Friday, 7 July 2017

Poolside


The last few days are spent lazing in the heatwave almost totally alone with free run of the local beaches


Nina takes pity on this local resident and the tuna is opened for our guest


Word soon gets around!


So after a great two weeks 'chilling' by the sea we head for La Hoya and Casa Rudo
En route past Totana we step out at the services in to 40 degs of oven...
Please let it be cooler at Elche!🙏


We arrive late afternoon and get the washing and shopping done near San Fulgencio. This really nice wine bar provides a welcome relief and a cooling breeze pops up in the late evening


We are here!


The summer months provide our hosts Rudy & Dorine with a nice break from their usual busy routine looking after their B & B and serving the needs of the campers


We have the place, and the pool to ourselves...


That will do nicely!


A knock on the open van door (everything is permanently left wide open here) reveals Rudy asking for a little help routing his lekky cables underground
Its a pig of a job in the heat of the morning but we get the job done!


Girls look away!

We had arranged back in the winter on our last visit that I would return later in October of this year to decorate their poolhouse 
Having had a rethink I set about doing the job now. This will enable us to spend more time after our UK visit to tour Germany & Italy en route to the Med for the winter, or at least thats how the theory goes at this stage
No brainer really as the temp poolside is 38 degs and I'm inside with the air con going full tilt!


This is us shortly before one of Dorine's weekly dinners put on for us. The shirt is the last thing I want to put on for dinner but we're British you know!
(Nina has a dress on BTW)


Dorine's homemade Tiramisu ends a lovely evening of cocktails, wine, fine food and banter


The four of us head off next day for the huge shopping complex at La Zenia, south of Torreveja and I'm hooked on this wondrous contraption
Snorkelling just got really easy!


Its a struggle at tea break though


A ride in to nearby Elche reveals quite a nice atmosphere come the early evening and we stroll the backstreets and discover new areas previously overlooked last year
Mental notes are made for a tapas run one evening soon


Nina's latest creation
If your name starts with an S then get ready!


Max is pressed in to action and we take the winding hill route to Aspe for a lunchtime tapa stop
Its here we buy yet more shoes, this time for Nina as I had that privilege last week


Back at the van Al Fresco cooking is the custom 


Rudy's take on Paradise
Note the smiling Meerkat 


My paradise is easily found with this beauty recommended by our host 


Followed by this one making it easily in to my top ten


Last night's visit to nearby restaurant La Vuelta for the four of us was a big hit!


Excellent food accompanied by


Some very good entertainment from a duo called Bella Luna
Dancing, drinking and folks enjoying the atmos...
You know the drill!













Monday, 19 June 2017

South East Spain

After a steady drive in increasingly higher temperatures we reach Aguilas and top up with LPG
A new site beckons at Tortuga Mora, just along the road from Calabardina
Just €4.00 per night and right on the shoreline


The approach to Calabardina



Our little beach next the site


My lovely wife with curly hair...


Huge prawns are pan fried in garlic by yours truly


Madness ensues as we break out the bikes after weeks of gathering dust. My leg and back issues have eased enormously so we set off in baking lunchtime temperatures.
So why don't you go when its cooler? By the time we are up of a morning after grabbing sleep only from late night onwards due to the heat, its too late and the heat is on! In an evening its still high 20's at 9.00pm when its getting dark
So cycling will have to wait for cooler climes I'm afraid and short walks are the order of the day...



Mostly Ecuadorians and a happy bunch too, singing as we rode by


The temptation here is immense to pick and cycle off as there is no fencing and the water melons grow up to the road's edge BUT, look at the size of it!


A few days later and we move up the coast to a wonderful wild camping spot used a few months ago at Canada de Galligo right next to the sea and with just a couple of vans here now


We are buzzed from above


Time to go get the menu del dia at nearby Puntas de Calnegre on Max
At €10.00 each for a four course meal including beer and a coffee Nina makes sure she gets prime spot on the water's edge (We'd had a cheeky sniffter in a bar nearby earlier)


These 112 guys are busy dropping marker buoys off in the bay's inlet for small boats



Max is pressed in to action several times doing the run between idyllic camp to nearby beach bar


We relocate for four days round the bay to La Azohia giving way to a local 'pageant en route to the beach' as part of yet another 'Saints Day'


Hot Vanners...


This Bint believes in starting her kids off early with the smoking


Stupidity raises its head another day and we go biking in to Puerto de Mazzaron



Back at Canada again and we bike down to a newly opened beachside bar...


With rustic furniture


Tapas time again!



We are parked next to a derelict house overlooking the bay stretching round to La Azohia in the distance and we have made the decision to stay here a few days as the sea breeze gives relief during this current heatwave



Us, but on a hot day!








Stitching is the order of the day whilst I keep up to date on Brit politics and the state of my 'fragile' homeland. 


Beautiful sunsets and star gazing till the wee hours....



Its 10km to the nearest cash machine which means a welcome ride on Max only TBH its like putting your head in a tumble dryer 😂


The beach is a welcome relief as are several dips in the sea



We were due to go to Ricote today (monday) but common sense says stay put for another four days as we'd just get fried up in the hills....