Caravan Club Highlights of Spain Tour. A Reunion already!

Did we really need an excuse for a meal, a drink and a get together-I don't think so!
Poor old Kevin who has the replacement German car hasn't had the Micky taken out of him much..

Yep when the group got split up we even lost custody of our trusty old notice board! Heir Kevin took it all in good fun though.

Whilst we were assembling another member who was not part of the group had a problem with a caravan tyre. We are expected to know EVERYTHING about caravans. How many campers does it take to change a wheel?

Richards conclusion 'plenty of miles left on that tread!"

We don't seem to have a shortage of 'supervisors!" The problem was that the tyre had blown out and the Spanish had never heard of Tyron Bands so we had to take it off ourselves. Mission successful! Oh no its time to eat...!

Oh blooming heck-they have thrown in free wine again! The food was incredible. Pork cooked in red wine that just fell apart it was so tender. Yum and then...oh no someone's birthday so we had better join them for a drink! Can you believe where the excursion is to today...a vineyard! Do they have any left?! Its maybe just a local 'topping up' procedure!

I think that the Caravan Club maybe ought to consider a detox and dieting Tour to run after this one! Corr this is a tough life!

Caravan Club Highlights if Spain Tour It just gets better!

Knackered.com doesn't come into this Tour and excellent service and standards. Wow! We met our coach at 9 am this morning. A member of Montes staff was waiting for us and handed us all little bags with bottles of water and sweets in plus a detailed itinerary, maps etc etc. Our work had been done for us! We picked up one if the best Tour guides that I have ever met. Informative with a great sense of humour. Initially we had a drive through Madrid where all the landmarks were pointed out to us and then a coffee break at the Real Madrid's Stadium. I'm not a football fan but I have to say it was impresssive-as was the price of two coffees-6 euros!

OK so I guess they have to find those poor footballers wages from somewhere!

Next we saw the bullring. This is one of the few that still has fights in there. I prefer the Valencia one but nevertheless impressive

Now I saw loads of blooming statutes and I think that this is where the Team Real Madrid go to celebrate when they are seen celebrating when they win a big title

But there again ...I could have got it all wrong!

Oh no....lunch provided again at a lovely restaurant complete with free wine! It was a traditional Madrid dish but please don't ask me what it was-a bit of everything I think! Yummy and filling but even I had to leave some of the wine!

The restaurant was lovely but you could easily have thought you were in france-very Art Deco. Then a shopping break and I met some tramps purporting to be caravan club members!

And finally off to Madrid Palace

It really does show Buckingham Palace up! We arrived back at 7.30 pm and my legs feel like lead! What's worrying me is that we get the coach at 8.30 tomorrow-Segovia here we come! This Tour is more like a cruise ship itinerary complete with your own caravan! They seem a great crowd and I'm really looking forward to it. We may give them a day or two off for good behaviour and then next site here we come!

Caravan Club Highlights of Spain Tour. Camping Monte Holiday

Wow Its all go!  I can't believe its only day 4 we seem to have crammed that much in already. Although the weather is not being kind to us at the moment it certainly hasn't dampened this groups spirits. We were first away yesterday from Navarette to Monte and wow the weather was bad. There was a cloud burst on the top of a mountain and visibility was really bad. Arriving here made the journey all worthwhile. Everyone got here in one piece. The only casualty was a boot box on the back of a small motorhome. A tree got in the way so its now air conditioned! A meal was provided in the restaurant and it really was the best of Spanish cuisine. The campsite here are so efficient and friendly. Before the meal the manager came and welcomed us as we are the first group that they have ever had visit here. That's quite amazing as its beautiful and quite a find by the Club. I have to say that it was one of the best meals that I have had in Spain in all this time.
It was very windy during the night and most of us are up at the crack of dawn. I don't know whether its the weather that is to blame or the excitement of going to Madrid with quite an action packed day, including meals again. There's no more rain forecasted and its fairly cool so it maybe ideal for sightseeing.
Its difficult to believe that last week it was 27 degrees here and today its struggling to get to 17!

My pics as usual don't flatter the restaurant. Well busy,busy We've got a coach to meet at 9 am. Adios amigos be prepared for numerous pics of Madrid Palace..I just love that place. It makes Buckingham Palace look like a Council bedsit! Have a good one!

Welcome to Rioja! Caravan Club Highlights of Spain Tour

Well I don't think that this is what anyone was imagining...rain! I don't mean Spanish rain, like a little shower but from what I can remember its like English rain! Urgggh!
We had a good drive up yesterday from Monte Holiday near Madrid in glorious sunshine with the Air Con on. It was great to pull in at Camping Navarette to be greeted by Silvia in reception. Such a lovely person who has a mother that is Beetle crazy and recently been to Liverpool and Manchester. They are in love with the UK! I think she fibbed when she said that they saw sun in Liverpool though! She is so full of life she is lovely. She says that she now gets a lot of British campers and she loves them too. Maybe she needs psychiatric help?! No. Only joking. The site is family run and thanks to that it has a lovely  feel to it. Its very handy to stop and top up with vino in route to the Spanish/UK ferries.
So as its easter we thought we had better stock up with shopping. What a shopping centre. The biggest that I have been to in Spain. Such a shame that I really only wanted food and I had David with me! Bloody typical! Its called 'the Rioja Centre' and is in Logrono which is about 7 or 8 miles away. When I was looking for something in the supermarket and struggling with my Spanish I was asked " do you speak French?!" Yes! I soon found the coleslaw! You forget how close you are to France. Can you imagine asking someone in Tesco if they spoke Spanish or French-you would be lucky if they spoke english! That's not meant to be racist but in particular a broad accent I find difficult and I'm UK born and bred.
The bargain of the day..wine! I bought a bottle of Rioja in a restaurant at Peniscola for 13 euros..I know me being reckless likje that. A Yorkshire Lassie with Scottish blood but ..wow worth every penny or cent...two euros on El Camp supermarket! I really hope its as good as I remember.
We got in and it started to rain and rain and rain all through the night which kept waking us up. The caravan is just over six months old and its one of the few occasions that I've washed it and the first time its seen rain like that.
Well this is the second time that we have hosted the Highlights of Spain Tour. Each time we are supposed to kick it off with a barbecue ( yes the Caravan Club expect me to cook?!) Its a great idea as an ice breaker but on each occasion we have had to think of something else because it has rained! This year doesn't look like being an exception! It must be this area. I guess they need it for the grapes. There's no pics of vineyards as I'm not going out to get wet! Use your imagination!
Today we meet our Co Hosts. That will be great to have some help. Its unusual as we have more motor homers than we do caravanners. Normally I ask them to team up for shopping trips etc but thus year some will have to finish up walking or taking it in turns! Some of the located campsites are pretty remote and have been chosen for their locations and cleanliness over facilities. We will just have to see how it turns out and they will have to stock up along the way. Our Co Hosts are Motor homers too so that doesn't help! I hope I'm worrying unduly or it could be one hell of a diet they re on!
Well its actually stopped raining and I need the loo ( too much information?!) If you be got the sunshine please enjoy it now where's my umbrella and wine?!

Spring Camping at Marjal

It was lovely to write that and it actually feels like spring now. I have to leave in two weeks or so but all the people that have been here and left are missing the best time! I'm not missing some of the things ( now what could they be?!) but the campsite is lovely and quiet during the week. My lovely next door neighbour passed me a lovely story yesterday and I only partly witnessed it ( bloody typical as I would have died laughing!) I saw a young man who appeared Spanish walking past my caravan. He caught my eye ....no...( far too young!) As he had a baby in a papoose and was walking a dog. I thought 'how lovely. Giving his wife a lie in bed'. Apparently he stopped and talked to another dog walker whose dog obviously couldn't wait any longer and peed up his leg! And they say us women talk! Apparently he wasn't impressed! I would love to have seen it!
There's not a lot going on socially as everyone is leaving. I will have to make Happy Hour. I am still supposed to be getting organised. Hopefully today or tomorrow the new awning will arrive.
The sale of Julies Fendt caravan fell through so if anyone knows anyone who is after a very solid caravan please let me or my mum know as we will have the keys. It is a lovely van inside with fixed single beds. It has an awning but in fairness it needs binning and a new one-no big deal and it will last for years. That's another of my jobs today, putting it on fb for them. It is very clean. I have known this van from new and can say its never had any animals in it! Not that a
L dog owners are dirty.. But there is always an animal smell..did I get myself out of that hole OK ?!
Well I have a few sewing jobs to do and at least if I can get on top of those I can start to pack and get organised. Less than a month and we will be on Tour. Excited or what?! Let's hope we have a good group. All I can say is that there certainly won't be any dogs and as long as they all have a sense of humour we will be fine..party on tour bring it on!