14 July
It was a long haul on the motorway eastwards to the coast and Valencia. Many times we had seen a sign beside the road saying "Disculpen las Molestias". We thought this must be some campaign to discipline child molesters. However on carefully checking our Spanish dictionary it turned out that this sign meant "Sorry for the inconvenience" (road works).
We searched around a bit for a camp site on the coast south of Valencia - certainly saw orange trees growing, but this area is covered in extensive rice fields, and reminded us of our trip to Japan. It is the birthplace of paella. The area was rather run down and derelict and with its flat low lying swamps, reminded us also of Louisiana. High rise apartment buildings lined the beach front.
After setting up our tent in a campsite - Devesa Gardens, also termed by us Devesa prison for its extreme security fencing, barriers etc. It was also the most expensive camping of our whole trip 27 Euros (NZ $ 54) to camp on stones. We decided to go in and look at Valencia in the evening. We caught a bus in, cheap and glad not to drive on such busy roads, but not a particularly pretty trip. Once we arrived in the central city we were amazed at how busy and lively Valencia was - and this was a Monday night! Crowded with people and everyone in a rush. We were getting quite hungry but were told at one restaurant that they did not start serving until 8.30pm (we are in Spain after all where people often do not eat until 10pm). Fortunately we found a place that would serve us and we enjoyed a tasty paella.
15 July
Heading northwards from Valencia along the coast we took a morning stop at Sagunto, which turned out to be most interesting. We walked up to a large derelict castle along a ridge above the town.
Next stop was at a very popular long beach with the unfortunate name of Peniscola - it´s name hasn´t kept the crowds away, and it is a beautiful long golden Mediterranean beach.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
In the middle of Spain
13 - 14 July
We took two interesting stops during this drive. First Consuegra, a small farming town famous for several well preserved windmills of the type made famous by Don Quiote - aligned along a ridge, they were most photogenic. In the distance was a modern wind farm, one of many we have seen in our travels through France, Portugal and Spain. We thought NZ was well advanced with wind farms, but there are a great many in europe.
The second stop was in the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de Ruidera - a ribbon of 14 small lagoons. The water was strikingly blue and contrasted with the fairly arid scrubby terain around. It made a nice spot for a picnic lunch. The scenery in these parts reminded us of Australia - red soils, scrubby bush, vineyards -but with olive trees as well.
Our destination was Cuenca - famous for its old town and particularly a few houses dating back to the middle ages which overhang high steep cliffs.
Our campground near Cuenca was very nice, with plenty of space and best of all, we were on grass! Most of the tent sites in Spain were on gravel, and surprisingly we got quite good at sleeping well on grit (thank goodness for our poofta pads).
We took two interesting stops during this drive. First Consuegra, a small farming town famous for several well preserved windmills of the type made famous by Don Quiote - aligned along a ridge, they were most photogenic. In the distance was a modern wind farm, one of many we have seen in our travels through France, Portugal and Spain. We thought NZ was well advanced with wind farms, but there are a great many in europe.
The second stop was in the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de Ruidera - a ribbon of 14 small lagoons. The water was strikingly blue and contrasted with the fairly arid scrubby terain around. It made a nice spot for a picnic lunch. The scenery in these parts reminded us of Australia - red soils, scrubby bush, vineyards -but with olive trees as well.
Our destination was Cuenca - famous for its old town and particularly a few houses dating back to the middle ages which overhang high steep cliffs.
Our campground near Cuenca was very nice, with plenty of space and best of all, we were on grass! Most of the tent sites in Spain were on gravel, and surprisingly we got quite good at sleeping well on grit (thank goodness for our poofta pads).
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Central Spain - Avila and Toledo
12 July
We had been recommended to stop at Avila, a medieval town famous for its buttressed wall with 88 watchtowers that surround the old town. We did a walk along the walls, which are most impressive, and also visited the Basilica de San Vicente - a huge and beautiful church with both Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
We climbed by car steadily from Avila to Toledo - still lots of farming, even at the summit of 1400m there were farms with sheep, goats and beef cattle.
We found a very nice camp site near Toledo, which had a good view of the city from the swimming pool! We took an evening walk into the city (still 33 degrees at 7.30pm!). The main souvenirs here are swords, but we decided we didn't really need one. The usual medieval lanes, cathedral, but Toledo's famous builing is the Alcazar, a massive stone fortress that has had a range of uses through time, now to be a museum of the Spanish civil war.
Two lots of sightseeing in one day - we slept well that night!
We had been recommended to stop at Avila, a medieval town famous for its buttressed wall with 88 watchtowers that surround the old town. We did a walk along the walls, which are most impressive, and also visited the Basilica de San Vicente - a huge and beautiful church with both Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
We climbed by car steadily from Avila to Toledo - still lots of farming, even at the summit of 1400m there were farms with sheep, goats and beef cattle.
We found a very nice camp site near Toledo, which had a good view of the city from the swimming pool! We took an evening walk into the city (still 33 degrees at 7.30pm!). The main souvenirs here are swords, but we decided we didn't really need one. The usual medieval lanes, cathedral, but Toledo's famous builing is the Alcazar, a massive stone fortress that has had a range of uses through time, now to be a museum of the Spanish civil war.
Two lots of sightseeing in one day - we slept well that night!
Spain - Salamanca
11 July
We drove in from our campsite to Salamanca and once we started to see clocks realised we had forgotten that there is a 1 hour time difference between Portugal and Spain, so it was already 11am - a late start for the day, but very Spanish!
We were instantly impressed with Salamanca -its beautiful architecture, warm sandstone colours -all a rich red brown. The spacious central Plaza Mayor was stunning. We followed a walking tour from our trusty Lonely Planet guide and had a wonderful day enjoying this lovely city. One of the highlights was a tour through the old and "new" (several hundred years' old!)cathedrals which allowed us to walk up to roof level with its views over the city. Owen did a walk at great height around a balcony inside the walls of the new cathedral, but I didn't have a head for such heights.
We drove in from our campsite to Salamanca and once we started to see clocks realised we had forgotten that there is a 1 hour time difference between Portugal and Spain, so it was already 11am - a late start for the day, but very Spanish!
We were instantly impressed with Salamanca -its beautiful architecture, warm sandstone colours -all a rich red brown. The spacious central Plaza Mayor was stunning. We followed a walking tour from our trusty Lonely Planet guide and had a wonderful day enjoying this lovely city. One of the highlights was a tour through the old and "new" (several hundred years' old!)cathedrals which allowed us to walk up to roof level with its views over the city. Owen did a walk at great height around a balcony inside the walls of the new cathedral, but I didn't have a head for such heights.
Last days in Portugal - Douro valley and bird watching
8 -9 July
The Douro valley is Portugal's premier port and wine growing region, so we had to check it out. The Douro river is set in a spectacular deep gorge, with grapes growing on the steep sides, almost on bare rock. Lots of hairpin bends to cross this river. For a change we spent a day on trains as this is the best way to view the scenery. We started on a small railcar which took 2 hours down a steep gorge to the main river, and then trips on bigger trains along the Douro. A very enjoyable day with fabulous vineyard scenery along this very wide river.
10 July
Our last day in Portugal turned out to be one of the highlights. We drove through the Parque Natural de Douro Internacional. We took stops at three viewpoints to watch huge birds of prey soaring up and along the cliffs of the upper Douru river. Great views looking across the river to the high plains of Spain which we were about to enter.
We crossed the Douro over a hydro dam into Spain and wound back up to the plateau, where for the first time we saw extensive beef cattle farming.
The Douro valley is Portugal's premier port and wine growing region, so we had to check it out. The Douro river is set in a spectacular deep gorge, with grapes growing on the steep sides, almost on bare rock. Lots of hairpin bends to cross this river. For a change we spent a day on trains as this is the best way to view the scenery. We started on a small railcar which took 2 hours down a steep gorge to the main river, and then trips on bigger trains along the Douro. A very enjoyable day with fabulous vineyard scenery along this very wide river.
10 July
Our last day in Portugal turned out to be one of the highlights. We drove through the Parque Natural de Douro Internacional. We took stops at three viewpoints to watch huge birds of prey soaring up and along the cliffs of the upper Douru river. Great views looking across the river to the high plains of Spain which we were about to enter.
We crossed the Douro over a hydro dam into Spain and wound back up to the plateau, where for the first time we saw extensive beef cattle farming.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Heading to the highest point in Portugal
6 and 7 July
We packed up and left our house at Nazare, had a last coffee there (NZ$1 for two coffees ...), took some last photos of the "black widows". Nazare is famous for these elderly women sitting in chairs waving signs for "rooms, zimmer, chambres". They wear short black dresses with heaps of petticoats underneath - traditional but actually not very flattering.
We headed inland to a central mountain national park, Parque Natural da Serra da Estrada. Pleased to get away from city and beach traffic. Nazare got exceedingly busy during the 8 days we were there - glad we saw it before the masses arrived.
Spectacular peaceful mountain scenery. Lots of granite strewn around. Camped in a camping ground at 1065 m and felt the cold at night! It was only 11 deg when we drove off in the morning. A hairpin bend road, but all sealed, took us up to Torre, Portugal's highest peak at 2,000m. There is a small ski run here. After this who should we meet on the road, but Selwyn Palmer and John Rix two orienteers from NZ who we knew were planning to tramp here. They were walking up the road to start a 4 day tramp in the Serra Estrada! Nice to catch up with them again. They had stayed at a hotel in the town of Mandeigas which we were heading for. As the price was good we decided to do the same (no camping ground nearby was our justification).
In the afternoon we attempted to do a mountain walk from the town as described in the Lonely Planet. Well the information is not accurate. We ended up doing a 4 1/2 hour trek, mainly on sealed country roads to our destination Poco d'Inferno. Not really an inferno, just some pools and waterfalls - the sort of thing you could see anywhere on a tramp in NZ - but the mountain setting and forest was nice. We met a Dutch couple who had the same problems using their Lonely Planet trying to get there - but they had taken their car this time! Must write to LP...
We packed up and left our house at Nazare, had a last coffee there (NZ$1 for two coffees ...), took some last photos of the "black widows". Nazare is famous for these elderly women sitting in chairs waving signs for "rooms, zimmer, chambres". They wear short black dresses with heaps of petticoats underneath - traditional but actually not very flattering.
We headed inland to a central mountain national park, Parque Natural da Serra da Estrada. Pleased to get away from city and beach traffic. Nazare got exceedingly busy during the 8 days we were there - glad we saw it before the masses arrived.
Spectacular peaceful mountain scenery. Lots of granite strewn around. Camped in a camping ground at 1065 m and felt the cold at night! It was only 11 deg when we drove off in the morning. A hairpin bend road, but all sealed, took us up to Torre, Portugal's highest peak at 2,000m. There is a small ski run here. After this who should we meet on the road, but Selwyn Palmer and John Rix two orienteers from NZ who we knew were planning to tramp here. They were walking up the road to start a 4 day tramp in the Serra Estrada! Nice to catch up with them again. They had stayed at a hotel in the town of Mandeigas which we were heading for. As the price was good we decided to do the same (no camping ground nearby was our justification).
In the afternoon we attempted to do a mountain walk from the town as described in the Lonely Planet. Well the information is not accurate. We ended up doing a 4 1/2 hour trek, mainly on sealed country roads to our destination Poco d'Inferno. Not really an inferno, just some pools and waterfalls - the sort of thing you could see anywhere on a tramp in NZ - but the mountain setting and forest was nice. We met a Dutch couple who had the same problems using their Lonely Planet trying to get there - but they had taken their car this time! Must write to LP...
WMOC final - Sat 5 July
Thanks to my two second placings, I was delighted with my start position and had a great run, just a couple of blemishes at control 9 and 10 (from memory). I think some of the top runners may have been holding back a bit in the qualifiers! The Russian woman who won in 42 minutes was truly amazing, 10 minutes faster than me! The sand was often soft and hard to move across, and it was a more physical course than we had previously. Even more like Waitarere with some deep depressions and steeper sand dune climbs. 12th was pleasing for me, it would have been very hard to make the top 10. Also pleased to see so many NZers achieved good results here.
Our last evening in Nazare, we went out for dinner with Craig, Carey and Marty. Carey was celebrating a good run too - 8th in her grade I think. It was a tiny family restaurant in one of the many narrow lanes in the town, sitting outside in the lane. The owner brought us a tray of fish for us to select which to have BBQed. It was a wonderful dinner. Afterwards Owen and I rode up the cable car to look down on the lights of town and beach of Nazare below us.
Our last evening in Nazare, we went out for dinner with Craig, Carey and Marty. Carey was celebrating a good run too - 8th in her grade I think. It was a tiny family restaurant in one of the many narrow lanes in the town, sitting outside in the lane. The owner brought us a tray of fish for us to select which to have BBQed. It was a wonderful dinner. Afterwards Owen and I rode up the cable car to look down on the lights of town and beach of Nazare below us.
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