst bit was that as we dobbed them in at reception on our way out, I said I thought they were too young to be there on their own but we were told that their parents were in the next cabin.  I guess we're just not chilled like the Spanish!

So we've run away to a campsite by the beach.  Its not that quiet at the moment but we can always sleep on the beach.  :-)

In my therapeutic outpouring I forgot to mention that David was admired for his physique by the receptionist at our "Monica" campsite.  If it had been the receptionist at this site who looks vaguely (ok very vaguely) like Penelope cruz, I might have been concerned, but she was more of a Deidre from coronation street :-)

Monica the Magnficent

Weather: Looks like it's snowing but it's seeds flying everywhere
Puebla de Sanabria

Moving slowly towards the top NW corner of Spain we made a lucky stop at a campsite frequented by Monica the Magnificent.  She is only 1 and a half but has a superbeing's personality.  Which reminds me, the tourist office suggested that we could visit the "Museum of Big Heads" but unfortunately it is only open at weekends.  So we are entertaining ourselves by watching Monica's dashes to the football court chased by mum or dad (who is the spitting image of Otto the school bus driver from The Simpsons).

We were rather worried when we first set up camp because someone had left their dog in their car and it was a very hot day.  It was just lying on the parcel shelf at the back and David gave them 10 minutes grace before assuming his RSPCA persona.  Fortunately before that happened I re-checked and discovered it was a stuffed toy.  But always ready for action David is contemplating the stronger powers (and better car) he would get as a Police Special if he moved to Spain.

Puebla de Sanabria has a lovely old town and the inhabitants seem very keen on their bread and cakes which is always a good sign.  Probably about 25% of the shops are bread shops!  But today we're going to test one of the restaurants, maybe not choosing the local speciality of pulpo.  And then a little wonder round to check out the different places the locals find to hang their washing.  Ingenious.

Then a nice long bike ride to the local lake tomorrow to burn off some of those calories.  But I'm going to make sure this one is one proper roads.  Some of the time on our bike ride yesterday I thought we might have been following contour lines on the map rather than a proper route.  There were a few sniffing the mattress moments.  But we did finally emerge at a little village with a church:always a good place for lunch, although the swifts that had their nests under the ledge weren't happy about us being there.

Fields of Gold (and red, lots of red)

Weather: a great drying day, shame I didn’t do the washing!

Bilbao:

Need to read the map better.  The campsite was on the BAY of BISCAY, not known for calm weather although even the campsite owner was despairing that it hadn’t stopped raining since January.  First night felt quite snug after David reminded me that a lot of people camped alongside us would be catching the ferry the next day but we didn’t have to.  I enjoyed being safe in our little tin can after that, being buffeted about by wind and rain but with the option to stand on solid ground.

Because the weather was bad for all of Northern Spain we had decided to visit the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao to pass the time (not a particularly admirable reason).  So we donned wet weather gear and stood at the bus stop for the trip on 3 buses into town.  And we stood at the side of that road for 25 sodden minutes before deciding to swap culture for sun and rushing back to check out of the campsite before 12.   A quick internet weather check and we were off.  So no report from the Guggenheim I’m afraid, but we will try again on the way back.

Castrojeriz

Joined the hordes of pilgrims or “peregrinos” in a little town on the Santiago way.  There are coachloads of them, or walking train carriage fulls in school terms.  It’s a strange place to stay as most people here are just staying 1 night but it’s actually quite a nice little town.  The only bad moment has been attempting to eat the cod-like fish we bought at the fishmongers.  Yeuch! Ended up having ham salad instead.  And the 20 mins we spent at the butchers was a bit of an eye opener.  Sheep’s head anyone?

So avoiding the lame and limping pilgrims we did a couple of bike rides yesterday amongst the fields of barley and vast swathes of poppies.  David really enjoyed it but I’m afraid I have not been converted to mountain biking especially when the sign points straight down through a field with no discernable track!  All to the constant soundtrack of David whistling "To be a pilgrim".

We climbed up to the castle on the first afternoon only to find it was boarded up!

Wet enough for Movies for Men

Weather: The Queen needs more sun to fill her handbag with solar power

Pamplona

Followed the trail of the Bull Run through the town.  At one point it crosses the Santiago Pilgrims’ Way, bad planning that.  

The woman at our campsite told us they have 3,000 people staying on the site during the week of the fiesta! 

To get to the bus stop we had a walk along the river and because it was a hot Sunday (like the weather in UK on Weds 19^th) the local Spanish families were happily picnicking under the trees but it looked like they were sitting in the snow because there were white seeds/blossoms everywhere.  

Pamplona doesn’t have a lot to offer to tourists except for the Pilgrims who are well catered for with churches and shops galore.  Unfortunately our last bus back was at 7pm when it felt like everyone else in town was heading for the main square (and eating an ice-cream on the way).  The Spanish do enjoy their Sunday evening promenades.

San Sebastien

Or Donostia – can’t cope with the Basque language.  It doesn’t bear any relation to any other language and just seems to use letters left out in most languages: “x” “k” “z” and the odd “e”.  Very distracting as places have at least 2 names and road signs seem to be in 3 different languages none of which we understood.

But after a wet afternoon in the local town of Zarautz, 

we took the train to San Sebastien  and passed another wet day in a very enjoyable way with a coffee and pastries stop, haircut for 2, bit of shopping, tapas (or pintxos) more tapas and home via the cake shop to buy a little something to enjoy with tea in our lovely new mugs.  My fault it’s pouring with rain really, I got a new sun hat for no good reason at all!!

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

Weather: sunny, thundery, muddy, humid..........but not cold
Pyrenees

Had a nasty moment this morning when David looked up from his iphone to announce that the Queen’s legs had dropped off.  Pulled myself together and realised that he was talking about the solar powered Queen that Steve and Margaret had given me.  On our last day at L’Escala a gust of wind had blown her off the table she was waving on and her legs snapped off.  I didn’t have the right glue to fix her and unfortunately the glue I used must have melted in the sun and she toppled off again this morning.  So until I can get the right glue she has had another temporary op and is off her feet until her joints heal enough for her to venture out again.

Anyway back to business.  After our interesting little campsite at Ripoll we ventured further west along the base of the Pyrenees and had a couple of days in the sun near a lake.  Would have stayed longer but there was building work going on which rather spoilt the rural idyll.  But we had a nice flat bike ride into a little town called Graus which the chap at tourist info cagely said might possibly have been where Tomas Torquemada leader of the Spanish inquisition was born.  Boring house with just a little plaque that said the main family came from Pamplona, but there was a fabulous Plaza Major in the old town and a nice walk up to a monastery with a lovely ramshackle observatory at the end of someone's veg plot.

 

We agonised over our next stop as it would be where we celebrated David’s birthday (we even swore off alcohol for 5days in preparation but gave in to a beer on the last day).  We chose a site called Gavin, largely because we liked the name but unfortunately a huge group of Dutch had chosen it for the rally point and after squishing into the 1 remaining pitch we lasted 5 mins then checked out.  Luckily we have ended up at a lovely little campsite near the National Park of Ordesa.  The lack of other campers (only seen 1 caravan and 1 hut occupied) makes up for the spiders in the underused showers! 

The only problem with this site is that it is on the way down to the National park from a pass in the Pyrenees so yesterday we had a lovely freewheel down for 5 km to a village called Torla but it was an agonising 5km slog back uphill.  Today we tried a walk down to another village but had to abandon it when we ended up walking down a stream at which point it was so humid that the sweat was running down our faces and backs faster than the stream was flowing.  So although we spotted a nice looking restaurant in Torla yesterday we have booked a taxi to get there so we can celebrate David’s birthday/fathers day without the thought of cycling back up hill afterwards!  It looks really nice and nearly as pretty as the butcher’s shop.

Had to get a photo of the end of the bar where we fell off the wagoin (with 2 tiny beers)  I think the word "eclectic" is appropriate here

P.S. Just v quickly scanned through the blogs from our L’Escala week and I don’t think we did justice to the wonderful restaurant that Steve and Margaret found and treated us all to a meal at.  David and I went back for our anniversary meal it was so good.  Just to whet your appetites; my first dish was a Carpaccio of figs with anchovies and balsamic vinegar, followed by cold tomato soup with marscapone icecream and at then end we shared a dish of vanilla soup with salted liquorice.  Yum .  Sorry if we’ve already talked about it but it was wonderful.