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Published: December 13th 2016
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Aguilas
Stabbed in the back Hi All
Hope all is well with you all. Thanks for all the updates, always great to hear from you all.
Now been back in Blighty for six weeks, tan fading and wishing we were back in the sun. Not that it is not good to catch up with the children, grandchild, wider family and friends but that does not take too long and then its back to taming the garden and clearing out garage and loft, cleaning house, considering where needs decorating etc and thinking how much simpler life is in the caravan, as our old friend Jim says "too many things and stuff", mind you he has lived caravans for years.
Anyway we all fine, although Frodo and Jane are suffering with their arthritis, too wet here, Frodo now permanently on Metacan, Jane self curing with jells and wine!
Many of you will already know our progress since leaving Aguilas but as many of you were responsible for recommending places to stay here's a quick summary.
Having had no rain for ten weeks in Aguilas we next moved on to Motril, change from pure horticulture to a mix now including large numbers of goats.
Aguilas
I see no ships Could see the snow on the Sierra Nevada mountains and spent a great day in the mountains ending with Jane navigating us down a single track road with no crash barriers from the highest mountain we had been up, fortunately met no cars coming the other way, but did come across a huge herd of goats being managed by a chap with three dogs. Really liked the neighbouring hill town of Salobrena, with its castle and of course Lidl to restock beer and wine. Had a little rain.
Next on to Tarifa, really different and so green with cows everywhere including grazing on the edges of beaches, saw our first cows with bells. I can only describe Tarifa as a mixture of a hippy and yuppie town with distinct Moroccan influences, interesting but odd, I don't think either of us could decide if we liked it or not. Really liked Bolonia with its Roman ruins and went walking in the hills behind them and saw a type of buzzard which some locals told us was very rare.
Next stop El Rocio, famous for its festival with a million people and three hundred thousand horses. The place is surreal,
Cartegena
Someone say beer sand streets, hitching rails outside every house and even high up flat topped rails outside the bars so you did not have to get of your horse for a drink, everything a drunk with a horse could wish for, mind not sure how they pee! Look the other way and its all wetlands and national parks with thousands of flamingos and other wild fowl. We did a trip into the national park and saw cuckoos, owls, various wild fowl, birds of prey, wild boar, deer but not the Iberian lynx or eagles. Only place where we were not in site of mountains.
Now started to head north so next on to Caceres, rained virtually all the time, great old town and by now used to seeing storks nesting on every church and electric pylon. By now the brown/grey countryside of Aguilas seems like another country, everywhere is green, loads of grass, hard wood trees and mud.
Salamanca was great, possibly the most impressive city we have been too, the mayors plaza, cathedrals, churches, convents and university are all so ornate and all within a few minutes walking of each other. Mind you taking the caravan through the city
Cartegena
Tree huggers to the site was quite interesting!
Last stop was San Vicente de la Barquera. Never out of the sound of cows with bells. Great sea side resort and went into Picos de Europe, even got above the snow line and met skiers. Stayed here last year and had continuous rain , this year was far better and ventured out a lot more, great place to visit but you may need your wellies and a fatter purse, things are not so cheap here but still not French or English prices. Also great vet for dogs prior to the boat.
Trip back on Pont Avon from Santander was fine, bit delayed due to, we think, problems with new emissions system but nothing like the problems that it had the following week!
Since we have been home we have also had a couple of weeks away to Thornbury, Weymouth and Beer catching up with family and a gentle walk and few hours in a pub with Rosemary, Michael, Gordon and Cusco, great trip and great to catch up with so many people. Jane and I have designated it as a holiday as we spent so much!
Next trip is
down to look after my brothers small holding and caravan and camping CL near Monmouth for two weeks from Friday 8th July, so if any one fancies coming and has the time it would be a great place to catch up. Jane says she has spare marigolds and you can help me collect the eggs from the goats etc!
So much for what we have been up to. We are planning a trip to South of France, Northern Italy and possibly further towards Croatia in September and October so, now that you have such a successful track record by suggesting most of the above, if anyone has any suggestions on sites or places to visit that would be great.
Also would like to try to use catchup TV when away so if anyone is using a reliable and cheap VPN service we would be interested in a recommendation.
Take care
Terry, Jane, Frodo and Pippin
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