{"id":5697,"date":"2020-02-16T11:04:20","date_gmt":"2020-02-16T11:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/?p=5697"},"modified":"2020-02-17T16:19:09","modified_gmt":"2020-02-17T16:19:09","slug":"winter-sun-part-4-santa-elena-to-castillo-de-banos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/?p=5697","title":{"rendered":"Winter Sun Part 4 – Santa Elena to Castillo de Ba\u00f1os"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sun 2nd<\/strong>
I forgot to mention, yesterday, that we are now in Andalusia<\/a>. We had a quiet night\u2019s sleep and got up refreshed and ready for our customary Sunday brekker of dippy eggs. Never tire of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We cleared up and got ready to go out and rig of the day was declared to be shorts. First time out this year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We popped into the supernercado to get some provisions for a couple of evening meals. Cauliflower Cheese tonight! Mmm. We also bought a bottle of local Tempranillo for a hefty \u20ac3.35. We\u2019ll report back on that later!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paul had selected a road that would take us into the mountains and he selected well. We were very soon above the clouds, above the circling vultures and had views to die for every which way. It was a stunning road. The sun was out and the air was that very crystal clear you only get in such places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s one of those roads I\u2019d describe as \u201ca wow round every corner\u201d. It was also one of those roads with vertiginous drops and no barriers and very narrow indeed, with an edge like a step rather than gently sloped. We met a few cars, a party of Vespa\/Lambretta scooter boys, (one of whom was the dead spit of my brother!) cyclists and bikers and finally a motorcade of 70s\/80s sports cars, which drew some oohs and ahs from us! And all with no mishaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We stopped in the pretty little town of Aldeaquemada <\/a>for coffee and mused that we\u2019d put that road – the A6200 – in our top 10 of stunning roads. It was that good. And the National Park is also stunning. If you\u2019re ever nearby, give the A6200 a go. You won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stopped on the return journey to give the boys a walk. Ted was very interested in one particular smell and I realised it was blood. It looked like it had been dripping out of the back of some hunters pick-up. I pulled him away and we walked on – more blood. Blood everywhere. Now call us odd, but we weren\u2019t so keen on that and decided to abandon our walk up that track and head back to the relative safety of our car!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We returned to the van, where I had a snooze and then we strapped the boys on our backs and went out for a bike ride. Paul had spotted a track where we could cycle with boys running alongside. Perfect! It was a beautiful evening for a brisk cycle and we all had a great time again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Time to cook supper – we both love a bit of cauli cheese. Paul pronounced the wine very drinkable and extremely good value at just \u00a32.80 a bottle. Worrying news!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We appear to have broken the boys – they both happily crashed out for the evening while we watched first the beautiful sunset and then an episode of Sharpe before bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ooh – and Paul mistook the Senora sign for Senor and had his shower in the ladies. Luckily, there’s not too many people about so he wasn’t – like – arrested or anything! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday 3rd<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday morning- sunny and warm. First night with no heating at all – evening and overnight. I\u2019ll soon be complaining about being too hot, don’t you worry! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul worked while I caught up the world, played with the boys and cycled into town to get some fresh bread. It was a lovely ride. And I forgot to wear my cycle helmet. Naughty me. I couldn’t resist taking a snap of an orange tree in town, it’s such a novelty for us Northeners!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I returned triumphant with bread and a big grin – such a joy cycling in the warm sun. I made sandwiches to take with us and we set at off lunchtime as usual for a quick drive to find some provisions. The cauli cheese was lovely by the way and plenty left over for tonight with, perhaps. some sausages? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE have made some new friends. These birds – which I now know to be Iberian Azure-winged Magpies, thanks to Twitcher Tim (Crookston) – roost in the trees above us at night and are quite delightful little chaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We went for a drive to Arquillos<\/a> – only because the road went past a couple of reservoirs which we thought might be nice. However, they were both low on water and neither had anywhere to park. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arquilos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Arquilos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Guadalen Reservoir<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was a nice drive, though, and we were excited to see signs warning us that the area was Iberian Lynx habitat. You don’t see signs like “Beware of Lynxes” and “Lynxes crossing” signs every day.  We were pretty sure we\u2019d never see one as they are very endangered indeed. The Iberian Lynx<\/a> is the second most endangered species in the world actually. Their main problem is loss of prey – rabbits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is clearly an oil growing area, with olive groves as far as the eye can see. And a pretty little town – although I always wonder in such places what on Earth the people do for a living. Grow olives I guess? Very little sign of animal husbandry in the area, although quite a few intensive chicken farms which you can smell from a fair distance. I find it very depressing that we treat poor defenceless chickens like that. Makes me very sad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Olives everywhere
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We needed some provisions so popped into the very new- feeling Mercadona in La Carolina<\/a>.  By now it was 22C. Shopping done, Paul went back to work while I pottered. Someone turned up opposite in a cream Merc estate. Now that\u2019s what I call stylish! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My quick review of Camping Despe\u00f1aperros is that it\u2019s a wonderful place to stay for the NP. It has definitely seen better days, but is clean and has everything you need. We never saw either the shop or the restaurant open, but it\u2019s not surprising, being out of season. There is a track to the side of the site that is great for dog-walks. Santa Elena has a pretty good little supermercato, with butcher. I\u2019d definitely be happy to return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuesday 4th<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We left at 09:15 today. I note that we are getting steadily later – must be the ma\u00f1ana effect? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a lovely sunny morning and 12C as we slipped away from our pitch. The mountains looked beautiful in the early morning haze. We were sad to be leaving this lovely area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were intrigued to see that – as we neared Bali\u00e9n (scene of a battle in the Peninsular War – 1808) the road signs were in (what I assumed to be ) Moorish. Research shows it may have been “Andalusian Arabic\u201d? I guess we’ll never know? But we\u2019ve seen the signs nowhere else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scenery on today\u2019s drive has ranged from breathtaking to jaw-dropping. Our coffee stop was in the middle of a gorge. This is definitely the must scenic leg of our trip. And it\u2019s also the final leg of our outward journey as we arrive at our base for the next 30 nights, later today. And the temperature had risen to 20C. All good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And then she did it again. Another Gabby Garmin detour! Paul was on the phone, giving tech support, so there was nothing I could really do to  prevent it.  I just had to watch helplessly and make agonised faces as she took us on a short wild goose chase, off the motorway onto another road, round a couple of roundabouts and straight back onto the road we had just left at the next exit down the line! No real harm done but flipping irritating!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like Madrid, the route took us pretty much straight through the heart of Granada<\/a>. Well – perhaps the right ventricle? Having never been before, I  hadn\u2019t realised it was in such a dramatic location – in a bowl with snow capped mountains all around. And it\u2019s big! And I never realised, until this very day, that my telly in the 70s had come from so far away! But we got great service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We approached the coast in low cloud – and started to see the infamous Sea of Plastic<\/a> everywhere. Interesting that it\u2019s been in the news lately and not in a good way. It’s where more than half of Europe’s demand for fresh fruits and vegetables is met. They are grown under the plastic shades that cover this area, The evils of Consumerism again. Exploitation of migrant worker<\/a>s. Poor buggers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We arrived on site Camping de Castillo de Ba\u00f1os<\/a> at 12:40. We took a fair while choosing our pitch, as we\u2019ll be here for a month.  We ended up choosing a pitch that fronts on to the sea. It\u2019ll be nice to drift off to sleep to the sounds of the waves lapping the shore. Not pounding it, please!!! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had the usual bloody game with the electricity! We pretty much never have this hassle at home. Why here? Paul fixed it though and he was soon working away merrily while I prepared lunch – a cheese and ham croissant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t plan to do much with the rest of today except a spot of orientation. There\u2019s no hurry after all? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The castle in Castillo de Banos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sun 2ndI forgot to mention, yesterday, that we are now in Andalusia. We had a quiet night\u2019s sleep and got up refreshed and ready for our customary Sunday brekker of dippy eggs. Never tire of them. We cleared up and got ready to go out and rig of the day was declared to be shorts. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[14,28,29,41,189,217,406,489,522,845],"class_list":["post-5697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-aldeaquemada","tag-andalusia","tag-andalusian-arabic","tag-arquillos","tag-camping-de-castillo-de-banos","tag-castillo-de-banos","tag-granada","tag-iberian-lynx","tag-la-carolina","tag-sea-of-plastic"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesumpnersagain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/IMG_3671.jpg?fit=1250%2C1500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5697"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5931,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5697\/revisions\/5931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesumpnersagain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}