Spain/Morocco 2014

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Week 5/6







Motril became our home for the next ten days, not entirely through choice, but the site was well equipped and we managed to fit it a reasonable amount of walking and cycling. Chris fell ill a couple of days after our return to Spain and it has taken him at least 10 days to feel as though he is back to normal. He had a very high temperature and slept a lot for the first few days then continued to suffer from a severe stomach upset which meant he did not feel like moving on. We did manage to walk to Salobrena, an attractive hillside town along the Costa Tropical, on our final day but were both glad to find a bus to bring us back!



Since moving on to Granada the weather has been glorious – 25 degrees plus every day! The site is located to the north of the city, overlooking the village of Beas Granada and beyond the valley we can see the snow covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada from our motorhome – a perfect location. There is a bus to Granada which stops right outside the site which we have used twice, the first time to wander around the city and get our bearings, the second time to visit the amazing Alhambra Palace. The city has a very relaxed atmosphere with numerous squares and historic buildings amidst more modern shopping areas, without the manic traffic of larger Spanish cities. The oldest parts of the city, the Albayzin and Sacromonte districts are full of character with narrow alleyways and interesting nooks and crannies to explore.



We were both very impressed by the Nazaries Palace in the Alhambra which has the most exquisite preserved/restored Moorish style buildings we have seen on this trip. It was easy to appreciate the need for the cool, lush, green courtyards and gardens which are abundant within the grounds, full of water features and beautifully maintained, to offer respite from the heat.



The past five days have involved some stenuous waking up and down very steep hills and we both feel as though we now have calf muscles of steel!



Tomorrow is the beginning of our journey north to Bilbao. We are heading for Aranjuez, just south of Madrid where we will stop for two nights before making for Haro for the final two nights. We are both ready to go home but I know we will be sorry to leave the sunshine behind. Let's hope things start looking up in Hedge End next week – we'll need some decent weather to tackle the garden!

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Photos

Motril
Stormy skies

Beas Granada
Road outside the campsite

Beas Granada
Sierra Nevada in the distance

Alhambra Palace
Ceiling detail

Comments

[maureen]

I hope that Chris is feeling quite recovered. Enjoy the remaining days in Spain. Still fairly cool here so make sure you have a woolly at hand when you return. The grass is quite lush and the tulips are flowering early and I guess by the time you return the apple blossom will be out. Loved the photos of the Alhambra reminded me of our trip there, very beautiful. Things going well on the dance front , we start in June. Mind I don't know how I am going to dance, I can hardly walk at present having twisted my knee hurrying for the London train 2 weeks ago!

[colin & chris stephens]

We have had so much pleasure reading about your wonderful adventure. It has sounded amazing.