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Goodbye

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 DAY TWELVE Yesterday was the last full day of this long journey. A time to slow down and relax.  The night before we had left the restaurant late and the sky was clear. However, during the night there was a severe storm and this morning started cloudy with the last rumbling of thunder as the still heavy clouds rolled out to sea. No damage, but, of course, all seats wet through and cushions needed to be hung out to dry.     After breakfast I walked down the hill to the famous flea market. This takes place at the site of the annual carnivals etc, and is about the size of four football pitches. You can almost buy anything you want, and is great if you are decorating a house in a certain style. There are amateurs and professionals, some fresh food, and clothing besides the usual flea market wares.       Smallest "stall"! Mirrors are Popular    Faces of Fuengirola Then in to town and a slow stroll through side streets I had not walked before. Kat...
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Velez Malaga

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 DAY ELEVEN First day in Fuengirola. Some of you know Villa AvoKadi from previous blogs. Situated at the top of a hill on the outer primeter of the city, it actually counts as Mijas. This is the incredibly pretty white town in the mountains behind us.  Towards mid-day Katrina and I got in the car and headed east. Passing Malaga itself, we carried on to a town called Vélez Málaga. This is not one of the most scenic of towns, and it does not prefess to be a "white village" like Mijas but it has a certain charm. Perched high up but beneath the surrounding mountains, the tower of the ancient castle can be seen from far away. It has some very picturesque streets and many statues or bronze figures.                 The sea is only a short ride down the hillside - so off to Torre del Mar. All of the towns on the coast are interesting in their own special way. And they all try to present their beaches in a favourable way to tourists. Anyone spend...
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Goodbye - Hello

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 DAY TEN You say "Goodbye" - I say "Hello" At least that is how the song goes (apologies to the Beatles). Today it was time to say "Goodbye" to Rolf. We are two very different "types", but somehow we manage to get on fine together (this being our third trip).         After Rolf had collected fresh bread from the we had used the last two days, we had a brief breakfast in the garden of our accommodation. Today he will drive an exhausting 8 or 9 hours to the Bordeaux area; but  he has to drop me off at Zaragoza (Saragossa) on the way. Needless to say, we found time to zake photostops. Morella looked especially pretty with castle upon the hill.  Spain has quite efficient railways, but I would need 10-12 hours to reach my destination at Fuengirola if I started from here. However, Zaragoza to Malaga is only a five hour train ride. The station has extra checking in with baggage inspection for its extra high speed trains. I will not be at Katrina´s B...
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E-Day - Solar Eclipse

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 DAY NINE Solar Eclipse - or All in Vain? As I wrote yesterday, the town of Vinaros lies on the coast approximately half way between Barcelona (north) and Valencia (south) and is almost surrounded by hills; but at a distance of 20 kilometers, most places will have a good sight of the eclipse. Rolf has done his research and the eclipse begins when the sun is at approx 10° above the horizon, so visible to almost all, but finishes an hour later at only 4° above the horizon, and although the eclipse should be visible from "our garden" has identified a nearby field that might not be overcrowded! We shall see! The morning started with breakfast in town and then we travelled up the coast to Peniscola! (Nothing to do with American drinks!). This is another typical Spanish tourist town, but with a small castle with a big history. Peniscola was one of only three places to host a pope. Everybody knows about Rome. Most know that Avignon in southern France was a lso home to the popes for ...
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Eclipse minus one

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 DAY EIGHT Eclipse minus one First full day in Vinaros; a day to chill out and survey the surrounding area. The town of Vinaros lies on the coast approximately half way between Barcelona (north) and Valencia (south). With 40 000 inhabitants it can not compete with its two big neighbours. It is almost surrounded by hills but at a distance of 20 kilometers, which means many places will have a good sight of the eclipse, assuming observers dont stand next to a neighbour´s wall, or behind a hedge. Rolf has done loads of research and the eclipse begins when the sun is at approx 10° above the horizon, so visibke to almost all, but finishes an hour later at only 4° above the horizon, so even a big tree could block out the final minutes. our accommodation (with pool) After visiting Rolf´s cousin in Vinaros for a very full breakfast, we made our way in to town. There are the usual beaches - very nice with all amenities, shops - mainly Spanish within the town itself, and plazas - with pleasan...
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We arrive at the Spanish Coast

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 DAY SEVEN We arrive at the Spanish Coast We left Lleida after breakfast at a typical Spanish cafe. Our first stop was at Caspe, where we expected to visit a church with a wonderful panoramic view of the Ebro river. We had followed and criss-crossed this very large river a number of times. However, due to roadworks and preparation for the forthcoming fiesta - San Roque - we found ourselves at the wrong side of town. However we met five of the most important members of the town!                 An hour later we turned off our road and had 400 meters of very dusty, very rugged four-wheel drive country in a low sports model. Bumpy! We found ourselves at the Puente (bridge) de Cananillas near Teruel. Here the river flows through a gorge of large rocks which forms pools that are deep enough to swim in. So - off with the shorts and on with the swimming trunks!            Another hour of beautiful landscapes and we arri...
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