From Aussie to Olives

If the fir trees along today’s drive were swapped for eucalyptus I would have sworn we were in Australia. Red dirt, sparse tussocks of dry grass and an immense vibrant blue sky took me right back to drives through the outback. We are in the high plains of Andalusia and currently parked in the town of Cazorla in the National Park.
The last few days have been spent in orange and lemon groves, a car park in an industrial estate with up to 50 vans spending the winter there (not sure What the attraction was apart from free water),  and a quick sojourn next to a menagerie of a van with a massive dog and a parrot on board.

German speaking parrot

Hugo loving dog

As we made our way here to Cazorla the red dirt plains turned to huge dammed valleys then grubby pink and clay-coloured mountains until finally we reached the vast olive groves of this area. At our lunch spot ‘Don Chema’ in town we were told the olive oil here is the best in Spain.

Olives as far as we can see

A view from a window

We decided to try the local food today so we found the aforementioned restaurant and ordered the menu del dia for 20 euros each. A selection of cured meats followed by partridge and sirloin for his fluffiness and pimientos and huevos for me. To say the owners of the restaurant were keen hunters is probably an understatement going by the photos of them showing off their dead prey adorning the walls, along with the odd deer skull and taxidermied head dotted around. It was all a bit weird but I suppose they are at least eating what they shoot. 

Adornments of death

It’s currently 23 degrees as we look out across the valley of olives. Tomorrow we head across to Ubeda, a World Heritage site. Looking forward to seeing what it’s about.

A Mañana.

Hot Orange Action

Sometimes life in a motorhome in Spain is drab. Due to the fluffy one still suffering from the flu it has been hard to travel far so we spent a couple of days by the beach in Porto Grau - nice - then one day on a patch of dirt in Moncofa surrounded by derelict buildings that presumably succumbed to the crash of 2008 - not so nice.

Hmm, orange flavoured wee...nice

Juicy orange balls

With a mini spring in his step after his chill out period we were able to drive a bit further and surround ourselves with orange groves in the hinterland south of Valencia. Our nimble fingers were drawn to the vibrant fruit and several juicy balls were plucked for our own oral excitement. Naughty as it seems to steal fruit from poor landowners, a lot of the fruit had dropped, unpicked, on to the ground and was rotting where it fell so we were just saving it from an unpleasant destiny. Let me say that there are few things quite as satisfying as chomping on a freshly picked sweet ripe orange/mandarine.

Great colour

In Simat de la Valldigna we found the last remaining mosque of the Arab era in Valencia tucked away in the groves. The monastery had closed for the year on the day we arrived so we could not go in and check it out but got some shots of the exterior.

Monastery walls

Mosque now a hermitage chapel

Currently we are in Paraiso Aire in Calpe. We like to drop in here for seafood by the harbour and, hoorah, to get some washing done. My towels are, once again, fragrant and soft, just as they should be.
Tomorrow we head back inland. The weather has taken a turn for the cloudy and cold so we seek the sun.

Poos, Flus and Views

Note to self, when Hugo has a small poo dangling precariously from his bottom, do NOT get the fluffy one to remove it. Normally when this happens, with great ease I thrust my delicate hand into a poo bag and, with a nimble three fingered pinch, I can easily pluck the offending article from his furry bottom. Mr Fluffy, however, managed to smear a particularly pert poo all over Hugo’s nether regions and it took almost half a pack of wet wipes to get him clean. Nightmare. You’ll be pleased to note there is no photo of this event.

A clean-bottomed Hugo

On a lighter note, Mr Fluffy has managed to still have man flu and is currently lying down on the sofa looking pale, coughing and blowing his nose. Have bought lemons and bee propolis as the supermarkets don’t sell paracetamol. Of course the pharmacies are now closed for the weekend.

Morella - medieval hill fort 

But to our trip over the last few days - After some time spent in Deltebre on the coast above Valencia, followed by a night on a mountain in Morella, we are now back at the beach near Castellon. I will have something to occupy myself with while he sleeps.

Deltebre twinkling river

Stunning light - no filters

This free Aire is a 1 minute walk from the beach, 5 mins into town and, joy of joys, has WiFi so I can watch the Strictly Final tonight. I know, I’m sad. The views from our locations have been rather stunning - a wide twinkling river, a medieval hilltop castle, and now a sports ground - oh well, you can’t win them all.

Not bad

I think we’ll stay here for a couple of days so the fluffy one can recuperate.

From Fun to Flu

Castelldefels by quiet night

Castelldefels has a hint of the Queensland Gold Coast about it which is why I think I liked it so much. Stunning expanse of sandy beach, fabulous restaurants and cafes, and a hop, skip and a jump from Barcelona - oh, wait - maybe not that last one.

Paella anyone?

It was fun to hang out with the fluffy one’s nieces and nephew - and of course the accompanying husband and children. The best part was being able to park along the beach front and eat gorgeous seafood. The worst part was the Saturday night revellers outside our van tooting and arguing between 2 and 4 in the morning. Oh well, can’t have everything.

Giant chairs R Us

The fluffy one has had little/no interaction with children so I was alarmed when I saw him accept the olive his 4 year old great nephew handed him and place it in his mouth. The child had been rolling it around in his boogie-covered hand and, sweet as it was to be offered this delicacy, there’s is no way on earth it would have come anywhere near my face let alone end up in my mouth. Needless to say, two days later the fluffy one awoke with a severe case of man flu. He won’t be accepting boogie encrusted olives from well-meaning youngsters again.
He has soldiered on and drove to a winery in the mountains, Celler Masroig, which allows motorhome to stay. He slept after arrival as I stocked up on wine, olives (clean ones) and tapenade from the cellar shop. I had to resort to wine from the box last night as he wasn’t up for much more than a whisky and lemon juice so I’ve saved the posh stuff for when we can both share a glass.

View from the winery

Today we’ve ended up by the river in Deltebre, the rice field area south of Tarragona. The wind is coming up and it’s a little rainy so we’re tucked up in Dickie, Mr Fluffy feeling sorry for himself with his man flu and me playing mindless games of Candy Crush on the iPad. I think I’ll get out the jigsaw.
Tomorrow, who knows.

Freak Out Flamenco

As we sit at the beach south of Barcelona the temperature is around 17 degrees. The locals are walking past in their puffer jackets and scarves while I am sporting a boob tube and hot pants and Mr Fluffy is showing off his budgie smugglers and magnificent chest. Not really but you get the picture.

‘What’s that Hugo? No more singing???’

Our tally of how many Paellas one can eat on a holiday in Spain is swiftly reaching double figures as we had the best one yet at Chinguito Manolo at the Port of Ginestra in Sitges. There’s nothing better than sitting in the sun eating seafood and drinking cold beer, that is until the amplified Spanish guitarist and accompanying flamenco singer start playing and Hugo has a fit of shivering terror. We had to leave before he turned himself inside out with fear. Party pooper! They were actually very good despite the fact that she sounded like she was having her heart ripped out with the sorrow of a lost love.

Hugo quite keen on this meaty market

Bread the old fashioned way

Yesterday we had a taste of the medieval winter market in Castelldefels and checked out the fluffy one’s niece’s new bar. Sonia opened ‘Kohsi’ four months ago in the town centre. The garden out the back is particularly fabulous in this sunny weather. We’ll meet Sonia and her brother Berend and sister Monique tomorrow night at Sonia’s other bar ’Takua’ which is closer to the beach.
We can only hope there won’t be a flamenco singer to freak Hugo out again.

Bonkers Church Visit

If you’re ever in the mood for checking out some bonkers architecture pop along to the Gaudi church/crypt in Santa Coloma de Cervello. It’s marked as a hidden Gaudi gem and it’s certainly different. The stained glass windows throw vibrant colours onto the cacophony of different styles of religiosity within - and there’s even a stone henge type structure on the roof. Quite bizarre but interesting nonetheless. There’s a Black Madonna on one altar and a rather over the top collection of deities on another. Here are a few photos to show you what it’s like.

Vibrant windows

Holy family

Black Madonna and friend

Pink prettiness

Swirly ceiling

Giant hand basin

Up on a roof

Better Legs This Time

After wondering why thousands of Spanish people were out and about and on the road today we decided to google it and discovered the reason. Happy Constitution Day to Spain; a public holiday where everything shuts just as I’m about to check it out, e.g., the Gaudi Crypt in Santa Coloma de Cervello which shut at 1500 hrs, one minute before I arrived at 1501hrs. Oh well, it opens at 10 in the morning so I’ll get my chance then.

Yummier than trotters but still legs

Luckily we found a restaurant that had stayed open and the fluffy one was able to consume some more palatable legs than he did yesterday - squid not pig. A couple of beers, some octopus, peppers and more squid later and we’re tucked up in Dickie waiting for dinner time.

Interesting architecture around here

Gaudi church and crypt for tomorrow 

The Aire is full so we’ve tucked ourselves away in a nearby car park for the night. Hugo has managed to find a friend to wee on and sniff the buttocks of. Meet Lex, a lovely young local bitch out on her walk.

Hmm, may I sniff your butt?

I’ll just wee on your nose if that’s ok 

Tomorrow Castelldelfels.