GIJON, Spain - 18/19.12.16

It's our last day in Spain

and the 

PICOS DE EUROPA 

beckon.

But first we shop. Seems pig's on the menu this Christmas.

Do they use the same rear leg of each pig .. if you see what I mean?

We didn't buy piggy.

 They flank our journey North, the Picos d E that is,

not pigs.

 but no matter how hard we try,

 we never quite got into them.

The road signs ran out, leaving us driving around steep, twisting lanes,

that went nowhere in particular.

Views were good though, don't you think?

 St Vincente de la Barquera was a last lunch stop in a neat local eatery 

before taking the stunning coast road from here to Santander and our ferry this evening.

Lots of campsites and rocky inlets around here. 

 

 Teddy guided us onto the ferry. 

Boy was I relieved to see he'd had the decency to drape a towel over the more delicate regions of his nakedness.

 A ferry can't make its own way into and out of port.

 It uses a pilot

who's delivered and who then takes over from the captain and drives the ship to its' moorings.

Holiday over.

Washing to do and Christmas to sort.

No rest for the lucky.

Guarda - 17/18.12.16

What we were hoping for this evening was the silent wilderness of the

PARQUE NATURAL DE MONTESINHO

with its' winter nights punctuated by the calls of the wild wolves 

and and the snorting  and slavering of the wild bore.

It was too far to travel to in one day, so we'll winter camp there another time.

Instead we broke our rubber knecking  at 

GUARDA,

arriving well after dark and getting straight out for a walk.

It's old part isn't big, but it has been massively restored by Euro-millions.

 A river moated bastion, once again on the Spanish border.

So, there was plenty for the blokes to squabble over while the women got on with the real work.

Elvas, Portugal - 17.12.16

After a night in the strangely named 
BADAJOZ, Spain, we nip a few miles over the border to its' nemesis,
ELVAS 

a world heritage site

 REALLY??

 So? Who did they pay?

 Yes it's good.

 In fact; when the sun shines, 

 Very  

GOOD.

You can't beat a zig-zag street.

 That this is perfectly gorgeous is in no doubt, but 

WORLD HERITAGE????

 Nice wall markings, though,

 and pretty streets.

 Even Jesus, with Ma and Pa didn't persuade me.

 Let alone a wise man on his moby!

 But perhaps it's this perfect door,

 or pile of rubble

 atop the town

 that caught the eye of the 'wallet bloated, slip me a fiver, brigade'.

 It is lovely, of course,

but,

WORLD HERITAGE

???

Gibralter - 16.12.16

We gathered up Ed from his place and we hit the road for the day!

 First clue....

 Got it yet??

 So, here we are. in the centre of things.

Lovely fish n chips in ROYS

 Yep. End of the day. And what a view.

 All these vessels waiting to off/on load.

 Last time, THE ONLY TIME (30 years ago), the bubble lift wasn't running ...

for  1 DAY 

:|

We cruised the bus routes (backpacking) slept out on top of a fort (dolphin watching) and were marched of the 'Island' by the plain clothed mob.
This time no problems at all ??

Pretty good though. 

we'll be back for a day or so soon.

Ed, I think, has his own tale to tell!

Oh, The Sea, The Sea! 14.12.16

Even though it's the winter, we still find the beaches dressed for the tourists,

or as I like to call them,

US!

 I have to admit that one or two of these urns at my place would make me more than happy.

 

Non-the-less, the area leaves me with the sensation that it's biding it's time until the sun bakes through. 

As that's no time soon we head out of town.

Mijas beckons us and Ed, who we've hooked up with,

 and we all sit down for a meal at LATITUDE 36 degrees. Highly recommend.

With Ed dropped back at his hotel, 

we head back to MIJAS for the night.

 

We take a gorgeous wee house in the old part of 

MIJAS. 

 

It has a lovely little courtyard, 3 en suite bedrooms and sold to us as a Hotel.

We had it entirely to ourselves!

 Not even staff around overnight - The architect owner was there just to welcome us and then to serve us brekky.

San Miguel crates Xmas tree from our balcony.

We left the Church House Hotel (La Casa De La Iglesia) for a walk up to the chapel set high in the mountain.

 Such an astonishing view when approached from above.

What a world class place this is.

 The views to the med are stupendous,

 and yet we've barely begun to climb the hill in the dawn light.

 An easy walk along foothill trails that link into much longer  'Grandes Randonnees'

 And here it is, a tiny chapel, shining brilliantly arc light white above the town every night and and yet discretely nestling by day, waiting to be found by anyone with a set of legs, or friends.

 A true case of hiding in full view.

 Is it really December?

 Yep.

 By the time we return the sun's lower 

 and we take the paths down into the alleyways of the old town once more.

 Angels trumpets (Brugmansia) lead us back down

 through the 'streets'

wending our way past Date Palms that drip with succulent Christmas dates

 and busy backwaters,

 and still there's more and more to see; 
like these public streets.

A peep around an open entrance reveals the owners' private terrace/front garden. 
REMARKABLE!! 
GOLD MEDAL!!

 ASTONISHING!

What a town

BEAUTIFUL

If you come to Mijas and find yourself low down in the town, don't despair. I tell you this place looks pretty repulsive from here. Have a coffee in the plaza near the tourist info office to get your breath back and then head uphill, ideally on foot. 

You wont be disappointed.

Or, turn right at he petrol station as you think you're about to enter the town. Wend your way up and follow your nose. You can't really go wrong. Park where you can and take the lanes/narrow alleys down through the town, or up the foot paths to the little chapel ... or further. 

Fantastic.