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Published: October 1st 2015
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So we are finally heading north and towards home. All that is between us and France are the Picos de Europa, a few spanish tolls, the Basque country and France.
Do you want the good news? We have felt a sense of relief as we have checked our internet and we have been charged for each toll in Portugal . Despite not showing anything as we passed through and expecting fines we appear to be OK. Each day has an entry. The bad news - the tolls come to 130 euros . No wonder the Portuguese avoid the motorways. I doubt we will use them again they are just downright extortionate and you need a mortgage to pay them. Having said that with the exchange rate being what it is it should convert to about £100 still a lot of money but we were on a tight time scale and had little choice to use them. OUr spanish toll has clocked up a few quids worth of tolls but we have another lot to go on for the last few days. So that will rack up a bit . At least it is one less worry . We wont have
getting bigger to sort out fines - at last I can breath a sigh of relief .
I have also tried out my new Remoska bought from the Czech Republic to cook chicken and chips in. I think I need more practice as I did not leave it in long enough and had to finish it off in the frying pan. A little more practice required .
The weather has definately become colder as we head north and homewards.
So where were we heading for? After our disasters of not having found one castle and some roman walls we were heading for the mountains and the peaks of the Asturias. We had read a lot about the Picos. Brilliant walking country. Brilliant to see wildlife particularly large birds. Brilliant roads. We were just skirting them and trying to head for some more sunshine. OUr overnight stop would be just over the French border at Ondres.
The sea lay to our left. Rocky coves where the sea lashed in against the rocks. We saw walkers on the camino heading down to Santiago. We saw a wildness of grey rocks which seemed to reach up to the sky. As anyone
who reads my ramblings will know I like a bit of philosophy now and again and one of my small paper clippings from my year book came to mind as I looked up at the mountains. Chuang Tzu said "Of all the things in the world , the heavens and the earth are the greatest and do nothing to achieve it". How true . The sky looked impressive, the mountains looked massive and bulky. What a wonderful thing nature is.
The range consists of three major massifs: The Central , the Eastern and the Western. All the rock is limestone hence its grey colour. It looks like the karst scenery of Croatia . Little vegetation seemed to grow on the slopes. The highest peak is the Torre de Cerredo which is 2650 metres high and most of the other peaks reach over 2600 metres too. I dont think we would be able to tell one from the other. They all looked interesting.
We crossed through them into the Basque country again. I always feel an infinity with the Basques being Welsh. We passed the campsites we had stayed at a few years ago on our first visit and ones we had used just a few weeks ago. Across the invisible line of the border. From the Spain to France easily. No border control just a toll booth to exit Spain and get a final payment for using their roads and within a short distance a french one ready to collect another arm and a leg .
Iberia goodbye - Hello Bella France - we have returned and guess what happened next . We got flashed again by another speed camera. Quick check Sally - yes we are within the speed limits , cruise control set again for 97. Here we go again . We are not a lorry Monsieur French gendarme - we are a motorhome!!!!!
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