544 – Tuesday 22nd November 2016:

Those of our readers (are we up to 7 yet? – Terry Wogan had 21 million listeners – we will settle for 21 people for us…) – who read our adventures in “Castelbellissimo” in Siclia will know about this slightly misadventure…. Our brave SatNav CoPilot ‘Colin’ brought us to Sentinil via a narrowing hill road (when will we learn?) – I was driving and getting more nervous by the second.  Sure enough our proposed parking didn’t appear and we were faced with a turning manoevre that didn’t quite suit a 7+ metre motorhome.  A 7 point turn became a 7 point turn (am I repeating myself?) and with K directing, we retreated sadly from NavSentil… No dings or dents – good!  Shame as the town sounded interesting with houses sheltering under the overhanging rock.  To Olvera next – my best way to remember the name is to think of Basil D’Oliviera – south African cricketer who played for England during the Apartheid era – banned by South Africa – 1960s (if I’m wrong – please correct me – anyone?).    

Good parking at Olvera – EUR7 incl. electricity – we met a German couple whom we had previously encountered at El Torcal … ‘small world’ we shared in German.

Coffee in Olvera – chatting to a resident gent from ’God’s own country’ – Wales! – wake up, Bronwyn…  lots of good local advice on walks and weather – more heavy rain in the next week – are we back in Brizzle?  The rain in Espana falls mainly on…. US!   In said bar, we partook solo cafe!  Honest.  Dray day1 of 2 planned.

By the way, don’t ever pee or poo in public here…

Misty view up to the church and Arab castle .. bit of a theme may develop here.

Love the flower pots against the white wall.  Church was shut; we suppose they did not reckon anyone would venture out with the clouds coming in. 

And the mist sure folded in.

On the viewpoint by the church … never seen a sign like this before!  There must’ve been a ‘need’!

545 – Wednesday 23rd November 2016:

After congratulating my gorgeous daughter Sarah on her xxxth birthday, we set ourselves to a long walk on the Via Verde – a never quite opened railway track. 22+ km later, we returned to our Jez-van.  Oscar just about reached our van – and promptly dived into his bed and went ‘sparko’…  Tired but fit, only for K to do some laundry (twin tub out!), sweep the floors, groom Oscar and me to do something (?)… Another alcohol-free night – and ‘vino-free-somnoque’ sleep…and tomorrow also… 

View from our parking at the start of the Via Verde here.

Scenery changed and became more agricultural (other than olive groves), but always with distant hills.

Please explain this:  cattle shelter under the tree and churn up the mud to form the inner brown ring.  Why is there a bright green circle just before the normal dried earth?

Lots of tunnels; longer ones lit.  Typical view as you emerge:  just lovely.

On the return Oscar collected a stick.  When he has a toy, out of our reach, he always does his happy dance.

No, you’re not having it … you might promise to throw it for me, but your aim is so bad, I’ve no idea where it may land.

I’m off with it … it’s mine!  All mine!!  And I’m still doing a happy dance.

 

546 – Thursday 24th November 2016:  

Wednesday night bed at 10:30 – woke at 9:30 am (???) – exercise benefit – yes!  Algodonales, home of a famous guitar maker and mecca for para gliders.   Coffee – and chats with a young English couple – slightly self important man who explained his crowd funding to support his ‘I’m a different sort of sportsman … I walk for days and then paraglide down and save damsels in distress from nasty Moroccans who were beating her up …. glory glory.’  Are we self important?  “To ourselves we must be true…”  

Algodonales – heading up to the top of the town for the views.

View over the town, and I reckon that distant hill town is where we’re headed … not sure about the roads though, but won’t tell J!

Zahara, not Sahara Desert, and parked after only 3 hairpin bends :).   The steepest mountain town we have visited on foot – climb up to El Castillio – even Oscar was breathing heavily.  At the castle, which was open to the public with no fee, and the the battlements were open to … air and the drop –  K had to grasp Oscar sharpish from going over the edge …  back on the lead matey!  El Castillo – mega high – more superlatives (?).   3 weeks in Espana and we haven’t even touched the surface… Roll on the rest of this wonderful country!  The more of Espana we see, the more we are hugely enjoying it… 

We have booked on to the Inverness Scottish Motorhome rally in June 2017 – Margaret and Shirley take note….. as people seem keen.

The most amazing sights over the valley and reservoir below – don’t think we’ll slide into them!.  Cafe and our first glass of vino for some 3 days, actually two calendar days, but J calculated it is some 66 hours – not counting … much!   Lessons here, fellow motorhomers?  Enjoyed just the same… 

Parking on a slight slope, but agin with wonderful views.  Chocks out, van slipping a bit; it does not seem to rest easily on chocks and creeks when we move?!   Sleep may be interupted be some slippage – maybe the earth moving?  K: It does all the time, darling!

Yep, that is where we’re going, and I’ve not satellite viewed the roads.

The route up to the castle.

Mega wow.

Can just make out Jez.  Later to be joined by a NL van.  It looks as if we’re in the valley, but the scenery drops away from here.

The ledge Oscar tried to catapult!  K was looking out, so O thought he would too!

No friendly barman offered to let us and Oscar inside, so we were layered up, but still managed two glasses each and the most amazing roasted and salted almonds.