12. A date with Clint, and the Jolly Dutchman

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In our previous travels people we have met from Holland, have been good fun. They certainly travel more than many other Europeans we’ve met. Our next 2 campsites we visited were run by Dutch owners, they were to play a part in our long drive up Spain’s Mediterranean coast.

Having abandoned Plan A visiting Cordoba, Granada and increasingly the likelihood that Barcelona would go the same way because of the heat. Enter Plan B, to travel and camp near the coast picking up, hopefully, more of the cool sea breeze. Our first hoped stop was Marbella, the holiday destination for the super-rich. I phoned the only campsite in the area know to us -no room. We then drive through hoping to park up, but every available inch of parking was used up.

Driving further up the coast at Benalmedina a site with 120 pitches was booked solid. The problem was not only is it summer holidays, but these sea front sites want you to book for a week. Plan C came into play. We would choose sites slightly away from the coast. I tentatively rang a site that had great reviews but only had 6 pitch’s-I wasn’t hopeful.

‘Do you have room for small motorhome’ me emphasizing the ‘small’.

A voice answered, ‘Of course’.

Relieved, ‘I’ll be there in 30 minutes’!



This location was in the hills above Malaga and we would be sharing the grounds of their house, including the swimming pool, that looks out over the valley and hills. It didn’t stop there, they said help yourself to cold drinks and the ice creams in the freezer. They also provided bread and pastries in the morning, and if we let them know from the menu they would also prepare us some Dutch snacks. We had and assortment to try and they were lovely. It was a wonderful place to chill for the next 2 days. They said ‘Just be honest, list it and settle at the end of the stay’.



Time to move on. With temperatures in the mid 30s, after a brief stop I noticed water dripping from the engine. I wondered if it was ok to continue, first I asked a motorhome dealer to have a look, they didn’t do mechanical- only habitation (the living area of the camper). Take it to Fiat, after trying to navigate Malaga’s slip roads that always seems to send down a road for ages, before they send you back down the way you’ve come to reach your destination. After trying to communicate in my non existent Spanish, I realised I wasn’t going to get any help. The fact siesta was fast approaching didn’t help. As the water level was ok and the temperature gauge was ok, I guessed it might be air conditioning which later proved to be the case and is perfectly normal. However, this anxiety and some irritating news regarding the house let back home, dulled our mood.

Not daring to use the aircon we drove along the Spain’s AP7 the routethat follows the Spanish coastline. As expected, we drove for miles, observing only built-up areas of coastline. Towns that just merge into each other. I had expected nothing else until ...it changes to vast areas of temporary roughly built structures covered in metres of white plastic. These were greenhouses and most likely housed all the fresh products you would expect to see on your supermarket shelves. They went on for miles, creating what appeared a snow-like scene. In fact, if you look at google maps satellite image of the Almeria area you will see what I mean. Just to expand further, the reflection from these greenhouses has reduced the temperature in this region by 0.3 % - as opposed to increases in the rest of the Spain.

We arrived in Almeira, just to have our usual look. Then amazingly a Django sized parking space appeared right on the beach road with a restaurant next to it. Just the thing to raise our spirits, I had thought this area was full of British tourists but soon as they realised, we were British the service turned from average to weird, even to the extent that the waitress avoided eye contact when we wanted to pay the bill.

Flummoxed, we headed north toward our next campsite the oddly named Little Texas. My sullen mood wasn’t lifted any better, as we headed to the most desolate landscape I have ever seen, with no vegetation whatsoever. What have I done!

We arrive at Little Texas, greeted by Erik from Holland who gave us one of the warmest welcomes we could have had. He proudly showed the facilities, including the wonderful pool and terrace. He also would supply us beer, pastries and snacks and said ‘put them on the slate’. We indulged in his Sangria, (1.50 euros each by the way) as the sun set. Lovely end to a difficult day.

The Little Texas theme made sense when we realised we had landed a stones throw away from the Tabernas Desert. The setting for many Spaghetti Westerns, many which starred Clint Eastwood, including Good Bad and the Ugly. More recently the TV series including Dr Who has been shot here. It hadn’t been our intention to, but what do you do for a day in a desert? Three western styled theme parks have sprung from the western sets that have been erected. We were going to visit the largest ‘Oasys mini-Hollywood’, and after a brief look at the small town of Tabernas, which has also been used as a film set, we entered the theme park.

The western town setting was good with your usual Saloon, Bank, Sheriffs Office, and Hangman’s gallows just the perfect thing to entertain children on a scorching hot day!

Sorry to be a whinger but the shootout and the acting was a bit underwhelming as was the can-can dancing in the saloon, but it was good to get out of the sun for half an hour. Over the years the theme park has added a zoo, and this was far more impressive. Though like us trying to navigate it in the heat, the animals just wanted to retreat into the shade. Look beyond the park you can see why the filmmakers came here; it is surreal. With the sweat pouring out of every pore and the flies circling my head, I could be taken for an extra on a Spaghetti western, cue the Ennio Morricone music.

Our stops have been roughly at 3hrs driving intervals. The next is a compact but well-run Aire, 500 metres from the beach with a tram that can take us into the heart of Alicante. A large but smart city with a large Castello that overlooks the city and marina. It was a brief stroll and a meal before hopping on the tram back to camp. I blame the map design, but the tram went right past our stop towards Benidorm! So it was a cab back as there were no more trams!

Another 3hr drive to our next campsite in Peniscola. It seems funny to me to aim for a place with the name of a soft drink in its title. Excitingly for a film fan, it was the location of the film El Cid with Charlton Heston.

We are not comfortable with our campsite or pitch. The swimming pool toilets restaurant and facilities are great. But they have here a lot of long-term caravans that give it shanty town feel, and wandering dogs.

To explore, we walk straight into Peniscola, remarkably quiet, and head for the port. Although its early there were a few gathering on the small beach. We then aim for the main beach where Charlton Heston would have fought his final battle. OMG the 5 kilometre beach was heaving, there wasn’t enough room to put a cigarette between the sunbathers. I don’t remember all those hotels when I went to see El Cid at the Roxy with my mum.

Ali and I retreated for a lovely wander through the cobbled lanes and gift shops around the Castello, and a refreshing Sangria overlooking the sea.

We’re pleased to be leaving our claustrophobic campsite. Time to move onwards up the coast to meet good friends we haven’t seen for a while.

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Photos

Sunrise at Mariposa Libre
Ali's early morning Yoga Session

Cicaeda
The noisy chorus at Mariposa Libra

Tabernas Town
this town also appeared in several films