A bientôt EU

[Amarillo]

I have the same experience re toilets in france. My wife who works in health care always comments the lack of lid which makes the air polluted much more. The hole is probably the best arrangement for people with difficulties emptying the system.

My mother, who used to be a nurse, says much the same as your wife about squat toilets. She also replied to my blog that she supports the absence of paper and soap in public toilets as too much paper and soap is wasted. I was tempted to block her reply as spam because it's too embarrassing.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[MattBW]

Well she has a point, but if we have to take our own soap and paper we wont use less we will just use a different source.

 

[Amarillo]

The photo photo shows the village of Navarrete built on a hill, in the foreground is our campsite. I'd be lying if I said this is the best campsite we have stayed on: it's pretty poor, made up of mainly static caravans. The swimming pool is closed, and the boys don't like the playground. Exercrising Meg is easy, with plenty of places for her to run free just behind the campsite among the tempranillo vines and almond groves. The toilets are clean, the pans have seats, paper is provided, the single soap dispenser is empty.

We are meeting Blanca here tomorrow, and she will stay with us overnight. We will take her home after we've packed up and are moving on with Amarillo's pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela - and then to Rome!


Follow my blog at www.au-revoir.eu

 

[bigmac77]

When my 9 year old son first encountered a squat toilet I heard him shout 'dad we have a problem here'.

 

[Amarillo]

Day 90 - Navarrete

Inevitably, on such a trip, things get broken that need fixing or discarding. Jack decided to play with the TV on its seat back mount as if it were a car steering wheel, and snapped the 12 volt power cord. It was easy enough to fix the snapped cord with a bit of electrical tape, but, alas, something else is broken and the TV won't work. Our cooking dinner babysitter is bust.

For some reason the door handle on the big sliding door has come loose, and it rattles. This shouldn't have happened on such a young car, but it has. We might have coped with it on a short holiday, but we won't be home for another seven or eight months. It needs fixing. So off we all trotted to Rioja Motor in Logrono, the local VW service centre, where we received VIP treatment and special attention. It was carefully explained to us that the door needed dismantling to find out the cause of the failure, and it might well be an internal clip that had failed, but that they didn't have that clip in stock, and they didn't want to spend the time disassembling then reassembling the door without the spare part - the job will take about 2 hours.

Very kindly, they have phoned ahead to a service centre in Gijon to order the part for us, so that when we pass through we can get the handle fixed there.



The hills behind our campsite are covered in wild thyme. We harvested a little and had a delicious ratatouille for dinner.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Day 91 - Navarrete to Picos de Europa

Packing up is never easy, and the other day we watched a Dutch couple with two young children spend three hours packing. But today's packing in dry weather was as good as any we've had. And we successfully used our 12 volt kettle to its full capacity.

Home kettles are up to 3000 watts (240 volts x 13 amps = 3120 watts). To match that power, a 12 volt kettle would need to draw 260 amps! The biggest socket we have in the van is 20 amps. Boiling water with a 12 volt, 20 amp kettle needs planning, and takes about as long as baking a large potato in the oven at home, 45 minutes for 750 ml of water. The kettle went on at 8.30, a coffee was in my hand by the time I'd packed the van, but not loaded the bikes (the gas and stove had been pre-packed the night before).

We chose to avoid the motorways, and enjoyed the drive over the mountains, crossing some passes above 1000 metres, before descending to the north coast of Spain at Santander. We then followed the coast before heading inland again into the Picos de Europa, so called because they were the first sight of Europe many sailors had when returning from the Americas. It started raining when we arrived at the campsite. Clare kept the boys entertained while I pitched and unpacked.

We had an early dinner of chorizo sausages, carrot salad and baguette before exploring the campsite. Ben and Jack were delighted to discover a trampoline protected from the rain.

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Day 92 - Picos de Europa

It is good to be camping in the mountains. We've only really met nice people on our travels, but somehow people who camp in the mountain campsites are different and more generous than those who camp on the coast. We met a young couple who'd spent the last two years travelling, and a retired architect and his wife. His current project is near Poitiers, he has bought an old water mill and is restoring it, her current project is to knit a pair of yellow and brown socks for her son-in-law.

While here we thought we'd better climb a Pico. All five of us set off, Clare and Jack turned back after about 1/2 mile, Ben and I continued, past a yoga retreat, until the trees became sparse and we had this view of the village below.

On our way down we were delighted to meet a herd of cows with bells.

Meg is now unfazed by cows and horses, and ignores them.

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Day 93 - Picos de Europa to Oviedo

Unforecastef drizzly rain greeted us this morning and Clare wanted to leave, reluctantly I agreed. As much as I love the mountains, there isn't so much for the boys as there is on a large resort campsite near a beach. I'd probably be happy with them playing in a stream, but Clare would not except under very close supervision. Anyway, we needed to get the sliding door handle fixed - the chap I spoke to at VWCS seemed to think I could just go to the local VW service centre and get it fixed for free - we shall see.

We drove to VW Gijon, and with Clare's halting Spanish and their halting English they seemed to indicate that they will fix it for free under warranty tomorrow morning at 9am - we shall see.

We retreated to Ibis Budget Oviedo, 9 Euros for each of the four of us, 6 Euros for the dog and 6 Euros for the car. We had a cracking meal of meat and chips only, overlooking Oviedo Prison, a rather attractive building for incarceration.

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/19814412.jpg


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

We all had a terrible night's sleep in the hotel room. The air was warm and muggy, and the air conditioner wasn't effective. We'd have been better off in the van.

Clare went in the morning to get the van's door handle fixed: she speaks some Spanish and I none. The repair came to just under 135 Euros, but we pay nothing, it's a warranty repair. Happy.

Very nice drive along the north coast, up to 2000 feet in thick mist over some hills, then suddenly into glorious sunshine. Clare, Ben and Jack slept most of the way to Santiago de Compostela where we stopped so that Amarillo could complete her pilgrimage and we could pay our respects to the late Saint James' remains, taken from the Holy Land to Iberia by angels, encased in rock, then removed by mortals to Santiago de Compostela. I was pleasantly surprised by the city: I feared it would be like the religious theme park of Lourdes, but it was a genuinely bueatiful town, filled with back packing pilgrims of all nations. We tried to go into the cathedral, but despite dogs not being on the list of about 20 items banned from the shrine, Meg was not welcome. So I photographed Jack outside while Clare snuck Ben into a local restaurant for a pee.

We arrived at the campsite soon after six, and were tucking into Spaghetti Bolognese by eight. A lovely campsite, but pool closed.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Day 95 & 96 - Ribeira

We are staying on a campsite in the middle of the Ribeira Peninsular, sun, sea and sand all around. The weather is close to perfect: daytime temperature mid twenties, nighttime temperature mid teens. Our minor complaint is that the dew is very heavy.

The campsite is enormous, and virtually empty, perhaps eight campers and a similar number of staff - perhaps they make enough through the summer for the owner to employ key staff all year.

When we arrived the owner greeted us and gave Jack a bag of sweets, Jack ran off with them hotly pursued by Ben who managed to relieve Jack of his treasure, resulting in Jack crying. Clare took the sweets from Ben, opened them and tried to give the boys one sweet each. Of course, this wasn't enough for Jack who wanted all the bounty for himself, and continued screaming. Thinking his injustice of giving one boy sweets and not the other had caused the mayhem, the owner came up with another bag of sweets, this time for Ben. Not wanting the boys to eat so many sweets before dinner, Clare took those too, leaving Ben to bawl too.

All of this above was witnessed by a lovely English couple who have spent the last five years touring Europe in their enormous caravan. It hitches to the payload area of their Navara pick up truck.

The caravan extends sideways giving an internal seating area for up to eight people!

The beaches around are great and empty.

And there is an enormous sand dune.

Unfortunately, access is prohibited.

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[T6 CFO]

Day 95 & 96 - Ribeira

We are staying on a campsite in the middle of the Ribeira Peninsular, sun, sea and sand all around. The weather is close to perfect: daytime temperature mid twenties, nighttime temperature mid teens. Our minor complaint is that the dew is very heavy.

The campsite is enormous, and virtually empty, perhaps eight campers and a similar number of staff - perhaps they make enough through the summer for the owner to employ key staff all year.

When we arrived the owner greeted us and gave Jack a bag of sweets, Jack ran off with them hotly pursued by Ben who managed to relieve Jack of his treasure, resulting in Jack crying. Clare took the sweets from Ben, opened them and tried to give the boys one sweet each. Of course, this wasn't enough for Jack who wanted all the bounty for himself, and continued screaming. Thinking his injustice of giving one boy sweets and not the other had caused the mayhem, the owner came up with another bag of sweets, this time for Ben. Not wanting the boys to eat so many sweets before dinner, Clare took those too, leaving Ben to bawl too.

All of this above was witnessed by a lovely English couple who have spent the last five years touring Europe in their enormous caravan. It hitches to the payload area of their Navara pick up truck.

The caravan extends sideways giving an internal seating area for up to eight people!

The beaches around are great and empty.

And there is an enormous sand dune.

Unfortunately, access is prohibited.

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Agree on the temperatures. Slightly warmer where we are at the moment during the day and night. Mid to high 20s are perfect with mid teens at night. Bit hot here last night but fan on inverter wild camping helped.
Feeling very spoilt typing this but my point is that the Cali gives you the chance to move and if you can fit that to the weather you want all the better. Worked well this trip.


Mike

 

[Amarillo]

Another warm sunny day. We'd pre-packed as much as we could, and taken down the drive away awning the night before to save packing it wet from the heavy dew. Everything has its place in the boot now, and gas is about the first thing packed, so we rely on our 12 volt kettle that takes nearly an hour to boil when full for morning tea or coffee. It works - we just have to plan its use in advance.

We said goodbye to our new friends on the campsite, picked up our pre-ordered bread from reception (which is the nicest bread I have ever tasted), and set off after coffee.

We took the slow route, along the coast, blindly following the sat nav's claim for being the most direct route. We soon learnt that 'most direct' means silly short cuts along barely passable lanes to shave inches off a perfectly enjoyable 'A' class coastal road. A bit of common sense is required. Using the most direct route setting, even with common sense applied, can lead to mistakes in towns and cities, when this happens, the sat nav redirects: "turn right, then turn right again immediately". This led to my second big driving error of this tour.

Recovering from having turned one turning too late at a roundabout the sat nav sent me down a one-way street, no problem there (I was going the right way down the one-way street). Approaching a crossing, I was advised to go straight ahead. As there was a monument in the middle of this junction, I ignored this advice, and went around the monument to bemused looks from groups outside bars. I'd just gone the wrong way around a roundabout. Fortunately it was between 12 and 3 when town centres seem to be devoid of local traffic, so there was no risk to other road users - but I did feel a fool for having made such a stupid mistake, the second such driving on the left mistake, the other having been at the diametrically opposite end of the continent.

The campsite just outside Porto is the liveliest we've visited this phase of our trip. Others, Campagne excepted, have ranged from quiet to dead quiet. But there's quite a community here. There's also another family of four (without dog) travelling for a year. They have a boy three months older than Ben and a girl three months younger than Jack. They are just at the beginning of their adventure. We are a third of the way through.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Feeling very spoilt typing this but my point is that the Cali gives you the chance to move and if you can fit that to the weather you want all the better. Worked well this trip.

I'm not sure how typical this weather is of northern Spain in the autumn. It has been very green which suggests high rainfall. But if it is typical, I wonder why the campsites here have been so empty.

I happened to see the weather forecast yesterday on a TV in the campsite bar. 35 degrees was indicated for Seville. I know that Seville is the furnace of Spain, but that surely cannot be a typical October temperature, can it?


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Shane Bennett]

Hi Tom,

How long are you guys going to be in Northern Spain? We will be driving through there next weekend on our way back to the UK from Malaga. Was thinking if you were close, we could pop in and say hi.

 

[kave]

Re navi issues:
I would suggest use quickest route and work with avoidance instead, ie avoid highways and toll roads etc.
Nearest route has never worked properly, even on offroad motorbikes.

 

[Amarillo]

Hi Tom,

How long are you guys going to be in Northern Spain? We will be driving through there next weekend on our way back to the UK from Malaga. Was thinking if you were close, we could pop in and say hi.

We are now just outside Porto at an ACSI camping card site, moving on to Cabo da Roca on Monday for an overnight stop, then south western Portugal for three nights.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Re navi issues:
I would suggest use quickest route and work with avoidance instead, ie avoid highways and toll roads etc.
Nearest route has never worked properly, even on offroad motorbikes.

It sort of worked on this occasion - but I had to understand an overview of the route and tactically ignore some instructions. It was by no means perfect, and I will certainly try "avoid highways" when we next have a leisurely leg.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[T6 CFO]

I'm not sure how typical this weather is of northern Spain in the autumn. It has been very green which suggests high rainfall. But if it is typical, I wonder why the campsites here have been so empty.

I happened to see the weather forecast yesterday on a TV in the campsite bar. 35 degrees was indicated for Seville. I know that Seville is the furnace of Spain, but that surely cannot be a typical October temperature, can it?


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Still down in Southern Spain and told its 6-7 degrees hotter than normal. Mid 30s again today. Nice heat though and in the mountains it's cooling nicely at night.



Mike

 

[Cali-on-Camping]

Still down in Southern Spain and told its 6-7 degrees hotter than normal. Mid 30s again today. Nice heat though and in the mountains it's cooling nicely at night.



Mike

If you see a pretty English lady drooling over your Cali, it'll be my wife who's on a hen weekend in that area. Tell her to get home, we've got some touring to do!!!

 

[Amarillo]

Days 98 & 99 - Porto

We are all really enjoying this campsite just outside the city. It is lively and we are camping with a German and Dutch family each with two children aged 2 and 3. Perfect!

The beach is a two minute walk, the campsite has a supermarket and bar both of which are open sensible hours, and there are restaurants close by. The beach is great, sandy bays and rock pools, dogs are permitted. They even cater for all tastes with the sanitary block: in the men’s three stalls, one with a seat, one without and a squat. But no soap or paper.

Sandy bays and rock pools

Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean


Follow my blog at www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Jay586]

Glad to hear the beach is dog friendly. From just reading around before, it's all sounded problematic.

I'd like to come down where you are one winter, so very helpful!

 

[Amarillo]

Glad to hear the beach is dog friendly. From just reading around before, it's all sounded problematic.

I'd like to come down where you are one winter, so very helpful!

We haven't had much of a problem since leaving Scandinavia. Some other beaches restrict dogs, but it is only Scandinavia where we felt dogs were unwelcome nearly everywhere.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[WelshGas]

We haven't had much of a problem since leaving Scandinavia. Some other beaches restrict dogs, but it is only Scandinavia where we felt dogs were unwelcome nearly everywhere.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Only during the wildlife breeding period from the 1st April to the 20th August each year. Personally do not see anything wrong with that. Of course you might be a perfectly responsible owner but many are not so a law has to encompass all, not just the irresponsible few. No different to banning dogs on beaches . All have to suffer because of the irresponsible few.
A little harsh tarnishing the whole Scandinavian region as being unfriendly towards dogs, just because you didn’t agree with their Law regarding dogs being on a lead during the wildlife breeding season.

 

[Amarillo]

Only during the wildlife breeding period from the 1st April to the 20th August each year. Personally do not see anything wrong with that. Of course you might be a perfectly responsible owner but many are not so a law has to encompass all, not just the irresponsible few. No different to banning dogs on beaches . All have to suffer because of the irresponsible few.
A little harsh tarnishing the whole Scandinavian region as being unfriendly towards dogs, just because you didn’t agree with their Law regarding dogs being on a lead during the wildlife breeding season.

P


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Amarillo]

Only during the wildlife breeding period from the 1st April to the 20th August each year. Personally do not see anything wrong with that. Of course you might be a perfectly responsible owner but many are not so a law has to encompass all, not just the irresponsible few. No different to banning dogs on beaches . All have to suffer because of the irresponsible few.
A little harsh tarnishing the whole Scandinavian region as being unfriendly towards dogs, just because you didn’t agree with their Law regarding dogs being on a lead during the wildlife breeding season.

As far as I know, of the Scandinavian countries, only Norway has a complete ban on dogs being off the lead (with limited exceptions) in all areas where the public has access, during the tourist season. However, our feeling of dogs being unwelcome was pretty universal throughout Scandinavia and Finland. That feeling went as soon as we entered Estonia.

The protection of breeding wildlife and livestock as a reason for preventing dogs being properly exercised in Norway seems particularly lame as the ban extends to all breeds (including toy dogs and hearding breeds) and is in places where there's no likelihood of breeding wildlife or livestock, such as a pedestrianised city street.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu