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Published: January 18th 2008
Tavira fishermen with early catch
Do we spy George Osborne gone astray whilst at sea?Travel Blog 12
Get ready with highlighter pens - we are off!!
Tuesday, 8th January 2008
After saying goodbye to many people on camp site set off for Tavira only about 60km from Armacao so we could get organised into travelling once again. Unfortunately,
the clouds that had built up over last 3 days burst and we had a lot of rain. However parked up along
quayside and walked into town when rain stopped. It felt strange being alone again and took a bit of adjustment. Enjoyed a paella for tea with some lovely fresh prawns and managed to pick up BBC and Eastenders, so not all bad!!
Wednesday, 9th January
Wonderful view this morning when I drew blinds. Laid in bed and watched fishermen steaming back into Tavira with good catches of fish. Set off north for Alcoutim mid morning. Andy had been before but wanted to show me the wonderful scenery up to Alcoutim which borders the river Guadiana dividing Spain and Portugal. Sat on the small jetty at Alcoutim looking across to Spain, only a stones throw away. Strange to hear the church clock chime 1 in Alcoutim and the clock in Sanlucar opposite strike 2
Foz de Odeleite
Looking across to Spain from Portugal allowing for the time difference between the two countries. Drove back south to the small town of Odeleite and followed road sign to Foz de Odeleite (mouth of river). Parked van in small picnic area where Odeleite river joined with the Guadiana. There was a cluster of about 5 houses in the village of Foz so stopped and supported the local economy by buying two beers and 2 coffees. An elderly Portugese local with calloused hands and no teeth whom we had seen working on the land, tying up the vines ready for next year, joined us and we bought him a drink. He sat at ease withs and chatted without stopping for breath for half an hour. Sadly we did not understand one word, except his gesticulation that the food served by the bar we were in made people sick. Shame as menu look good but needless to say we ate in that night! Despite being on what looked like a main road we did not hear a thing all night. Perfect peace; just us and nature, bliss.
Thursday, 10th January
Words cannot describe awaking to look out of van to see sun rising over river and mountains
El Rocio
El Rocio Church with not a person, car or house in sight. Very hot and sunny, so just sat and watched the rivers ebb. I did some sketching and Andy took photos and filmed.Saw a spoonbill wading about in the mud and thought it funny that the bird's name here is Espatula. Did not want to leave this lovely spot but Espania calling, so headed back south and across the river into Spain, moving watches on an hour. Drove along the motorway passed the large industrial city of Huelva and down the coastal A494 to Mazagon, a seaside resort. Stopped at a shop to buy some lunch only to find supermarkets closed between 2 and 5. Grrr had forgotten all about Spanish siestas. Mazagon was a sprawling town with absolutely no heart. Beach was OK but town, like a lot of these places looked absolutely dead. Strange that they these towns look so awful in winter but we imagine they look worse in summer when filled with thousands of tourists. Two things we did like about the town were the hundreds of stunted fir trees lining the miles of road. Also there was a lovely marina where we ended up 'pitching up' for
El Rocio
Main Square at El Rocio the night, along with other wild campers!
Friday, 11th January
Awoke to a downpour. Heavy clouds interspersed with sun and rain was weather for the day. Took lap top down to library to use the internet. The Library was housed in the best building in the town but sadly contained so few books, I could have counted them. The one internet cable in the library was in use and we were told we could wait! Gave up with this one and drove along the coastal road to Matalascanas. What a dump of a place this was. Felt we did not want to stop even for a coffee so headed back up the A483 to El Rocio where we booked into the camp site there and first thing we did was have a shower. Big camp site but immaculately kept and spotless facilities. Had only just put kettle on when we were approached by a gentleman asking if we would like to attend the whist drive in the evening. Right up my street! Did not win but had a really enjoyable evening and found it a good way to meet new people - with winning gents moving up tables and
El Rocio
Shopping Centre at El Rocio losing gents moving down. Andy mystified by whole process until I told him I had taken a man's role for the game!
Saturday, 12th January
Cold this morning and a real shock - only 3 degrees. Caught up with some washing and headed into the town. What a place El Rocio is situated on the edge of the Donana Natural Park which is ranked among Europe's greatest wetlands and covers 123,000 acres of marshes and sand dunes. El Rocio is the most unusal place we have yet to visit. All roads in the town are of sand - not a glimpse of tarmac or a manhole anywhere and every single house has a tying post outside for a horse. There are no garages. Many people have a car but most ride about the town on horseback. Even the small bars have large stands outside for people to stand their drinks on to save them getting off their horses! All the tiny shops sell horse related items and flamenco dresses. We were surprised that the cost of these was about 150 euros. Strangely enough though this is not what the town is renowned for. The main feature is the church
El Rocio
El Rocio marsh with Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill and sea horses!! and the statue of Senora del Rocio, who is believed to have performed miraculous healings since 1280.
Sadly the statue of her placed in the magnificant church alter looked like a transvestite barbie. Once a year at Pentecost a million people converge on the town from all over Spain. The statute of the Virgin in the church is carried out as part of a procession and everyone clambers to try and touch the image. Outside the church there were at least 3 people selling lottery tickets. One has to ask why? The whole place was totally bizarre, there is no way to describe it. Had a drink with new neighbours in the evening, Liz and John, sitting outside, rather bravely, until nearly 7p.m.
Sunday, 13th January
Thought Saturday night cold, but today worse. Dropped below zero in the night and the day remained cloudy and cold. Went down into El Rocio to watch the locals congregate in the town to share meals etc. Several brotherhoods marched through the town, displaying their banner, piping and banging drums etc. Quite a spectacle. A man touched Andy on the shoulder and he thought that was it - he had been called to
El Rocio
Grey Heron with flamingoes join the 'brotherhood', but thankfully it was just a warning his shoelace was undone! Not quite sure about the Brotherhoods although we do know they all have their own medallion which they wear on different coloured threads. We were the butt of many jokes today at the campsite as we had purchased a big bag of potatoes on way into town (whilst shops was open for once) but rather than carry them had put them over someones wall in their front garden so we could collect them on way back. However, the sandy streets all look the same - there are no road markings whatsoever - and we struggled to find the house again and the potatoes!
Monday, 14th January
Booked on a trip today to the Donana Natural Park. Not keen on forking out for the trip but the numbers of people allowed on the reserve are restricted to organised trips only so it was the only way we would see it. We left the camp site at 3.30 for the 4 hour trip across scrublands until we came to the wetlands, which really were just like Tollesbury marshes. Slightly disappointed that we did not see anything that
El Rocio
Plants in El Rocio- looks like red hot poker but any ideas we had not already seen at the lagoon at Armacao (for free!). However, the sunset was awesome, as the land around us was flat for miles and miles making the most enormous sky. Did see red and fallow deer and red kites along way off, as well as the flamingoes, etc.
Tuesday, 15th January
Packed up motorhome and headed off north to Bollullos where we found a Lidl and reasonable supermarket. Drove back to Almonte a small very Spanish town 10 miles from El Rocio. Wandered through the town and sat in the lovely town square under laden orange trees. We wondered how long these oranges would have stayed on the branches in an English town!
Wednesday, 16th January
Had a very lazy day today and just as settled down with book, when our Dutch friends drove around the corner. Nice surprise to see them again. Had booked to go to a dinner dance in the evening, so purchased a couple of extra tickets. We were going along with Liz and John our thespian neighbours who were reciting poems etc as part of the entertainment. Turned out to be a strange affair (what's new you may ask?). Meal
consisted of a plate of lettuce,half a tomato and a slice of tuna (not to Andy's delight), followed by 3 pork chops and chips (not my delight) and dessert consisting of a choice of Magnum, served on a silver platter - very different. Hence ensued a squabble as to who had the almond, the dark one and the white one! Liz and John then very cleverly recited poetry, including one about us - entitled "The second El Rocio Miracle" - a tale about the miraculous healing properties of the missing potatoes! Sadly they e mailed a copy to me which my Vista programme was unable to read. We all joined in the singing of their version of the 12 days of Christmas. Two very talented people whom we will miss when they leave.
The evening finished up with daft dancing - hokey cokey, etc etc. Despite poor meal it was fun evening.
Thursday, 17th January
Awoke not feeling under the weather with a very sore throat and not much energy. Went along in the morning to card making classes where I made 3 spirelli cards - form of simple weaving. As it had turned into a glorious day, Andy and I walked the perimeter of El Rocio. The natural park surrounds El Rocio and the wetlands come right up the town, and there is a pretty cobbled boulevard stretching along the south of the town. We sat here for an hour in perfect peace, listening to birds singing overhead, watching birds on the marsh and soaking up the hot sun. Were delighted to see lots of spoonbills and the quite rare glossy ibis bird.
Friday, 18th January
Had planned to head for Seville today but had a change of plan when our friends Rob and Sheila, who had been to Malaga for Xmas, had sent a text saying they would be at El Rocio tonight before they moved on to Portugal.
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