The Caravan Club Algarve/Andalucian Tour 2016 part 2

Ok so I'm somewhat behind on the blog..excuse me please far too busy having fun!
So we had a great time in Cadiz. We moved on to Bella Vista. A fairly new site near Manila.  The weather was still superb. We had a lovely welcome meal in the restaurant. The following day many if us went into Gibraltar fir a "little bit of the UK" I'm sorry but there is now a shortage of Cadbury wholenut " on the Rock.  I don't care what the Spanish say they simply can't make chocolate like Cadbury and no one makes a tea bag like Yorkshire Tea. I had to buy an Industrial pack!
We also visited Ronda which is just beautiful. Our Tour guide was excellent and took us to this really strange monastery where nuns live.  These people do not go out and you are not allowed to see them! They make biscuits and cakes that you can buy. The proceeds go to the poor in the community. So how do you buy the goods?......

You put your money on the turntable and hope to god that you get some made lens back! We did. 

O yes they also have a preserved and sacred hand of some poor martyr but this bit was lost on me!

We decided that after an eventful day there was only one thing to do....head to the bar...oh if we must.....Strictly Come Dancing....eat your heart out!

I think she's dancing anyway!

A great night. An afternoon spent by the pool and on the beach

Then I'm guilty of leading them astray. All this Spanish stuff is OK but I found a British fish and chip restaurant near the campsite. They didn't take much persuading!

We left Bella Vista and I gave fair warning that when we got to my friends Matildas campsite things were a lot more relaxed and   errr different but in a good way. We camped amongst the olive groves.  Matildas mum who I call "mi madre espanol" cooked for us all a perfect spanish meal. The following day we went to Cordoba. Matildas came with us and told us about general life in the area. We visited Seville and the local area with Matildas.  We had a ball. To see some of the local,  small bodegas in full swing was great and even better still to sample some. We visited Olive factories, churches and the Priests room in the bodega where we had tapas. OK so we maybe got Matildas mum cooking again and maybe just maybe we did some more dancing

All these bridges are a bit like Venice. They symbolise the union between Isabella and Fernando that created a unified Christian Spain.

Unfortunately when we visited Seville it was overcast but it really is my joint first favourite city along with Barcelona. You MUST go!

Seville is beautifully crazy. The old buildings, the horses and carriages and then modern trams, shops etc. All tastefully living together somehow! 

We were sorry to leave Matildas at La Campiña but onward we must go.....Las Lomas near Granada. We decided to visit the restaurant. We ate on the stunning terrace. The food matched the scenery....stunning! 

Totally love this place. We had a coach into Granada to explore the city at our leisure. Did I take a wrong turn?

No. The old Arabic Quarters!

The following day we went back for our Tour of the Alhambra. Now I know this place is world famous.  I have been many times before but I just feel it's somewhat disappointing compared to Cordoba and Seville. The whole place is so disorganised and such a Tourist rip off. There were no electronic headphones await aviable and no guides. It was suggested that I use my app on my smart phone. There was free wifi. I see why it was free..it was dire! No information points etc and still the bus loads of people queued to get in. Customer service? What's that?! I wanted to yell at the coach loads "go to seville or Cordoba! " Some of the views are amazing and the construction all that time ago.

O yes. I left one member of our group unsupervised. .....

You always get the one! Can you believe he walked around Granada like that?! No he's not a tourist MUCH! 

 The final day the weather  changed dramatically and for the first time in 5 months it RAINED!  Not only did it rain but in the morning there was snow on the top of the mountains! 

We had another great meal in Las Lomas restaurant and it was definately time to leave. The end of a fantastic Tour. We've seen cities, beaches, culture, rural life err a bit of everything. I'm not sure where all drinking fitted in or the dancing but we had a brilliant time. Shall we go round again? Oh go on then....2017! 

Thank for Touring with us. Safe and Happy Camping always!

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/european-tours/the-algarve-and-andalucia

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/sites/spain/la-campina

Caravan Club Algarve-Andalucian Tour midway

Well having left the wonderful beaches of the Algarve it was time to move on.  A quickish drive down the A22 took us to camping El Aldea at El Rocio. A place that we have been to many times before. There is a huge lake with flamingos on....well normally but it has been so hot it's dried up!

Oh dear... what are we going to do? Do what campers do best..drown our sorrows.  Well there's little chance of anything else getting drowned around here! 

Star gazing after a little too much whisky! 

The following morning we went into El Rocio or cowboy country as we know it and stumbled across a wedding at the famous church. Stunning to see

So lady luck may not have been going with us entirely.  With such an apparant lack of water we were not optomistic of seeing the lynx or much wildlife on our planned safari...but let's give it a go......We saw wild horses, deer, the odd bird but nothing remarkable and theN

....

The 4 wheel drive decided to become 3 wheel drive! Look at the front wheel! Now it could not have happened in a more remote place. No civilisation anywhere, boiling heat and no phone signal. Fortunately the operators that we were with had radio and anot her vehicle was quickly sent to us

How remote?! When the recovery vehicle got to us it was dusk so we flew back through the natural park. There was no way we were going to see a lynx or an eagle unless they were stone deaf with suicidal tendencies!  It was good fun though. We arrived just in time for our paella to be seven that we had pre booked in the restaurant.  It all actually turned out to be good fun and part of a adventure! 

The following day we made a discOvery.  One of our group went out on a bike and stumbled across this amazing place less than 1km from the campsite.  It's not in any guide books, Google etc but what a find

Probably the nearest we will get to seeing the lynx this time! Now the amazing thing about this discovery. .....there are no signposts. ....it's all free! Amazing beautiful place. You can freely wander around the palace where day to day life of the harsh areas living conditions is exhibited.

We had a great time at this campsite as usual. Onwards to La Rosaleda at Conil de Fronterra. Another lovely site. First of all a meal in the restaurant that had stayed open just for us and our own private flamenco show

As usual..some of our group had to show them how it's really DONE! 

 A coach trip to Cadiz.  What could possibly go wrong?.....we met the super guide...and into Cadiz on our own coach. We couldn't get anywhere! 3 cruise ships had docked!  The peninsular of Cadiz is only 6k. Each of these cruise ships had about 4000 people! Everywhere was packed. We were unable to park the coach for ages. We went to the Cathedral where I had a slight altercation with a Welsh woman. Our entrance fee had already been paid for and we had our own guide that we also had pre booked and paid for. All the people from the cruise ships tried to say that they were with our group so that they could get in free! No way! The cheek! I quickly told them and the staff that they were not with our group and they were taken back to queue again. One little we showman and her hubby were undeterred and found our group again. Now we've all been guilty of "earwigging" on similar events but this woman was something else. I started conversation with her and explained that it was a private group. She said "we'll I paid my 5 euros! " I politely said everything maybe inclusive on a cruise ship but it didn't include all of Cadiz!  She didn't want much for 5 euros!  I wouldn't have minded so much if they had been discreet but they pushed our members out if the way so that they could hear and see what was happening! It takes all sorts and it was my turn to meet her!

We went around the museum and I found some of the old books fascinating

A little light reading at bedtime?!

We wandered through the lovely historic side streets and my world of cruising was truly enlightened. We found a wonderful place  to eat.  In a strange land you can't help but listen to anyone speaking English.  3 guys some of the ships crew. One loud vulgar mouthed Canadian,  one possibly Danish and a brit how interesting it was to ear wig! Compulsory uniform for passengers. ..lily white wrinkly bodies, big hats, but worst of all white socks and sandals!  Oh yes they were right. They stood out like Christmas trees. I've got the wrinkly body bit so my next cruise is booked! 

It was a great day though

The Queen Elizabeth

I can't believe I cut their feet off but I promise white socks and sandals! They aren't tanned either it's my poor photography! We seemed to have an interesting day and great fun though.

The weather is still very hot 30 degrees at least but it's windy today and a day off.  Tomorrow is another fun day at Jerez.....let's hope that there's no cruise ships there! Lol If all else fails there's sherry that needs testing! Hic Have fun !